So, you own an ecommerce store and it’s time to consider hiring an ecommerce agency. 

That’ natural progression.

By hiring an ecommerce agency, you’re leveraging their expertise in digital marketing, design, and website optimization strategies

You might also get tailored solutions to enhance your brand’s online presence, streamline operations, and maximize ROI.

But most importantly, this allows you to pass on all the ecommerce operations to a team of experts, while you focus on the core of your business.

Ecommerce agencies are abundant so it’s crucial you make an informed decision and don’t get burnt. 

Let’s see what you can consider.

What Is an Ecommerce Agency?

An ecommerce agency is a company that helps you sell your products online. 

Think of it as a one-stop shop for all the tools and expertise you need to run a successful online store.

Depending on your needs, these agencies offer a wide range of services.

Some can help you make the jump from offline sales to online sales—from setting up your website, product listings, inventory management, and handling payments.

Others help with online marketing, and store design, or provide support and strategies to improve customer experience, boost sales, or manage your digital budget.

In short, an ecommerce agency takes care of the technical and marketing aspects of selling online so you can focus on your products and customers.

Types of Ecommerce Agencies

Before considering hiring an ecommerce agency, you’ll have to understand that there are different types of ecommerce agencies for various needs.

Sometimes, they will provide more than one of the services listed above, but you should still  make the distinction. 

Ecommerce Paid Advertising Agency

This type of agency specializes in creating and managing online advertising campaigns (like Google Ads and Facebook Ads) to drive traffic and sales to your online store through paid channels.

If you want to acquire more users for your business through precise targeting and ads management on various social platforms and channels, you should consider hiring a paid ads agency

Ecommerce Email Marketing Agency

Ecommerce email marketing agencies focus on designing and executing email marketing campaigns.

Through these campaigns—from one time blasts to drips and workflows—are used to engage customers, promote products, and boost sales through targeted and personalized email communications.

For example, your brand can send emails like these:

Yes, we’ve designed those. Cool, right?

Ecommerce SEO Agency

An SEO agency works on optimizing your website and content to improve its visibility in search engine results—helping you attract more organic traffic and potential customers.

Organic traffic can supplement paid advertising and email marketing pretty well—but the results are usually not immediate, nor easy to measure at the start.

Therefore, you should hire an ecommerce agency only when you have enough budget to spare to run a marathon, not a race.

Ecommerce Development Agency

A development agency provides expertise to build, customize, and maintain your online store. 

They should ensure that your store is user-friendly, secure, and integrated with necessary e-commerce tools and platforms.

You might want to hire this agency if your current online store is outdated or not showing an adequate conversion rate.

Also, you should hire this type of agency when you’re just developing your online businesses, or moving from brick and mortar to the cyberspace!

When Is the Time to Hire an Ecommerce Agency?

One thing’s for sure. You don’t want to hire an ecommerce agency at all costs. 

First thing to consider is that ecommerce agencies are not cheap. They usually charge a flat monthly rate and—depending on your scope and size—it can be a hefty chunk of your budget.

However, there are situations when hiring an ecommerce agency is the right step forward.

We’ll list some…

You are Seeing Stagnating or Declining Sales

If your sales are stagnating, but you still have budget on the side—an ecommerce agency might help you get out of the rut.

Most of these guys have years in the business and have worked with tons of brands so they understand the pulse of the industry. 

You might hire them to audit your store, your ad strategy–if you have one—and your positioning, and provide solutions.

You Want to Expand to New Channels or Markets

Let’s say you plan to enter new markets or channels.

First, you’ll need guidance on localization, compliance, and targeted marketing.Or if you’re just jumping from offline to online selling, you’ll need an agency to set you all up.

Second, you might’ve done some ecommerce marketing yourself. 

But  just because you had success in Meta ads, doesn’t mean you’ll be able to master email marketing platforms at the same rate, for instance.

You might invest more time and lose more than if you’d just hire an agency to do the job for you.  

Your In-House Expertise Is Low or You Want to Outsource Operations

You might lack the technical, marketing, or design skills within your team to effectively manage and grow your e-commerce operations.

Also, your in-house team may need some help from an external, experienced agency. 

At Top Growth Marketing, we often work as an extension of a brand’s in-house marketing team. 

For example, the in-house marketing manager still does the strategic side of things, while the agency does the operational stuff—from actual content production to ad management and reporting.

You Feel It’s Time to Scale

This is the ideal scenario.

Your e-commerce business is thriving, you are growing and now you have cash to reinvest in growth and acquisition. 

That’s what agencies love the most because they’ll essentially just add their expertise and help you use that money to keep growing at a scalable rate while you can focus on other aspects of your job.

Most agencies can take over your ad and inventory management, as well as customer support and payment processing—while you strategize, innovate, and expand.

If you find yourself in this situation, don’t hesitate to get in touch with an agency.

You Simply Don’t Like Marketing

Some businesspeople are good in selling or developing their systems and operations—but hate promoting stuff. They don’t know how to do it, don’t care, or aren’t attracted to that type of work.

If you have the money, you shouldn’t push yourself to do what you don’t like. Delegate instead.

Agencies are often like your employees or partners. As you grow, you don’t want to work behind the counter—or do inventory management, or deliver stuff. You hire someone else to do it.

Hiring an ecommerce agency is no different.

The Benefits of Hiring an Ecommerce Agency

Hiring an agency has it’s pros and cons. 

While we’ve touched on some of the upsides above—and will talk more about them in the following sections—there are some benefits to agencies that aren’t that noticeable at first.

Let’s check them out.

You’ll Get New Education and Training

Hiring an ecommerce agency can provide your team with valuable education and training. 

Agencies often offer insights into the latest trends, tools, and best practices in the ecommerce industry.

This knowledge transfer can empower your in-house team to make informed decisions and improve their skills—and stay with them even if the partnership is over.

You’ll Have Someone From the Outside Looking In

An external agency brings a fresh perspective to your business.

They can identify opportunities and issues that your internal team might overlook due to familiarity or bias.

They are also constantly keeping their finger on the pulse of the industry—and are aware of changes to existing channels, or new emerging channels or trends.

This objective viewpoint can lead to innovative solutions and strategies that drive growth and efficiency.

You’ll Be In Constant Touch With Industry Experts

Working with an ecommerce agency ensures you have ongoing access to industry experts.

These professionals stay updated on the latest developments and can provide expert advice tailored to your business needs. They are also well-connected with others in the industry and can find quick solutions and answers when a problem occurs.

For example, by working with Top Growth Marketing, you’ll be in constant contact with Jack Paxton—our founder who has 15+ years in the ad industry as a service provider and educator.

This continuous support helps you stay competitive and adapt to changes in the ecommerce landscape.

How to Tell If Ecommere Agency Is Good?

This is the hardest part. We’re not saying all ecommerce agencies that don’t have the below elements are bad, but are sure to be less trustworthy.

Here are things you have to pay attention to:

Check For Reviews Online

Search for reviews on various websites and platforms where the agency is listed. 

Independent reviews on sites or industry-specific forums can provide unbiased opinions about the agency’s performance and customer service. 

Consistent positive feedback across multiple platforms is a good sign of a reputable agency.

Check if the website is listed on websites like Clutch, DesignRush, and similar listings—plus always check Google as that’s where a lot of clients will rate first, by inertia.

Our listing on Clutch.

See Testimonials On Their Websites

Check the agency’s website for client testimonials. 

These reviews can provide insight into the agency’s reliability, effectiveness, and client satisfaction. 

Positive testimonials from businesses similar to yours can be particularly reassuring.

A good agency will have a few testimonials from real people and reputable companies listed on their website

Pay Attention to Case Studies

Detailed case studies on the agency’s website can tell you everything you need to know.

They can showcase the agency’s ability to deliver results and solve specific business challenges. Of course, sometimes agencies will throw numbers around or have skewed metrics. 

But if done right, they offer a deeper understanding of the agency’s approach and the outcomes they have achieved for their clients.

With this, you can check whether your brand aligns with the industries the agency has already worked with. 

Look For Past Clients 

Examine the list of past clients the agency has worked with.

 An impressive client roster, especially if it includes well-known brands or companies in your industry, can be a strong indicator of the agency’s credibility and experience.

But even if an agency doesn’t have an impressive roster, seeing a lot of clients from your industry should be a good sign.

Before You Decide…

Here’s the truth. You don’t want to hire an ecommerce agency at all costs. 

In fact, hiring an agency is the wrong thing to do in some cases. When we speak with clients, we first evaluate if the partnership brings mutual benefit and if it makes sense to work together.

If you’re just starting out, have a limited budget, and are in the stage where you’re scraping just to get by—don’t hire an agency. Focus on growing your business organically, invest in learning some marketing on your own if needed—and go from there.

Once you reach the growth stage, where there’s enough money for this type of service, it’s time to schedule those meetings.

Here’s what we’d recommend you to do:

• Write your business objectives and try to understand what you want to accomplish with the service.
• Be realistic, as “doubling” or “tripling” your revenue in 1-2 months is quite difficult. 
• Assign a dedicated budget that you can lose. Marketers spend a lot of money testing things—and acquiring new customers is expensive.
• Expect fluctuations. Sometimes, stuff just won’t work out so make sure both you and the ecommerce agency are on the same page.
• Set up goals in advance. Set clear, realistic expectations, discuss communication frequency and reporting, and ask whatever you want to know before start. Trust us, agencies would rather you feel secure than panicking all the time.

Stop, Evaluate, Hire

Hiring an e-commerce agency can be a game-changer for your online store – providing expertise, efficiency, and scalability.

However, it’s crucial to assess your needs, budget, and business goals carefully.

Ensure the agency aligns with your vision and can deliver measurable results.

And we happen to know just one… So let’s talk.