Shopify Hydrogen Migration Partnership

Target Personas Documentation

This document outlines the key target personas for the Shopify Hydrogen Migration Partnership’s go-to-market strategy, detailing their profiles, pain points, goals, and decision drivers to inform our marketing and sales approach.

E-Commerce Brand Decision Makers

1. Performance-Driven DTC Brand Leader

Profile: Sarah, 35, COO of a growing DTC fashion brand ($5-10M annual revenue)

Background

Previous experience at larger retail organizations
MBA with marketing background, self-taught on technical aspects
Responsible for digital operations and growth strategy
Reports directly to CEO/Founder
Manages a team of 5-7 marketing and e-commerce specialists

Pain Points

Mobile conversion rates lag desktop by 60%, despite 70% of traffic being mobile
High cart abandonment rates (78% on mobile vs. industry average of 69%)
Development bottlenecks with 2-3 month queues for new feature implementation
Agency relationships deliver inconsistent results
Struggles to achieve performance targets needed for next funding round
Customer acquisition costs increasing 22% year-over-year

Goals

Increase mobile revenue by 40% within 12 months
Reduce time-to-market for new features from months to weeks
Create measurable competitive advantage in user experience
Implement personalization that was technically infeasible before
Achieve metrics that position the company for Series B funding
Build more predictable technology development cycle

Decision Drivers

Measurable ROI with clear timeline to positive returns
Case studies from similar brands in their vertical
Minimal business disruption during implementation
Technical capability demonstration before full commitment
Ability to phase implementation to manage cash flow
Technology that scales with projected 3-year growth plan

Information Sources

DTC brand newsletters (Lean Luxe, 2PM, The Current)
Industry events (Shopify Unite, DTC Day, CommerceNext)
Peer networks and founder communities
LinkedIn groups for e-commerce operators
Technology recommendation from trusted agencies

Objections to Address

“We don’t have budget allocated for a platform migration”
“Our last technology project went over budget and missed deadlines”
“How do we know the performance improvements will justify the investment?”
“We’re concerned about disrupting our business during peak seasons”
“Our team doesn’t have experience with React/Hydrogen”

2. Innovation-Seeking Enterprise Brand CMO

Profile: Michael, 42, CMO of established multi-channel retailer ($50M+ e-commerce revenue)

Background

15+ years in retail/e-commerce marketing
Previously led digital transformation at another retailer
Oversees team of 20+ across digital marketing, e-commerce, and CX
Sits on executive leadership team with significant influence
Strong relationships with technology partners and agencies

Pain Points

Platform limitations for personalization and A/B testing capabilities
Declining competitive position against digitally-native brands
Developer talent retention issues due to outdated technology
Slow implementation cycles for new features (4-6 months)
Disjointed customer experience between channels
Decreasing effectiveness of digital marketing spend

Goals

Create differentiated shopping experiences competitors can’t easily replicate
Implement advanced personalization based on customer segments
Strengthen digital brand position while maintaining brand consistency
Improve cross-channel customer experience metrics
Reduce reliance on discounting to drive conversion
Position technology as competitive advantage in board discussions

Decision Drivers

Competitive advantage and innovation potential
Unique customer experiences that reinforce brand positioning
Future-proofing against rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape
Ability to attract and retain top technical talent
Enterprise-grade reliability and scalability
Clear executive-level metrics for success

Information Sources

Analyst reports (Gartner, Forrester)
Executive events and conferences
Peer network of other retail executives
Agency and consulting partner recommendations
Board and investor expectations

Objections to Address

“We have significant investment in our current platform”
“How will this integrate with our existing enterprise systems?”
“Our IT governance process requires extensive vetting”
“We need to see enterprise-level case studies in our industry”
“Our organization doesn’t adapt quickly to new technologies”

E-Commerce Investors

3. Portfolio Optimization Investor

Profile: Jennifer, 38, Partner at VC firm with 12 DTC brands in portfolio

Background

Previously founded and exited an e-commerce brand
Oversees portfolio companies’ operational efficiency
Holds board positions at 5 portfolio companies
Works closely with portfolio operators on growth strategies
Evaluated 150+ e-commerce investments in past 3 years

Pain Points

Inconsistent technology performance across portfolio
Inefficient technology spending with limited knowledge sharing
Each brand requires unique technical solutions, limiting economies of scale
Difficulty comparing performance metrics across portfolio companies
Scaling challenges as portfolio brands grow beyond $10M revenue
Increasing platform fees cutting into contribution margins

Goals

Optimize technology spending across portfolio with standardized approach
Create cross-brand efficiencies through shared components and knowledge
Build competitive technology advantage that improves exit multiples
Standardize performance metrics for better portfolio management
Reduce technical risk in scaling portfolio companies
Increase aggregate conversion rates across portfolio by 25%+

Decision Drivers

Portfolio-wide ROI calculation
Standardized metrics across different brands
Reduced operational complexity through common architecture
Scalability from early-stage to exit-ready
Talent implications across portfolio
Implementation approach that works for varied team capabilities

Information Sources

VC networks and investment communities
Portfolio company performance data
Industry analysis and technology trend reports
Board discussions across multiple brands
Executive networks from prior operational experience

Objections to Address

“Our brands are at different growth stages with different needs”
“We prefer each brand to make their own technology decisions”
“How would we implement this across multiple brands efficiently?”
“What’s the ROI calculation across varied business models?”
“We’re concerned about disrupting revenue during migrations”

4. Scale-Focused Private Equity Investor

Profile: Richard, 45, Managing Director at PE firm focused on e-commerce acquisitions

Background

20+ years in private equity, last 8 specializing in digital retail
Leads a team that has completed 14 e-commerce acquisitions
Focuses on operational value creation post-acquisition
Typically holds investments for 4-6 years before exit
Strong network across investment banking and M&A advisors

Pain Points

Technical due diligence challenges when evaluating acquisition targets
Inconsistent technical quality in targets creating valuation uncertainty
Post-acquisition integration complexity and unexpected costs
Scaling limitations when growing acquired businesses
Difficulty standardizing operations across acquired properties
Technical debt reducing potential exit multiples

Goals

Standardize technical infrastructure across acquired companies
Reduce integration costs and timeline for newly acquired businesses
Increase valuation multiples through performance improvements
Create operational playbook for technical transformation
Improve technical due diligence process for potential acquisitions
Build technology center of excellence that benefits all portfolio companies

Decision Drivers

Valuation impact at eventual exit
Operational efficiency and reduced overhead
Technology standardization potential
Integration with existing portfolio companies
Timeline to realized improvements
Talent and knowledge transfer considerations

Information Sources

Investment banking relationships
Industry M&A advisors
PE industry networks and conferences
Portfolio company performance data
Competitor analysis and industry benchmarks

Objections to Address

“How does this affect our standard 100-day plan post-acquisition?”
“What’s the impact on EBITDA during the implementation period?”
“Can we standardize this approach across varied business models?”
“How do we measure the valuation impact for our investors?”
“We typically minimize technology changes to reduce risk”

Technical Decision Makers

5. Modernization-Focused Technical Director

Profile: David, 36, Technical Director of mid-sized e-commerce brand ($15-30M revenue)

Background

10+ years of development experience, 5 in e-commerce
Manages team of 4-6 developers and works with external agencies
Significant experience with Shopify but limited Hydrogen exposure
Reports to COO or CTO depending on organization structure
Influential in technology selection and strategy

Pain Points

Technical limitations of current platform preventing innovation
Team frustrated by outdated technology affecting retention
Increasing technical debt with each customization
Performance optimization reaching diminishing returns
Complex integrations requiring extensive workarounds
Mobile experience limitations affecting business metrics

Goals

Modernize technology stack to improve developer experience
Implement component-based architecture for better maintainability
Improve site performance beyond what’s currently possible
Reduce technical debt through platform modernization
Enable more rapid experimentation and feature deployment
Create architectural foundation that scales with business growth

Decision Drivers

Technical architecture advantages and limitations
Impact on development workflow and efficiency
Code quality and maintainability considerations
Developer experience and team enthusiasm
Integration capabilities with existing systems
Technical implementation roadmap and phasing

Information Sources

Technical documentation and GitHub repositories
Developer communities and forums
Technical conferences and webinars
Open source projects and contributions
Technical blogs and case studies

Objections to Address

“Our team has limited React experience”
“How much refactoring of existing integrations will be needed?”
“What’s the learning curve for our development team?”
“How mature is the Hydrogen ecosystem and community support?”
“What technical risks should we anticipate during migration?”

Supplementary Persona Information

Persona Communication Preferences

Persona	Preferred Channels	Content Preferences	Follow-Up Cadence
Sarah (DTC COO)	Email, LinkedIn, Industry Events	Case studies, ROI calculators, Mobile optimization data	Weekly
Michael (Enterprise CMO)	Executive briefings, Formal presentations, Peer introductions	Competitive analysis, Innovation showcases, Executive summaries	Bi-weekly
Jennifer (VC Partner)	Direct introductions, Portfolio reviews, Conference meetings	Portfolio-wide analysis, Standardization frameworks, Growth metrics	Monthly
Richard (PE Director)	Investment banker introductions, Private meetings, Executive events	Valuation impact models, Technical due diligence frameworks, Operational playbooks	Monthly
David (Technical Director)	Slack communities, GitHub, Technical webinars	Technical documentation, Architecture diagrams, Implementation guides	Weekly

Decision-Making Unit (DMU) Dynamics

Persona	Role in DMU	Key Influencers	Approval Requirements
Sarah (DTC COO)	Primary decision maker with budget authority	CEO, Head of Marketing, External technical advisor	CEO sign-off for projects >$50K
Michael (Enterprise CMO)	Project sponsor and business case owner	CTO, Digital VP, E-commerce Director	IT governance approval, CFO budget approval
Jennifer (VC Partner)	Strategic advisor and investment facilitator	Portfolio CEOs, Operating Partners, Investment Committee	Portfolio company budget approval, Board presentation
Richard (PE Director)	Strategic initiative sponsor	Operating Partners, Portfolio CEOs, Investment Committee	Investment case approval, Portfolio OpEx review
David (Technical Director)	Technical evaluator and implementation owner	CTO/CIO, Engineering team leads	Executive budget approval, Technical review committee

Buying Journey Touchpoints

Awareness Stage

Industry conference presentations on “The Future of E-commerce Architecture”
LinkedIn thought leadership content on performance impact on conversion
Case study distribution through industry newsletters
Executive roundtable events on “Technology as Competitive Advantage”
Targeted outreach through mutual connections

Consideration Stage

Technical deep-dive webinars for development teams
Custom ROI analysis based on current performance metrics
Proof-of-concept demonstration with client’s actual products
Technical architecture workshop with client development team
Competitive analysis presentation for executive team

Decision Stage

Implementation roadmap and phasing presentation
Team composition and governance framework proposal
Executive business case with clear metrics and timeframes
Technical risk assessment and mitigation strategy
Reference calls with similar clients who have completed migrations

Using This Persona Documentation

This persona documentation should be used to:

Guide content creation by ensuring all materials address specific pain points and goals
Train sales team members on effective communication with each persona type
Develop targeted campaign messaging that resonates with specific decision drivers
Map customer journeys appropriate to each persona’s buying process
Create sales enablement tools tailored to overcoming common objections
Prioritize feature development based on highest-value persona needs

All marketing and sales activities should be evaluated against these persona profiles to ensure alignment with our target audience’s needs and communication preferences.