Why 39K+ Merchants Use Shopify Theme Ella (and You Should Too!)

I know many merchants who want a Shopify theme that offers more customization and freedom than the free themes but don’t want to break the bank with the premium ones. That’s why they often turn to third-party marketplaces like Themeforest, looking for something in between.

But with so many choices here, if you ask me, I’d recommend Ella without hesitation. It’s one of the top-selling Shopify themes on the platform for a reason, offering a huge variety of layouts and features at a reasonable price.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the Ella theme to see why it’s been such a hit with thousands of merchants and why it could be the perfect fit for your online store. 

Now, let’s get started!

Shopify Theme Ella Overview

The Ella Shopify Theme is a highly versatile and all-in-one theme created by Halotheme, a Power Elite Author on ThemeForest. It’s designed specifically for Shopify, so you know it’s going to work seamlessly with your store. 

Since its launch in 2014, Ella has become a huge success:

• One of the Bestselling Shopify Themes of all time 
• Over 39,000 sales and 1,100+ ratings from merchants worldwide.
• Featured as a “staff-picked” theme by ThemeForest.

It has gained a strong reputation for its adaptability and comprehensive suite of features.  The latest version is packed with everything you need to create a top-notch online store, like optimized code & performance, maximum customizability & speed, UI & UX, “feature-rich” for mobile, and many new features.

Shopify Theme Ella Key Features

Stunning design with incredible options

The Shopify theme Ella consistently impresses merchants with its exceptional design flexibility, diverse layouts, and tons of customization options, with nearly 50 sections to customize.

• 29+ Homepage layouts: Merchants can create a unique and dynamic storefront differently. These layouts can be customized with multiple premade blocks and custom blocks, including full-width slideshows, video integration, Instagram galleries, animation, or featured collections.

• 10 Headers and Footers: The theme creates a cohesive look for your store. These elements can be tailored to match your brand’s identity, ensuring a professional and polished appearance.
• 10 Product pages: Merchants can showcase their products in various styles. Each template includes options for modern and wide-image galleries, detailed product descriptions, customer reviews, wishlist grid view, etc.

• 10 categories and 6 blog pages: The theme allows merchants to organize products neatly and enrich their site with engaging content. The blog layouts help create an interactive space for visitors, encouraging them to stay longer and explore more.
• 5 collection pages with 2 sub-collections: These dynamic layouts offer advanced filtering options with diverse input factors, including color swatches, quick view, etc., and the sub-collections can be displayed in grid or slider mode.

Advanced Mega Menu

Shopify theme Ella is really flexible and offers a bunch of different dropdown and layout options designed to be clean, organized, and look professional. There are eight different layouts to choose from, and you can even feature promotions right in the menu itself.

Product Filtering

For stores with hundreds of products varying in color, size, and price, advanced product filtering is a game-changer. This feature allows shoppers to sort out products easily by availability, price, product type, brand, and product options. Customers can quickly narrow down their choices based on specific criteria, improving their shopping experience and increasing the likelihood of conversions.

Quick Edit and Update Cart

One of the coolest things about the Shopify theme Ella is the quick edit and update cart feature. It lets customers change the items in their cart without leaving the page they’re on. They can easily update quantities, switch out sizes or colors, and even remove items. This makes shopping way easier and can even help you reduce those pesky abandoned carts.

Upsell & Bundle 

The theme’s upsell and discount features include “frequently bought together,” and cart upsell options. These functionalities encourage customers to purchase additional items by offering discounts or highlighting related products. 

Multitasking function

The Ella Shopify Theme’s multitasking function is a real time-saver. It combines recently viewed products, social media sharing buttons, and a back-to-top button all in one handy popup. This makes shopping easier and more enjoyable for customers while also giving you a chance to boost your social media presence.

Ajax navigation with Shop the look & Lookbooks

Shopify theme Ella supports default and custom modes, which feature high-resolution images with image hotspots for quick add-to-cart options. This visually rich format allows merchants to showcase their products in styled settings, inspiring customers and facilitating direct purchases from the lookbook itself.

Product Countdown

This feature is a real lifesaver when you’re running flash sales. It’s built right into the theme, so you don’t need to install a separate app. It creates a sense of urgency by showing customers how much time they have left to grab the deal, which can really boost your sales.

Multiple Currency and Language Support

Ella offers three currency options: Shopify multiple currencies, multiple currencies, and auto currencies. This ensures that stores can cater to a global audience by displaying prices in the customer’s local currency. Additionally, the theme supports multiple languages, allowing merchants to reach a broader audience.

Mobile responsiveness

I’ve tested the Shopify theme Ella on mobile devices, and it’s responsive. It uses a fluid grid layout and responsive elements that automatically adjust to fit different screens. Even interactive elements like buttons and menus are designed to be easy to use on touchscreens, making navigation on mobile devices super intuitive.

And because the code is optimized, the theme loads quickly, so your customers won’t have to wait around for pages to load.

Other features list

All the above features are not enough. The Ella Shopify theme also offers various powerful features, which include:

• Lazy-loading image
• Real-time filters
• Grid and List view support
• Automatic image resize
• Video slider
• Instagram Gallery
• Product quick view and hover view
• Customer review option
• One Click Checkout
• Ajax popup for login & registration
• Ask an expert form
• Sticky add-to-cart
• New wishlists module
• And more

Ella Shopify Theme User Reviews and Testimonials

Many users praise Ella for being super versatile and easy to customize. They especially love the wide range of features it offers and the helpful customer support team. However, some users have mentioned that it can be a bit complex to customize at first, and sometimes, store locations and multiple languages get messed up during updates.

The Ella theme is also a popular topic on Reddit. Many users love it because it has so many customization options and is affordable compared to other premium themes. However, some people hesitate to use a Shopify theme that’s not directly from the Shopify Theme Store. They’re concerned about things like compatibility, updates, and support.

My Personal Experience

I’ve been using the Ella theme for my Shopify store for a couple of months now, and overall, I’m pretty happy with it. 

The design options are really extensive, and I love how it comes with tons of pre-made layouts and sections that I could easily customize to match my brand. The product pages look great, and the whole store feels super professional. 

However, it can be a bit overwhelming at first with so many options, and I did run into a few minor glitches here and there. Plus, the customer support response time isn’t always the fastest. 

But hey, for the price and the sheer amount of features you get, it’s definitely a solid choice for anyone looking for a versatile and visually appealing theme.

Shopify Theme Ella’s Pricing

The Ella Shopify Theme offers a wealth of robust features for just $89, which is about half the cost of a premium theme on the Shopify Theme Store. It is a bit higher than the average price on Themeforest. But considering all the features and customization options you get, it’s still a good value for the money.

For a one-time purchase license, you’ll get access to:

• Over 29 unique homepage layouts
• 23 child themes designed for various niches
• Quality-checked by Envato
• Future updates as well as six months of support from Halothemes.

Shopify Theme Ella’s Theme Styles

The Ella Shopify Theme includes 23 stunning child themes (a.k.a theme styles) that cater to diverse industry styles such as automotive, beauty, jewelry, and lifestyle. These child themes are distinct and function independently, providing merchants with versatile options to meet specific business needs.

However, it is important to note that these child themes have not yet been updated to Shopify Online Store 2.0. The upcoming version of Ella will integrate the designs of these child themes into Ella 6 and subsequently remove them.

Who Is The Ella Shopify Theme Best For?

With all the information discussed above, the Ella Shopify theme is certainly a multipurpose and versatile theme that can meet the vast requirements of store owners. It is best for:

• Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) & E-commerce startups
• Businesses with diverse product ranges
• Merchants in the following categories: Fashion & Apparel, Accessories, Beauty & Cosmetics, Automotive, Technology & Gadget, Lifestyle & Homedecor.

Where To Buy & How To Install Shopify Theme Ella?

To buy the Ella Shopify theme, follow these steps:

• Go directly to ThemeForest and search for “Ella Shopify Theme.”
• Add it to your cart, opting for extended support if desired
• Proceed to checkout 
• Create a ThemeForest account if needed, then complete the payment using your preferred method
• Download the theme files from your ThemeForest account portal
• Log in to your Shopify store
• Extract the file you’ve just downloaded
• Find this file: ella-x.x.x-sections-ready.zip in the folder Ella Sections Ready X.X.X, then you just need to upload the ella-x.x.x-sections-ready.zip file to your Shopify store
• If you want to install a child theme, go to the corresponding theme folder

Shopify Theme Ella Customer Support

From what I’ve experienced, the support team for the Ella Shopify theme is top-notch. They might not always be the fastest to respond, but they’re really knowledgeable and go out of their way to help you solve any issues you might have. Their support is a big reason why many users love the theme.

Shopify Theme Ella offers

• Documentation: Comprehensive and a great resource for self-learners, offering detailed guides on all features through the help desk.
• Submitting tickets: Response time can be up to 24 – 48 hours Monday – Friday (preferably 24 hours.)
• Live chat: A chatbot is available at the corner to serve the typical problem of customers (often replying in under an hour)
• Article: A great resource for issues that come outside the theme’s built-in settings

The theme’s creator is also available to answer questions, and they offer technical support for the features, help with bugs and issues, and assistance with third-party assets. But they won’t help with customization or installation.

For those needing extra help, an extended 12-month support package is available at a promotional price of $27.75.

Examples of Websites Using the Shopify Theme Ella

Here is some real evidence of the effectiveness of the Ella Shopify theme.

Tornipro

Tornipro, a Panama store, specializes in industrial and professional tools and equipment, including screws, clamps, wrenches, drills, and other hardware essentials.

The design is professional and well-organized in a dark blue tone, effectively presenting the intrinsic power of the industrial products they sell. The layout is clean and straightforward, making for a high-qualified browsing experience.

The site offers a seamless browsing experience with clear navigation and a prominent search bar. The product images are detailed, and the categorization is logical, making it simple for users to locate products quickly. The inclusion of customer support options and a FAQ section enhances the user experience by providing additional assistance.

Jewelry de Corner

Jewelry de Corner, a brand from Hong Kong, offers a variety of high-end jewelry pieces.

The site utilizes a clean and minimalistic design that perfectly complements the luxurious nature of the jewelry. High-quality images and a simple color scheme allow the products to stand out, enhancing their visual appeal.

The user experience is enhanced by intuitive navigation, efficient product filtering, and detailed product descriptions. The high-resolution images and zoom features provide a closer look at the jewelry, making the shopping experience engaging and enjoyable.

Lux Afrique Boutique

Lux Afrique Boutique specializes in luxury goods, including fashion items, jewelry, watches, home decor, and exclusive lifestyle products tailored for a high-end market.

The design is opulent and refined, with a focus on showcasing the exclusivity and premium quality of the products. The use of high-resolution images and a structured layout effectively highlight luxury items, creating an upscale shopping environment.

Customers benefit from easy navigation through extensive product categories, a responsive design, and additional features like quick view and add-to-cart options. These elements provide a high-end user experience.

8 Tips to Get the Most Out of the Theme 

After all, to get the best use of the Ella Shopify theme, here are the wrapped tips we have synthesized in order to give merchants the most successful results possible.

For Optimizing the Theme:

• Image optimization: Compress and resize images using tools like TinyPNG to maintain high quality while reducing file size, ensuring faster loading times.
• Leveraging built-in features: Utilize the advanced mega menu for better navigation and implement product filtering and quick view features to enhance the user experience. Regularly use the theme’s promotional tools to keep the site dynamic and engaging.
• Regular maintenance: Keep the theme updated to benefit from new features and security improvements. Regularly check for theme updates and apply them to stay compatible with Shopify’s latest features.

SEO Tips Specific to the Theme:

• Custom meta tags: Customize meta titles and descriptions for each page, incorporating relevant keywords to improve search engine visibility.
• Clean URLs: Ensure URLs are concise and descriptive by enabling clean URL settings, which help both users and search engines understand page content.
• Alt text for images: Add descriptive alt text to all images, focusing on relevant keywords to improve image search rankings and overall SEO.
• Responsive design: Take advantage of Ella’s mobile-first design to ensure a seamless experience on all devices, which is crucial for SEO since Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites.
• Content optimization: Regularly update your content with relevant keywords and ensure that product descriptions are detailed and informative. Use structured data to help search engines better understand your site content.

Bottom Line

If you’re in search of a Shopify theme that excels in user-friendly design, fast loading speeds, and sales-driven features, the Ella Shopify Theme is a standout choice. Although it might be more complex for beginners, its robust support and detailed documentation make it manageable.

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