Shopify has become an ecommerce platform that has dominated the market quickly and has become a leading player in ecommerce, alongside Magento, BigCommerce and more. Shopify has over 500,000 active sites, with over $40billion in annual retail revenue, and is quickly becoming a go-to ecommerce platform for many.
We launched our Shopify service early 2020 to offer an alternative high-growth platform for retailers where Magento isn’t a good fit. Magento remains a key ecommerce platform for many, but Shopify is an excellent alternative where Magento doesn’t meet an online store’s needed requirements.
Why is Shopify an important player in ecommerce? Why are more brands exploring Shopify as a viable ecommerce platform?
Simple and Easy-to-Use
One of the clear distinctions between Shopify and other platforms is how simple and easy-to-use the platform is. The platform has a streamlined admin, with clear navigation and straight-forward reporting.
The key benefit of this (and one of the reasons why we think Shopify has quickly become a market leader) is how accessible the platform has made ecommerce. Anybody can build and grow an ecommerce brand on the platform, no matter what their experience is.
You don’t need a wealth of tech experience to use the platform, and this means that anybody can use Shopify – from Managing Directors through to Ecommerce Managers and Marketing Executives.
This is a huge benefit for many Ecommerce Directors who want to move away from complicated legacy systems and who want to streamline processes.
Focus on Growth
Shopify is also a platform that allows many Ecommerce Directors to focus on growth. With a streamlined admin (as mentioned) and an ecommerce cloud setup, ecommerce teams don’t have to focus as much on infrastructure and instead they can invest their time and money on growth.
This is even more beneficial for ecommerce brands replatforming from one platform to another, where they can focus on high growth instead of being held back by existing legacy systems.
Ecommerce Innovation
Shopify has a history of ecommerce innovation, which has become another key highlight for Ecommerce Directors.
Shopify has rolled out key functionality to all retailers using the platform, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay out of the box, without a need for retailers to sign off extra investment in development. All Shopify Plus stores also provide a free EV SSL certificate to retailers, which again allows for ecommerce teams to focus on growth and not infrastructure.
Shopify has also become a leading ecommerce platform with their in-store POS, for multi-channel retailers with both an online store and physical locations. For retailers who are looking for more integration with their channels, this innovation is another reason why Shopify has become a key consideration for them.
The Shopify Ecosystem
Finally, one of the key highlights for Shopify is its community. The Shopify ecosystem is a community that encompasses agencies, technologies, integrations, designers, CRO specialists and more.
With regular events and meetups, and their annual Shopify Unite conference in Toronto, the community regularly works together to pave the way for the ecommerce platform.
It’s certainly important to note that this type of community is also seen in other platforms such as Magento. However, the Shopify community has been a huge part of their growth and it is still important to recognise that this is a key reason why they have become an important player in ecommerce.
What Next for Shopify?
Shopify is now becoming a platform consideration for many, from ecommerce brands replatforming from Magento 1 through to start-up brands who are looking for a fast go-to-market strategy.
Whilst Magento will remain the best platform for larger retailers with complex set-ups and ambitious growth plans, there are many other retailers who will benefit most from replatforming to Shopify.
We always recommend you map out your requirements clearly and evaluate your options. If you need help exploring which ecommerce platform is right for you, then get in touch.