Why More Brands Are Leaving Adobe Commerce for Shopify (and how I help you do the same)
In the fast-moving world of eCommerce, agility and innovation are everything. But for many brands stuck on Adobe Commerce, the reality has become slower releases, heavy developer dependency, and spiralling costs. Over the past year, thousands of businesses have made a bold move: migrating away from Adobe Commerce and into the Shopify ecosystem.
I’m Nigel Boulton, founder of Pink Digital, and with over 28 years’ experience working in retail and digital commerce, I’ve partnered with brands across Adobe Commerce, Magento, and Shopify. In that time, I’ve seen platforms come and go, but the one constant is that businesses thrive when their technology empowers them rather than holds them back.
That’s why the migration trends we’re seeing today don’t surprise me—Shopify has become the smarter, more sustainable choice for ambitious brands. Let me explain why.
A Migration Movement You Can’t Ignore
According to Storeleads data, between January 2023 and March 2024, for every 11 brands that left Adobe Commerce for Shopify, only 1 went the other way. That’s a striking imbalance in platform momentum.
Among the top 100,000 eCommerce sites, Shopify now powers about 24%, while Adobe Commerce accounts for just 7%. The picture is unmistakable: Shopify’s influence is rising sharply.
And in my own work, I’ve seen this same story play out—brands come to me feeling stuck with Adobe Commerce, and leave empowered by Shopify’s speed, usability, and future-proof design.
Why Brands Are Leaving Adobe Commerce — Four Drivers I See Every Day
After decades of helping businesses scale their digital operations, I’ve noticed four recurring reasons why they make the switch:
1. Speed, Autonomy & Usability
Adobe Commerce often requires developer support even for the smallest tweaks. Shopify flips this on its head, giving business teams the ability to update content, launch campaigns, or adapt checkout flows themselves.
I’ve watched clients experience an immediate sense of freedom after migration—suddenly, they can move at the pace of their customers, not their code.
2. Security & Reliability by Default
Downtime and compliance headaches can cost dearly. Shopify delivers 99.99% uptime and offers PCI-DSS, SOC 1/2/3, and GDPR compliance as standard.
I’ve supported brands during high-pressure trading periods, and I know how important stability is. Shopify gives retailers confidence that their platform won’t let them down.
3. Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Shopify’s average TCO is around 29% lower than Adobe Commerce. That saving spans implementation, licence fees, and ongoing maintenance.
Take Bombas as an example: after migrating, they saved £81,000 in the first year and boosted sales to £12.9 million. I’ve helped UK businesses achieve similar gains—where budget once wasted on firefighting Adobe Commerce is reinvested into marketing and innovation.
4. Commerce Innovation That Keeps Moving
Shopify’s investment into R&D is staggering—£1.3 billion in 2023 alone. Every year, new tools and features arrive to help brands adapt, grow, and scale globally.
Adobe Commerce, by contrast, is just one part of Adobe’s wider portfolio. For many of the brands I work with, that lack of focus is a deal-breaker. They want a platform where 100% of the energy goes into making commerce better.
Conversion Gains That Speak for Themselves
Independent research shows Shopify’s checkout converts around 5% better than Adobe Commerce—and in like-for-like comparisons, the uplift can be as high as 36%.
When I’ve overseen migrations, those improvements aren’t just theory—they translate into measurable results in the weeks after launch. Features like Shop Pay, Shopify Audiences, and Markets Pro give retailers the competitive edge they’ve been missing.
Real Brands, Real Outcomes
The case studies highlight what I see every day:
Lulu and Georgia migrated more than 40,000 SKUs, unlocking scalability and a versatile B2B/DTC checkout.
Bombas slashed platform costs, stabilised performance, and achieved over £12.9 million in sales in year one post-migration.
These mirror the outcomes I deliver for UK brands: lower costs, more flexibility, and stronger growth.
How I Help You Make the Move
Migrating platforms can seem daunting—but it doesn’t need to be. With over 28 years of hands-on experience, here’s how I guide brands through the process:
Migration strategy – mapping a risk-free journey from Adobe Commerce (or any legacy platform) to Shopify.
UX & design reimagining – creating user experiences that drive loyalty and conversion.
Custom Shopify development – integrating systems, building bespoke features, and tailoring the platform to your needs.
Launch and growth support – ensuring a smooth go-live, then helping you maximise Shopify’s features for long-term growth.
When you work with me, it’s not just a platform move—it’s a transformation.
The Bigger Picture for Retailers
Choosing whether to stay with Adobe Commerce or migrate to Shopify is a big decision. But the risk of standing still—lost sales, ballooning dev costs, missed global opportunities—is often far greater than the migration itself.
Shopify is proving itself to be not just the safer choice, but the smarter one. And with the right partner guiding the process, that move can be seamless.
Final Thoughts
The message is clear:
Shopify isn’t just about saving money; it’s a growth engine.
It outpaces Adobe Commerce in usability, innovation, and conversion.
And it aligns with the way modern businesses want to run digital commerce.
I’m Nigel Boulton, founder of Pink Digital, and with over 28 years’ experience helping retailers thrive online, I know how to make this transition work for your brand.
If you’re ready to explore what migration could unlock for your business, let’s talk. I’ll help you design a tailored roadmap—so you don’t just move platforms, you move forward.