When Scott Lake and Tobias Lütke decided to start an online store in 2004, they didn’t expect it to become one of the world’s largest e-commerce platforms. They had simply planned to sell snowboarding gear through a website and had no dedicated software for the purpose. When Shopify was a mere online shop, it was called Snowdevil and when it first escalated to an e-commerce platform, it was named Jaded Pixel.
Today, it is a global online commercial platform, hosting more than 325,000 shops for small and medium-scale merchants as well as internet stalwarts like Tesla and Google. This subscription-based software helps you start, manage, and grow a business efficiently – no matter the nature of your products. From accepting payments and business marketing to interaction with clients and delivering products, the app proves helpful in a lot of aspects. Shopify earns a monthly revenue of over $20 million.
The Rise and Growth of Shopify
Launched in 2004 in Canada, Shopify was not just meant to sell products to their consumers, but also to help others become successful entrepreneurs using their platform. It all started with a simple desire to trade snowboards and equipment on the internet. However, they could not find a suitable platform for the same and it was then that Tobias Lutke, a professional programmer, developed an online platform. The software was launched within two months using one of the open-source programs. In 2006, Shopify was officially launched by Lütke, Lake, and Weinand as a set of tools so that online store owners could build their own websites and manage their business even from mobile devices.
The initial features helped sellers in certain aspects; they provided customizable store templates, recorded purchases in an RSS feed, and programmed inventory organization. The app also had some basic but important features like adding tags, uploading pictures, and categorizing items. Purchases could be completed through a PayPal or credit card payment integration. All of these were essential to running any e-commerce business.
With Shopify, individuals who had never done any online transaction before had the fundamental tools required to build and run a successful e-commerce store. The more money the app users made, the more commission the company earned.
After participating in a renowned entrepreneurial competition, the owners started receiving capital funding and grants from some of the stalwart business figures. The growth was so quick and powerful that Shopify was named the fastest growing organization in the region by the 2010 Ottawa Business Journal.
Shopify’s Amazon integration gave its users the opportunity to reach out to potential customers searching on its marketplace. With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and its immediate social distancing measures, the app gained further popularity as it compelled entrepreneurs to go online and make their business thrive. Consequently, Shopify has also expanded its workforce and implemented software support service for everyone who wants to make the most of their e-commerce platform.
Shopify Logo – Meaning and Evolution
The Shopify logo was launched immediately at the launch of their software, soon after Tobias, Scott and Daniel opened their online store of snowboarding equipment. Since the developers were more focused on the software and its convenience for buyers and sellers, the branding wasn’t given much importance. Based on this idea, the logo had to be as simple as possible so it didn’t make the website too heavy or messy.
What does the green grocery bag in Shopify logo symbolize?
The iconic shopify logo is simple yet perfectly recognizable. It features an image of a green grocery bag, set against a white backdrop. Consisting of an emblem and a wordmark, the logo looks exceptionally soothing and professional, developing a sense of trust and security. The bag is quite large and substantiates the capabilities of the commercial online platform. The half-sided position of the bag gives it an edge, without making it look flat. While the front has a light green shade with a large “S” – the very first character of the brand name “Shopify” – the side zone is one shade darker. Additionally, there are two slim semicircular handles. Find the expanded name of the brand next to the emblem.
Design elements of the Shopify logo
The Shopify wordmark in lowercase lettering features a bold stylized sans-serif typeface that looks friendly and relatable. The letters look clean and well-balanced, with neat lines and conventional shapes. The logo uses the Helvetica Neue font. However, instead of a square above the “I”, it uses a clean round dot. Four colors have been used in the logo – Black, White, and two shades of green, namely Android Green and Palm Leaf.
Redesigns of the Shopify logo
First designed in 2006, the Shopify logo design hasn’t changed until date, as it is an ideal image of the company’s business ethics and values. The logo strongly represents the brand’s objective — to simplify e-commerce businesses and make them more manageable.
Final thoughts on Shopify logo
So, this was how a humble online store that sold snowboards became one of the biggest e-commerce platforms, helping millions of entrepreneurs across the globe with their online businesses. The Shopify logo, although simple, is surprisingly striking and relatable. Unlike other big brands that changed their visual identity in a few years time, their logo has remained untouched.
If you want to create a similarly remarkable logo, consult a reliable and efficient design agency like DesignBro. They are totally proficient in giving life to your design dreams. If you have a certain idea or concept in your mind, discuss it with them and they’re sure to exceed your expectations with great work.
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Head of Design at DesignBro and is responsible for UI/UX Design, managing the global designer community, and ensuring quality levels of both designers and designs remain high.
