Shopify Plus is designed for large-scale businesses needing reliable, high-performance eCommerce solutions. It handles up to 8,000 orders per minute per store and supports global growth with features like multi-currency pricing, advanced automation, and customisation tools. Here’s a quick overview of its key features:
- Launchpad: Automate and schedule sales events for seamless execution.
- Flow: Streamline operations with no-code business process automation.
- Custom Checkout: Personalise checkout experiences to reduce cart abandonment.
- Global Currency Support: Display prices in local currencies to boost trust and conversions.
- B2B Tools: Simplify wholesale operations with tailored pricing and bulk order management.
- Advanced POS System: Integrate online and in-store operations for unified management.
- API Access: Build custom integrations with powerful APIs.
- Data and Reports: Leverage detailed analytics for informed decision-making.
- 24/7 Support: Access priority support and dedicated Merchant Success Managers.
- Expert Setup with Alinga: Partner with local experts for tailored Shopify Plus solutions.
These features empower businesses to scale efficiently, optimise operations, and expand globally while maintaining high performance and reliability. Whether you’re automating workflows, enhancing customer experiences, or managing wholesale operations, Shopify Plus has tools to support enterprise growth.
What is Shopify Plus? | Your ecommerce enterprise platform
1. Launchpad: Schedule and Run Sales Events
Launchpad simplifies the management of large-scale sales events and product launches, ensuring smooth operations even during high-traffic periods.
Event Management
This tool automates key tasks such as:
- Adjusting product prices
- Updating inventory levels
- Customising themes
- Coordinating across sales channels
- Applying discounts at checkout
Its analytics dashboard provides real-time insights into revenue, order volumes, top-performing products, and customer engagement.
Practical Applications
A great example is the Billie Eilish Fragrances launch, where Launchpad handled intense traffic during a 3D shopping experience. For Australian businesses hosting flash sales across various time zones, Launchpad ensures precise control. For instance, you can schedule a theme change for a Boxing Day sale to go live at 9:00 AEST and revert to regular pricing at midnight.
Key Features
| Feature | Business Benefit |
|---|---|
| Password Protection | Build excitement before big launches |
| Theme Automation | Automatically roll out campaign-specific designs |
| Script Scheduling | Apply complex discount rules at set times |
| Multi-channel Release | Synchronise launches across all sales platforms |
CrunchLabs used Launchpad to schedule product drops and promotions seamlessly, boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty. You can also test your event setups in advance and add buffer intervals for theme updates, inventory changes, and pricing adjustments to minimise technical hiccups.
Next, we’ll look at how automating business processes can further enhance operations.
2. Flow: Business Process Automation
Flow simplifies and automates complex processes, enabling businesses to scale operations without increasing manual effort.
With its straightforward three-step system – trigger, condition, and action – Flow allows businesses to create powerful automations without needing any coding expertise. It integrates smoothly with existing tools and supports key business functions, as shown below:
| Automation Category | Business Impact |
|---|---|
| Inventory Management | Automatically reorders stock or pauses marketing campaigns when inventory is low |
| Risk Management | Analyses orders in real time to prevent fraud |
| Customer Experience | Delivers personalised engagement and loyalty programs |
| Support Operations | Creates support tickets for negative reviews |
| Order Processing | Optimises fulfilment and shipping workflows |
Real-World Applications
The effectiveness of Flow is evident in its use by companies like Shelfies. Their automated order risk system captures payments for medium- and low-risk orders automatically, while high-risk orders are flagged for manual review.
Flow becomes even more powerful when integrated with third-party apps. For example, it can:
- Log 5-star reviews in spreadsheets for marketing teams
- Create support tickets for reviews rated under 3 stars
- Trigger customised email campaigns for pre-order customers via Klaviyo
- Send urgent order notifications through Slack
Statistics back up the importance of automation in customer engagement. Selling to existing customers has a success rate of 60–70%, compared to just 5–20% for new customers. Flow’s ability to automate personalised engagement helps businesses maximise this opportunity.
Practical Implementation
Flow is particularly useful for specialised workflows in industries like fresh food retail. For example, if an order includes items tagged as “fresh food”, Flow can automatically apply a “Refrigerated Shipping” tag to ensure proper handling. Additionally, businesses can use Flow’s order risk analyser to set up custom rules that flag or cancel suspicious orders. This not only protects revenue but also reduces the time spent on manual reviews.
3. Custom Checkout Options
Custom checkout options can significantly improve conversion rates and help maintain a consistent brand image. With nearly 70% of shoppers abandoning their carts, creating a seamless checkout experience is more important than ever.
Advanced Customisation Tools
Customisation tools for checkout allow businesses to create a branded and user-friendly experience. Here’s how:
| Checkout Element | Features | Business Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Branding | Add logos, adjust colours, customise typography | Builds a consistent brand presence |
| Functionality | Include date pickers, gift messages, and custom fields | Makes the process more convenient for customers |
| Payment Options | Offer multiple payment methods and digital wallets | Reduces cart abandonment |
| Post-purchase | Add upsells, loyalty programs, and order tracking | Boosts customer retention and lifetime value |
Performance-Driven Features
Integrating tools like Shop Pay can make a big difference. For example, Shop Pay increases mobile conversions by 91% and speeds up the checkout process by four times. A faster checkout experience is critical – 27% of shoppers are persuaded to complete their purchase when the process is quick.
Optimisation Best Practices
Here are some proven strategies to optimise the checkout process:
- Address Auto-completion: Using Google Autocomplete can cut address entry time by 20%.
- Dynamic Shipping Updates:
“If you have a free shipping threshold, create a dynamic banner that shows how close they are to unlocking free shipping. I’ve tested this and it’s usually either null or positive on conversions, but tends to increase AOV and revenue.” – Alex Birkett, Omniscient Digital
- Multi-payment Support: With 70% of shoppers abandoning their carts when their preferred payment method isn’t available, offering options like credit cards, digital wallets, and Shop Pay is essential.
Technical Implementation
The Checkout Branding API provides two main tools for customisation:
- designSystem: Controls the overall design, including spacing, colour schemes, and typography.
- customizations: Allows specific UI elements to be styled for targeted improvements.
You can test these features using checkout profiles before rolling them out, ensuring they enhance performance without hurting conversion rates. Integrated analytics also help track customer behaviour and pinpoint where drop-offs occur, allowing ongoing improvements. These tools not only improve the checkout experience but also contribute to overall operational efficiency.
4. Global Currency Support
Expanding into international markets requires accurate currency handling. Displaying prices in the right currency can directly influence growth. In 2022, global cross-border commerce sales hit $396 billion.
Automatic Currency Conversion
Shopify Plus simplifies the process by automatically converting currencies using current market rates. This eliminates the need for manual calculations, ensuring accurate pricing across regions. Businesses can also:
- Set manual exchange rates for specific markets
- Apply rounding rules for local pricing
- Adjust prices by percentage for different regions
- Create custom pricing strategies for specific countries
Impact on Customer Experience
Displaying prices in local currencies has a big impact on customer behaviour:
| Customer Behaviour | Impact Statistics | Business Implication |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase Abandonment | 33% abandon carts if prices are shown only in USD | Local currency display reduces cart abandonment |
| Shopping Preference | 92% prefer seeing prices in their own currency | Builds trust and encourages purchases |
| Payment Options | 49% abandon without local payment methods | Highlights the need for local payment solutions |
Showing prices in local currencies not only boosts trust but also makes it easier to customise technical features for specific markets.
Success Story: Moonglow Jewelry
“Shopify Payments’ multi-currency helped us crack the code for international expansion. Onsite and during checkout, offering the customer’s preferred currency is a small touch that produces big results” – Julien Plouffe, CEO at Moonglow Jewelry
Technical Implementation
Shopify Plus ensures currencies are formatted to match local standards. For example, Australian businesses benefit from automatic AUD formatting. The platform offers flexible options like standard formatting, no decimals, and different thousand separators (comma or space), making it easy to meet regional preferences.
Performance Results
Doyoueven saw impressive results after implementing multi-currency features:
- 89% year-on-year growth in just one month
- 122% boost in total sales
- 28% more orders during typically slow periods
These numbers highlight how offering localised currency options can drive sales and expand market reach.
5. B2B and Wholesale Tools
In 2023, the wholesale ecommerce industry hit a massive A$9.2 trillion in value. To support this growth, B2B tools are helping businesses handle bulk orders more efficiently while strengthening customer relationships with specialised wholesale features.
Simplified Business Customer Management
This platform allows businesses to manage both B2B and direct-to-consumer operations seamlessly. Key functionalities include:
- Private B2B ecommerce sites
- Business-specific customer profiles
- Customised pricing and payment options
- Cross-channel inventory tracking
- Automated onboarding processes
Flexible Pricing and Discounts
| Feature | Benefit | How It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Price Lists | Offer tailored pricing to key clients | Assign unique rates to individual customers |
| Volume Discounts | Encourage larger purchases | Set up tiered pricing based on order size |
| Currency Options | Adapt pricing for global markets | Adjust rates for specific regions |
| Payment Terms | Provide payment flexibility | Define terms for each account |
Automated Processes
“Without a doubt, the biggest myth about a wholesale business is that the self-service ordering model used in retail won’t work. As in retail, business customers benefit greatly from the time and effort savings of online ordering, in their own time, with full visibility of the status of their order.” – Ben Chidiac, Co-founder of Beard & Blade
The platform reduces the need for manual order management by enabling business clients to:
- Place orders through a self-service portal
- Track shipments independently
- View order history
- Set up automatic reorders
- Access detailed invoices
Insights from Experts
“Don’t think that your website should cater to all audiences. When you know your audience, tailor the experience to them to maximize profits for wholesale.” – Jesse Teske, VP of performance marketing at ThinkWarwick
Focusing on specific customer segments can greatly improve results. The platform supports this strategy with tools like customisable themes, APIs, and features for international sales.
Better Order Management
The wholesale channel simplifies operations by offering detailed order review options before invoicing. Businesses can verify quantities, discounts, payment terms, shipping details, and customer-specific pricing to ensure accuracy.
These tools not only streamline processes but also help businesses scale effectively, paving the way for advanced point-of-sale capabilities.
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6. Advanced Point of Sale System
The advanced POS system connects your online and in-store operations, building on the automation and multi-channel integration mentioned earlier. It’s designed to meet the needs of modern enterprise retail by merging physical and digital channels into one streamlined platform.
Unified Commerce Management
POS Pro brings together inventory, payments, and customer data in real time. This allows Australian retailers to:
- Keep track of stock across multiple locations.
- Accept payments through local methods.
- Maintain consistent customer relationship management.
- Produce detailed performance reports.
Smart Inventory Control
The system comes with Stocky, an inventory management app, packed with features to simplify stock control:
| Feature | Capability | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time Tracking | Automatically updates stock across channels | Avoid overselling |
| Stock Suggestions | Provides inventory recommendations | Keep stock levels optimal |
| Multi-location Management | Centralised inventory control | Streamline distribution |
| Endless Aisle | Completes out-of-stock orders from the POS | Capture every sale |
Enhanced Staff Management
POS Pro makes managing your team easier with these advanced tools:
- Custom Role Management
Set up tailored roles with specific permissions to ensure staff access is secure and appropriate. - Performance Monitoring
Track individual staff performance and generate detailed location-based reports. - Shift Management
Manage rosters and monitor working hours across multiple stores with ease.
Omnichannel Integration
This system supports omnichannel retail strategies, including BOPIS (Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store), BORIS (Buy Online, Return In-Store), cross-channel inventory visibility, and unified customer profiles.
Australian Payment Solutions
POS Pro processes payments with competitive rates starting at 1.5% for in-person transactions in Australia. It supports key payment methods like EFTPOS, credit/debit cards, and digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Advanced Analytics
Gain deeper insights with POS Pro’s analytics tools, which include:
- Daily sales reports.
- Location-specific performance data.
- Staff performance metrics.
These features come together to streamline retail operations and drive enterprise growth.
7. API Access and Third-party Connections
Shopify Plus offers powerful APIs that allow businesses to create custom integrations and expand functionality beyond the platform’s standard features. These tools make it easier to connect with existing systems and third-party apps.
Core API Options
Shopify Plus provides access to a variety of APIs, each tailored for specific integration purposes:
| API Type | Primary Use Case | Key Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| GraphQL Admin API | Backend management | Handle products, inventory, and orders, with a limit of 1,000 points/second |
| Storefront API | Custom shopping | Display product details and enable checkouts across platforms |
| Customer Account API | User management | Support single sign-on, personalisation, and order tracking |
| Ajax API | Dynamic elements | Fetch product data, offer recommendations, and manage carts |
Enterprise Integration Tools
The API infrastructure in Shopify Plus is designed to meet the complex needs of larger enterprises:
- System Integration
Seamlessly connect to tools like:- Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
- Inventory Management Systems (IMS)
- Order Management Systems (OMS)
- Development Resources
Shopify Plus provides a range of tools to aid development:- Official API libraries for Ruby and Node.js
- Third-party libraries for PHP, Go, and .NET
- Software tools and app templates
- Example apps and detailed documentation
Performance Management
Shopify Plus uses a leaky bucket algorithm for rate limiting, ensuring smooth performance. To optimise API use:
- Cache frequently accessed data
- Request only the fields you need
- Use retry mechanisms with a one-second delay
- Schedule concurrent tasks wisely
- Combine smaller tasks into larger, efficient operations
Developer Resources
Shopify Plus offers consistent API updates and detailed documentation, making it easier for developers to build and integrate custom solutions.
Advanced Tools and Features
Enterprise users can take advantage of:
- An AI assistant to help generate GraphQL operations
- Bulk operation tools for managing large datasets
- Tools for creating custom storefronts
These features enhance scalability, improve security, and allow for highly customised enterprise solutions.
8. Business Data and Reports
Shopify Plus offers a robust suite of reporting tools designed to help businesses make informed decisions based on data. These tools provide detailed insights into various aspects of your operations.
Core Analytics Dashboard
The Analytics dashboard showcases key metrics using customisable cards that update roughly every minute. This allows businesses to respond quickly to trends. Here’s what you can track:
| Metric Category | Insights Provided |
|---|---|
| Sales Performance | Total sales, net sales by channel, average order value |
| Customer Behaviour | Sessions by device, conversion rates, cart analysis |
| Inventory Status | Stock levels, sell-through rates, ABC analysis |
| Marketing Impact | Campaign attribution, traffic sources, conversion paths |
Advanced Reporting Capabilities
For deeper analysis, Shopify Plus offers advanced reporting tools tailored for enterprise needs.
Financial Insights
- Track profit margins to refine ad spending.
- Multi-currency support simplifies global operations.
- Access detailed finance summaries, including sales, payments, and gross profit.
Customer Analysis
The platform allows businesses to segment customers based on:
- Purchase history
- Geographic location
- Device usage
- Shopping habits
“As a data-driven organisation, we love having the ability to drill down into an individual customer profile, see all of their touch points across devices, and understand which touch point led to a sale. We love seeing a customer’s entire lifecycle and segment it out by different purchases.” – McGregor Button, VP Marketing at Linksoul
Performance Monitoring Tools
For businesses managing multiple storefronts, Shopify Plus provides organisation-level analytics for up to 90 days. These tools include:
- Cross-store performance comparisons
- Unified sales reporting
- Consolidated customer insights
- Global currency conversion options
These aggregated insights help businesses pinpoint areas for improvement and streamline operations.
Actionable Analytics
The platform’s analytics go beyond surface-level data, offering tools to uncover growth opportunities:
Inventory Management
- Monthly inventory snapshots
- Sell-through rate analysis
- ABC analysis to categorise products by revenue contribution
Improving Customer Experience
- Analyse checkout funnel performance to spot drop-off points.
- Monitor search results to refine product visibility.
- Track performance across devices for a seamless shopping experience.
“Checkout funnel analysis helps to identify the percentage of customer drop-offs at different stages of the checkout. Doing so indicates different barriers and areas that need improvement to increase their trust, reduce fear, or investigate strange occurrences like shipping costs being higher than the product cost when you have a sale.” – Jessica Kohl, Merchant Success Manager at Shopify
Custom Report Builder
With the custom report builder, businesses can create tailored reports to fit their specific needs. These reports can be saved or exported for further analysis.
Shopify Plus equips enterprises with real-time data, flexible reporting options, and advanced analytics to optimise growth and streamline operations.
9. Support and Account Services
Shopify Plus goes beyond advanced features and automation tools by offering a strong support system to keep enterprise operations running smoothly.
24/7 Priority Support
Shopify Plus merchants get access to priority support at any time, across multiple channels:
| Support Channel | Features |
|---|---|
| Phone Support | Direct access to technical experts |
| Email Support | Detailed issue resolution |
| Live Chat | Quick help for urgent problems |
| Technical Support | Fixes for code conflicts and integration issues |
Merchant Success Management
Every enterprise is assigned a Merchant Success Manager (MSM). These managers provide guidance on growth strategies, assist with API and ERP integrations, and help resolve technical challenges.
Real-World Success Stories
The impact of Shopify Plus’s support services can be seen in examples like FlexShopper. By collaborating with technical experts before Black Friday, they achieved:
- A 50% reduction in page load times
- Backend system upgrades
- Better caching solutions
- Seamless shopping during peak traffic
Educational Resources
Shopify Plus also offers resources to help businesses grow and stay resilient:
- Courses on scaling online businesses
- Insights into industry trends and best practices
- Tools for strategic planning
- Performance tracking and tuning
- Security updates and data recovery options
- Support for integration testing
These resources are designed to help enterprises maintain steady growth and operational stability.
Growth Metrics
On average, Shopify Plus merchants see a 126% year-over-year growth rate.
Faster Response Times
Speed matters. Nearly 47% of shoppers expect pages to load in two seconds. Shopify Plus’s technical support team conducts regular system health checks and performance tweaks to ensure stores meet these expectations, boosting both customer satisfaction and efficiency.
10. Alinga: Expert Setup and Support
Enterprise growth with Shopify Plus gets an extra boost through expert guidance from trusted partners like Alinga. As a top APAC Shopify Plus partner, Alinga helps Australian businesses unlock their eCommerce potential. With over 15 years of experience, they focus on crafting Shopify Plus solutions tailored for both retail and B2B needs.
Tailored Enterprise Solutions
Alinga provides a wide range of services specifically for Shopify Plus merchants:
| Service Category | Features |
|---|---|
| Technical Setup | Custom themes, B2B functionality, mobile-friendly designs |
| Integration Services | ERP connections (e.g., Dynamics, Netsuite) and accounting tools (Xero, MYOB) |
| Marketing Tools | Klaviyo email campaigns, conversion optimisation, SEO strategies |
| Ongoing Support | Direct access to developers, designers, and strategists |
Real-World Success Stories
Alinga has helped Australian businesses achieve impressive results:
- Willow By The Sea: A complete Shopify Plus rebuild for both B2B and B2C operations, streamlining processes for business and retail customers.
- Neoflam Cookware: Successfully transitioned to Shopify Plus, integrating B2B and B2C features while ensuring smooth operations during the changeover.
Bespoke Development Services
Alinga’s technical team delivers customised solutions to meet enterprise demands, such as:
- Scripts for Gift With Purchase offers
- Checkout upsell features
- Mobile user experience enhancements
- B2B portals
- Multi-currency functionality
These tailored tools ensure seamless integration and are backed by glowing client feedback.
Skilled Implementation
Alinga’s expertise shines in their ability to align Shopify Plus capabilities with unique business needs. For example, ECO Essentials saw substantial gains after a mobile UX redesign:
“Thanks to Alinga for optimising our Shopify Plus store. The mobile UX redesign has increased conversions. Adrian & the team continually provide Shopify Plus support. Recommend Alinga for any Shopify Plus development and support.” – Natalie, ECO Essentials
Results-Driven Support
Alinga’s support framework is designed to deliver tangible business benefits:
- Custom Development: Solutions tailored to specific business objectives
- System Optimisation: Routine health checks and updates for peak performance
- Marketing Integration: Smooth connections with tools like Klaviyo and Facebook
- Priority Technical Support: Direct access to expert developers
This focused approach ensures measurable growth for their clients, proving the value of Alinga’s enterprise-level expertise.
Conclusion
Shopify Plus is built to handle the demands of enterprise eCommerce, offering features that support growth and reliability. With the ability to process up to 8,000 orders per minute per store and maintain 99.99% uptime, it meets the needs of large-scale businesses.
Merchants using Shopify Plus report an average 126% year-over-year growth. This success is tied to a combination of advanced tools and capabilities:
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Automation Tools | Lower operational costs with Flow and Launchpad |
| Global Commerce | Multi-currency support and localised checkout options |
| B2B Capabilities | Access to wholesale markets for broader reach |
| Analytics Suite | Better inventory control and data-driven decisions |
| API Integration | Smoother operations across various systems |
These features highlight the strengths discussed throughout this article.
The platform’s potential is maximised when paired with expert implementation. Feedback shows that automation tools not only improve efficiency but also reduce staffing needs.
By leveraging automation, global commerce tools, and analytics, businesses can achieve measurable results. Working with specialists like Alinga, who understand both Shopify Plus and local market needs, ensures businesses get the most out of the platform. This allows organisations to concentrate on their core goals while benefiting from advanced eCommerce capabilities.
Additionally, Shopify Plus simplifies international expansion, making global engagement more accessible. Combined with local expertise, it provides a strong foundation for long-term enterprise growth.
Are you ready to elevate your online business to the next level? With automation, easy customisation, and multi-channel adaptability, Alinga’s Shopify Plus integration will help grow your e-commerce business. Our team of experts ensures that your setup is smooth future-ready, and fits every requirement. Let’s explore how Alinga can transform your Shopify platform into an effective sales tool, get in touch with us right away!
