Editor's Note
A lot of Shopify app founders want partnerships.
Every Shopify app founder wants agency partners.
Because it sounds perfect:
One relationship, many stores, steady installs.
But here’s the truth.
Agencies are one of the toughest channels to crack.
Freelancers and consultants may care about referral fees.
Small agencies see referrals as a bonus.
Large agencies usually do not care about commission at all.
They care about reputation.
They care about not getting blamed.
They care about keeping merchants happy.
So if the pitch is only “we have a referral program”, it dies quickly.
This issue is the honest guide on how to win agencies without wasting months.
Let’s get into it.
The Agency Partner Playbook for Shopify Apps
How to earn referrals the hard way, the honest way, and the repeatable way
Hello Founders,
If you have tried agencies before and felt ignored, you are not alone.
This issue explains why agencies behave the way they do, and what a realistic agency partnership motion looks like in 2026.
Inside this issue
The 3 agency types (freelancers, small agencies, large agencies) and what each one actually cares about
Why commission rarely works as the main pitch, especially with serious agencies
What agencies will recommend without incentives (and what they avoid)
A simple ladder to break in: freelancers → small agencies → larger agencies
The agency readiness checklist (docs, setup, verification, support, pricing clarity)
The only 3 offers that work in real life (implementation-first, co-selling support, credibility partnership)
A 30-day sprint plan to land your first pilots and turn them into a repeatable channel
Copy-paste outreach templates and the exact discovery call agenda
Mistakes that kill agency relationships and what to do instead
A final thoughts section on how to treat this like a trust channel, not a quick win
👉 Read the full issue here: The Agency Partner Playbook for Shopify Apps
News Alert: Launching Shopify Merchant’s Edition Podcast
Newsletter readers are the first ones to know.
We are kicking off a new podcast focused on Shopify merchants. In this season, we will be talking to founders and operators running high-growth e-commerce brands in the Shopify ecosystem.
Why does this matter to you? This is where your real ICP will spend time watching or even be on the podcast as the guest.
We have opened sponsorship slots for:
A single episode sponsorship
A full-season sponsorship
We have already locked in a few slots, and we are opening 4 more apps to get featured in the podcast.
If you want to get your app in front of the right merchants and be part of this season, reply to this email or DM me on LinkedIn.
Till next time,
Best- Yuvraj Kewate