What is Shopify Plus? Part 8 - Launchpad

The first seven articles of the Shopify Plus mini series can be found here:

• Part 1 - Overview

• Part 2 - Shopify Scripts

• Part 3 - Shopify Flow

• Part 4 - Internationalisation

• Part 5 - Plus-dedicated APIs

• Part 6 - Checkout customisation

• Part 7 - Plus support

This article will explore Shopify's Plus-exclusive automation tool, Launchpad.

Part 7 – Plus support

Becoming a Shopify Plus merchant is a huge step for any business. With the price of Shopify Plus being over six times the cost of the Advanced tier, it’s certainly not a decision that should be taken lightly. Thankfully, Shopify offers a huge amount of support to both merchants considering a move to the platform and also to those who have already done so.

This article will explore the typical support roles a merchant will encounter throughout their journey into the world of Shopify Plus.

Shopify Plus consultant

Before moving to Shopify Plus, users are likely to have many questions about the platform and its capabilities. Thankfully Shopify has specialist Shopify Plus consultants to help.

Every business has different requirements and different ways of doing things. Shopify’s specialist consultants are experts at analysing the wants and needs of a business and are able to recommend personalised solutions. They know the Shopify platform inside and out and are able to give relevant advice to help merchants decide whether Shopify Plus is suitable for their business.

If a merchant’s requirements don’t justify a Shopify Plus subscription, their consultant won’t recommend one.

Solutions engineer

The transition to Shopify Plus can sometimes present technical challenges, especially if migrating to Shopify from another e-commerce platform. If a store’s requirements are particularly hard to solve, a solutions engineer may be assigned to help solves these issues early on in the process.

Solution engineers are specialists when it comes to tackling these technical challenges and are experienced at finding the solutions and workarounds necessary. Launching a Shopify Plus store is no quick or easy job; however, it’s made much easier with the help of a solutions engineer.

Launch engineer

When launching a new Shopify Plus store, much of the pre-launch technical setup is carried out by a Shopify launch engineer.

As stated by Shopify themselves, launch engineers can act as ‘both technical concierge and strategic advisor’. Their role is one that encompasses both technical and project management responsibilities.

They are specialists in migrating data, store setup and third–party integration, but can also help direct the project, ensuring timelines and targets are met. The engineers are also able to source Shopify Experts to assist in the designing and development of a merchant’s new store.

Merchant success manager

Together, Shopify’s consultants and technical engineers have heaps of experience in guiding Plus merchants through the store setup process – from inception to launch. However, the support does not stop there.

Post-store launch, Shopify Plus merchants are paired with a ‘merchant success manager’. These industry experts hold a huge amount of business and e–commerce knowledge, making them an invaluable asset to those merchants who are new to the Shopify Plus platform.

With a vast number of apps to be explored and the opportunity of custom functionality, the platform’s possibilities are endless. All of this can seem a little overwhelming; but thankfully merchants are able to confer with their merchant success manager for help and guidance on such topics.

And there's more...

Beyond Shopify’s support personnel, Plus merchants also have access to online support.

The Shopify Plus Academy

The Shopify Plus Academy is an online space devoted to educating Plus merchants on a wide range of Shopify–centric topics. Many of the training courses are taught by industry leading practitioners and are a no-brainer for those new to the Shopify Plus platform. Expect to see courses ranging from Shopify tutorials all the way to SEO and online marketing.

The Shopify Plus Facebook community

Shopify Plus merchants have the option of joining Shopify’s official Facebook group – a group specially created for Plus merchants to network, ask and answer questions and share their experience with other Plus merchants. The group currently has around 5,000 members and is sure to be of assistance to Plus merchants new and old.

Final thoughts

Moving to Shopify Plus can be a daunting prospect, and rightfully so. It’s a hefty business decision and should not be taken lightly. For the merchants that do decide Shopify Plus is the platform for them, they can rest easy knowing that Shopify’s excellent support will be there to guide them through the process from inception, to launch and beyond.