Shopify

Shopify operates a platform business built around merchant operating infrastructure. It provides hosted commerce software as the system of record for storefronts, products, orders, customers and channels, then layers on higher-value embedded services such as payments, checkout, POS, automation, analytics, marketing tools and partner integrations. Its app marketplace and developer platform increase platform extensibility, which helps retain merchants and widens monetisable workflows.

Shopify is a Canadian public software company that sells a cloud-based commerce platform to merchants. Its core product lets businesses build and operate online stores, manage catalogue and inventory, run checkout, accept payments, sell in person through POS, automate workflows, analyse performance, and extend functionality through apps, APIs and developer tools. It primarily serves SMB merchants, growing brands, omnichannel retailers, agencies and developers, with capability to support enterprise-scale commerce operations.

The company makes money through a mix of recurring subscription fees and merchant-linked transaction revenue. Beyond core software plans, Shopify monetises payment processing, checkout-related services, POS software and hardware, app ecosystem commissions, and other commerce tools. The Shop App adds a consumer discovery and tracking layer, but the core commercial model remains business-facing merchant software and infrastructure.