Fixed quote · From $5,000 AUD · 6–8 week delivery
No templates. No constraints. Built to convert.
Themes are built for everyone, so they are optimised for no one. When your brand, product, or purchase path needs more than a theme can give, Studio Elephant designs and codes the store from scratch.
We take 1–2 custom builds at a time so delivery stays focused. Theme from scratch when a template cannot do the job.
When a custom build makes sense
It is not always the right answer. Studio Elephant will say so if it is not. These are the cases where it usually is.
Features themes cannot do
Custom configurators, complex bundles, multi-step funnels, or checkout paths that do not exist out of the box.
A brand that will not fit a template
Every premium theme feels like a compromise. You need a store that looks unmistakably yours.
Performance that themes drag down
Theme files carry weight you do not need. A custom build stays lean: faster loads, cleaner code, nothing unused.
You need to own the stack
At volume, depending on a theme you do not control becomes a liability. A custom theme means full ownership and no third-party theme update surprises.
Custom build example
From-scratch Shopify theme (Liquid + Tailwind). For conversion work or theme setups, see the case studies.
Custom build
SenseRobot
Under 2s desktop · about 2.1s mobile · 6-week custom build
Custom Shopify store (Liquid + Tailwind) for an AI chess robot — video-heavy, under 2s desktop, about 2.1s mobile.
What is included
From first layout to launch week. Not a theme with colours swapped.
Custom design
Every key page designed around your brand, products, and purchase path. Desktop and mobile, before code starts.
Custom Shopify theme development
Clean Liquid, JavaScript, and CSS. A theme only you own. No licence fees, no shared template, yours to change forever.
Conversion-first build
The purchase path is designed before code. Layout decisions follow conversion, not decoration. CRO is baked in, not bolted on later.
Mobile-first development
Built for phones first. Tested on real iOS and Android devices before anything goes live.
App selection and integration
Only the apps you need, integrated cleanly so they do not slow the store or break on update.
Launch week support
Studio Elephant stays available through launch week for issues, edge cases, and last-minute changes. You are not left holding a zip file.
From brief to live in 6–8 weeks
Step 1
Discovery and brief
Brand, customers, competitors, and goals. The questions that matter for conversion, not only the tech stack.
Step 2
Design
Every page designed for desktop and mobile before code. You review, give feedback, and iterate until the look and the purchase path are right.
Step 3
Development
Approved designs become a working Shopify theme on a staging URL. Milestone payment at this stage.
Step 4
Review and QA
Cross-device and browser testing. Final review pass. Revisions handled before a launch date is locked.
Step 5
Launch and handover
Go live on your date. Store walkthrough, credentials and code handover, launch week support. Final payment on launch. The theme is yours.
From $5,000 AUD
Scoped individually. Most small-to-medium builds land between $5,000 AUD and $15,000 AUD. Fixed quote after the first conversation. No hourly billing for the build itself.
Start a custom build — from $5,000 AUDCommon questions
How is a custom build different from theme setup?
Theme setup works inside a premium theme. A custom build designs and codes the theme from scratch, so Studio Elephant is not limited by someone else’s layout. Use theme setup when a premium theme can do the job. Use a custom build when it cannot, or when the brand needs a store that looks and works like nothing off the shelf.
Does Studio Elephant offer support after launch?
Yes. Launch week support is included. After that, updates are billed at $140 AUD/hr. No retainer required. An optional monthly retainer at a discounted rate is available for regular work. A conversion audit 3–6 months after launch is a common next step once real traffic data exists.
Do I need content ready before kickoff?
Ideally yes. Product catalogue, brand assets, and key copy make the design accurate. Placeholder content can start the process, but final content produces a better store.
What if I am not sure I need a custom build?
Tell Studio Elephant what you are trying to build. If a theme can do it, you will hear that and get pointed at theme setup from $2,400 AUD. The cheaper option that works is the right option.
What happens if scope changes mid-project?
Scope changes get discussed and agreed before extra work starts. Studio Elephant will say what the change costs in time and money before doing it. No surprise invoice at the end.
Ready for a store built to convert?
Tell Studio Elephant what it needs to do, what it needs to look like, and when you need it live. You get an honest assessment and a fixed quote.
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