We recently collaborated with Showpo, one of Australia’s leading fashion retailers, to deliver a major step forward in their digital journey. Showpo migrated from Salesforce Commerce Cloud to Shopify, with a new headless Hydrogen storefront and KrakenD backend-for-frontend (BFF) integration designed to create faster, more seamless shopping experiences for customers around the world.

This replatform has unlocked greater merchandising agility, shorter development cycles, and the ability to roll out new features quickly across multiple regions, all while supporting Showpo’s mission to empower women worldwide with accessible, trend-driven fashion.

To dive deeper into the project, we spoke with Charlee Standley (Head of Digital & Ecommerce, Showpo), and Josh Emblin (Head of Sales, Convert Digital) about the goals behind the migration, the challenges it solved and what this move means for the future of Showpo’s digital experience.

Q: Showpo recently migrated from Salesforce Commerce Cloud to Shopify. Can you give us a quick overview of the project and the key goals driving the move?

Charlee: Our goal was simple – we wanted a platform that could keep up with a $100M+ business and deliver the seamless experience our customers expect. On Salesforce Commerce Cloud, we were constantly hitting roadblocks with speed, flexibility and the ability to innovate quickly.

With Shopify, we knew we’d be able to move faster, roll out new features across regions more efficiently and give our team more control over merchandising and customer experience. At the end of the day, our customers drive everything we do, they expect a fast, intuitive shopping experience and we needed a platform that could meet those expectations today while also adapting quickly as trends and technologies evolve.

Q: What challenges did Showpo face with its old platform?

Charlee: Site speed was a major issue, which directly impacted the customer experience. Mobile optimisation was limited, and since most of our shoppers browse on mobile, that was a significant problem. Navigation wasn’t seamless, and product discoverability was flagged as a major frustration, customers simply weren’t finding what they wanted quickly enough.

Q: Josh, can you paint a picture of why Showpo went headless and what it’s offering?

Josh: Headless is about future-proofing commerce. For Showpo, it means delivering a seamless journey across mobile, desktop, and future channels while giving their team the flexibility to tailor experiences regionally, without rebuilding from scratch.

The real power comes from flexibility. With a headless architecture, Showpo can tailor content and experiences to specific regions. What resonates with shoppers in North America might differ completely from what works in Australia or Europe. Shopify’s headless setup allows the team to reflect local differences – seasonality, trends, or promotional timing, without rebuilding the entire experience for each market.

It also strengthens loyalty and personalisation. By decoupling the front end and back end, the team can innovate faster, test new ideas and integrate tools like Nosto and Yotpo seamlessly to deliver highly personalised customer journeys.

Q: Charlee, how has this migration changed your approach?

Charlee: The biggest shift has been moving from playing catch-up to leading. Previously, so much of our time was spent managing operational tasks, working around platform limitations, and patching gaps. We were reacting instead of proactively planning for growth.

Now, with Shopify and a headless setup, we can be both reactive and proactive. Unexpected issues can be addressed quickly, but more importantly, we have time to focus on strategy, innovation and delivering the customer experiences we’ve always envisioned. 

Q: Josh, what advice do you have for brands working with an agency partner on a migration?

Josh: Preparation is everything. Brands that invest time upfront to plan and define their goals get the most out of a migration. It’s not just about moving platforms, it’s about making sure the new setup supports long-term growth, your team’s way of working and the customer experience you want to deliver.

Q: Charlee, what stood out to you about working with Convert Digital?

Charlee: What really stood out was the collaborative approach. Convert didn’t just bring a solution, they took the time to understand our business, challenges, and goals. We learnt so much throughout the migration. Their team’s expertise, combined with our involvement every step of the way, ensured it wasn’t just a new site, it was building internal capability and setting us up for long-term success. 

Q: Charlee, why was now the right time to replatform?

Charlee: We replatformed onto Salesforce Commerce Cloud in 2020, but five years later it became clear the platform wasn’t keeping pace. Development lead times were slow, something as simple as setting up a promotion across AU, NZ, US and EU could take hours per region.

By last year, moving to Shopify felt inevitable. We needed a platform that matched our speed, agility and ability to deliver personalised, region-specific experiences. Shopify gave us that foundation for growth.

Q: Josh, was there anything uniquely special about this migration project?

Josh: What stood out the most was the collaboration. From the very beginning, this wasn’t a case of an agency stepping in and taking over, it was a genuine partnership. Our team worked side by side with Showpo to make sure they were ready to hit the ground running from day one. What made it really special was the level of curiosity and engagement from the Showpo team. They were eager to learn, ask questions, and be part of the process rather than just watching from the sidelines. That energy created a really rewarding environment where everyone involved walked away having learnt something new. It felt less like a handover and more like building something together, which is exactly the kind of project we love to deliver.

Q: Personalisation is central to Showpo’s customer experience. Can you share a specific example?

Charlee: Personalisation has become a cornerstone of how we connect with our customers, and Nosto has been a game-changer in making that possible. It allows us to guide shoppers along their journey in a way that feels natural and tailored, which directly supports retention and loyalty. 

One of the things we love most is how all our technology partners, Shopify, Nosto, Yotpo, Checkout Components, Sanity CMS and The Wishlist Company work seamlessly together to deliver an optimised and personalised experience.

Q: Can you give examples of personalisation in practice?

Charlee: Absolutely. In the US, we can tailor experiences for the East Coast versus the West Coast, showing different products and homepages to reflect regional preferences. On top of that, Yotpo’s loyalty integration lets us recognise and reward our high-value golden and platinum partners, ensuring they feel seen and appreciated.

Ultimately, it’s about serving the right products to the right people and making our most loyal customers feel valued. When a customer feels understood and recognised, it strengthens their connection to the brand and keeps them coming back.