Setting up a retail business is no easy feat. From shifting customer behaviour to economic headwinds, today’s retailers are under pressure to reduce complexity, engage more meaningfully, and grow sustainably.

While brick-and-mortar stores remain essential, more consumers are turning to online shopping for value, speed, and convenience. As the lines between physical and digital retail blur, simplifying operations while boosting profitability is no longer optional; it’s critical. That’s where unified commerce comes in.

Shopify’s Commerce Playbook outlines five essential steps to building a future-proof growth strategy:

  • Embrace unified commerce: Align physical and digital channels to deliver consistent, seamless customer experiences.
  • Prioritise mobile commerce: With mobile purchase volume up 44% globally since 2022, optimising for mobile-first shopping is vital.
  • Invest in affiliate and direct sales channels: High-performing channels like social, email, and affiliate marketing drive high-value conversions.
  • Enhance customer loyalty beyond discounts: 32% of Australian shoppers are more loyal to brands that offer seamless, personalised experiences.
  • Leverage the power of networks: Tap into integrated platforms, apps, and services that enable rapid scaling and innovation.

Access The Commerce Playbook today to discover how these strategies can drive growth for retailers.

Australian activewear brand Elite Eleven offers a powerful example. After gaining traction online during the pandemic, they experimented with pop-up stores in Melbourne. When they launched a permanent retail space, they discovered their existing POS system didn’t integrate with Shopify Plus or their warehouse software, leading to fragmented inventory and customer data.

By switching to Shopify POS, they unified their operations. Today, they offer ship-to-customer capabilities, personalised marketing via Klaviyo, and real-time inventory insights, achieving a 240% increase in POS sales and 82% total revenue growth in 2023.

Download The Commerce Playbook to learn how Shopify helps midmarket retailers turn engagement into long-term growth.