Shopify Powers New Era of Retail for U.S. CBD Businesses
We know several certified hemp CBD brands that have a hard time securing banking and merchant services. It has been a continuous battle for many as CBD retailers risk having their accounts not only closed, but their funds being held for an undetermined time. These circumstances can be lethal for grassroots companies. We just received news from Shopify that will enable U.S. merchants, from entrepreneurs to enterprises, to capitalize on the rapidly growing market opportunity. [For more information view Press Release Below]
NEW YORK - September 17, 2019 - Shopify Inc. (NYSE:SHOP)(TSX:SHOP), the leading multi-channel commerce platform, today announced new features on its platform to help U.S. merchants sell hemp and hemp-derived Cannabidiol (CBD) products online or in brick-and-mortar retail locations, where permitted by law. Starting today, U.S.-based retailers of all sizes can start and grow their businesses by selling select hemp or hemp-derived CBD products using the trusted commerce platform that powers more than 800,000 merchants globally.
“Shopify has unmatched expertise in emerging industries, along with the resources merchants need to be successful in the fast-growing market of hemp-derived CBD products in the U.S.,” said Harley Finkelstein, Chief Operating Officer, Shopify. "Shopify's reliable technology and extensive partner network means that businesses can ride the wave of demand for these products and give consumers more choice.”
Shopify now offers merchants including Josie Maran and Cannuka a reliable commerce platform to sell hemp-derived CBD products, positioning them to succeed in one of the fastest-growing regulated industries in America. Merchants can take advantage of Shopify’s powerful retail operating system, leveraging commerce tools to start, manage, and grow their business from a single backend. Benefits include:
Online Store Design Experience: In as little as an hour, merchants can create a stunning online presence with Shopify’s store builder or add hemp-derived CBD products to an existing store.
Reliable Payment and Shipping Providers: Shopify has partnered with several payment and shipping providers so merchants can sell hemp-derived CBD products online and in-person and ship to customers safely and securely.
Smart Marketing: Merchants can build smarter campaigns with the tools available in Shopify’s marketing section to help buyers discover their store and hemp-derived CBD products.
Customizable Shipping Profiles: Merchants can create shipping rules based on customer location and type of product, giving businesses control and shoppers visibility into the most accurate shipping prices before checkout.
Fully-integrated Apps: Merchants can leverage more than 2,500 apps, from marketing to accounting to inventory management, to optimize their store with custom features and functionality right within the Shopify platform.
Exceptional Support: Shopify’s award-winning support team is available to U.S. merchants to help them set up and operate their store with confidence.
“This is an exciting time for the CBD skincare industry. Consumers are eager to connect with us and try our Skin Dope products. Until recently, we didn’t have a simple solution to manage and sell our CBD Oil and Hemp Seed Oil assortment online,” said Roger Wason, Director of eCommerce for Josie Maran Cosmetics. “Shopify has helped us focus more on our relationships with our consumers and growing our business.”
Today’s announcement furthers Shopify’s commitment to retail innovation and extends its efforts in Canada, where the company has enabled merchants to sell CBD products since 2018. Now, U.S. retailers can access the powerful customizable, secure platform that allows them to compete in the growing hemp-derived CBD industry.
For more information, please visit www.shopify.com/sell/cbd/.
About Shopify
Shopify is the leading multi-channel commerce platform. Merchants use Shopify to design, set up, and manage their stores across multiple sales channels, including mobile, web, 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, from payments to shipping. 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 800,000 businesses in approximately 175 countries and is trusted by brands such as Unilever, Kylie Cosmetics, Allbirds, MVMT, and many more.