Shopify tools we actually use, and when you need them.
The short list our team runs on real client stores, sorted by stage. What each tool does, why we use it, and who should skip it.
Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you. Disclosure.
Shopify brand owners picking tools, especially food, beverage and supplement brands.
By stage. Start with Stage 1. Add the rest as the problem shows up.
Our team’s work across client accounts. 1o8 is a Shopify Partner and Klaviyo Platinum Master partner.
You just launched
A store, a way to email customers, proof people like the product, and a way to answer questions. That is the whole list.
Store platform
Shopify
Your store. Product pages, checkout, payments and orders in one place.
- Why we use it
- Every brand we work with runs on it, and everything else on this page plugs into it.
- Skip if
- You sell B2B on custom quotes.
Email + SMS
Klaviyo
Email and texts that run off your Shopify data. Automated flows do most of the work.
- Why we use it
- Our core retention tool. On one pet brand we run, Klaviyo grew from 22% to 27% of total sales in a single quarter.
- Skip if
- You have under 250 subscribers. The free plan or Shopify Email covers it.
Reviews + loyalty
Stamped
Collects reviews, photos and videos from customers and shows them on product pages.
- Why we use it
- Shoppers trust shoppers. Review requests trigger off Klaviyo automatically. Free plan to start.
- Skip if
- No orders yet. Set it up right after launch.
Live chat
Text by LiveChat
A chat box on your site, with an AI agent for common questions when you are offline.
- Why we use it
- An unanswered question is usually a lost sale. 14-day trial, no card.
- Skip if
- You already run Gorgias. It handles chat.
You are growing
Orders are steady. Now it is about answering customers faster, finding what costs you sales on site, and making sure email lands.
Customer service
Gorgias
One inbox for email, chat, text and social, with the Shopify order right next to each message.
- Why we use it
- Saves hours once “where is my order” emails pile up. Refund or edit orders without switching screens. 7-day trial.
- Skip if
- You get a handful of customer emails a week.
Heatmaps + recordings
Contentsquare (formerly Hotjar)
Heatmaps, session recordings and on-site surveys. Hotjar is now part of Contentsquare.
- Why we use it
- Ten real sessions beat a month of guessing. Our first stop on any conversion project.
- Skip if
- Your site traffic is still light. You need volume for patterns.
Email deliverability
InboxAlly
Helps your emails land in the main inbox instead of spam or promotions.
- Why we use it
- When open rates drop, it is usually deliverability, not content. This is the tool we reach for.
- Skip if
- Your list is small and open rates look healthy.
Accessibility
accessiBe
Adds accessibility tools to your store, like screen reader support and keyboard navigation.
- Why we use it
- Makes the store easier to use for more customers.
- Skip if
- You expect it to make the site fully accessible on its own. No automated tool does. Pair it with a manual review.
You are scaling
Ad spend is a real line item and repeat customers matter. Better data and subscriptions pay for themselves here.
Attribution
Triple Whale
Pulls Shopify sales and ad results into one dashboard so you can see what actually drove profit.
- Why we use it
- Ad platforms double count the same sale. We use Triple Whale for channel ROAS and CAC across our accounts.
- Skip if
- Ad spend is not a real line item yet.
Subscriptions
Recharge
Lets shoppers subscribe and get products on a schedule they pick.
- Why we use it
- Coffee, snacks and supplements get reordered. Subscriptions make that automatic. Our go-to.
- Skip if
- Your product is not something people reorder.
Selling to businesses
For brands with a wholesale or B2B side.
B2B visitor ID
Leadfeeder by Dealfront
Shows which companies visit your site and what they looked at, even if they never fill out a form.
- Why we use it
- If a target account reads your pricing page three times this week, that is a reason to call today. Free plan and 14-day trial.
- Skip if
- You sell to consumers. It identifies companies, not people.
How we pick tools for this list
- Our team uses it on real client stores, not just in a demo.
- It solves a problem most growing brands actually have.
- We would recommend it if we earned nothing. Some tools here earn us nothing.
- Every tool gets a “skip if.” If it is not right for you yet, we say so.
Common questions
Do I need all of these?
No. Most new stores need the Stage 1 tools and nothing else. Add the rest when the problem each one solves actually shows up.
What should I set up first on Shopify?
Email capture and three Klaviyo flows (welcome, abandoned checkout, post-purchase), then reviews with Stamped. That combination does the most for repeat sales early on.
Do you get paid if I sign up?
Sometimes. Some links on this page are affiliate or referral links. It never changes what you pay, and it does not change what we recommend. Details in the disclosure at the bottom.
Can 1o8 set these up for us?
Yes. We set up and run these tools for brands every day. Happy to take a look at your stack and tell you where we would start.
Want a second set of eyes on your stack?
We’re happy to look at what you run today and tell you where we would start.
Disclosure
Some links on this page are affiliate or referral links. If you sign up through them, Aalap Shah, 1o8’s founder, may earn a commission from the software company. You never pay more because of it. Vendors do not review or approve this page, and commissions do not decide what we recommend or how we describe it. Every tool here is one our team uses. Prices and features change, so check each tool’s site for current details. Last updated October 2026.