In our previous research, we explored Clay, which was truly mind-blowing. This time, we’re diving into Shopify—the god of partnerships!
Let’s be honest: it’s not hard to spot tech companies with strong partner-led growth strategies that have been thriving for years. Think HubSpot, Salesforce, and others. It’s also easy to find partner managers leading numerous partnership projects. But you have to admit, Shopify is on another level.
What sets Shopify apart is how they consistently launch, test, and succeed with so many initiatives. Sure, they’ve been around for a while and have layers upon layers of partner strategies. But it’s not just about doing a lot—it’s about doing it exceptionally well. That’s what makes them brilliant.
In this piece, I’ll break down those layers and share my thoughts on what makes Shopify’s approach so impressive.
Let me know if you’d like any additional tweaks!.
Summary:
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For a B2B2C product, ignoring creators would be a death warrant. Like it or not, people buy from social media—and influencers understand that better than anyone.
These creators are far cheaper than traditional online or print publishers and reach hyper-targeted audiences. Selling a niche product? Thousands of influencers are talking about it online.
Shopify has tapped into this by creating a hub for influencers, making it easy for merchants to leverage their reach.
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While creators may not traditionally resell Shopify, they act as pseudo-partners by helping Shopify’s merchants grow.
Shopify recognizes this and simplifies the process for merchants to find relevant, authentic creators.
The integrated platform eliminates the challenge of spotting fake audiences and allows merchants to quickly and seamlessly contract influencers.
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Not enough tech companies grasp the importance of in-person gatherings. Shopify gets it.
Their events bring together developers, agencies, and freelancers around a shared love for their platform.
Whether you’re learning about new features, finding talent, or gossiping with peers, these events create a sense of belonging and recognition within the partner ecosystem.
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Shopify’s App Dev event is massive, and rightly so. The platform’s success hinges on its app partners, offering merchants unparalleled flexibility.
Apps are the number one reason merchants choose Shopify, and this event celebrates and guides app developers on building what’s next.
Many of these app founders have become millionaires, making the event a must-attend for recognition and growth.
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Shopify’s investment in studies like Forrester’s showcases their dedication to partners. Partners don’t just join Shopify for its product—they join for its thriving ecosystem.
With over 300 competitors, Shopify’s partner-centric approach ensures agencies know they’ll find clients. Not every company can afford research of this scale, but Shopify’s commitment is unmatched.
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Affiliate programs are the basics of partner-led growth, and Shopify excels here. Their platform lets anyone—from influencers to agencies—quickly generate referral links and track conversions seamlessly.
Shopify’s built-in tools eliminate the outdated practice of using UTM links, setting a standard others should follow.
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Understanding your affiliates is key to prioritizing strategies. Shopify excels at segmenting affiliates based on their impact, such as social media influencers bringing dropshippers, agencies driving Shopify Plus customers, or POS affiliates attracting brick-and-mortar stores.
This data helps Shopify focus its efforts where they matter most.
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Shopify PRM (Partner Relationship Management) tool like Shoffi is a game-changer. It’s seamlessly integrated into the platform, making it easier for agencies and app builders to collaborate, share referrals, and close deals.
Tools like Kiflo and PartnerStack are great too, Kiflo PRM also has a smooth shopify integration.
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Shopify’s in-product partner platform is one of the best, but there’s room for improvement. For new agencies or consultants, retroactively adding past Shopify stores to their partner accounts is unnecessarily difficult.
Pro tip: Create a partner account early to ensure all stores are tracked.
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Love it or hate it, Shopify revolutionized e-commerce by creating the dropshipping era. It’s arguably one of the biggest marketing stunts in history, making online entrepreneurship accessible without the need for stock.
Whether this is good or bad is debatable, but the one clear winner is Shopify and its payment fees.
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Partners are drawn to Shopify because it advertises itself aggressively. A tech solution with strong brand growth inspires confidence, ensuring partners that customers will recognize the name.
Shopify’s trendy, upward trajectory makes it a more attractive partner than stagnant alternatives.
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Shopify agency partners proudly promote themselves as 100% Shopify-focused. This branding helps them target specific segments, such as high-spending Shopify Plus customers, driving more qualified leads and higher revenue.
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Shopify provides agency partners with incredible visibility through its marketplace, benefiting both merchants and partners. Merchants easily find help, while agencies gain leads from a trusted source, building loyalty to Shopify in the process.
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Shopify’s agency ecosystem caters to a diverse range of clients, from small businesses to global enterprises. The distinction between general Shopify agencies and Shopify Plus agencies ensures agencies attract the right clients and tailor their offerings accordingly.
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Awards matter, especially in creative industries. Shopify’s Commerce Awards drive recognition, helping agencies win RFPs and attract premium clients.
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It’s incredible to see so many agencies proudly promote Shopify partnerships on LinkedIn. This low-hanging fruit boosts credibility, generates leads, and solidifies Shopify’s status as a trusted partner in the B2B space.
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This is for partner managers i spoke to a very low hanging fruit but it is not amazing that some agency are so fully confident in the money shopify can help generate them that they advertise it on their social media too. Keep in mind that we are talking B2B here and the number 1 professional social media platform has agency partner promoting Shopify on their Linkedin.
When you think about the time spend by professional is quite crazy to have this type of people promoting so much a tech tool but not surprising I would say. If you are an agency and wnat to promote your skills in 2024-2025, you need to be a thought leaders creating viral post on Linkedin to get more inbound leads, so how convenient
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Beyond agencies, Shopify has a vast network of freelancers available on platforms like Upwork and Fiverr.
These experts cater to a range of budgets, further expanding Shopify’s reach.
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Shopify’s theme marketplace may feel old-school, but it’s a goldmine for SEO. Theme creators often earn substantial revenue, with Shopify’s own template store being the primary driver.
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Shopify’s app store isn’t just functional—it’s beautifully designed. It prioritizes user experience, allowing merchants to browse for inspiration rather than just solutions to specific problems.
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Shopify’s app store categories are thoughtfully designed, creating a seamless browsing experience. Merchants can explore featured, new, and relevant apps without feeling overwhelmed.
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While Shopify recommends apps within its platform, the personalization could be improved. The current algorithm is basic but still a useful touchpoint.
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Shopify stands out with its seamless app onboarding, allowing merchants to integrate tools like TikTok without leaving the platform. This smooth experience reduces friction and saves time.
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Shopify’s integration partners provide support directly within Shopify, making troubleshooting convenient. This small detail significantly enhances the merchant experience.
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Shopify’s “app stories” are tailored to different business goals, sizes, and locations. These stories offer tech partners a valuable opportunity to showcase their solutions in a non-salesy way.
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App partners frequently create landing pages emphasizing their integration with Shopify. This strategy boosts SEO and helps partners showcase their value in combination with Shopify’s platform.
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The Shopify ecosystem has turned solo entrepreneurs into millionaires by enabling them to create small yet highly profitable apps, often gaining recognition on platforms like Product Hunt.
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While Shopify’s partner content promotion isn’t at the level of HubSpot or Clay, their efforts are notable. There’s room to refine this aspect of their strategy. The Shopify and Klarna combination is undoubtedly powerful, but it’s also frequently overused—much like case studies, research, and trend reports, which are often downloaded but lack originality.
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Partner content is widely promoted on Shopify, but let’s be honest—it’s not their best work from a partner-led strategy perspective. It’s somewhat lackluster, though they deserve credit for making the effort. Compared to the polished, high-impact partner content produced by companies like HubSpot or Clay, Shopify still has a long way to go.
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