Purpose #
This article explains what the Operate phase includes and how Shopstars ensures ongoing stability, reliability, and optimization for live stores. It covers maintenance cycles, monitoring, catalog updates, security, and ongoing analytics. Clients should use this as the reference for understanding how their Shopify store is maintained and supported day to day.
Why Operations Matter #
A Shopify store is not static. Themes evolve, apps update, new products launch, and external systems change. Without structured operations, stores accumulate technical debt, lose performance, or fall behind compliance requirements. The Operate phase ensures the store remains healthy, secure, and optimized so clients can focus on sales and brand growth.
Core Deliverables #
Maintenance Cycles
- Monthly reviews for app updates, pixel tracking, and performance checks.
- Quarterly audits covering theme, integrations, SEO, and accessibility.
- Documentation of all maintenance actions in Basecamp for transparency.
Monitoring and Alerts
- Uptime monitoring to ensure availability.
- Pixel and analytics validation to confirm events fire correctly.
- Fraud and checkout monitoring to detect anomalies in orders.
- Alerts configured for errors in key integrations (ERP, CRM, fulfillment).
Catalog and Content Updates
- Product imports and collection restructuring.
- Seasonal content updates for homepage, landing pages, and campaigns.
- Blog publishing and metadata updates for SEO.
- QA for pricing accuracy, image consistency, and product discoverability.
Security and Compliance
- Staff and collaborator access reviewed quarterly.
- Two-factor authentication (2FA) enforced across accounts.
- App permissions monitored for excessive or unnecessary access.
- GDPR/CCPA compliance validated with consent banners and customer rights workflows.
Performance Optimization
- Site speed tracked continuously with Lighthouse and Shopify’s metrics.
- Scripts and apps evaluated for impact on Core Web Vitals.
- Image compression and CDN delivery optimized.
- Checkout flow retested after updates to confirm conversion reliability.
Analytics and Reporting
- Monthly reporting on traffic, conversions, and revenue attribution.
- Attribution reconciliation across Shopify, GA4, and ad platforms.
- Trend analysis on customer acquisition, repeat orders, and lifetime value.
- Recommendations logged in Basecamp with next steps.
Escalation and Incident Handling #
Operate includes incident response for downtime, checkout failures, or security alerts. Issues are logged in Basecamp, flagged by priority, and resolved within service-level timelines. Clients receive post-incident documentation with corrective actions.
Client Responsibilities #
Clients must:
- Approve maintenance actions that affect customer-facing features.
- Provide timely product data and creative assets for catalog updates.
- Notify Shopstars before installing apps or making theme edits independently.
- Review monthly reports and confirm next-step recommendations.
Summary #
The Operate phase ensures Shopify stores remain healthy and optimized with structured maintenance, monitoring, catalog updates, and compliance reviews. Shopstars handles the technical upkeep and proactive improvements, while clients provide data, assets, and approvals. This phase guarantees long-term stability and reliability, allowing stores to run smoothly while focusing on revenue growth.
