Shopify review

Shopify has successfully transitioned from a 'store builder' to an 'automated commerce engine'. The **Sidekick** AI assistant is now capable of performing complex admin tasks - like 'Create a discount code for VIP customers and email it to them' - in seconds. Combined with **AI Block Generation**, which builds conversion-optimized landing pages from text prompts, the technical barrier to entry for e-commerce has effectively dropped to zero.

The ecosystem strategy is aggressive. The new **One-Page Checkout** loads 2x faster than the old version and boasts industry-leading conversion rates, but it comes with a catch: Shopify heavily penalizes the use of third-party payment gateways with a 2% transaction fee. They are effectively forcing merchants into **Shopify Payments**, locking you into their financial infrastructure. However, with **Shop Pay** converting 50% better than guest checkout, it's a tax most brands are willing to pay.

For B2B brands, the 2025 updates are a game changer. You can now run a wholesale portal with custom price lists and net payment terms from the same backend as your DTC store. Unless you have highly complex, non-standard product configurations (where WooCommerce still shines), Shopify is the default operating system for modern retail.