Ecommerce is one of the most competitive and lucrative fields you can enter as a business. Many intrepid entrepreneurs are finding their fortune by tapping into the seemingly endless demand for access to products online. Despite this endless demand, however, the incredible scalability of eCommerce sites creates fierce competition to scoop up the most customers and, therefore, the most sales. If you’re entering the eCommerce market, one of the best ways to give yourself an early and lasting advantage is to work with a Shopify + Partner. To help you understand what a Shopify + Partner is and what they can offer your webstore, we’ve created this helpful blog.

Before we explore the benefits of working with Partners, let’s get an idea of what exactly a Shopify + Partner is. Partners were implemented by Shopify to help grow the eCommerce market and allow entrepreneurs a much easier entry into the market. There are three types of Partner through Shopify: Technology Partners, Agency Partners, and Solutions Partners. Technology Partners focus on designing technological tools, like tax automation software, analytics software, and data storage software for Shopify stores. Agency Partners are companies partnered with Shopify that offer a complete store design service, helping with all aspects of business from marketing to visual design. Finally, Solutions Partners focus on the design of appearance, the user experience, and the mobile experience.

Now that you understand what each type of Partner does, we will explore the benefits each one can bring to your eCommerce company. First off, Technology Partners. Technology Partners are ideal for the company that has a strong sales background but might not have the resources or the employees to undertake the implementation of tools on a technological level. Technology Partners could be consulted to solve everything from website hosting challenges to the implementation of automated checkout and shipping processes.

Technology Partners are ideal for the small business, which is unlikely to wield the initial capital to hire a tech department of their own. Working with a Technology Partner is likely to result in a company that works smarter without having to work any harder. ECommerce is already a high-stress industry, and most smaller companies simply cannot afford to handle the amount of education and learning that is required to master even small pieces of technology.

Solutions Partners are ideal for companies starting with strong sales and technology background who need help designing the appearance, accessibility, and interconnectivity of their store. Solutions Partners can ensure that your site looks modern and is easy to navigate for customers. Many Solutions Partners contribute to the growing list of Shopify + themes, which are templates for store design. Additionally, Solutions Partners can often help with the development and design of store apps, which are more valuable to business than ever before.

Finally, we have Agency Partners. Agency Partners are the most comprehensive of the Partner types and are ideal for solo or small-team businesses who have starting capital, but don’t yet have the skills necessary to build a store from the bottom up. Agency Partners allow for various levels of involvement; you could choose to be hands-on, working with the agency closely to learn and develop your store, or you could choose to be more hands-off, playing a directorial role and letting the agency do most of the detailed labor. Agencies are understandably fantastic for those who want to break into eCommerce but whose skills lie in areas other than design, web development, and marketing.

If you’d like to know more about Shopify + Partners, you should pay us a visit today. Our website, www.1digitalagency.com has even more useful information for those looking to enter the eCommerce market.