I’d like to share an experience I had while working with someone who claimed to be a Shopify Partner. When I asked why his name wasn’t listed in Shopify’s partner directory, he explained that the company he was working with was still in the process of becoming credentialed. Despite my concerns, he presented a proposal for $160, and because I wanted to save money and feeling like $160 wasn't that much to risk, I decided to give him a chance—especially since the initial payment was processed through Upwork, which added a layer of protection.
Initially, I tasked him with changing the theme of our Shopify store, addressing some functionality issues (like installing banners and trust badges), and performing SEO work. However, I had no way to verify whether any substantial SEO improvements were actually made. I planned to handle automating email workflows myself later on, so I didn’t assign him that task.
As the project progressed, additional costs started piling up. Tasks that began at one price would quickly escalate due to new "requirements" or limitations on his end. For example, he claimed he needed to bring in a professional developer to complete the second phase of the SEO work, which required another round of payments. These payments were requested via a payment processing application with $, instead of Upwork, which was another red flag. When I tried to make a final payment through this app to his supposed partner the transaction was declined—apparently for my protection. This raised serious concerns.
Adding to the unease, it seems complaints had been filed against the other partner he was using previously to process payments through on this same app. When confronted, he assured me there was no cause for worry. (Which is what anyone would say who was trying to scam someone.) Because his emails were written well and very professional I fell into thinking he could be trusted. Truthfully, he was never transparent about his credentials, experience, or location, and while he shared screenshots of positive reviews and previous projects, I had no way to verify the authenticity of any of it. After spending a total of $545, I decided to part ways because there were too many red flags and really no way to confirm the quality or legitimacy of his work. The process lacked transparency from start to finish. I’m sharing this because I don’t want anyone else to go through what I did. I spent so much time trying to develop my site instead of focusing on my inventory, which was a distraction from the core of my business. Since my knowledge is limited and site development or SEO work isn’t something I want to do, I was hoping I could hire someone without spending thousands of dollars. Unfortunately, I now feel that’s not realistic.
That said, I don’t feel I was outright scammed, but I really won't know until I hire someone else to finish the tasks. I do realize I was an easy target and made several mistakes in an effort to save money. In hindsight, I regret not hiring a verified Shopify professional or someone local in my area. Having a local expert would have ensured clear communication, measurable outcomes, and greater accountability. I now understand that hiring someone new will likely mean starting over and incurring costs in the thousands of dollars—but as they say, you get what you pay for. This experience has been a costly lesson in the importance of investing wisely in qualified professionals. While I was foolish, (and tired and overworked) I don't want anyone else to experience what I did.
