For years, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, formerly Demandware, was the go-to choice for enterprise eCommerce. It promised a fully customizable, scalable solution for high-growth brands. But today, the tide is shifting, and companies are making a decisive move to Shopify.
The Cost Problem: Paying More, Getting Less
Salesforce Commerce Cloud is expensive, not just in licensing fees but also in ongoing maintenance, development, and hosting costs.
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High annual licensing costs that eat into margins
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Expensive developer retainers just to maintain basic functionality
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Custom integrations are the norm, unlike Shopify’s app ecosystem, which provides plug-and-play solutions
According to industry insights, brands switching to Shopify report up to a 50 percent reduction in platform costs, freeing up capital for marketing, expansion, and innovation.
Limited Agility and Slow Innovation
Making changes on Salesforce Commerce Cloud is slow. Even minor updates, such as tweaking a landing page or adding a new product, often require technical expertise.
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Weeks or months to deploy new features, leading to lost opportunities
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Heavy reliance on technical teams instead of empowering business users
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Lost agility in launching new marketing campaigns or site updates
With Shopify, brands can update their sites, launch new products, and test new features in hours instead of weeks.
Smaller Partner Ecosystem Limits Growth
Salesforce Commerce Cloud has a relatively limited ecosystem of partners and third-party integrations. Many businesses that migrate report challenges with:
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Finding expert agencies or developers with deep experience in Salesforce Commerce Cloud
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Limited pre-built integrations compared to Shopify’s extensive app marketplace
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Slower innovation cycles due to fewer developers and app partners
Shopify, on the other hand, boasts one of the largest and most active global eCommerce ecosystems, with thousands of apps and partners available to help businesses scale.
Scalability Without the Headaches
Salesforce Commerce Cloud requires extensive infrastructure management, which makes scaling a challenge. Shopify provides:
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Seamless scalability for high-traffic events like Black Friday, flash sales, and global expansions
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Automatic security and performance updates with no manual intervention required
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A globally distributed cloud-based infrastructure that eliminates downtime concerns and ensures high performance worldwide
Many brands that migrate to Shopify report improved site speed, reliability, and overall scalability, with fewer technical issues and maintenance headaches.
Future-Proofing with a Better Ecosystem
The future of eCommerce is about agility, innovation, and rapid adaptation to market trends. Shopify’s ecosystem enables brands to:
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Experiment with headless commerce without massive development costs
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Easily integrate AI-driven personalization tools to enhance customer experience
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Connect with modern payment gateways, fulfillment networks, and omnichannel tools effortlessly
Salesforce Commerce Cloud’s legacy architecture makes innovation slow and expensive, while Shopify allows brands to move fast and stay ahead.
Real-World Success Stories
Several major brands have already made the move from Salesforce Commerce Cloud to Shopify and seen massive benefits:
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Slam Jam saw a major increase in conversion rates and customer engagement post-migration
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NYDJ Not Your Daughter’s Jeans experienced stronger sales performance and a more agile, flexible site post-migration
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Gymshark transitioned away from Salesforce and scaled their brand globally with Shopify’s infrastructure
The Verdict: Why More Brands Are Moving to Shopify
The message is clear: brands want lower costs, greater agility, and a modern eCommerce ecosystem. Salesforce Commerce Cloud simply doesn’t deliver that anymore.
This isn’t just about switching platforms—it’s about future-proofing your eCommerce business for growth, efficiency, and innovation.
Are you ready to break free from the constraints of Salesforce Commerce Cloud? Let’s talk about your migration strategy today.
