Australian Shopify merchants generated close to 100k Jobs and AU$26bn in economic impact. Shopify businesses created 3.6 million jobs around the world in 2020, including 98,158 in Australia, according to Shopify’s Economic Impact Report produced by Deloitte.
These numbers show what we call the Shopify Effect: a ripple impact of entrepreneurship that extends far beyond the borders of individual businesses, touching the lives of employees, families, communities, customers, suppliers, and the world.
“We’ve been conducting an experiment since Shopify was born,” said Tobi Lütke, Shopify CEO. “Our hypothesis is that all economies depend on entrepreneurs and small businesses to thrive. Over the years, we’ve found this to be true.”
The key findings for Australia from our 2020 report:
In Australia:
- 98,158 jobs created by Shopify businesses in Australia.
- That’s one in every 91 employed adults in Australia.
- AU$26.3 billion in economic activity from merchants on Shopify in Australia.
- Nearly AU$1.9 billion in exports made by Shopify supported Australian merchants.
- 2,964 partners in Australia creating business via Shopify.
- 76% new store creation growth year-over-year of businesses on Shopify in Australia for 2020 vs 2019.
- Over 100,000 merchants on Shopify in Australia.
These stats speak volumes about the ripple effects of entrepreneurship nationwide but numbers only tell part of the story.
Shaun Broughton, Managing Director APAC, Shopify said, “I am very proud of all Shopify merchants and partners for their positive contribution to the economy, especially during such unprecedented times.”
“Shopify has always remained laser-focused on empowering merchants instead of chasing revenue. For every $1 of Shopify’s revenue, our merchants generate $40.82.”
“This year’s Economic Impact Report is a true testament to our continuous effort, commitment and drive to build an ecosystem that drives positive economic impact.”
Insights from the 2020 Economic Impact Report include
Global:
- 3.6 million jobs created by Shopify businesses.
- $307+ billion in global economic impact from merchants on Shopify.
- Together, this forms the 7th largest company in the world in terms of revenue, above Apple, BP, and Volkswagen.
International:
- $20+ billion cross-border sales.
- More than half of that comes from small businesses.
- $5.8 billion in revenue generated in developing nations by Shopify merchants.
Partner ecosystem:
- $12.5 billion revenue generated by Shopify’s partner ecosystem.
- This number is up more than 84% from $6.8B in 2019.
- Our partners collectively earned more than 4x in revenue than Shopify in 2020, and we’re proud of that.
Country spotlights:
The full report features country-specific stats from 17 countries. Here are some highlights:
- United States: $166+ billion in economic activity, 714,523 jobs.
- United Kingdom: $22 billion in economic activity, 112,780 jobs.
- Canada: $18 billion in economic activity, 123,574 jobs.
- Germany: $7.3 billion in economic activity, 42,177 jobs.
- France: $4.7 billion in economic activity, 23,743 jobs.
- Japan: $3.8 billion in economic activity, 40,084 jobs.
- India: $1.9 billion in economic activity, 149,298 jobs.
Deloitte calculates global economic impact to include profit, labour income, and tax revenues. This report looks at data from our global merchant base, as well as relevant third-party data collected by Deloitte Canada. All currencies in USD unless otherwise stated.
