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THE 6 CRUCIAL STEPS TO UPGRADE TO SHOPIFY PLUS EFFECTIVELY

Upgrading to Shopify Plus is a strategic decision for growing ecommerce enterprises. Many merchants have encountered the challenges and opportunities this upgrade brings along their journey.

From optimizing business performance to expanding operations globally, upgrading to Shopify Plus isn’t just a technical step but also an opportunity to transform ecommerce activities into a springboard for market breakthroughs.

In this article, let’s explore the steps to upgrade to Shopify Plus and some critical considerations.

What is Shopify Plus?

This is the premium version of the Shopify platform, specially designed to meet the needs of large and rapidly growing ecommerce businesses. With Shopify Plus, you can experience many powerful features and services that help optimize operations, expand scale, and enhance customer experiences.

One notable aspect of Shopify Plus is its flexibility and ease of customization. You can leverage features such as multi-store management, integration with ERP and CRM systems, creating multilingual and multi-channel websites, as well as adjusting interfaces and features according to your specific needs.

In particular, Shopify Plus provides a secure and easily scalable infrastructure that is capable of handling large volumes of traffic and online transactions robustly. With Plus, you can ensure that your website operates smoothly and seamlessly, even during peak shopping seasons.

Why upgrade to the Shopify Plus plan?

Upgrading from the standard versions of the Shopify platform to the Plus version is a significant milestone in the transformation of ecommerce businesses. Below are eight benefits and also eight main reasons driving businesses to undergo the transition:

The 6 Crucial Steps To Upgrade to Shopify Plus Effectively — Why upgrade to Shopify Plus?

Enhanced customization & scalability

Shopify Plus offers a range of powerful features and tools to customize and expand ecommerce websites flexibly and efficiently. These include customizing checkout pages, personalizing customer experiences, and customizing product displays.

Additionally, you can utilize some exclusive solutions, such as LaunchPad, Shopify Scripts, and Shopify Functions, to customize shopping experiences and automate sales processes.

Increased bandwidth and staff accounts

High traffic volumes will require a large amount of bandwidth to maintain a stable website. Shopify Plus allows you to access unlimited bandwidth, 200TB of storage, and unlimited staff accounts to handle large transaction volumes efficiently.

Optimized transaction costs

Upgrading to Shopify Plus can help optimize transaction costs. If you use Shopify Payments, transaction fees are the lowest in all Shopify pricing plans but will be customized based on geographical regions. Conversely, Plus merchants must pay 0.2% per transaction for security and compliance costs.

Deploy Headless Commerce

In the Plus version, you’ll be provided with tools and solutions to build a Headless ecommerce website. Through the Hydrogen + Oxygen solution, you can leverage the power of Headless architecture to create more customized and flexible customer experiences.

Deploy B2B Commerce

Shopify Plus provides features and tools to expand your B2B operations. The recent Shopify Editions Winter ’24 update introduced new features to optimize B2B Commerce activities.

From Headless B2B and advanced order management to integrated payment systems and unique features for B2B customers, Shopify Plus helps you streamline your operations and enhance customer relationships.

Expand international sales

With Shopify Plus’s multilingual and multi-channel capabilities, you can efficiently expand your operations to international markets. Shopify Plus provides tools and features to customize websites according to each market’s needs, from handling currencies to managing orders and shipping.

Ultilize POS Pro

The Plus merchants can utilize the exclusive POS Pro system for free. With advanced features, POS Pro allows seamless integration of multi-channel sales operations into the website, enables unlimited staff account access, and provides professional retail reports. This helps enhance customers’ shopping experience and optimize your offline and online sales activities.

Advanced customer support

When upgrading, you can expect more in-depth customer support services, especially in terms of consultation and technical support by a team of experts. Through hotlines, emails, and live chat, you can access the 24/7 support team.

Additionally, to help clients better understand this platform, Shopify offers a free learning program called Shopify Plus Academy. There, you can access detailed tutorials on setting up stores, customizing store interfaces, and much more.

When to upgrade to the Shopify Plus plan?

You currently on one of Shopify’s standard pricing plans may consider upgrading to Shopify Plus under the following circumstances:

Monthly revenue exceeds $800,000 with over 100 transactions per minute. In such cases, a more robust system is needed to handle high traffic volumes without compromising user experience, and to effectively manage and optimize business performance.

Expanding sales to international markets requires flexibility in managing multilingual, multi-currency, and region-specific inventory.

Desire to harness the advantages of Headless Commerce architecture to enhance user experience and achieve deeper customization of user interface and technical infrastructure.

What to prepare before upgrading to Shopify Plus?

Before deciding to upgrade to Shopify Plus, there are four important steps that businesses need to take to ensure a smooth and effective upgrade process:

Define business goals

Firstly, you have to clarify your needs and wants. This includes evaluating the current and future growth of the business, as well as the necessary features to meet specific needs.

Prepare the data and Infrastructure

Next, you’ll need to prepare data and technical infrastructure for the transition process. This may involve backing up current data, checking the compatibility of current applications and features, as well as ensuring that the technical infrastructure is robust enough to satisfy your requirements.

Define features and tools in need

Finally, you’ll identify the specific features and services you desire from Plus. This may include considering features such as multi-store management, integration with ERP and CRM systems, multi-language and multi-currency support, as well as special features like deploying Headless Commerce and accessing POS Pro systems.

Set up a Shopify Plus store

Setting up a Plus store will differ from deploying previous standard pricing plans. Plus usage fees start from $2,300 per month, and this price isn’t fixed but customized based on each case’s specific needs. Therefore, you’ll need to contact the Shopify Plus team for advice. When collaborating with a Shopify Plus agency, the developer will work with the platform to provide a specific pricing quote.

The six-step process to upgrade to Shopify Plus

Below are six specific steps for the entire process of upgrading your ecommerce website system from a lower version to Shopify Plus:

Step 1: Partner with a professional Shopify Plus agency

The first and most important step is collaborating with experienced teams specialising in Shopify Plus to optimize the upgrade process and post-operation, especially concerning costs.

To select a suitable Shopify Plus development partner, you should consider previous Shopify Plus projects they have completed, how they identify and solve problems in each project, and feedback from previous clients regarding those projects.

Step 2: Evaluate and plan

The next step is equally important as it determines the effectiveness of the conversion and future operations. You and your development partners need to clarify business goals, identify necessary features and data to be transferred, and develop a specific deployment schedule based on these goals.

You’ll also need to ensure data backup and updates are safely conducted to avoid data loss during the conversion process.

Step 3: Execute deployment

After assessment and planning, proceed with upgrading to Shopify Plus. The development partner will set up and configure new features, migrate data from the old platform to the new one, and test compatibility to ensure the website operates smoothly.

Step 4: Test and adjust

After deployment, test and adjust the Shopify Plus website to ensure all features and functions work correctly. The development partner’s QA/QC team will collaborate with you to check the quality of the website experience as actual end-users and correct any issues that arise.

Step 5: Golive

Once testing is complete, the new ecommerce website will be launched into the market, and promotional campaigns will be deployed to attract initial traffic and orders.

Step 6: Train staff

Finally, employees should be trained to use and manage the new website on the Shopify Plus platform. You’ll provide detailed instructions on new features and how to use them to optimize the performance. Additionally, since Plus has unlimited staff accounts, personnel allocation should be reasonable and planned accordingly.

The Final Words

While upgrading to Shopify Plus can be complex, it significantly benefits business growth. From high flexibility and customization to scalability and deep customer service, Shopify Plus is the perfect choice for expansion.

Various insights and a systematic 6-step deployment process make the upgrade process more manageable. However, to increase efficiency and maintain the stability of the new website, businesses need a professional development partner to accompany them.

Contact SECOMM or call us at (+84)28 7108 9908 to plan your deployment today!

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28/03/2024

10 LEADING ECOMMERCE WEBSITES UPGRADE TO SHOPIFY PLUS

Choosing to upgrade to Shopify Plus is like opening the door for you to enter a world of unparalleled flexibility, speed, and customization. Countless brands across diverse industries and business models heavily rely on Shopify. According to BuiltWith statistics, there are more than 4 million Shopify websites globally. Many well-known brands have experienced remarkable sales and conversion rate surges after upgrading.

Let’s explore 10 eCommerce websites that have upgraded from core Shopify to Plus.

Huel

Founded in 2015 by Julian Hearn and James Collier, Huel is a brand specializing in meal replacements and nutritional supplements. Their product lineup includes nutritional powder (Huel Powder), ready-to-drink meals (Huel Ready-to-Drink), snack bars (Huel Bar), and additional supplements like omega-3 oil and protein powder.

After just 5 years, the brand experienced rapid growth, expanding 9 online stores and 120 staff members globally. As a result, the brand opted to upgrade to Shopify Plus to enhance its operational efficiency.

After more than 30 days of replatforming, Huel witnessed significant changes. Tasks such as adding employee accounts and assigning roles across one of the 9 stores, previously taking over 30 minutes, now only require a few minutes.

This not only streamlines the operation of current stores but also creates favorable conditions for Huel to expand and effectively manage an increasing number of stores and personnel in the future.

Website: https://huel.com/
Industry: Meal replacements
Traffic: 1.4M/month
Ranking: 16,313 (USA) & 33,881 (Worldwide)

Negative Underwear

Negative Underwear was established in 2014 by two sisters, Lauren Schwab and Marissa Vosper. The brand’s mission is to offer women high-quality, straightforward, and comfortable lingerie. Negative Underwear quickly garnered attention for its unique designs and a philosophy focused on the wearer’s comfort and confidence.

From its early days, Negative Underwear built an eCommerce website using Shopify. As sales grew and the need for expansion became apparent, the lingerie brand decided to upgrade to Shopify Plus.

Through Shopify Plus, Negative Underwear benefits from a comprehensive and consistent overview of financial and sales reports. Streamlining operational tasks for centralized inventory management has become more efficient.

Streamlining operational tasks for centralized inventory management has become more efficient. Furthermore, the lingerie brand can effortlessly devise promotional campaigns during significant year-end shopping periods, enhancing the overall customer experience for those seeking to make multiple purchases simultaneously.

Website: https://negativeunderwear.com/
Industry: Fashion
Traffic: 802.8K/month
Ranking: 9,588 (USA) & 54,893 (Worldwide)

ILIA

ILIA is a popular clean beauty brand that has garnered favor among consumers and earned numerous awards. With a commitment to helping users safeguard and rejuvenate their skin through safe and highly effective formulas, the brand has become a go-to choice.

While initially running on Shopify Advanced, the eCommerce website swiftly expanded, and ILIA upgraded to Shopify Plus for enhanced customization capabilities.

Moreover, through Shopify Plus, ILIA introduced Headless Commerce to ensure customers enjoy an optimal shopping experience without compromising page load speed and overall website performance. The deployment time with Shopify Plus saw a 20% improvement, and since the upgrade, ILIA has observed a notable 18% reduction in bounce rates.

Website: https://iliabeauty.com/
Industry: Beauty & cosmetics
Traffic: 614.3K/month
Ranking: 22,043 (USA) & 91,888 (Worldwide)

Incu

Founded in 2002 by two Italian brothers, Vincent and Brian Wu, Incu swiftly rose to prominence as a leading fashion shopping destination in Sydney. Initially operating on its eCommerce platform, Incu later made the switch to the Basic Shopify.

However, with the company’s expansion and the introduction of a diverse range of products from various international brands, Incu found the need for a more robust backend system to efficiently manage the growing complexity of its eCommerce operations.

This included improving order processing workflows, inventory management, and automated updates for delivery rules and size customization based on customer location.

Incu, in particular, integrated advanced solutions from Shopify Plus, including LaunchPad and Flow, and implemented automation and Script Editor to tailor the shopping cart and checkout experience.

In the first week post-upgrade to Shopify Plus, Incu experienced a 15% increase in conversion rates, a 26% rise in revenue, and an average interaction rate of 91%, along with a noteworthy 40% reduction in bounce rates.

Website: https://www.incu.com/
Industry: Fashion
Traffic: 438.2K/month
Ranking: 1,751 (Australia) 101,060 (Worldwide)

Boxraw

Boxraw is a sports fashion brand specializing in boxing, with its main headquarters situated in London, England. Established in 2017 by Ben Amanna, a professional with a background in sports and boxing, the brand aims to deliver high-quality products catering to both novice enthusiasts and professional athletes in the boxing realm.

In its early days, Amanna spent time reading Shopify blogs, building a website with the basic plan, and seeking support from the advisory team to learn about eCommerce and launch his brand.

Particularly noteworthy is Boxraw’s use of LaunchPad, an exclusive solution tailored for Shopify Plus businesses, facilitating the creation of automated sales campaigns.

This has enabled the Boxraw team to break free from repetitive tasks, providing customers with distinctive shopping experiences at enticing prices.

Website: https://uk.boxraw.com/
Industry: Fashion
Traffic: 380.2K/month
Ranking: 79,635 (USA) & 151,443 (Worldwide)

Only Curls

In 2016, Lizzie Carter faced the challenge of finding the perfect towel to dry her naturally curly hair in London. Unable to find one, she decided to take matters into her own hands and create it herself. This led to the creation of Only Curls, which has since become the preferred shopping destination for those with curly hair.

Only Curls primarily offers a range of products, including pre-shampoo treatment oils, post-shampoo treatment oils, hair-fixing gels, and other items specifically designed to support the daily care and styling needs of curly hair.

After initially using the basic Shopify package, Only Curls upgraded to the ‘Plus’ package due to the rapid growth of their business. With the upgrade, the brand incorporated LaunchPad and several apps from the Shopify Plus Certified App, such as Klaviyo and Gorgias, to streamline sales, marketing, and customer care processes.

This strategic decision resulted in a 19% increase in conversion rates, a 10% rise in the average order value, and a remarkable 154% surge in the total number of orders in the first month.

Website: https://onlycurls.com/
Industry: Hair care
Traffic: 162.8K/month
Ranking: 11,298 (UK) & 272,018 (Worldwide)

Aje

Aje is a renowned fashion brand headquartered in Sydney, Australia. After over a decade since its establishment, the brand has rapidly become a significant name in the international fashion industry.

Recognized for its more than 18 stores across Australia and New Zealand, each exuding an air of luxury and contemporary design, Aje aimed to mirror this aesthetic in its eCommerce presence.

As a result, the brand upgraded to Shopify Plus to efficiently launch a new website with minimal downtime, ensuring a seamless integration of the online and offline customer experiences. Within just a few weeks of the upgrade, Aje observed a remarkable 135% increase in its conversion rate and a substantial decrease in bounce rates.

Website: https://ajeworld.com/
Industry: Fashion
Traffic: 81.6K/month
Ranking: 138,049 (USA) & 485,275 (Worldwide)

Animals Matter

Founded in 2008 and headquartered in California, USA, Animals Matter stands as a premier brand in the realm of luxurious pet accessories. Specializing in crafting high-end products for pets, including beds, cushions, coats, collars, and more, Animals Matter prioritizes the comfort, safety, and fashionable flair of beloved pets.

Initially, Animals Matter opted for Shopify to establish a foundational eCommerce website, complemented by the strategic use of Google Ads. As sales began to climb, the brand decided to elevate its platform to the ‘Plus’ version, granting access to exclusive and advanced solutions.

With a strategic focus on a Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) model and a commitment to multi-channel sales, Animals Matter seamlessly integrated its website with various social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and Pinterest.

Moreover, utilizing the capabilities of ‘Plus,’ the brand employs email marketing to sustain customer engagement through diverse approaches. This includes the implementation of strategies such as abandoned cart emails, newsletters, and enticing promotional programs.

Website: https://animalsmatter.com/
Industry: Dog products
Traffic: 66.1K/month
Ranking: 285,963 (USA) & 932,263 (Worldwide)

Boie

Boie, headquartered in New York, USA, is a personal care product brand that prioritizes safety and durability in its meticulously researched and crafted offerings. Boie’s products are crafted from antibacterial and recyclable materials, emphasizing a commitment to minimizing waste generation in the market.

Recognizing the limitations of the basic Shopify solution in fulfilling its vision for an enriched eCommerce website user experience, Boie made the strategic move to upgrade to Shopify Plus. This flexible platform serves as a solution to address two key objectives for Boie: enhancing conversion rates, particularly for customers abandoning their carts, and optimizing SEO strategies to boost website traffic.

Website: https://boieusa.com/
Industry: Personal care
Traffic: 36.2K/month
Ranking: 640,532 (USA) & 2,651,414 (Worldwide)

al.ive body

A prominent player in the personal care product market is al.ive body. This brand emerged amid Australia’s Covid-19-induced lockdown.

With prior success using Shopify, al.ive body decided to elevate its e-commerce website by switching to Shopify Plus, where it benefitted from valuable guidance and support from the Merchant Success team.

Leveraging the expansive features of ‘Plus,’ al.ive body introduced a dedicated B2B eCommerce website catering to wholesale customers. Moreover, the brand employed the Functions solution to tailor the backend logic of Shopify, enhancing the customer experience, and streamlining the payment process.

Since upgrading, the company achieved over 1 million Australian dollars in revenue within four days of the Black Friday sales event. Taking advantage of the increased customer influx during the sales period, al.ive body boosted its customer conversion rate by 47% after implementing customizations aimed at simplifying the payment experience.

Website: https://alivebody.com.au/
Industry: Personal care
Traffic: 26.9K/month
Ranking: 34,956 (Australia) & 1,474,515 (Worldwide)

Upgrade to Shopify Plus today!

Above are 10 brands that have enhanced their eCommerce websites by upgrading from the core Shopify versions to the Plus version, seeking advanced solutions to streamline business processes and improve the customer experience.

As a trusted partner for enterprises like Vinamilk, Suzuverse, SECOMM boasts a highly skilled technical team with profound knowledge of Shopify Plus.

Contact SECOMM or call the hotline to start upgrading your eCommerce website today!

2,068

24/01/2024

Tag: upgrade to shopify plus