Claudio Gerlich
Founder & Technical Architect
Claudio Gerlich is the founder of smplx. and a technical Shopify partner since 2020. With over 18 years of experience in e-commerce development, he has optimised more than 100 stores — from startups to seven-figure brands. His focus is on scalable architecture, technical SEO, and sustainable Shopify solutions.
All articles
27 published articlesBest Shopify Apps for Email Marketing [2026]
7 email marketing apps for Shopify compared. Features, pricing, pros and cons. With smplx. recommendations for different store sizes.
Shopify B2B: Features, Pricing & Custom Logic [2026]
Shopify B2B in detail: Company Accounts, Custom Pricing, Net Payment Terms, Wholesale Channel. What Shopify can do natively and where custom logic is needed.
Shopify Checkout Optimisation [2026]
Optimise your Shopify checkout: Checkout Extensions, UI Extensions, Shopify Functions and conversion strategies. Technical guide for higher completion rates.
Shopify Theme Comparison 2026: Dawn vs. Premium vs. Custom
Dawn, Sense, Impulse, Prestige or Custom Theme? We compare performance, features and costs of the most popular Shopify themes.
Shopify API: REST, GraphQL & Webhooks [2026]
Shopify offers REST, GraphQL and Webhooks. We show you when to use which API, how to handle rate limits, and how to build robust integrations.
Marketing Budget for Shopify: Where to Invest? [2026]
How to allocate your marketing budget wisely? SEO vs. Paid Ads vs. Email. Strategies for every business phase with real ROI numbers.
Shopify Metaobjects: When, Why & How [2026]
Metaobjects are the evolution of Metafields. How to build complex data structures in Shopify — with real code examples.
AI Search: Get Found by ChatGPT & Claude [2026]
ChatGPT, Claude and AI models don't index like Google. How to optimize your Shopify site for AI search.
Shopify Scaling: What Does Growth Cost? [2026]
Cost calculation for e-commerce growth: from 1k € to 100k € monthly and beyond. Realistic scaling budget for every phase.
Testing and QA for Shopify Projects: Checklist [2026]
QA for e-commerce is critical. We show you testing strategies, tools, pre-launch checklists, and how to monitor after launch.
Avoiding Technical Debt in Shopify [2026]
Technical debt builds up fast in Shopify. We show you how it accumulates, how to avoid it, and how to pay down existing debt.
Shopify App Costs: What You Really Pay [2026]
Transparent analysis of Shopify app costs: which apps cost how much, hidden fees, and when custom code is better than apps.
Shopify Integrations: ERP, CRM & More [2026]
Connect Shopify with ERP, CRM, shipping, and payment providers. We show you integration patterns, GDPR compliance, and robust architectures.
Shopify: The 18-Month Architecture Problem
Why Shopify stores hit their limits after 18 months – and how to build your architecture for the future.
Shopify SEO Audit: Step-by-Step Technical Checklist [2026]
Practical guide to technical SEO for Shopify stores. With checklist, audit workflow, and real case studies from 5+ years of Shopify development.
Optimize Shopify Collection Pages for SEO [2026]
Collection Pages are SEO gold. Learn how to optimize unique descriptions, sub-collections, and pagination to drive more organic traffic.
Custom App vs. Theme Code in Shopify [2026]
Should your Shopify feature live in the theme or a custom app? We analyze performance, maintenance and costs.
Shopify Development Costs: Realistic Budgeting [2026]
What does Shopify development really cost? Complete cost guide for DIY, freelancers, agencies, and technical partners with real 2026 price ranges.
Shopify Data Modeling: Metafields & More [2026]
Using Shopify's data model correctly. We show you metafields, metaobjects, relationships, and how to model custom data cleanly.
Hidden E-Commerce Costs Nobody Mentions [2026]
Complete analysis of hidden e-commerce costs that go beyond the Shopify plan: from theme updates to technical debt.
On-Page SEO for Shopify Product Pages [2026]
Technical optimization of product pages: meta tags, descriptions, alt texts, and Schema Markup for maximum visibility.
Keyword Research for Shopify [2026]
Practical guide for effective keyword research in e-commerce. Search intent, tools, and Shopify-specific strategies.
Headless Shopify: Hydrogen vs. Next.js [2026]
Comparison of headless frameworks for Shopify. Hydrogen, Remix and Next.js with Storefront API analyzed.
Shopify Plans: Basic vs. Advanced vs. Plus [2026]
Complete cost comparison of all Shopify plans 2026: prices, features, transaction fees, and which plan fits which business.
Shopify Performance Architecture [2026]
Performance determines conversion. We show you the architecture decisions that enable fast Shopify stores -- with real benchmarks.
Shopify SEO Checklist: Boost E-Commerce Rankings [2026]
Everything about Shopify SEO — from on-page and technical SEO to content strategy and backlinks. With code examples and checklists.
Shopify Store Costs & Pricing Breakdown [2026]
Honest Shopify costs from a technical partner: License from 36 EUR/month, development from 6k EUR, ongoing support from 1.5k EUR/month. No hidden costs.