Shopify says its ‘unprecedented’ growth in 2020 points to bright e-commerce future

Shopify posits that the pandemic has jump-started the behavioral shift to e-commerce, and 2021 will only further that trend.

Shopify on Tuesday published its first annual Future of Commerce report, which aims to outline e-commerce growth throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The report combines Shopify’s global merchant and consumer data to outline trends and predict how the commerce landscape will shift in 2021 based on current consumer behavior.

Shopify said its own growth this year has been unprecedented — new stores created on the Shopify platform grew 71% in Q2 2020 compared to Q1 2020, with a record number of merchants added to the platform in Q3.

Shopify’s partner app ecosystem is also booming. By the end of March 2020, over 80% of Shopify merchants had used a third-party app to help run day-to-day operations, including tools for alternative shipping options, conversational commerce features, and shoppable social media.

Overall, Shopify found that 92% of US consumers have shopped online since the start of pandemic, compared to 65% who have shopped in-store. Over half of consumers have shifted more of their spending online since March, with young consumers — shoppers ages 18 to 34 — leading that trend. These younger consumers are also more likely than other age groups to find products and shop them via social media, utilize new commerce tools and prioritize shipping.

Contactless payments and non-contact pickup options are…

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