The Old – ‘There’s an App for That’
Trademarked by Apple in 2009, this one sentence has epitomized the advanced functionality of most e-commerce platforms since the first time it was heard. Shopify in particular, has embraced this idea of a semi-open ecosystem and created a diverse and expansive library of apps and functionalities that would otherwise have taken years to develop…
… which seems to have been exactly what they’ve been doing.
The New – ‘Built (on platform) to Last’
The platform of third-party apps is quickly becoming the platform of first-party apps. Though not as feature-rich as some of their competitors, search, internationalization, translations, marketing automation, and enhanced content management have been slowly rolled out over the last six months with some impressive results. They have learned from their app partners and created a subset of internal (see also: free) apps and resources that can quite literally save merchants hundreds of dollars monthly on contracts and fees.
Shopify’s investment in their existing feature set shows that they are also truly paying attention to trends in technology both in commerce and at large. From AI-driven product descriptions to the ability to manage complex datasets (called Metaobjects) and create bundles on the fly, Shopify has created an offering that can enable anyone to succeed without the need for previously bulky and expensive apps. In addition, the Shop App, previously used predominantly for tracking shipments and purchases, has also undergone an extensive overhaul allowing for store pages and integrated content that draws from internal and user-generated content.
This isn’t to say they don’t love their development partners. Shopify Functions and Checkout Extensibility’s replacement of Shopify Scripts and the checkout.liquid will truly test the mettle of all those wishing to truly expand the platform’s offerings moving forward. Hydrogen and Oxygen will also continue to favor those bold enough to use it, rewards (almost) befitting the effort.
For more on all of the new offerings provided by Shopify (and Sweden Unlimited), be sure to read through Shopify’s latest set of updates detailed in Winter ’23 Edition and see what Shopify can do to enhance your already successful business.
