Have you ever wondered what Shopify is? Shopify Plus is an upgraded platform with powerful exclusive tools designed specifically for large enterprise customers seeking unlimited business development. Shopify Plus deployment costs (Shopify Plus pricing) remain a common question for every business before they actually use this platform.
In this article, Bluefocus will will outline all types of Shopify Plus deployment costs that businesses need to pay before embarking on this platform.
Concept of Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus is an e-commerce website platform designed for enterprise customers, equipped with powerful exclusive tools to facilitate rapid and efficient business development.
On the international stage, many famous brands are leveraging the Shopify Plus platform, such as Allbirds, Gymshark, Fashion Nova, Kylie Cosmetics, and Redbull.
In the United States, Shopify and Shopify Plus are also used by leading brands such as SONY, Supersports, Crocs, Sulwhasoo, Havaianas, Triumph, Swee Lee, and MyKingdom.
Depending on the conditions and business models of each enterprise, you may consider the following characteristics to evaluate whether your business is suitable for the Shopify Plus platform or not:
Your business has an annual GMV of $1 million or more.
Currently, your website platform is unstable and lacks powerful features to scale.
You are planning for exceptional growth and rapid expansion into multiple markets.
Types of Shopify Plus Deployment Costs (Shopify Plus Pricing)
When considering the high-efficiency features and advantages that Shopify Plus brings, the biggest concern for businesses before officially adopting this platform is undoubtedly the deployment costs of Shopify Plus.
To start a Shopify Plus project, the deployment costs you need to prepare in advance include:
- Monthly Shopify Plus package fee
- Fee for using Shopify Apps
- Cost of hiring a design agency to design and build the initial Shopify Plus website
- Maintenance and upgrade costs
Learn about the monthly package fee of Shopify Plus
- According to statistics, registering for Shopify Plus starts at $2000 per month. However, this is only the minimum amount; eventually, you may have to pay a larger fee if you have higher transaction volumes or revenue.
- Shopify Plus deployment costs depends on the specific nature of your business – and you can discuss this issue with a Shopify expert before starting.
- In addition to the registration fee, you will have to pay additional fees for transactions processed through third-party payment gateways. In some cases, if you use Shop Pay, Shopify’s payment gateway, you will not have to pay transaction fees.
- Transaction fees vary by country but typically include an additional 0.15% fee per transaction if you do not use Shop Pay.
- In cases where you do not use Shop Pay, you will have to pay an additional 0.15% compared to your current credit card processing fee.
- It is noteworthy that Shop Pay is currently only available in specific countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the EU, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. When you want to use Shop Pay, you need to establish a legal entity in one of these countries. Registering a legal entity in Singapore is relatively simple with costs ranging from $4,000 to $6,000 USD.
How much does it cost to use Shopify Apps?
You can think of Shopify Apps as a repository of applications that allows you to install apps developed by Shopify or third parties. This enables you to easily add necessary features to operate and grow your business.
Among these, some popular apps include:
- Product reviews
- Loyalty & rewards programs
- Email marketing tools
- Live chat support
- Upsell/cross-sell functionalities
- Product filtering and search options
- Landing page builders
- Currently, there are about 7,000 apps available on the Shopify App Store for you to choose from. Among them, some apps are designed specifically for Shopify Plus customers.
You can expect to spend an average of $500-$1,000 per month for the apps installed in your Shopify Plus store, depending on your needs.
Of course, with the investment in Shopify Plus deployment costs, you will reap more benefits from the utilities provided by these apps.
Could you learn more about Dropshipping to enhance your business strategy?
Understanding Shopify Plus website design agency costs
Similar to other website platforms, besides registration fees and monthly app fees, deploying a Shopify Plus project may require hiring an experienced agency specializing in customizing Shopify Plus stores (Shopify Plus design). Choosing and hiring a design agency to build and customize Shopify Plus stores is crucial. The attractiveness of the interface, smooth web browsing experience for customers, fast loading speed, and support during the operation of the Shopify Plus project depend on whether the agency has experience and credibility. You may only incur agency fees once to use services including: Shopify Plus deployment costs.
- Recruiting consultants for Shopify Plus deployment costs and store design
- While some agencies offer free consultation, others may charge for this service.
- Migration (Platform conversion)
- Shopify Plus deployment projects often involve migrating website platforms from others like Magento, WooCommerce, Salesforce to Shopify Plus.
Therefore, moving data from the old website platform to Shopify Plus may incur additional costs, including: products, customers, images, ads, services, posts, SEO Redirect,… SEO Redirect should be emphasized as it helps maintain good results on Google search when transitioning to Shopify Plus.
Depending on the complexity and scale of your data, the costs of the migration process will vary. When upgrading to Shopify Plus from a regular Shopify subscription, you don’t need to undergo this migration process.
Using UX/UI Design
- When you aspire to own a unique, personalized website interface, reflecting your brand style, you’ll need a team of designers and developers for web interface development on the Shopify Plus platform.
- This process may take 30-90 days depending on the project scale.
- If you want to save time, you can purchase a theme from the Shopify Theme Store for customization and use, which can shorten this process to 20-30 days. This can be an effective strategy to manage Shopify Plus deployment costs.
Shopify Plus Development Process
- This is the process of developing your entire website on the Shopify Plus platform, providing a complete website with all the features you need:
- Theme Development: building the website interface
- Payment: integrating payment gateways
- Shipping: connecting shipping providers
- Website Functionality: developing website features by configuring and installing third-party apps
- The Plus development process can take 30-90 months depending on the complexity, which is essential to consider when estimating Shopify Plus deployment costs.
Integration Features
When businesses reach the level of using Shopify Plus, they often rely on various third-party services such as CRM, ERP, CDP, or other third-party software.
For enterprise-level clients, integration between Shopify Plus and popular ERP platforms like Microsoft AX, Odoo, SAP Hana, or LS Retail for POS software is essential.
Connecting with these third-party software requires experience and involves highly complex and costly integration processes, which are part of Shopify Plus deployment costs.
Below is a simple example image illustrating the integration model between Shopify Plus and Odoo ERP, as well as other e-commerce platforms for businesses.
It’s important to note that integration tasks are the most complex and challenging part of Shopify Plus projects. In some cases, the integration phase can account for over 50% of the workload and project value.
Understanding some integration-related projects requires the involvement of multiple parties, including:
- Project Manager
- Business Analyst (BA)
- Product Owner (PO)
- Solution Provider
Maintenance and Upgrade Costs
- Typically, the Shopify system handles maintenance and upgrades autonomously. However, you may require a team available 24/7 to address any technical issues or develop features to support business growth.
- We recommend hiring an in-house developer to perform maintenance and upgrades when necessary.
- Moreover, due to the complexity of Shopify Plus projects, finding personnel capable of efficiently handling Plus tasks may be challenging.
- Specialized agencies in Shopify Plus can offer maintenance packages ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 per month. These costs are part of Shopify Plus deployment costs
So how much do Shopify Plus deployment costs add up to?
Bluefocus hopes the cost breakdown below helps you understand more about the amount you might have to pay when deploying a Shopify Plus project.Monthly Costs
- Plus Subscription Fee: $2,500
- Shopify Apps Subscription Fee: $400-$1,000
- Maintenance and Development Fee: $1,000
- Total: $4,500
Shopify Plus Deployment Costs
- Ranges from $25,000 to $140,000 depending on the project scope
- The mentioned costs are estimates and may vary depending on the specific project requirements.
Although the initial investment for Shopify Plus deployment may seem relatively significant, the long-term benefits, scalability, and powerful features it offers can significantly contribute to the success and growth of the business.
Conclusion
Bluefocus emphasizes the importance of understanding the Shopify Plus deployment costs for businesses considering this platform. While the initial investment may seem substantial, the long-term benefits, scalability, and powerful features it offers can significantly enhance the company’s development and success. By carefully considering and budgeting for these costs, businesses can make informed decisions and maximize the return on investment it offers.
