Shopify is making changes to its partner program.
The company announced Thursday that it has launched the first phase of a multi-year initiative to expand the program. At this stage, Shopify said that its partners will be able to earn more rewards, gain new skills, and experience more ways to engage with Shopify.
Shopify said the goal of the changes are to help its partners adapt to constant change amid shifting consumer trends and supply chain issues, among other macroeconomic factors impacting retail.
The goal of the changes are to help Shopify partners adapt to shifting consumer trends.
“Our merchant needs are continuously evolving,” said Ritu Khanna, vice president of partnerships of Shopify. “We’re building new tools to ensure partners have the resources to meet these needs.”
Shopify said that its partner network today comprises “thousands of development and digital marketing agencies, system integrators, and technology partners around the globe.”
As part of its first phase in expanding the partner program, Shopify is introducing expanded plans and product incentives. Partners will now be able to earn more money for working with Shopify Plus merchants, strategic accounts, and enterprise clients.
Additionally, Shopify is adding product referral incentives, including bonuses for every merchant referred to POS Pro, the top-tier of subscriptions to its point-of-sale software, as well as US partners when they launch merchants on MarketsPro.
Other ways for Shopify partners to earn money is to create e-commerce themes and publish them in the Shopify Theme Store, and create Shopify apps and publish them in the Shopify App Store.
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Earlier this month, Shopify unveiled over 100 product enhancements it made during the second half of its fiscal year. That included updates for Shopify’s mobile shopping app, checkout functionality, and fulfillment network, among others. To ensure its partners have the resources to use those new features, Shopify is launching a certification program with both business foundation and technical certifications.
With Shopify Certifications, partners will have access to eight new courses and gain the ability to earn badges, starting in March. The first learning path, Business Foundations, will include courses on Shopify 101, Shopify Plus, Shopify Markets, and Shopify POS, as well as marketing, data, and business foundations
Shopify also plans to support partners’ education and earnings potential with expanded virtual and in-person events, starting with Partner Education Day on April 4. The company said there will also be an in-person event this fall to recognize top-performing commercial partners.