Codal is redefining the way enterprise B2B brands approach digital commerce. With over 15 years of experience and a strong technical foundation, the full-service web design and development agency helps both B2B and direct-to-consumer clients across various industries significantly streamline their daily operations.
A Shopify partner since 2016, Codal started out as a custom software development firm before shifting their focus to commerce. “This background sets us apart,” says Ryan Bloms, associate director of partnerships at Codal. “We’re able to articulate and architect complex integrations more effectively than many competitors. Codal isn’t a cookie cutter agency—we take a custom-tailored approach that brands find valuable.”
Beyond optimizing the front end user experience and back end processes, Codal customizes Shopify implementations for each individual client and supports them in growing and future-proofing their business for the long term.
“Every company has unique needs, and our goal is to help them in their evaluation process,” Ryan explains. “We’ve worked with hundreds of brands, and no two projects are the same. Even if the integrations are similar, the approach is always different. That variety keeps things exciting.”
As a result of partnering with Shopify, Codal has delivered significant value such as:
- 5x expansion of Codal’s ecommerce team since they became a Shopify partner
- 500% increase in direct-to-consumer revenue for Thermos
- Built a global logistics and supply chain management app that integrates seamlessly with Shopify for Flexport
The challenge: Modernize clunky systems and cumbersome workflows
Enterprise brands operating in the B2B space face a host of challenges that go far beyond website redesigns. Many still rely on decade-old legacy systems, clunky user interfaces, and fragmented processes.
“B2B is definitely behind the curve when it comes to digital innovation,” says Ryan. “Integrating outdated systems into a modern architecture can be complex, but the technology is only one piece of the larger puzzle. Change management is really important, too. In B2B, you still have sales reps visiting clients with a clipboard and a box of donuts. The key is showing them how we can optimize their job and minimize routine manual workflows.”
Another consistent challenge is the UX/UI design. Many B2B websites lag in the user experience, which makes it difficult for buyers to find the products they're looking for or place reorders. In short, sites also often lack the personalization that today’s B2B buyers expect.
“It’s all about understanding a business’s internal workflows. This impacts how we architect the new solution—designing the front end for conversion and optimizing the back end flow to streamline how employees use the new system day to day.”
—Ryan Bloms, Associate Director of Partnerships, Codal
In addition, many enterprise organizations need to support complex buyer journeys. For example, Codal has seen a consistent trend of private equity groups acquiring multiple brands in an industry—especially in industrial manufacturing and automotive—and needing to unify their tech stacks. They often operate on different systems, and the new parent company then wants to streamline operations, lower costs, improve functionality, and create a consistent design across multiple brands.
Moving to ecommerce with self-service capabilities is one of the fastest ways to do that. However, prior commerce platforms often forced clients into expensive workarounds, ultimately resulting in high overheads and operational inefficiencies. As one of the founding Shopify Plus partners, Codal has consistently helped enterprise brands overcome these legacy challenges and turned them into innovative opportunities.
The solution: Craft customized B2B experiences
With a global team of designers and developers that know the platform inside and out, Codal has developed a deep understanding of Shopify and the value the platform can bring to businesses. One of the main reasons Codal’s clients choose Shopify is its simplicity. The platform removes complexity from even the small but critical parts of their businesses.
“The feature set that Shopify offers out of the box replaces or improves a lot of a client's existing ecommerce experience,” Ryan points out. “It allows companies to operate more smoothly. And with over a million stores on Shopify, most integrations or unique business needs have already been solved. When a client asks, ‘Has this been done before?’, the answer is almost always ‘yes.’”
Build unified solutions for multi-brand enterprises
Codal specializes in architecting ecosystems for multi-brand organizations. “It’s one of our superpowers,” Ryan says. “Over 50% of our ecommerce clients manage multiple brands under one umbrella, and our team knows how to plan for and roll out these projects efficiently. We use a ‘hub-and-spoke’ methodology—developing core features and a design system once, then replicating them across all brands. The only things that change are the products and the unique branding of each business.”
One of the standout projects in Codal’s portfolio is the migration of Thermos from a costly third-party managed system to an in-house Shopify solution. The global business operates a complex multi-brand structure, including a sister company. Previously, however, direct-to-consumer sales weren’t handled internally, and Thermos needed to regain control over their digital storefront, branding, and fulfillment.
“A third party managed everything, even Thermos’s transactional emails. The costs were astronomical, so we guided them through a discovery process, and Shopify was the clear winner. Thermos has remained a client since 2020, and it’s been a fantastic partnership.”
—Ryan Bloms, Associate Director of Partnerships, Codal
Codal managed to migrate Thermos, along with the sister brand, to Shopify in just eight weeks. The rapid replatforming laid the foundation for continuous improvements, such as enhancing the site’s user experience, implementing innovative features and improving existing ones, as well as monitoring conversion rates. The results have been huge: Since the switch to Shopify, both their click-through rate and direct-to-consumer revenue have increased by about 500%, while the conversion rate has gone up by 38%.
For brands that require a more advanced technical solution, Codal has embraced a headless architecture. When working with a non-profit that manages multiple brands and sells both physical and digital products, Codal recommended a headless CMS setup using the Shopify Hydrogen framework. Previously, everything had been running on a homegrown tech stack, and cost was a major concern.
A key factor in choosing Shopify was its own hosting platform, Shopify Oxygen, included in the Shopify Plus plan. The result is a significant reduction of total cost of ownership, a streamlined development process, and a performance level that meets the high expectations of enterprise buyers.
Innovation beyond the storefront
Codal’s expertise isn’t limited to storefronts. The agency’s strong background in software development was the reason they were selected to build a global logistics and supply chain management app for Flexport. By integrating with complex APIs (including some originally written in Chinese), Codal created a custom-built app that enables merchants to manage everything from ocean freight shipping to rate comparisons—all without leaving their Shopify dashboard.
“The Flexport app is one of our most unique projects. It was a very rewarding moment when Flexport’s project lead, who had 20 plus years experience in ecommerce, said that he had never worked with a team that was able to deliver on such a tight timeline and budget while overcoming major technical challenges.”
—Ryan Bloms, Associate Director of Partnerships, Codal
Another innovative solution was developed for RegimenPro, an online marketplace for doctor-driven skincare. Its parent company came to Codal with the need to build a platform that combined B2B with D2C by serving both healthcare providers and consumers.
Codal designed a secure and intuitive custom dashboard that was able to manage sensitive patient data while still integrating with Shopify’s checkout. And on the consumer side, Codal created a streamlined, user-friendly Shopify portal that allowed patients to access their personalized regimen and products and have them ordered directly to their door. This approach not only met stringent compliance requirements but also enabled recurring subscriptions and personalized purchasing journeys.
The results: Deliver scalable success
Codal’s technical expertise and collaborative approach with Shopify have led to impressive results for both their clients and themselves. Since becoming a founding Shopify Plus partner in 2016, Codal has continuously enhanced this partnership, culminating in their recognition as a Shopify Platinum Partner in 2025.
By working closely with Shopify’s B2B team and participating in key events—such as a presentation at Shopify headquarters that directly contributed to a significant enterprise win—Codal continues to prove their value within the Shopify ecosystem. This collaboration has also fueled remarkable growth, with Codal’s ecommerce team expanding by 5x since they became a Shopify partner.
“Over the past decade, we’ve broadened our expertise across nearly every industry, particularly in automotive, B2B, and healthcare,” says Ryan. “Our growth is reflected in the success of our numerous enterprise clients within the Shopify VIP team, highlighting the strength of our partnership.”
Additionally, Codal consistently evaluates the total cost of ownership for their clients. By monitoring new Shopify features and identifying opportunities to leverage built-in capabilities, the team effectively reduces technology costs and overhead, thereby fostering long-term relationships.
“We push the chips all-in when it comes to the Shopify partnership. It's definitely something that we continue to invest in and grow. Every year it seems we keep doubling down. And in the true spirit of the partnership, it's about making sure we're amplifying those stories of how Shopify can help. If Codal gets to tag along for the ride, even better.”
—Ryan Bloms, Associate Director of Partnerships, Codal
