Shopify Unite 2019: Enhanced Control, Automation, and Experience for Shopify Plus Merchants

 

Shopify Unite 2019, Shopify’s flagship developer and partner conference, took place this month in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Shopify Unite 2019 marked one of the largest and most significant events to date. Shopify announced a huge number of features that could ostensibly alter the eCommerce landscape for all merchants, expanding their capabilities and moving closer to a complete omnichannel solution.

 

Notable announcements for all Shopify merchants included:

 

  • Enhanced storefront design features: a previous setback for Shopify users were the customization restrictions with the theme editor, namely for any pages other than the homepage. Shopify has announced sections on every page and master pages among other features.

 

  • Video and 3D Product Pages: Products can now be displayed using video or augmented reality for full effect.

 

  • Elevated POS: New features more closely connect the online-to-offline experience. The improvements include combined loyalty and promotions, faster, more simple, and unified retail payments.

 

  • Fulfillment, Delivery Profile, and Order Editing APIs: These features will make it easier to automate fulfillment and self-help processes so merchants can focus more time on growth.

 

  • Actual multi-language, multi-currency support: Merchants will no longer need to rely on 3rd party extensions, meaning more accurate translations and conversions.

 

Shopify further equipped developers with a new app bridge, Shopify CLI which makes it easier to design extensions, versioning support for updates, and a fully translated app store.

 

Shopify Plus Improvements

 

For enterprise retailers, some impressive improvements are on the horizon. The ‘New’ Shopify Plus’s main focuses were on multiple store management and automation on a grand scale.

 

High growth, high volume merchants can now manage all of their stores, analytics, staff accounts, permissions, and automation tools from one place. Also emphasized was offering unique customer experiences using the headless commerce approach meaning faster speed to market and increased personalization and control.

 

Here’s what Shopify had to say:

 

“Shopify Plus has helped the largest and most complex brands in the world meet and exceed their goals for growth and success. We’ve listened closely to these merchants who want to more easily open, maintain, and work across multiple stores. For these brands, multiple stores are a tactic for growth, giving them the power to segment and address different markets in unique ways.

 

We’re excited to announce that this year we’re releasing a new Shopify Plus—enabling large, complex businesses to manage multiple stores, users, automation, and more in one place.

 

These brands will start their day with rolled up insights across all of their stores, allowing them to see key insights about their entire business. They will also be able to view and manage stores and user access and permissions in one place, allowing them and their teams to operate more efficiently.

 

Shopify Flow will see a new home in Shopify Plus, and user admins and assigned staff members will be able to copy flows across all stores, letting them share the success from one channel to another.

 

This is just the first step in building the foundation to support the world’s most successful brands. In the coming months, you’ll see us release the first part of this experience, with more to come over the next year and beyond.”

 

The Biggest Announcement

 

The final, and perhaps most resounding announcement affects all Shopify merchants, both B2C and B2B. Shopify plans to roll out a ‘Shopify Fulfillment Network’ akin to that of Amazon, meaning they will have a network of warehouses with physical stockpiles of products ready for rapid shipment.

 

This will play a huge role in reducing shipping costs, both monetarily and time-wise, and will presumably have an impact on abandoned carts and any hesitation online shoppers might have regarding the receipt of their orders.

 

SmartOSC is a proud Shopify Plus partner with extensive experience guiding and optimizing eCommerce solutions using the platform. Get in touch with us today to see how Shopify Plus can help your brand achieve its eCommerce goals.

 

UPDATE:

 

Here is a summary of all the keynote presentations given duing Shopify Unite 2019. Most of this was mentioned above, but there are useful links giving access to video content and webinars for your viewing pleasure.

 

The New Shopify Plus

 

  • A new admin interface that rolls up insights across all of your stores, allowing you to see key insights about your entire business
  • Shopify Flow will see a new home in Shopify Plus, and user admins and assigned staff members will be able to copy flows across all stores
  • Read more about the New Shopify Plus
  • https://www.shopify.com/enterprise/unite-2019#1

 

Faster Speed & Localised Servers

 

 

Enable Subscriptions in your Shopify checkout

 

  • Grow your recurring revenue stream with subscription solutions integrated in Shopify’s checkout
  • Later this year, app developers will be able to use our checkout app extension to seamlessly integrate their apps with Shopify, allowing customers to purchase subscription products without leaving your checkout
  • https://www.shopify.com/enterprise/unite-2019#8

 

Theme Sections

 

  • We’re extending our code-less customisation capability to all pages of the online store
  • Sections can now be used on every page type on your store, allowing merchants to make quick layout and content changes https://www.shopify.com/enterprise/unite-2019#3

 

Order Editing

 

  • Merchants will soon be able to edit open orders at the buyer’s request
  • Our new order editing features will enable apps to add, remove, or replace items before the line item has been fulfilled, expect some exciting new apps to come out with this API
  • https://www.shopify.com/enterprise/unite-2019#3

 

Shipping Profiles

 

  • Shipping profiles allow merchants to set custom shipping rules based on product details like size, weight, or shipping origin
  • You can use shipping profiles to offer customers more accurate shipping rates that won’t cut into profit margins. 
  • https://www.shopify.com/enterprise/unite-2019#4

 

New Shopify POS

 

 

Shopify Fulfillment Network (US)

 

  • Expanding into the US will soon be easier with the huge announcement of our new Shopify Fulfillment Network
  • A geographically dispersed network of fulfillment centres with smart inventory-allocation technology, powered by machine learning
  • https://www.shopify.com/enterprise/unite-2019#5
  • Watch the key note

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