At FORSBERG+two, we work with some epic Shopify Partners.
Today, we want you to meet one of these partners - Archer Cooper; a Manchester-based Shopify Strategy Studio headed up by Craig Cooper. Like us, this company consists of a small team with a big passion for e-commerce.
Craig founded Archer Cooper in 2012 and, in 2017, was recognized as a Shopify Expert. Today, the studio works to boost e-commerce success for entrepreneurs, founders, and other go-getters who use Shopify Plus.
In 2018, Craig met our Founder, Björn, who introduced him to our Shopify apps, some of which matched his client needs perfectly. Craig then joined our referral program and has been recommending our apps to his clients (and earning a commission) ever since.
We love receiving feedback on our program and wanted to share Craig’s positive words on it!
Getting to Know Craig
Craig Cooper is a founding partner at Archer Cooper. While the studio is based in Manchester, the heart of e-commerce in northern England, Craig spends most of his time working from home in Lancashire.
Craig will tell you that he’s not a freelancer, and Archer Cooper isn’t an agency.
Instead, Craig works directly with clients to help solve the problems they face at every step of their Shopify journey. That includes helping them better understand their customers, identify missed opportunities, and drive more e-commerce revenue.
Craig deservingly earned his Shopify Expert status by focusing his work on businesses that use Shopify’s e-commerce platform or those wanting assistance to migrate and set up shop.
Over time, he’s worked with awesome brands such as R.A.D., O My Bag, Seven Yays, and Perky Blenders.
His assignments have covered everything from launching products globally on Shopify Plus to migrating from WordPress and thriving in the e-commerce world during the pandemic.
At FORSBERG+two, we’re lucky enough to call Craig a Referral Partner. It’s a relationship that means so much to us as we collectively work toward helping people use Shopify to its greatest potential.
Quick Word on FORSBERG+two and Our Referral Partner Program
We started FORSBERG+two in 2011, and since day one, have been focused on adding value to the Shopify ecosystem.
One of our long-standing core missions is to improve e-commerce and web applications. Our Shopify apps reflect this ethos, and we’re proud to have received a Shopify Commerce award for OrderlyEmails.
Naturally, this recognition has been really rewarding for us personally. We genuinely believe in our apps and know how much impact they can have in helping Shopify businesses succeed.
On the professional front, we’ve always felt that entrepreneurship and e-commerce are made for each other. So, we decided to promote this perfect match through the FORSBERG+two referral program, where our referral partners earn 20% commission for successfully referring our apps.
When someone installs an app you’ve referred (provided it’s within 60 days of receiving the link), you’ll be notified and reap the rewards.
If you’re a registered Shopify Partner or Expert, you can even refer yourself when working with clients.
Over time, we’ve built some valuable relationships with our referral partners. This has grown into a great network of businesses, all passionate about taking on and excelling in Shopify-based operations!
No need to take our word for it; let’s ask Craig to share his thoughts. We sit with him to get insight into his life, business, and experience as a Shopify Expert and FORSBERG+two partner.
Q&A With Craig
1. Tell us About Archer Cooper.
I run Archer Cooper as a Shopify Strategy Studio. We help independent brands using Shopify get the help they need to succeed in e-commerce.
Like the wonderful folks at FORSBERG+two, we’re a really small team and mostly plan to keep it that way.
2. What Does a Work Day Look Like for You?
I stumble out of bed and tumble to the kitchen, where I pour myself a cup of ambition… No, wait - that’s the song 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton!
The first thing on the agenda is to get up and walk the dog; a beagle called Murphy.
By the time I get home, the kitchen is usually abuzz with activity as the kids get ready for school. Work starts with a cup of coffee or tea while I check my schedule for the day.
Generally, my work day looks like lots of calls, or lots of doing the work the calls create.
I talk to clients about what they need and the problems they’re facing. This is also while trying to spot any they haven’t yet seen.
Mostly, I am making something happen within Shopify, which can be anything from front-end theme-based activities to app setups and beyond.
3. How Did You Get Started with Shopify?
I know the exact moment - I attended a workshop in York run by a bloke named Keir. This was the kick-start I needed to get into the Shopify space.
Although I’d previously been working with every sort of customer, I kept finding myself seeking e-commerce clients. This was because they seemed more interested in their websites than other clients.
I’d never built a Shopify store before that day.
A year after that (or later that year, I can’t quite remember), I went to Beyond Tellerand in Berlin, where I saw Keir again (was he following me?).
I was hanging out in the cafe at one point, feeling a little sorry for myself after an eventful evening. I started chatting to a bloke called Alex O’Byrne, who happened to have co-founded a Shopify agency called We Make Websites.
Alex told me that focusing on Shopify was the best decision his company ever made. Working with e-commerce clients brings you closer to providing real value. They consider their websites essential to their business, not just annoying marketing costs.
I took that to heart and started doing the same.
4. How Did You Find Out About Forsberg+Two and our Referral Program?
In 2018, I went to Shopify Unite in Toronto. That Keir bloke who seemed to be Forest Gumping his way into every story in my life hosted an event called ‘de:brief.’
While there, I bumped into an interesting Swedish/Danish/Australian - it was Björn. It turns out we were both speaking on different panels. He told me about his apps, and I thought they sounded like something my clients need.
I’ve been recommending them ever since!
5. Which App/Apps do You Install on Your Merchants’ Stores and Why?
OrderlyEmails, every single time!
The big problem with default Shopify notifications is they don’t look great and are hard to modify. On the other hand, OrderlyEmails makes it perfectly easy to create and customize beautiful emails.
It’s also so affordable that when I look at the cost of the app, I can’t justify doing the customizations myself.
6. What Problems do our Apps Solve for You?
A lot of my work involves improving the customer journey and experience. It’s easy to forget that what happens post-purchase is also a massive part of that.
That’s where OrderlyEmails comes in - it brings email notifications into my toolbox of things I can do to improve client stores.
The apps make it so easy to edit emails. It means my clients can deliver useful information to their customers every time.
7. How is the Installation and Setup Process of Our Apps?
It couldn’t be easier!
I often install the app for clients and ask them to choose the template they like best. Then, I install what’s needed (until we get the API right!) and make any modifications.
Sometimes clients don’t need modifications or enhancements immediately, but they might in the future. OrderlyEmails gives me the ability to easily customize emails when required.
8. Is There Any Feature You Want to Highlight in the App/Apps That Was Especially Useful for You?
I like how these apps make the hardest and most annoying part of the process – copying and pasting the templates - easy. With your instructions, almost anyone can do it without fear of messing things up!
9. What's the Best Advice You Have for Someone Starting in Shopify?
As the ecosystem matures, so are the businesses setting up on Shopify. There is less low-hanging fruit but more opportunities to make fundamental differences in business outcomes.
The best way to have an impact today is to create an offering that is more sophisticated and more niche than you think is necessary.
10. Would You Recommend Other Partners to Sign up for Forsberg+Two’s Referral Program?
Absolutely! FORSBERG+two’s apps are solid, reliable, and make sense for nearly every store. They make me look good for recommending them - why wouldn’t you want a piece of that?
11. Where can we find you?
Website: archercooper.co.uk
Twitter: @craigcooperxyz
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/archercooper/
About OrderlyEmails
Craig spoke a lot about our app OrderlyEmails. But what is it, and how can the app add value to your clients and merchant stores?
Essentially, OrderlyEmails allows you to design your email notifications to align with your brand and site.
You can choose from various professional email templates to add value to the customer experience.
These templates can be customized easily, with no coding expertise needed. Templates are built for international stores and support quick translation and multi-currency operations.
OrderlyEmails also allows you to easily add product recommendations and upsells to your emails.
Check out our blog post to discover more ways Shopify merchants can win with OrderlyEmails.
Join FORSBERG+two’s Affiliate Referral Program Today
A big thank you to Craig for sharing his experience with us. We’re always excited to hear that our apps contribute positively to the Shopify community.
If you’re ready to join our referral partner program, sign up with this link.
Besides commissions, we promise our referral partners the simplicity, profitability, flexibility, and quality support they deserve.
Have you got some positive feedback for us or a success story that you want to share with the world? Get in touch; we would love to chat!
