Shopify Plus: eCommerce beyond the basics
By Ikius Team
January 25th, 2024
Shopify Plus is the main eCommerce platform for high-growth and high-volume merchants, offering scalability, performance, and customization packaged in an easy-to-understand UI.
Yet, beyond these well-known benefits, Shopify Plus harbors a suite of capabilities and strategic advantages often overlooked by smaller merchants.
Let's delve into these less-known parts to uncover the value Shopify Plus offers businesses that want to redefine their eCommerce strategy.
Table of contents
In this post:
What is Shopify Plus?
Shopify Plus is Shopify's enterprise-grade eCommerce platform designed for large brands and businesses.
It offers advanced features, scalability, and customization options beyond what's available in a basic Shopify plan.
Shopify Plus is tailored to meet the needs of businesses looking to expand their operations, improve their customer experience, and streamline their eCommerce processes with a robust, secure, and flexible platform.
Read more: Shopify vs Shopify Plus
Wait, are headless Shopify and Shopify Plus the same?
In previous posts, we’ve talked about headless commerce and headless Shopify, and the short answer here is no. Shopify Plus and headless Shopify are not the same.
Headless Shopify refers to a technical architecture where the front-end presentation layer of a website (what the user sees) is decoupled from the back-end eCommerce functionality (where products, orders, and customer data are managed).
This approach allows businesses to use Shopify as the eCommerce engine while customizing the user experience with different front-end technologies, such as React, Vue, Next.js, or Gatsby.
| Feature | Shopify Plus | Headless Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Target audience | Large businesses and high-volume merchants seeking advanced features, scalability, and dedicated support. | Businesses seeking ultimate flexibility in customizing user experiences across various touchpoints, regardless of their size. |
| Customization | Provides advanced customization capabilities through exclusive apps and features, including checkout customization. | Allows for using any front-end technology, offering limitless customization possibilities of the user interface. |
| Integration and flexibility | Offers a range of integrations with third-party apps and services through the Shopify App Store and exclusive Shopify Plus features. | Enables integration with various CMS, DXP, or PWA technologies, thanks to API-driven architecture, for a seamless user experience across platforms. |
| Support and services | Includes dedicated support from Shopify's Merchant Success Program and access to 24/7 priority support. | Requires technical expertise to implement and manage, often necessitating developer resources or partnerships with agencies. |
| Scalability | Designed for scalability, handling high volumes of traffic and transactions with ease. | Scalability is dependent on the chosen front-end technology but allows for optimization of performance and load times. |
| Pricing | Starts at $2,000 per month, with pricing that can increase based on platform usage and specific needs. | Costs associated with headless Shopify are variable, depending on the chosen front-end solutions and additional services required. |
| Use cases | Suited for businesses that need an all-in-one enterprise eCommerce solution with extensive support. | Ideal for businesses that require a highly customized shopping experience or need to integrate their Shopify store with other systems |
Read more: What is a headless CMS?
Increased API Calls
Shopify Plus allows for more API calls, enabling high-volume merchants to manage large inventories efficiently, synchronize with external systems, and integrate with custom apps.
Advanced Shopify Apps
Access exclusive apps designed for Shopify merchants, including Shopify Flow, Launchpad, and Scripts, to automate workflows, create unique shopping experiences, and customize your storefront and checkout.
Customizable checkout
Personalize the checkout process with your brand's unique styling and scripts to improve conversion rates and provide a seamless customer experience.
Dedicated support
Shopify Plus merchants benefit from dedicated support through the Merchant Success Program, offering guidance on leveraging Shopify Plus features to grow your business.
Shopify organization settings
Manage your business more efficiently with the Shopify Organization Admin, providing a centralized view of your stores, users, and workflows.
Shopify Plus Academy
Exclusive access to educational resources, tutorials, and training materials through the Shopify Plus Academy to help you and your team make the most of Shopify Plus.
Additional staff accounts
Shopify Plus plans include unlimited staff accounts, allowing you to provide access to your entire team without restrictions.
Shopify POS Pro
Access to Shopify POS Pro for all your locations at no additional charge, offering advanced features for brick-and-mortar stores.
Higher limits for gift cards and discounts
Create more gift cards and discounts to engage customers and drive sales, with higher limits exclusive to Shopify Plus merchants.
Pricing
| Feature | Basic Shopify | Shopify | Advanced Shopify | Shopify Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $29 | $79 | $299 | Starting at $2,000 |
| Staff accounts | 2 | 5 | 15 | Unlimited |
| Inventory locations | Up to 4 | Up to 5 | Up to 8 | Up to 20 |
| Online credit card rates | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.6% + 30¢ | 2.4% + 30¢ | Negotiable |
| In-person credit card rates | 2.7% + 0¢ | 2.5% + 0¢ | 2.4% + 0¢ | Negotiable |
| Additional fees using all payment providers other than Shopify Payments | 2% | 1% | 0.5% | None or negotiable |
| Shopify shipping discount | Up to 64% | Up to 72% | Up to 74% | Up to 74% or higher |
| Reports | Basic | Standard | Advanced | Advanced + customizable |
| Third-party calculated shipping rates | Available for an additional fee | Included | Included | Included |
| Dedicated support | Email, live chat, phone | Email, live chat, phone | Email, live chat, phone | Dedicated success manager |
| Advanced features | - | - | - | Shopify Flow, Launchpad, Scripts, etc. |
| Customization | Limited | Limited | Advanced | Extensive, including checkout customization |
Choosing a Shopify Plus consultant
Chances are that you need a consultant if you’re looking to go Plus. Consulting with an agency can be a game-changer, especially if you don’t want to go blindly into the wilderness.
Experts like us offer tailored advice, strategic planning, technical expertise, and team extension services to ensure your eCommerce platform aligns with your business goals and scales effectively.
Here’s how engaging with a Shopify Plus Consultant can benefit your business and the key aspects of this collaboration.
1. Strategic planning
Business analysis: A Shopify Plus Consultant begins by analyzing your current eCommerce operations, identifying areas for improvement, and understanding your long-term business objectives.
Strategy development: Based on the analysis, the consultant develops a customized strategy encompassing platform migration, optimization, and growth planning, ensuring it aligns with your business goals.
2. Technical expertise and implementation
Platform customization and integration: Consultants provide expertise in customizing your Shopify Plus store, from theme development to integrating third-party apps and services that extend the functionality of your eCommerce platform.
Migration assistance: For businesses migrating to Shopify Plus, consultants can oversee the data transfer, ensuring a smooth transition of product data, customer information, and historical orders.
3. Optimization and performance enhancement
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): By analyzing user behavior and store performance data, consultants identify opportunities to enhance the shopping experience, aiming to improve conversion rates and average order value.
SEO and marketing strategies: Consultants can also advise on SEO best practices and digital marketing strategies to increase your store's visibility and drive targeted traffic.
Closing words: Is Shopify Plus the right choice?
Shopify Plus is a solid choice for companies reaching a certain size and eyeing further expansion. It's more than just an eCommerce platform; it's a partnership to nurture growth, spark innovation, and ensure lasting success.
Yet, for smaller ventures or those with straightforward needs, the basic Shopify plans often hit the mark, offering the essentials without needing the heftier investment that Shopify Plus demands.
Simply put, Shopify Plus is worth considering if your business has outgrown the basic Shopify offerings and you're searching for a platform to elevate your growth with more advanced tools, better scalability, and personalized support.
However, don’t go blind and spend your money on Plus just because you feel like it. Opting for Plus should come after careful consideration of your business's unique requirements and the added value it could contribute to your online operations.
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