Whether you’re new to the ecommerce space or you’ve pro enough to take things to the next level, keeping on top of this field’s trend is a whole other ball game. As online shopping continues to ramp up and the effects of the global pandemic turn more consumers towards digital marketplaces, there’s never been a better (or more crucial) time to make the transition to online retail.

The challenge of dominating platforms like Shopify comes down to utilising the resources and add-ons you have at your disposal. As technology continues to evolve and online solutions shift in nature, knowing what could help power up your brand’s ecommerce potential makes all the difference.

 So, where do you even start?

 In 2021, Shopify apps will continue to play a huge role in the make or break of online shopping. For brands that research innovations available to them, productivity, better conversions and efficiency are just some of the rewards. And they’re doing all this with the help of Shopify apps and plugins, allowing them to maximise their operations and offering in more ways than one.

Shopify apps to get your hands on in 2021

Ultimately, you could spend hours upon hours sifting through all the apps available for you to use on Shopify – but they’re not all made equal.

Below is a list of some of our top picks, helping you streamline your ecommerce game and create a more robust sense of traction online. Spark better SEO outcomes, heighten engagement with your target audience and make life easier with these nifty resources.

Plugin SEO

As you add more products to your store, you’re also given the responsibility of keeping on top of even more technical work. If you’re careful about your SEO efforts, part of this means ensuring your meta descriptions, keyword implementation, site speed, link profile, and the like are all in order. And as your brand grows, that becomes harder to maintain.

Enter Plugin SEO. This app lets you quickly implement basic SEO principles so that you can keep your store nice and tidy. Note that if you have a complex site, it’s better to get a Shopify expert onboard to help you manage all of this. (Hint: us!)

Benefits

●       Easy-to-follow guidance to action any SEO tasks

●       Allows you to enhance Shopify SEO so that you attract more website traffic

●       Sends you notifications/emails when SEO-related problems arise.

Printful

Got your eye on passive income? Create print-on-demand products that you plug straight into your Shopify store – no questions asked. Choose a design, tailor it to your needs, and you’re good to go. It is that easy.

The best part about this solution is that it’s packed full of interactive features and easy functionalities that make it seamless and super attractive. The end result is a boutique full of personalised designs that you’ve created yourself but don’t have to worry about managing stock for.

Benefits

●       No need to set up your own inventory; the app plugs into your store

●       Sell customised products that the print-on-demand service creates for you and sends directly to your customers – zero need to touch any physical stock

●       Attract more customers with a bigger offering, without the production process

●       Free to install (note that there is a small charge on each order placed).

Oberlo

This one is well-known to most Shopify community, but for those just entering the space, it’s still one of the biggest apps to hit the market. In 2021, dropshipping will continue to dominate trends, allowing virtually anyone to run their online store without having any physical stock on hand.

Just like Printful, Oberlo lets you add products from sellers originating from platforms like AliExpress, straight into your store. It’s a wholesale catalogue that you can enjoy wading through, allowing you to source products of your liking from any category possible.

The best part is that you don’t have to worry about ordering and to manage an inventory. All you need is a live Shopify website, and you’ll be able to set up an Oberlo account through the app, plugging it directly into your system.

Benefits

●       Track all orders from start to finish

●       See what products are trending and add them to your store

●       Easy shipping process that goes from supplier straight to the customer

●       An easy drop-shipping option for those looking to get into the field

●       The app is free, with the option of subscribing to the premium version.

PushOwl

There’s nothing more frustrating than dealing with an increase of abandoned carts. If remarketing isn’t quite hitting the nail on the head, PushOwl might be the missing piece of the puzzle.

This nifty app sends web push notifications to encourage potential customers to return to your store and complete their transaction. Sometimes users just need a little reminder to finish off their order, and that’s exactly the job PushOwl fulfils.

Benefits

●       Easily set up tailored strategies and campaigns to target customers that have abandoned carts

●       Action back-in-stock alerts to increase sales

●       Encourage customers to leave a review with a simple notification reminder.

Honourable mentions

Honestly, we could go on for hours about the many useful Shopify apps available in 2021. But to tie this article off, we’re throwing some honourable mentions out to those we believe deserve a little bit of the spotlight, too.

●       Klarna - a buy now, pay later platform

●       Loox  - photo-based reviews

●       Privy - easy pop-ups and email marketing

●       Smile - super-simple loyalty and reward programs.