Shopify

A retail revolutionary

Shopify brand logo against a brick wall.

Image credit - © Shopify

What does it do?

Shopify is building a global commerce system with a growing set of tools that enable merchants of all sizes to sell to anyone, anywhere.

Why do we invest?

Shopify is one of the largest global commerce operating systems where retailers can sell across platforms such as Amazon, Alibaba, eBay and Zalando. As a mark of Shopify’s success, Amazon discontinued its equivalent product and made the company its preferred partner.

Shopify automates many routine tasks that retailers need to carry out, such as order processing, inventory management, or shipping. This frees up time to focus on what matters most to them. It will continue to acquire new merchants due to its superior value compared to an increasingly complicated and fragmented retail landscape encompassing online, offline, and social. It also gives merchants a choice of selecting the payment method that best suits their needs, be it a subscription or commissions on sales.

We expect Shopify to benefit from volume growth and increased wallet share as it continues adding new features to its platform, such as providing cash advances to small retailers or Shopify Fulfilment, which allows merchants to hold inventory closer to customers and speed up delivery times.

Shopify no longer just serves small retailers. It now counts Nestle, Tesla and Proctor & Gamble among its larger customers.

Who is key?

Founder Tobi Lütke could not find the software he required to sell his snowboard online, so he developed his own, which turned out to be much better than the status quo.

When

Founded in: 2006

Invested in: 2018

Where

Headquartered: Canada

Listing status

Public

Important information

The company showcased on this page is part of a diversified portfolio. The commentary should not be taken as advice on an individual stock.

Investment trusts are UK public companies and are not authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.  You may not get back the amount invested and please bear in mind that past performance is not a guide to future performance.