OTTAWA, Canada--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Shopify Inc. (NYSE: SHOP) (TSX: SHOP), the leading multi-channel commerce platform, today announced its more than 500,000 merchants in 175 countries sold over $1 billion (USD) in gross merchandise volume (GMV) during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend. At the peak, Shopify merchants also generated more than $1 million of transactions in just one minute. The milestone demonstrates Shopify’s impact on empowering hundreds of thousands of merchants to participate in a global retail event.
"This $1 billion milestone emphatically stakes a flag in the ground for entrepreneurs and small business owners all around the world," said Tobi Lutke, Founder and CEO, Shopify. "Their global impact was felt through each and every sale to a customer who chose to buy from our unique merchants, and we’re fiercely proud of helping them be successful during a period historically dominated by big box retailers.”
The Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend is a global phenomenon, with Shopify merchants around the world experiencing high demand. In the United States, merchants in California, New York and Texas had the greatest number of sales, and the UK, Spain and South Africa were the top countries that sold the most internationally.
Mobile sales continued to outpace desktop for the third consecutive year, accounting for 64% overall, an increase of 10% year-over-year. Mobile sales on Cyber Monday grew to 60%, an impressive 11% increase over 2016. With hundreds of thousands of merchants participating in the shopping weekend, the top three product categories by sales volume were apparel (1.4 million), accessories (917,000), and housewares (531,000).
Ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Shopify launched over 25 new products and features to empower small businesses to connect with millions of customers during the biggest shopping event of the year, including:
- New sales channels: Instagram and eBay to help extend distribution and marketing opportunities
- Shipping partnerships: Integrations with UPS and DHL Express for access to enterprise-grade domestic and international rates
- Simplified discounting: More ways to create and manage discount codes on the go
- Improved reporting: Real-time data reporting with Live View to track performance of their stores
- POS updates: Turn showroomers into sales with Buy Online for Shopify POS
- Checkout improvements: Google Autocomplete and Checkout with Phone make it easier for consumers to buy online
For a closer look at how Shopify merchants reached over $1 billion in sales, Shopify’s Data Dashboard for Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers more detailed insights on global sales and trends such as merchant sales by region, year-over-year spending growth, and more.
* Shopify’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday data was based on sales experienced by its more than 500,000 businesses in 175 countries around the world from November 24 to November 27, 2017. All data presented here is approximate and is based on various assumptions. All data is unaudited and is subject to adjustment.
About Shopify
Shopify is the leading cloud-based, multi-channel commerce platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses. Merchants can use the software to design, set up, and manage their stores across multiple sales channels, including web, mobile, social media, marketplaces, brick-and-mortar locations, and pop-up shops. The platform also provides merchants with a powerful back-office and a single view of their business. The Shopify platform was engineered for reliability and scale, making enterprise-level technology available to businesses of all sizes. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, Shopify currently powers over 500,000 businesses in approximately 175 countries and is trusted by brands such as Red Bull, Nestle, GE, Kylie Cosmetics, and many more.
