Shopify Unveils New Theme Store for E-Commerce Merchants

OTTAWA, April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Shopify, a leading global provider of turnkey, hosted e-commerce solutions, today announced the launch of the new Shopify Theme Store, an online marketplace of professionally-designed e-commerce website themes where Shopify users can choose a beautiful and unique look for their online retail presence that appeals to their customer and leaves a memorable and positive brand impression.

"Conveying a positive online brand message is immensely important, and just like bad lighting or a poor layout in a bricks-and-mortar store might leave a bad impression, top-shelf design is vital for an online store," said Tobi Lutke, CEO of Shopify. "The new theme store allows Shopify customers to launch a site with the best possible design to appeal to their customers' emotions and create a positive impression that will reflect their brand and impress their customers."

Each site template has been designed by a professional web developer, complete with complementary colors, contemporary functionality and ease-of-use built right in. All themes have been certified as fully compatible with the Shopify platform, with free updates as they are released by the designer, ensuring that Shopify merchants always have access to leverage the latest technology in their online sales efforts.

"The theme store makes it easy to choose the design that's right for your business and quickly and easily integrate it into an existing site, or build a new one starting from this foundation," Lutke said. "We approve every theme to assure that they are of the highest quality, yet incredibly affordable for our customers."

Where a custom-designed theme might cost in excess of $1,500, Shopify themes start at just $80—a one-time cost with no ongoing monthly or annual fees. Themes can be modified to fit each retailer's specific needs, with customization options like color scheme, typeface, images and other options available for each theme.

New Shopify merchants can start off with a theme from the store, while existing merchants can integrate a new theme into an existing site. All product data and descriptions will be preserved when the new theme is integrated.

To provide a wide range of themes for merchants to choose from, third-party designers are invited to submit their Shopify theme designs for consideration in being added to the Theme store. With more than 5,000 merchants already using Shopify, and more being added daily, the Shopify Theme Store provides an outlet for designers and developers to showcase their talent and provide an added revenue stream for their business.

The Shopify platform has been recognized by CNet.com and TechCrunch for its simplicity and ease of use that eliminates the feeling of overwhelm and fear of the unknown many prospective online business owners feel. With customizable, contemporary design templates, easy-to-integrate rich feature set and industry-leading security, Shopify allows even a relative novice to launch a visually spectacular, well-designed and user-friendly online store in mere minutes.

The company's Build-a-Business contest is going on now, and will award $100,000 to the highest grossing new business launched on the Shopify platform between January 1 and June 30. Additional prizes of $5,000 will be awarded in four categories for runner-up stores. The winner will be selected based on the best two months for each contestant.

To browse the Shopify Theme Store, learn more about theme design specs, or sign up for the Build-a-Business Contest go to www.shopify.com.

About Shopify

Shopify is the Internet's most elegant, simple and affordable online retail platform aimed at providing businesses with easy to use e-commerce solutions, taking the challenge out of setting up and managing e-commerce storefronts. Shopify's scalable and flexible full-featured platform enables any size business to efficiently launch and operate an online retail presence with ease. It currently hosts more than 5,000 online retailers, including Foo Fighters, Tesla Motors, Amnesty International, Evisu Jeans and Robin Piccone. Founded in 2005, Shopify is the flagship product of Jaded Pixel Technologies, headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. For more information, visit www.shopify.com.

SOURCE Shopify