As being one of the top eCommerce hosting platforms, Shopify has been making it possible (and easier than ever) for businesses to grow and thrive in the online marketplace. Currently, there are over 600,000 active Shopify stores with a combined total of $82 billion worth of sales. But when it comes to choosing the version of Shopify that is right for your business, you might be wondering… Is Shopify Plus worth it for your store?
For starters, it’s important to realize Shopify Plus is not perfect for every merchant—just like every blind date you’ve been on hasn’t been “The One.” There are certain criteria that need to be met in order for you to even consider Shopify Plus as an option for your online store. In fact, out of all of Shopify’s active stores (600k) only about 2,000 of those use Shopify Plus. Unfortunately, not every cat is going to fit in the box.
In order to help you, (because we know you need it) DigitlHaus will answer some of the frequently asked questions regarding Shopify Plus and its potential benefits. Think of these questions and answers as not only general industry guidelines to Shopify Plus, but as an informal business meeting in order to save you the time and hassle of doing the research yourself.
Do I qualify to transition my store to Shopify Plus?
Well, that largely depends on two things: (1) If your store has reached an annual revenue of over 1 to 2 million and (2) if your store is rapidly growing. Not only that, but you need to have the means and time to invest in the higher tiered plans. Also, you need to be considered an enterprise level business. If you find your online store to be within this realm, read on. If not, well, read on anyway.
Okay, I potentially qualify. How much would I be paying for Shopify Plus?
Like we said, it’s an investment, and cost vs. benefit is worth weighing for any investment. But we’ll get to the benefits of Shopify Plus in just a minute. Compared to regular Shopify plans, you’re looking at a starting price of at least $2,000. However, there isn’t a specific price tag attached to the higher tiered plans. You’ll have to get into direct contact with Shopify Plus and get a quote. And if your store earns at least $800,000 or more a month, they’ll take an estimated 0.25% of your monthly revenue or they might negotiate by transaction.
Would I be getting what I pay for?
There are a ton of features that Shopify Plus offers your growing business compared to Shopify’s more basic plans. These tools are exclusive to Shopify Plus and range from extra support to extra eCommerce features. If you can make the most of these tools, like you made the most of that sushi you had for lunch, it will be well worth the price.
Extra support? What kind of extra support?
Glad you asked! Shopify offers its basic and Plus members a 24/7 support line over email, chat, or phone. This means if you run into any problems, they’ll have someone ready to assist you in no time. However, with Shopify Plus, you get more advanced support service that is dedicated to Shopify Plus merchants—and who doesn’t like exclusive and dedicated service?
With Shopify Plus, you’ll get a Merchant Success Manager that can provide anything from strategic coaching to problem solving help. This personalization can really go a long way and help your business grow. Also, if you weren’t with Shopify to begin with, they have a Launch Manager that will help you get settled with Shopify Plus so that the process is as easy and quick as possible for you.
Well that sounds… Kind of nice. What about the eCommerce features?
First, there’s Shopify Flow. If you need to send emails to customers about specific deals and really try to individualized your customers shopping experience in order to boost sales, you will love this feature. Just add in a few things for a specialized workflow. You’ll be able to configure your own automated settings, such as notifying a customer when something is low in stock. This will save you a lot of time and effort in managing your store.
With Script Editor, you can even further customize your pricing settings down to the smallest details. Include a free shipping on specific items or add discounts on sale products with absolutely no struggle. The key is that you can personalize the experience for the type of customer you are serving.
Also know you’re taken care of with Shopify Plus by knowing you’ll have access to Launchpad which can handle flash sales, cloning stores for international sales, API access, and unlimited bandwidth that can handle 10,000 transactions per minute!
I’m hiring more and more employees. Can they have access to Shopify Plus if I need them to?
Indeed, they can! While the basic Shopify plans are limited to a certain amount of accounts, Shopify Plus allows you to have an unlimited number of accounts. This will make it easier for you to free up your time to handle more important tasks and leave the rest to your trusted employees.
By now, you’ve probably realized that Shopify Plus is a great advantage… if your store is quickly moving a lot of sales and continuing to grow at a rapid rate. The normal Shopify still offers great services, but Shopify Plus amplifies features and simplifies your tasks for you. The task at hand for you as a business owner is deciding if you meet the qualifications for Shopify Plus and if you’ll reap the benefits of their extra-dedicated services.
