Shopify announced a slew of finance, shipping, and retail updates

The company unveiled a business account and debit card called Shopify Balance, a “Buy Now, Pay Later” option called Shop Pay Installments, and a new Local Delivery product. Shopify also announced its AI-powered fulfillment network is now actively accepting merchant applications.
The announcements were made at Shopify Reunite, the company’s first virtual event. The Canadian company was supposed to host the fifth installment of its annual partner and developer conference, Shopify Unite, in Toronto earlier this month. In late February, Shopify canceled the in-person element over COVID-19 concerns and then ultimately decided to cancel the whole event altogether. But the coronavirus pandemic has been a boon for the company and other Amazon rivals. Shopify thus decided to share some updates with its worldwide customers, partners, and the broader public. We talked to Shopify chief product officer Craig Miller ahead of the event to get some more color on all the news. Read more…