Website speed is a crucial factor in ecommerce success. A slow-loading Shopify store leads to higher bounce rates, lower conversions, and a weaker organic search presence. As Shopify continues to evolve, its infrastructure has been optimised to support fast, high-performing stores—but keeping your site running at peak speed requires active management.
Why website speed matters
Speed impacts every part of an ecommerce business. A slow website frustrates users, reduces conversion rates, and increases the cost of customer acquisition. According to Google, even a 3-second delay can reduce conversions by over 50%.
Speed also plays a critical role in SEO. Faster websites rank higher in search results, attract more organic traffic, and improve the ROI of paid acquisition channels such as Google Ads, Meta Ads, and retargeting campaigns.
How to measure Shopify website speed
Several tools can assess your Shopify store’s speed. Here are the key metrics to focus on:
PageSpeed Insights Score
Google PageSpeed Insights provides a 0-100 score based on real-world performance metrics. Shopify integrates this directly into its dashboard to help merchants track loading times.
Fully loaded time
This measures how long it takes for every element of a page to load completely. While useful, sites can be interactive before reaching this benchmark.
First contentful paint
This tracks how quickly the first visible content (logo, text, or images) appears. A fast first contentful paint improves perceived performance.
Time to interact
The time before users can interact with key elements like buttons and navigation. A faster time to interact leads to a better experience.
Is Shopify slow?
No. Shopify’s infrastructure is optimised for speed, with a global content delivery network (CDN), automatic image compression, and fast-loading themes. However, merchants can unintentionally slow their site down through excessive apps, heavy customisations, and unoptimised assets.
What slows down a Shopify store?
As brands grow, they introduce new functionality that can impact performance. Common culprits include:
- Too many third-party apps adding unnecessary scripts.
- Heavy JavaScript from animations, custom UI elements, or tracking pixels.
- Unoptimised images that increase load times.
- Large collection pages that load too many products at once.
Apps
Shopify apps add features but also introduce extra scripts. Some load externally, causing delays. Reducing unnecessary apps or replacing them with lightweight alternatives can improve speed.
JavaScript
Custom animations, build-a-box features, and interactive UI elements increase JavaScript load. Balancing interactivity with performance is key.
Images
Large, unoptimised images slow down Shopify stores. Compressing images and using modern formats like WebP can significantly improve speed.
How to maintain a fast Shopify store
Speed optimisation is an ongoing process. Key strategies include:
- Regularly auditing site speed and removing unnecessary apps.
- Using a developer environment to test changes before applying them to the live store.
- Optimising images before uploading them.
Test apps in a development store
Shopify Plus users can use a development store to test apps before making live changes. This prevents unexpected slowdowns.
Optimise images
Image size and format impact performance. Best practices include:
- Using JPEG for product images and WebP where possible.
- Ensuring thumbnails are correctly sized for collection pages.
- Lazy loading images so they load only when needed.
Run regular speed audits
Speed should be monitored regularly. Shopify brands should run monthly audits and benchmark their performance using PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse, and Shopify’s built-in tools.
Final thoughts
Website speed is essential for ecommerce success. By following best practices, removing unnecessary apps, and optimising assets, Shopify merchants can maintain a fast and high-performing store.
Looking to optimise your Shopify store for speed? Let’s start planning your site improvements.