In the ever-evolving landscape of ecommerce, staying ahead of the curve is essential for small businesses aiming to launch and expand their online ventures. Enter Shopify, the trailblazer in providing essential internet infrastructure for commerce. With the launch of Shopify Editions Summer ’23, the platform has introduced over 10 transformative updates that are set to revolutionise the way small businesses operate and thrive in the digital realm. As a leading small business digital marketing agency based in Melbourne, we’re excited to highlight these updates and guide small businesses towards harnessing their power to skyrocket growth and success.

Redesigned admin for greater efficiency

Managing an online store involves countless hours of work through the Shopify admin. Recognising this, Shopify has launched a major update to the admin interface—a fresh visual design and a streamlined single-column layout for the home page. This revamp eliminates distractions, resulting in a more focused and functional experience. The Admin update introduces improved fonts, icons, enhanced information density, and a more efficient search bar. These changes promise heightened efficiency and productivity for store management.

Shopify collective for collaborations and expanding your catalogue

Shopify Collective, a groundbreakingly addition, allows merchants to broaden their store catalogue through partnerships with other brands on the Shopify platform. This innovative feature empowers you to curate products from other US-based brands and display them in your store. The best part? These partners handle shipping directly to your customers, eliminating the need for inventory management while boosting your bottom line and order value.

Shopify bundles app for boosting sales with product bundles

Launching the Shopify Bundles App, Shopify offers a powerful tool to create and sell product bundles through your store. This strategic move provides an excellent opportunity for stores to increase order value by offering product groupings. The app’s general availability ensures easy integration into your shop, enabling swift creation and launch of product bundles. While the app excels in simple bundles, more intricate “mix and match” bundles can be crafted using updated bundle apps available in the Shopify App Store.

Shopify subscriptions app for tapping into recurring revenue

Shopify introduces its own subscription app, catering to the growing trend of subscription services in ecommerce. This app empowers merchants to set up and manage simple subscription offers, allowing customers to sign up for recurring product purchases or services. With the ability to manage customer accounts, offer flexible order management, and update payment and shipping details, this app paves the way for recurring revenue streams.

Marketplace connect app for expanding your reach

The Marketplace Connect App emerges as a pivotal update aimed at broadening your online sales horizons. This feature seamlessly integrates your Shopify store and product catalogue with major marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and eBay. By centralising inventory, orders, and fulfillment management through this Shopify app, you unlock a world of possibilities for multi-channel sales.

Improved B2B features so you can cater to wholesalers

The B2B sector has grown substantially, and Shopify continues to enhance the B2B experience with each Edition. Volume Pricing for wholesale customers is introduced in this Edition, offering bulk discounts to enhance your wholesale offerings. Additionally, business customers can now pay for orders using PayPal, streamlining B2B payments. These improvements consolidate selling B2B and D2C within the same shop, catering to diverse customer needs.

Shopify AI sidekick for AI-powered assistance

Enter Sidekick, an AI-powered assistant that integrates AI technology and Shopify data to provide personalised and insightful assistance to merchants across various functions—ranging from shop development to marketing and customer support. Sidekick streamlines tasks, research, workflows, and more, saving valuable time and boosting efficiency. Available for free to all Shopify merchants, Sidekick promises to be a game-changer regardless of your subscription plan. 

Improved checkout features for enhancing conversions

Shopify Checkout’s reputation for being the best in the industry gets even better with this Edition’s updates. The checkout experience, known for its impressive conversion rates, is now streamlined into a one-page process, enhancing visitor-to-customer conversion rates. Additionally, Shopify introduces 17 new APIs and updates that offer greater flexibility in crafting the optimal checkout experience for your business.

Editor-flex sections so you can craft unique store designs

Shopify recognises that store design is crucial for success, and the introduction of Editor-Flex Sections simplifies and customises the design process. Leveraging CSS Flexbox technology, these sections empower users to create personalised layouts, align content seamlessly, and enhance responsiveness. This intuitive feature enables easy drag-and-drop, resizing, grouping, and editing, ensuring your store stands out with a unique aesthetic.

Shopify inbox for easy customer engagement

Shopify Inbox, a tool for real-time customer engagement, receives a significant upgrade with new AI capabilities. This enhancement transforms casual store browsers into buyers by managing customer conversations, automating messages, and analysing chat conversion insights. The inclusion of AI-generated FAQs further enhances customer support efficiency, allowing customers to find answers quickly.

It’s time to launch your business into a new era of ecommerce!

The launch of Shopify Editions Summer ’23 heralds a new era in ecommerce—a landscape that’s more flexible, innovative, and streamlined. With a strong focus on AI technology, Shopify is arming businesses with the tools to succeed in an ever-changing digital marketplace. The updates, from improved administration and checkout experiences to advanced AI assistants, are designed to empower small businesses to confidently achieve their brand goals.

Chat to our affordable marketing agency today!

As a leading digital marketing agency in Melbourne, we’re excited to assist you in leveraging these updates to your advantage and grow your business. The ecommerce landscape is evolving, and Shopify is at the forefront of this transformation. By embracing these updates, your business can harness the power of AI, expand your reach, and provide unparalleled shopping experiences that resonate with your customers. This is the future of ecommerce, and we’re here to guide you every step of the way!

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