Do you want to create an online store, but don't know where to start? Shopify is a great platform for creating your own e-commerce store.
But what if your business is growing and you need more features? That's where Shopify Plus comes in. Shopify Plus is a more advanced platform that offers additional features and capabilities for larger businesses.
So, what is Shopify Plus store? And how can it help your business grow? We explore the key features, pricing plans and whether or not it’s worth actually investing in.
What is Shopify Plus store?
Shopify Plus is a platform that provides entrepreneurs with everything they need to create and manage an online store. In technical terms, it’s a scalable SaaS e-commerce platform that helps businesses operate efficiently online.
Shopify Plus offers features and functionality that are typically reserved for larger businesses, making it a great option for companies that are looking to scale up quickly and create a more impressionable brand image.
What is the difference between Shopify and Shopify Plus?
The standard Shopify plans are available as Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Shopify Advanced. The options are beyond fantastic for small businesses and individuals looking to expand their reach online. The platform provides you with various tools to showcase your products and services online; think themes, free and paid apps, access to payment providers, enterprise plans and more.
On the other hand, Shopify Plus has been designed with businesses making millions in mind. While the dashboard of standard Shopify and Shopify Plus look the same and have the same features, Shopify Plus has stepped it up by offering a Merchant Success Program, Shopify Plus Academy, Shopify organisation admin, customisable checkout, advanced apps and more.
Who can use Shopify Plus?
Shopify Plus is a platform designed for businesses experiencing high levels of traffic and sales. It provides them with the tools they need to manage their business effectively. However, while anyone can use it, the price needs to be considered by businesses owners.
Shopify Plus pricing
Currently, the licence of the e-commerce Shopify Plus store starts at ￡1,500. However, because no official prices are listed on their website (besides the initial licensing fee), it is confusing as to how much setting up a Pus store can set you back.
On top of the licensing fee, many larger businesses choose to have a custom build that aligns with their values - rather than the options available on the platform. So, this is another cost they’ll incur.
There are also transaction costs and payment processing fees per transaction. Again, this is largely affected by the number of sales made on your site. But in the end, if you have a large-scale business, the fees don’t make too much of a dent in your income.
Is Shopify Plus worth it?
If you’re wondering whether to make the move to Shopify Plus, you’ve got to have a thorough understanding of your business needs, the potential for growth and budget.
Shopify Plus is the crème de la crème of online stores. While it’s an exciting venture for your business to experience high growth, making the move to Shopify Plus is a judgement call.
Here are some things to consider if you’re debating whether or not you need to upgrade to Shopify Plus:
- Do you need to expand your business to another country that requires content to be shared in another language?
- You need to add more than 15 staff to your Shopify account
- You need to create customisable rules for discounts, payments or shipping options
- You’re hoping to add custom apps to your Shopify store
Shopify Plus key features
Since its launch in 2006, Shopify has become the e-commerce platform of choice for many large and high-volume businesses. So what makes Shopify Plus so special? Here are some of the key features that set it apart from the standard Shopify platform.
You can add up to 100 themes to your Shopify Plus account
The ability to add such a high number of themes means that you have more room to play around. This extra space also allows you to keep seasonal variations of published themes or change and customise themes by making copies of published ones.
When it comes to themes with Shopify Plus, you also have access to Liquid, allowing greater customisation with changes to code and CSS.
Customise checkout experience
Because you now have access to ‘checkout.liquid’, you’re better able to create a customisable checkout that makes a personalised user experience. For example, customise discounts, buy one get one free check out features and dynamic pricing based on volume and value.
An example of customised checkout could be that high-spending customers can experience a unique checkout based on the value of their shopping cart.
Unlimited staff account
As your business starts to grow, there’ll naturally be more people who need editing access to your Shopify store. Shopify Plus provides you with unlimited staff personnel accounts to help you grow your business.
Shopify Flow
Flow is made by Shopify and it lets you automate tasks by creating 'flows'. Flows are basically just a series of tasks and automation capabilities triggered by events.
For example, you could create a flow that cancels orders that are considered high-risk. Or, you could create a flow that sends an email notification to your team whenever a new order is placed. There’s also the option to add a flow for reordering inventory after a certain point. The possibilities are endless.
Advanced multichannel capabilities
Shopify Plus allows you to set up social selling with the top platforms like Facebook Messenger and Instagram. That way, you have more control over customers you’d like to reach.
For example, if someone has abandoned their cart or has an incomplete checkout, businesses can send reminders straight to a user's messenger.
Using Shopify Plus to Drive Customer Loyalty
Whether you're new to Shopify Plus or figure you have it down by now, it's a never-ending wormhole of possibilities. Trying to navigate every opportunity to optimise your site (either for yourself or for your customers) can be an overwhelming amount of information to digest.
If you're looking for the best way to push sustainable growth with customer loyalty, take a look at The Ultimate Guide to Loyalty on Shopify Plus and find the ins and outs of LoyaltyLion's integration with Shopify Plus features like Shopify Flow, Shopify Scripts, and ShopifyPOS.
