How to Build a Shopify Client List for Your Agency [7 Methods + 52K Store Data]

TL;DR: The fastest way to build a qualified Shopify client list is using a store database with verified contacts like StoreInspect. Our database includes 52,000+ stores with 110,000+ verified contacts. For free methods, combine Google search operators + the Store Inspector extension + LinkedIn. Focus on the 10k-50k traffic tier where 82% of stores have reachable decision-makers.

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You need Shopify clients. But not just any clients. You need stores that can afford your services, need what you sell, and will actually respond to outreach.

The problem? There are 4.6+ million Shopify stores out there. Finding the right ones manually takes forever. Buying random email lists gets you bounces and spam complaints. And generic prospecting wastes time on stores that will never convert.

We learned this the hard way. Early on, we'd spend hours building lists from Google searches, only to find half the emails bounced and the other half were stores too small to afford anything.

We analyzed 52,575 Shopify stores to find what actually works. This guide covers seven methods to build a qualified client list, from free manual techniques to databases with verified contacts. Each method includes realistic time estimates, costs, and when to use it.

What you'll learn: How to find stores, qualify them, and get decision-maker contacts without wasting time on bad leads.

What Is a Shopify Client List?

A Shopify client list is a database of Shopify stores that match your ideal customer (the type of store most likely to buy from you), complete with emails for people who can say yes.

It's more than just store URLs. A good client list includes:

• Store domain: who you're targeting
• Traffic tier: signals their budget and scale
• Tech stack: the apps and theme they use (reveals gaps you can fill)
• Category: ensures they're in your target niche
• Contacts: emails for founders, marketing leads, or managers
• Qualification signals: data that helps you prioritize

The difference between a list and a database: A list is static. It decays. A database is maintained, verified, and enriched over time. If you're doing regular prospecting, you need a database approach.

Why List Quality Beats List Size

Most agencies chase volume. They blast 1,000 emails and celebrate 5 replies. That's a 0.5% response rate, and most of those replies are "please remove me."

Our data shows the difference between qualified and unqualified outreach:

Random list: 1,000 emails → 0.5% response → 5 replies → maybe 1 meeting

Qualified list: 200 emails → 5-8% response → 10-16 replies → 3-5 meetings

Same effort. 3-5x the results. The difference is qualification.

What Makes a Store "Qualified"?

Based on our analysis of 52,575 stores, qualified Shopify prospects share these traits:

1. Right size: Big enough to afford you, small enough to respond quickly
2. Missing something you sell: A gap in their apps, design, or marketing
3. They pay for things: Uses paid apps or premium themes (not just free tools)
4. You can reach them: 2+ contacts with emails available
5. Growth-minded: Running ads, active on social, adding new tools

We'll cover how to filter for each of these signals.

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The Sweet Spot: 10k-50k Monthly Visitors

Not all Shopify stores are good prospects. Too small and they can't afford you. Too big and they have procurement committees.

Our data on the 10k-50k traffic tier:

This is the sweet spot for most agencies:

• Revenue range: Typically $50k-$500k/month
• Decision speed: Founders still read their email
• Budget reality: Can afford $2k-$10k/month retainers
• Growth mindset: Actively adding tools (app count 35% higher than smaller stores)

Key insight: 82% of stores in the 10k-50k tier have verified contacts. Below 10k, that drops to 69%. Target this tier and you'll spend less time hunting for emails.

Contact Coverage by Traffic Tier

The pattern: Contact coverage jumps significantly at 10k+ traffic. Below 10k, many stores are too new to have indexed leadership. Above 10k, decision-makers are findable.

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7 Methods to Build Your Shopify Client List

Each method has tradeoffs. The honest breakdown:

Each method in detail:

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Method 1: Google Search Operators

The classic free method. Use Google's advanced search to find Shopify stores by niche.

Cost: Free | Time: 4-6 hours per 100 leads | Accuracy: Low

Basic search patterns:

site:myshopify.com "sustainable fashion"
site:myshopify.com "organic skincare"
inurl:myshopify.com "handmade jewelry"

More advanced queries:

Limitations:

• Only finds stores using myshopify.com domains (many use custom domains)
• No contact information included
• No way to filter by traffic, apps, or revenue
• Results get repetitive after first few pages

When to use: Quick niche discovery when you just need a few examples to validate a market.

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Method 2: Facebook Ad Library

Stores running Facebook ads have budget, understand marketing, and are growth-minded. They're premium prospects.

Cost: Free | Time: 3-4 hours per 100 leads | Accuracy: Medium

How to use it:

1. Go to facebook.com/ads/library
2. Set country and category (e.g., "E-commerce")
3. Search niche keywords ("organic skincare", "sustainable fashion")
4. Click ads to find advertiser websites
5. Verify it's Shopify with Store Inspector extension

Pro signals to look for:

• Ads running 30+ days: likely profitable, not just testing
• Multiple ad variants: serious budget for testing
• Video creative: higher production investment
• Active across platforms: diversified, not dependent on one channel

Limitations:

• Time-consuming (manual verification required)
• No contact information
• Can't filter by tech stack or revenue
• Some advertisers aren't Shopify stores

When to use: Finding high-quality prospects when you want stores with proven ad budgets.

For a deeper dive, see our guide on how to spy on competitor ads.

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Method 3: LinkedIn Sales Navigator

LinkedIn is the largest professional database. Sales Navigator makes it searchable for B2B prospecting.

Cost: $99+/month | Time: 2-3 hours per 100 leads | Accuracy: Medium-High

Search strategies:

Find Shopify founders:

Keywords: "Founder" OR "Co-Founder" OR "CEO"
Keywords: "Shopify" OR "ecommerce" OR "DTC" OR "direct to consumer"
Geography: United States (or your target)
Company headcount: 11-50

Find marketing decision-makers:

Title: "CMO" OR "VP Marketing" OR "Head of Growth"
Keywords: "Shopify" OR "DTC brand"
Industry: Retail, Consumer Goods

The company-first approach:

1. Find Shopify store you want to target
2. Search for company on LinkedIn
3. Click "See all employees"
4. Filter by title (Founder, Marketing, etc.)
5. Save to lead list

Limitations:

• LinkedIn doesn't export emails directly
• Need email finder tool to get contact info
• Expensive for occasional use
• Results depend on profile completeness

When to use: Targeted outreach to specific companies where you need the right decision-maker.

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Method 4: BuiltWith and Wappalyzer

Technology detection tools that track what websites are built with, including which Shopify stores use specific apps.

Cost: Free tier / $295+/month for exports | Time: 2-4 hours per 100 leads | Accuracy: Medium

What you can filter:

• Platform: all Shopify stores
• Apps: stores using Klaviyo (or NOT using it)
• Location: US-based stores only
• Traffic range: 10k-100k visitors

BuiltWith example:

1. Go to builtwith.com/shopify
2. Filter by country, technology, etc.
3. Export list (requires paid plan)

Wappalyzer:

• Free browser extension for individual lookups
• Paid API for bulk detection
• 478,000+ Shopify stores in their database

Limitations:

• Expensive for full exports ($295+/month)
• No contact information
• Focus on technology, not business metrics
• Detection can miss some apps

When to use: Finding stores using (or missing) specific technologies. Especially useful for app vendors.

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Method 5: Store Directories and Lists

Curated directories organize Shopify stores by category, making niche discovery easier.

Cost: Free to $75/month | Time: 1-2 hours per 100 leads | Accuracy: Medium

Popular directories:

Our directory by category:

When to use: Browsing for inspiration or when you need stores in a specific niche quickly.

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Method 6: Email Finder Tools

Once you have names and companies, email finder tools can locate contact information.

Cost: $39-99/month | Time: 1-2 hours per 100 leads | Accuracy: 50-70%

Popular tools:

How it works:

1. Enter domain (e.g., allbirds.com)
2. Tool searches for emails associated with that domain
3. Get list of emails with confidence scores
4. Verify before sending

Hunter.io domain search example:

• Enter any domain
• See all found emails
• View email pattern (first.last@, first@, etc.)
• Use pattern to guess other emails

Limitations:

• Accuracy varies (50-70% typical)
• Small Shopify stores often have sparse data
• Credits run out quickly
• Still need to verify before sending

When to use: Converting names (from LinkedIn, team pages) into email addresses.

For more detail, see our guide on how to get Shopify store owner emails.

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Method 7: Store Databases with Verified Contacts

Our recommendation: If you're prospecting regularly, this method pays for itself in the first week. Skip the manual research.

This is the method we recommend for agencies doing regular prospecting. Instead of assembling lists manually, use a database that's already done the work.

Cost: $49+/month | Time: 15-30 minutes per 100 leads | Accuracy: High (70%+ verified)

What makes a good database:

• Multiple contacts per store: reaching 2-3 people works; 1 contact isn't enough
• Email verification: protects your sender reputation; target 70%+ verified
• Traffic tier filtering: focus on stores that can afford you
• Tech stack data: find gaps you can fill
• Role-based search: find founders vs. marketing leads vs. managers
• Regular updates: contacts change jobs, data goes stale

StoreInspect database stats:

Contact roles in our database:

Example workflow:

"Fashion stores, 10k-50k traffic, using Mailchimp (not Klaviyo), has verified founder email"

Export 100 qualified leads in 15 minutes. No manual research.

When to use: Regular prospecting where time saved justifies subscription cost. Typically pays for itself in the first week of prospecting.

Browse stores with verified contacts →

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How to Qualify Your List (STAMP Framework)

Finding stores is step one. Qualifying them is step two. Not every store on your list deserves your time.

Use STAMP, a simple scoring system based on five factors: Size, Tech, Activity, Multiple contacts, and Pain point.

Maximum score: 100

How to prioritize:

Example scoring:

Store: Premium skincare brand (10k-50k traffic)

• Size: 10k-50k traffic → 20 points
• Tech: Klaviyo, Gorgias, Judge.me → 20 points
• Activity: Meta + TikTok pixels, running ads → 20 points
• Multiple: Founder + CMO available → 15 points
• Pain: Using Mailchimp (you sell Klaviyo migrations) → 20 points

Total: 95/100 → Hot lead, prioritize immediately

For the full scoring framework with worksheets, see how to qualify Shopify leads.

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Service-Specific List Building

Different agencies need different filters. Here's how to customize your approach:

For Email/SMS Agencies

Filter for:

• Traffic 10k+ (enough list-building potential)
• Currently using Mailchimp or no email app
• Has Meta Pixel (running paid traffic to nurture)
• Multiple products (flow opportunity)

Look for these gaps:

Our data: 61% of stores have 0-2 apps. Many are missing email entirely.

For Development Agencies

Filter for:

• Traffic 20k+ (budget for dev work)
• Free or dated theme (Dawn, Debut)
• Premium apps installed (shows willingness to invest)
• Custom needs (high product count, complex catalog)

Look for these gaps:

For Paid Ads Agencies

Filter for:

• Already running ads (proven budget)
• No Triple Whale or tracking tool (they don't know which ads drive sales)
• 10k-100k traffic tier
• Multiple products or collections

Look for these gaps:

Our data: Only 6-8% of stores have TikTok Pixel installed. Massive opportunity.

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Maintaining Your Client List

A list decays. Email databases lose 25% accuracy per year. People change jobs, companies restructure, and emails go inactive.

Maintenance Checklist

Verification Thresholds

• Verification rate: Target 70%+. Below that, switch data sources.
• Bounce rate: Keep under 2%. Higher than that, stop sending and re-verify your list.
• Open rate: Target 20%+. Lower means you need to fix your subject lines or targeting.
• Reply rate: Target 3-5%. Lower means you need to improve your messaging or qualification.

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Tools Comparison

How the major tools compare for building Shopify client lists:

Our recommendation:

• For occasional prospecting: Free methods + email finder
• For regular prospecting: Store database with contacts
• For tech-focused targeting: BuiltWith + email finder
• For role-specific outreach: LinkedIn Sales Navigator

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Buying unverified lists. Bounces destroy your sender reputation. Use sources with 70%+ verification.

2. Targeting too-small stores. They can't afford your services. Focus on 10k+ traffic.

3. Single-contact outreach. One missed email means a lost lead. Get 2-3 contacts per store.

4. Ignoring what they already use. Don't pitch Klaviyo to a store already using it. Filter by what they're missing.

5. No qualification. You'll waste time on bad fits. Use STAMP scoring.

6. Never refreshing your list. Data decays 25% per year. Re-verify every 90 days.

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FAQ

How many stores should be on my client list?

For active prospecting: 200-500 qualified stores at a time. Enough to run consistent campaigns without data going stale before you use it.

Math: If you send 50 emails/week with a 5% reply rate, you get ~10 replies/month. At a 20% close rate, that's 2 new clients/month. You'll cycle through 200 stores in about a month.

Should I buy a pre-built email list?

Generally, no. Pre-built lists are:

• Often unverified (high bounce rates)
• Shared with other buyers (saturated)
• Not qualified for your specific customer type
• Missing key context (tech stack, traffic tier)

Build or subscribe to a database you can filter and customize.

What's a good email verification rate?

70%+ is good. 80%+ is excellent. Below 50% means your sources are poor.

If you're consistently getting low verification rates, you're either using bad data or old contacts.

How many contacts should I have per store?

Minimum 2, ideally 3-5. Reaching multiple people at one company gets way better response rates.

Our data shows stores with contacts average 2.7 contacts each.

How often should I update my list?

Re-verify every 90 days. People change jobs, emails go inactive, and data decays.

Before any new campaign, run your list through a verification tool.

Is it legal to cold email Shopify store owners?

Yes, with caveats. You're contacting business emails for business purposes. But you must:

• Follow CAN-SPAM (US), GDPR (EU), CASL (Canada) rules
• Include unsubscribe options
• Honor opt-out requests immediately
• Only email business addresses (not personal)

What's the difference between a list and a database?

A list is static. You download it once and it starts decaying immediately.

A database is maintained. It's updated regularly, contacts are verified, and you can re-export fresh data.

For regular prospecting, you want database access, not a one-time list.

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Summary: Building Your Client List

The step-by-step process:

Step 1: Choose Your Method

Step 2: Filter for Your Ideal Customer

• Traffic tier: 10k-50k (sweet spot)
• Category: Your target niche
• Tech gaps: Missing what you sell
• Has contacts: 2+ people you can email

Step 3: Score with STAMP

• Size, Tech, Activity, Multiple contacts, Pain
• Focus on 70+ scores first
• Skip anything below 40

Step 4: Verify Before Outreach

• Run through verification tool
• Remove bounces immediately
• Target 70%+ valid rate

Step 5: Export and Outreach

• Export to CRM
• Personalize based on gaps identified
• Track results and iterate

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Start Building Your List Today

Free option: Install the Store Inspector extension to analyze stores one by one. Combine with LinkedIn and email finder for contacts.

Scale option: Use StoreInspect to filter 52,000+ stores by traffic, apps, and category. Export with 2-3 verified contacts per store. Skip the manual research.

Browse Stores by Category → | Get the Free Extension →

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Related guides:

• How to Find Shopify Stores [9 Methods]
• How to Qualify Shopify Leads [STAMP Framework]
• How to Get Shopify Store Owner Emails
• How to Find Shopify Clients for Your Agency