Shopify is one of the most powerful commerce tools on the market today. We tuned in to an exhilarating 90-minute livestream focused on the latest Shopify products and what’s happening in the eCommerce world. We learned about brands pushing the boundaries and how it’s possible to thrive despite the effect the past 18 months have had on digital storefronts.
We got an excellent insight into the valid role Shopify plays in shaping the landscape of commerce and heard from phenomenal retailers and marketers with unique insights. The spectrum of attitudes was exceptional, and the vibe was prodigious!
Growing and Optimizing Your eCommerce Business
Merchants have to think smart and boldly to leverage new channels to capture audiences. Here are three of the top trends:
- Tell your story
Social selling is the future. Successful sellers build intentional connections in communities to cut through the noise. Shoppers don’t just buy the product; they buy the story. People want to feel a connection with your brand which means that making your voice heard is now essential.
2. Scale globally
It’s become increasingly clear that the world has the world at its fingertips. Billions of dollars are spent every year across the globe. Scaling will bring some of those dollars into your pocket.
3. Innovate the storefront
The storefront is one of the most powerful ways to express brand ideas and bring unique commerce visions to life. It’s the heart of the brand. With Online Store 2.0, brands can bring this home simpler and quicker.
Calling on Creators, Artists, and Entrepreneurs
It’s time to tackle the newfangled generation of consumers. The idea is to sell across the globe and grow boldly.
Like Ara Katz from Seed. Her business is her passion, and she is embracing new ways to not only market but also educate. Ara believes it’s critical to go inwards during challenging times. Throughout the pandemic, Seed eschewed opportunism and instead became more resilient by pushing education and scientific translation.
But it’s not all about creativity and connection (although that’s really important!) The tech is the driver that brings it all home.
B2B Growth Tech Talk
B2B can be a response to explosive growth or a smart way to break into new markets. Shopify Commerce is building B2B products into the platform a mile a minute. More brands will be able to give consumers and buyers a better experience with seamless B2B checkout flow and other nifty tools.
Shopify Flow is next-level e-commerce automation. It allows merchants to automate repetitive tasks needed for operations and tightens up backend processes. It will enable brands to focus on growing with technical help like access to multiple layers of product orders and so much more. And it’s getting better and better.
Shopify also launched Shopify Markets, a cross border eCommerce solution that helps merchants to figure out:
- Where to launch?
- What products should I sell?
- What demographics am I targeting?
- What are local payment methods available?
- What about localization?
With Shopify Markets, it’s easy to scale globally. It translates into value for the buyer who can make purchasing decisions without worrying about the details. It’s all taken care of in one space.
What Businesses are Doing
It’s all about global expansion, social consciousness, and finding your unique voice. We love that Shopify is helping brands to achieve this with the incredible developments happening.
Dose & Co. are busy with massive international expansion through Shopify. They saw an uptake in subscriptions during lockdowns and adjusted their strategy accordingly. This type of flexibility is invaluable in uncertain times. Especially when it leads to exciting new ventures, like Khloe Kardashian becoming an ambassador for the brand. She saw the product, loved it, and her team reached out.
Socially driven brands are paving the way to a more caring future for commerce. Bombas has learned that customers were engaging more with giving-related activities and companies that show good values. The product and the mission are deeply intertwined. According to Kate Huyett from Bombas, “We didn’t want the mission to become an afterthought.”
Bala is a company that was started on a shoestring, relying on the strength of a very visual product and influencers to sell. They knew the fitness industry was crowded but launched with a unique product, dramatically blurring the line between fashion and fitness. These guys did not do a single paid ad for 2.5 years. Instead, they relied on organic community-driven growth.
One of the highlights of the livestream was a unique and lighthearted approach to something unpleasant. Instead of getting upset or overly competitive, Peak Design ridiculed unscrupulous business practices when they made fun of Amazon for ripping off their sling bag design with this clever cool ad.
Tips and Tricks
We enjoyed the tips for the holiday season. Some of the brands on the livestream are doing color stories around holidays and relaunching websites; others are going old-school with promotional days and festive campaigns.
The primary trend is for promotions to be more customer-friendly. Again, tell your story, connect. Instead of pushing an endless stream of discounts, brands are becoming increasingly focused on unique products and limited editions. Connections and value now matter as much as getting bang for your buck.
A Final Word From Pharrel
A special appearance from Pharrell Williams during the presentation gave us some simple advice that we love:
- Find something you love, what you’d do for free. You know that thing you do when you don’t have to do anything? That’s it.
- Attach a vocation to it.
- Service humanity with the vocation.
- Create good karma.
Don’t you just adore that?
