Shopify announces Online Store 2.0 with more flex customization tools

Don’t take this personally, but your online shop could use some personality.

Yesterday, Shopify unveiled “Online Store 2.0” at its annual Shopify Unite event, and customization was at the forefront.

• The new Storefront features code-free design capabilities and a “Theme Store.” (Even the checkout experience can be customized.)
• Netflix used the new platform to launch its first e-comm store.

A brand’s identity is what sets it apart, Vanessa Lee, Shopify’s product director of storefronts, told Retail Brew. But “there are a lot of times when third-party marketplaces remove some of that storytelling. That customer really isn't mine as much as belonging to the marketplace.”

That’s why Shopify wants to give merchants full control over tailoring their stores.

• “It ultimately means customer loyalty in the long term,” Lee said.

What’s in a story? You’ve heard the buzzwords before. But how much is a retailer’s “story” actually worth? Enough that Shopify isn’t the only one putting creative control in brands’ hands.

• Back in March, DTC incubator Arfa reintroduced itself as Chord, and now sells its tech to DTC brands.
• At the time, Chord CEO Bryan Mahoney and COO Henry Davis told Retail Brew how important it is to build a unique online experience, beyond your typical storefront template.—JG