Why Shopify – it’s like asking why shop?

By Amy Snowdon

When I made the leap from agency life to join Richie as one of vvast’s first employees, back in the days of working above a freezing warehouse, I dismissed using Shopify.

Having previously worked at a bespoke eCommerce platform agency, I thought we might use Shopify as a quick route to market; however once we scaled to a certain point, we would move over to Magento, Commerce Cloud, or one of the other enterprise-level solutions. 

I thought Shopify was just another fad, a low-rent WooCommerce. I didn’t appreciate that it would become so feature-rich that it could deliver granular CRO and go on to support the best in class eCommerce user experience. The deeper I have delved into the power of Shopify Plus, I can’t imagine partnering with anyone else. 

However, I was right on one count. Shopify does ensure a quick launch, especially if taking the approach is to take an off the shelf theme and make small customisations. 

I now appreciate that Shopify is absolutely pivotal to vvast’s success and the impact we deliver for our brands. With the launch of our own Shopify theme, vvastify, and Shopify’s continuous innovation, I can see us growing from strength to strength.

vvast has capability to launch two websites (GBP and Euro transactional), including a full ERP and WMS solution, in three months flat. Back in my agency days, if we were working to a six month deadline, I would have been extremely nervous. Additional language sites can be rolled out in a matter of weeks. Shoppers want to see a clean site that delivers good brand experience; gives you access to products with great imagery and the right information at the right time; alongside a seamless checkout experience. 

I once spent over a year on a checkout project, which was fraught with complications. Being able to use Shopify’s checkout knowing that thousands of brands have used it before is very reassuring. Furthermore, there is server capacity that ensures your site will hardly ever go down. 

Sure, the basic Shopify checkout can grate on me. Added to how locked down the checkout is, even when on Shopify Plus, it can be frustrating. However, that frustration comes with security, which I would prefer over a tricked out checkout disguised as a brand play. No DevOps needed and no more upset calls from clients asking when the checkout will be live. Apple Pay integration at a click of button, plus countless other localised payment providers, is a huge timesaver and a massive conversion driver. 

Essentially, Shopify enable us to deliver work that would have taken months, on a bespoke platform. There’s no waiting to upgrade to a new version, a clear fee structure and endless possibilities. 

Now that vvast has developed vvastify, we can simply roll-out our standard Playbook to bring success for brands. This includes reducing reliance on third party apps that can slow sites down to a snail’s pace. 

Working with Shopify means that vvast and our brands can focus on what’s important, growing good business.