Shopify and Shopify Plus both provide robust ecommerce solutions but cater to businesses of different scales. Shopify is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses, offering a wide range of tools to launch and manage an online store. Shopify Plus, however, is designed for high-growth and enterprise-level businesses, offering additional functionality, control, and support.
Both platforms share a strong foundation with features like secure checkout, mobile compatibility, and app integration. The key differences lie in their capacity, customisation options, and advanced tools. Here are some of the standout benefits of Shopify Plus:
Enhanced Performance and Capacity
One of the most significant upgrades with Shopify Plus is its ability to handle much larger volumes of traffic and transactions. Shopify Plus supports up to 10,000 checkouts per minute and 4 million hits per second. This makes it ideal for businesses experiencing flash sales, seasonal peaks, or rapid growth.
Thanks to its cloud-based architecture and load-balancing systems, Shopify Plus ensures smooth performance even during high-traffic periods. Combine this with customisable and lightning-fast checkout pages, and you’ve got a solution designed to maximise conversions.
Additionally, Shopify Plus provides unlimited bandwidth and a global content delivery network (CDN), ensuring fast load times for customers worldwide. These features are crucial for maintaining a seamless shopping experience.
Advanced Customisation and Features
Shopify Plus allows you to take customisation to the next level. With access to script editing, businesses can create bespoke customer journeys, optimise checkout experiences, and ensure every detail aligns with their brand identity. For example, LABFRESH leveraged Shopify Plus to create a single-page checkout tailored to their specific needs.
Other exclusive features include:
Launchpad: Plan and automate sales, seasonal design changes, and more with defined start and end dates. Perfect for streamlining campaigns and creating memorable shopping events.
Shopify Flow: Automate workflows for promotions, loyalty programmes, and inventory management, freeing up your team to focus on growth.
Custom Checkout: Modify the checkout process to align with unique business needs, improving conversion rates and customer satisfaction.
B2B Features: Shopify Plus includes dedicated tools for creating wholesale channels, offering custom pricing and streamlined order processes for bulk buyers.
Better Management and Support
Managing a larger team or scaling up operations? Shopify Plus offers unlimited staff accounts with enhanced permission settings, giving you better control over your store. Multi-store management is also a breeze, as you can clone your store up to nine times to support multiple languages, currencies, and regional markets.
Another advantage is the personalised support. Shopify Plus users gain access to a dedicated Launch Engineer for seamless migrations and setup, along with 24/7 technical support tailored to their needs. The priority support ensures faster resolutions for any technical issues that arise.
Payment Fee Benefits and Security
Shopify Payments offers PCI DSS Level 1 compliance and SSL certificates to ensure secure transactions, boosting customer trust and SEO rankings. Shopify Plus users can save on transaction fees—a crucial advantage for high-turnover businesses, as these savings can offset the $2,000/month subscription cost.
Additionally, Shopify Plus provides advanced fraud detection tools and allows integration with third-party payment processors without extra transaction fees. For businesses with international customers, the platform supports multi-currency payments, which is invaluable for enhancing global sales.
Expanding Sales Channels
With Shopify Plus, you can sell across multiple platforms and marketplaces, including social media, while managing everything from a central dashboard. The ability to support multiple currencies and clone stores helps businesses scale internationally with ease. Additionally, Shopify Plus enables you to create dedicated wholesale portals under the same account, tapping into new revenue streams.
Shopify Plus also supports integrations with popular marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, making it easier to diversify your sales channels. This centralised management helps streamline operations and improve efficiency.
Additional Benefits for Large Businesses
Scalability: Shopify Plus is built to grow with your business, accommodating sudden spikes in traffic or expanding product lines without compromising performance.
Dedicated Resources: Access to exclusive apps and tools that cater specifically to Shopify Plus users, like advanced analytics and custom integrations.
Tax Handling: Automate tax calculations and reporting with ease, reducing administrative burdens.
Why Consider Upgrading?
If your business is growing rapidly or needs more control, customisation, and support, Shopify Plus could be a game-changer. Its enterprise-level features empower businesses to focus on growth rather than infrastructure, ensuring they stay competitive in a demanding market.
You should consider upgrading if:
You’re processing high transaction volumes.
Your store needs advanced customisation to align with your brand.
You require dedicated support and scalability.
You want to expand into international or wholesale markets.
You aim to automate workflows and simplify operations.
Let Radiant Help You Decide
Navigating the choice between Shopify and Shopify Plus can feel overwhelming. That’s where Radiant comes in. Our team specialises in designing and building custom Shopify stores, optimising SEO, and enhancing site performance. Whether you’re staying on Shopify or upgrading to Shopify Plus, we’re here to make your eCommerce journey seamless and successful.
Get in touch today to learn how we can customise your Shopify experience and help you achieve your business goals.
