Choosing The Right Ecommerce Platform

The AI fall of Shopify? Shopify has long been a key player in the commerce space, but something is changing. Over the past six months, we’ve had more merchants looking to leave Shopify than in the last three years combined at Medusa. Why? I don't think you can attribute market changes to a single parameter, but I still believe we're witnessing the start of a fundamental shift in software vendor selection. Custom storefronts and features can now be built in hours using tools like Loveable, v0, and Cursor. The barriers to building custom commerce solutions are diminishing by the day. In this new landscape, Shopify’s core strengths - a tightly bundled, easy-to-use platform - are starting to be its constraints. Its feature set comes at a cost: limited flexibility. Most customizations still happen by installing apps, and you’re stuck working within the platform’s boundaries. Want a custom checkout? Difficult and expensive. Want to change core features? Not an option. And then there’s cost. Between GMV fees, plugin overhead, and a $2.5k/month Shopify Plus subscription, margins are quietly eroded. Vendor lock-in is becoming a real threat, especially now that custom software is easier and cheaper to build than ever before. In a world of AI, teams don’t want constraints. They want ownership. They want to control the platform, not be controlled by it. Openness and control are no longer optional. They are the new prerequisites. The next winner in commerce will have these principles built into its foundation. Shopify wasn’t built for this part.

This edition of Fintech Wrap Up dives into Shopify’s expansive product ecosystem, business strategy, financial performance, and how new bets like B2B, payments, cross-border tools and AI are shaping its future Shopify is no longer just an ecommerce website builder—it’s evolved into a global commerce operating system powering millions of businesses across 175+ countries. In Q1 2025, Shopify posted $2.4B in revenue (+27% YoY) and processed $292B in GMV for 2024, proving its model of growing alongside its merchants is working. The company is expanding aggressively into enterprise, B2B, offline retail, and cross-border commerce, while layering on fintech products like payments, lending, and bill pay. Shopify Payments now processes 62% of GMV, the Shop app drives customer acquisition, and Shopify Magic brings AI-powered automation to merchants. With only ~2% penetration of its $849B revenue opportunity, and seven straight quarters of positive free cash flow, Shopify is balancing rapid growth with disciplined profitability. It’s building the infrastructure to power every kind of sale—online, in-store, B2B, global—cementing its role as the backbone of modern commerce. Let’s dive in! #fintech #ecommerce #shopify #payments

Shopify has redefined e-commerce with an AI-powered, customer-centric approach.Shopify has been rolling out a variety of AI-powered tools aimed at simplifying the operations of merchants and improving their engagement strategies. A key addition is Shopify Sidekick, an AI assistant aimed at helping merchants run their businesses more efficiently. Sidekick uses AI to offer insights into customer behavior, generate reports and assist with tasks like setting up discounts or creating customer segments. The tool is designed to make the platform more intuitive, saving merchants time on routine tasks and allowing them to focus on growing their businesses. Banks have a lot to gain by following similar strategies. Here’s how: 1️⃣ Meet Customers Where They Are: Shopify integrates with TikTok, YouTube, and other platforms to help merchants reach customers wherever they are. Banks, too, can extend services to the digital spaces where customers already engage, bringing financial tools and advice to social media and messaging platforms. 2️⃣ Unify and Simplify Operations: To support merchants, Shopify has rolled out a variety of AI-powered tools like Shopify Sidekick. This AI assistant helps merchants manage routine tasks, gain insights into customer behavior, and set up discounts — allowing them to focus on growing their businesses. For banks, AI-driven platforms can similarly streamline services, making financial management more seamless and intuitive for customers. 3️⃣ Personalize Engagement with AI: Shopify’s Sidekick shows the power of personalized, AI-driven customer engagement. According to PYMNTS, 92% of companies use AI personalization to drive growth, and 77% of business leaders rank generative AI as the most impactful emerging technology. Banks could leverage this power to offer customized loans, budgeting advice, and tailored insights, deepening customer relationships. 4️⃣ Drive Efficiency with AI: Shopify’s AI tools free merchants from routine tasks, allowing them to focus on growth. For banks, AI can automate back-office processes, speed up transactions, and reduce errors, freeing up resources for higher-value activities like relationship management. 5️⃣ Build Trust through Transparency: Shopify’s clear pricing builds trust with merchants, and banks can similarly use AI to demystify financial products, reduce complexity, and empower customers to make informed decisions. 💡 Bottom Line: Shopify’s approach shows how powerful customer-focused AI can be for growth and engagement. Banks that adopt similar AI strategies stand to create deeper connections, build trust, and deliver omni-channel financial experiences in line with customer expectations. #AIinBanking #CustomerExperience #DigitalTransformation #PersonalizedBanking #Innovation #GenerativeAI #FutureofBanking

Could Shopify actually be disrupted? I’ve worked with dozens of merchants for 13 years at Divante ecom agency, build Vue Storefront and Open Loyalty, invested in 30+ startups - eg. Medusa, Your Next Store and Rigby. The signals are getting louder: - Innovation fatigue - Data hoarding - no insights for merchants - Payments dependency – 72% of revenue tied to fees - Dev frustration – closed APIs, high friction, vendor lock-in Our ecosystem is building what Shopify can’t: - Composable - Open - Developer-first - Ready for marketplaces (eg. open source marketplace Mercur, B2B, and edge-case operations The playbook? 1. Own more complex use cases 2. Open the stack 3. Kill the payment margin game 4. Make AI work for merchants, not for lock-in 5. Rally the builders Shopify won’t die. But it might fade into Salesforce territory: useful&expensive :). Let’s give the rebels their tools! Ps. Good discussion Nicklas Gellner, 🏃 Brent W Peterson :)

Shopify vs WooCommerce – What We Recommend After Building 100+ Stores Thinking of launching your online store? This question comes up almost every week from our clients: Should we go with Shopify or WooCommerce? At 7Span, we’ve worked with both platforms extensively, helping brands go from 0 to thousands of orders. And here’s the honest truth: Shopify is a fantastic pick if you need: ✔️ Fast go-live ✔️ Minimal tech hassles ✔️ Great support and scalability But WooCommerce wins when you want: ⚙️ Full control 📈 SEO flexibility 💰 Cost-effective scaling It really depends on your business goals, team structure, and how much customization you want. In our latest blog, we’ve broken down the pros, cons, and real-world scenarios to help you decide better. Read here: https://lnkd.in/de3pQPaY Still confused? DM me. Always happy to guide you based on what fits your growth journey.

Legacy platforms aren't just limiting enterprise growth... they're actively draining resources that should be accelerating innovation and revenue acceleration. Here's what happens when migration is done right: 💬 "We've been able to put more resources into roles that are driving revenue, like merchandising." – Carney Nir, VP of Ecommerce at Orveon Global 💬 "The investment in migrating to Shopify paid for itself within months. Our conversion rate jumped 19% after a 23-week migration." – David Webber, Director of Marketplace POLYWOOD® This is why our partnership with Domaine matters. They don't just migrate brands to Shopify—they transform business fundamentals.  With nearly 150 enterprise migrations complete, Domaine combines Shopify's commerce engine with specialized migration methodology and works together with ecosystem partners like Klaviyo, Recharge, and Yotpo to deliver what many thought impossible: rapid migrations that drive immediate ROI. The math is simple: Less spent on maintaining legacy tech = more invested in driving revenue. That's the Domaine + Shopify difference. Learn how we're breaking enterprise brands free from platform constraints in our latest blog: https://lnkd.in/gpMcQPzf

🔍 Ready to launch your online store but unsure whether to go with Shopify or WooCommerce? Let's compare! Here's a comprehensive breakdown: 🛒 Ease of Use: Shopify: Known for its intuitive interface and drag-and-drop features, ideal for beginners. WooCommerce: Requires more technical proficiency, but offers extensive flexibility once mastered. 🔧 Customization: Shopify: Offers a variety of templates and apps for customization, albeit with some limitations. WooCommerce: Unlimited customization options due to its open-source nature, granting full control over design and functionality. 📈 Scalability: Shopify: Scales effortlessly as your business grows, handling high traffic volumes with ease. WooCommerce: Highly scalable, though may require more optimization and maintenance as your store expands. 🔒 Security: Shopify: Provides robust security features including SSL encryption and PCI compliance, with automatic security updates and backups. WooCommerce: Security is dependent on your chosen hosting provider and plugins, necessitating proactive measures for protection. 🏆 The Verdict: Opt for Shopify for its simplicity and user-friendly experience. Choose WooCommerce if you prioritize flexibility and desire complete control over your online store. 💡 Final Thought: Your decision should align with your business objectives, budget, and technical expertise. Whichever platform you select, e-commerce success awaits! 💬 Join the Conversation: Which platform resonates with you? Share your insights and experiences below! #ShopifyVsWooCommerce #EcommerceComparison #OnlineRetailDebate 🚀🛍️

🚀 When custom-built platforms stop being an advantage, they become a roadblock. That’s the reality many enterprise brands face: mounting technical debt, slowed innovation, and costly upkeep. Shopify Premier Partner Avex E-commerce has launched “Outgrown the Homegrown” — a replatforming framework helping enterprises move from legacy platforms to Shopify. The results? Faster launches, lower costs, and stronger customer experiences. ✅ Up to 37% faster time-to-market ✅ 36% lower total cost of ownership ✅ Proven success stories like quip., which replatformed in under 4 months, cut subscription management support cases by 70%, and reduced warranty issues by 45% after migration. This isn’t just migration — it’s transformation. A chance for brands to shed old tech burdens and unlock agility, scalability, and innovation on Shopify. 👉 Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gjgzp-G8 John Surdakowski