Shopify’s B2B Marketing Challenge: Building Trust with Regulated Merchants in UK Pet Healthcare E-commerce

Brand Analysis: Shopify’s B2B Tension point in healthcare e-commerce, is that the “product” is not just the item in the parcel. It is trust, risk management solutions, accuracy, timing, data security and professional reassurance.

B2B audience: merchants and third-party sellers

Applied merchant example: Heronden Vets, Tenterden, Kent

Short Summary (242)

This report critically analyses Shopify's ability to position itself as a trusted e-commerce platform for regulated and trust-sensitive merchants. Using Heronden Vets, an independent veterinary practice in Kent, as an applied example, the report examines whether Shopify's merchant value proposition remains persuasive when compliance, customer trust and professional reputation are critical to business success.

The central marketing challenge is whether Shopify can move beyond being perceived as a website builder and instead become a trusted commerce operating system for merchants operating in regulated sectors. This challenge is increasingly important as Shopify seeks growth beyond traditional retail categories. Shopify reported gross merchandise volume of $292.3 billion in 2024, up 24 per cent year-on-year (Shopify, 2025a), highlighting the importance of attracting new merchant segments.

The topic is timely because Shopify's growth increasingly depends on convincing merchants that it is not merely a storefront builder but a trusted commerce operating system. Shopify reported gross merchandise volume of $292.3 billion in 2024, a 24 per cent increase year-on-year (Shopify, 2025a). At the same time, UK veterinary commerce is becoming more transparent, competitive and digitally enabled.

The UK pet care e-commerce market generated approximately USD 5.95 billion in revenue in 2023 and is forecast to reach USD 8.96 billion by 2030, growing at around 6 per cent annually (Grand View Research, 2025). This growth creates significant opportunities for veterinary practices to expand online sales of healthcare products, medicines and preventative care solutions, increasing the importance of selecting a trusted e-commerce platform. Internet retailers of POM-V, POM-VPS and NFA-VPS veterinary medicines must register before selling online (Veterinary Medicines Directorate, 2024), while Competition and Markets Authority reforms have increased expectations regarding pricing transparency, prescription practices and consumer information (Competition and Markets Authority, 2026).

This makes the case more urgent because in veterinary e-commerce a failure in fulfilment or data protection is detramental. A delayed medicine, incorrect product or exposed client record could damage animal welfare, client trust and the reputations of both the veterinary practice and the platform provider.

2. Background and Context

Shopify operates within the global e-commerce software industry, providing merchants with tools to manage online stores, payments, inventory, customer relationships and multi-channel sales. Its digital presence extends beyond its core platform through educational content, merchant success stories, webinars, podcasts, YouTube content and social media channels, particularly LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok. This content strategy positions Shopify not simply as a software provider but as a source of business knowledge and entrepreneurial support (Shopify, 2025b).

The company operates in an increasingly competitive market shaped by digital transformation and the continued growth of online commerce. As businesses seek greater ownership of customer relationships and first-party data, many are moving away from dependence on online marketplaces towards branded direct-to-consumer channels. This trend has strengthened demand for commerce platforms while simultaneously increasing competition among providers. Shopify competes with WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Wix and Adobe Commerce. WooCommerce appeals to merchants seeking maximum flexibility and control, BigCommerce emphasises enterprise and B2B functionality, while Wix targets smaller businesses prioritising simplicity and ease of implementation (WooCommerce, 2026; BigCommerce, 2026; Wix, 2026).

Shopify's customer base ranges from small businesses and start-ups to multinational organisations. However, one emerging growth opportunity lies in specialist sectors that have traditionally relied on physical locations, personal relationships and professional expertise. Veterinary practices represent one such sector. The UK pet care market remains substantial, with approximately 11.1 million dogs, 10.5 million cats and 700,000 rabbits owned nationally (PDSA, 2024). At the same time, digital purchasing behaviour continues to increase. The UK pet care e-commerce market generated approximately USD 5.95 billion in revenue in 2023 and is forecast to reach USD 8.96 billion by 2030 (Grand View Research, 2025). These trends suggest growing commercial opportunities for businesses supplying pet healthcare products and services through digital channels.

Several marketing and technology trends are reshaping the industry. Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to automate customer service, content generation, search functionality and product recommendations. Shopify has responded through tools such as Shopify Magic and Sidekick, which assist merchants with content creation and operational tasks (Shopify, 2025b). While AI may improve efficiency, concerns remain regarding accuracy, accountability and consumer trust, particularly in sectors where purchasing decisions may influence health and wellbeing.

Privacy and data security have also become increasingly important competitive factors. Consumers are becoming more aware of how personal information is collected, stored and used, while organisations face growing pressure to comply with data protection requirements and cybersecurity standards. Trust therefore extends beyond product quality to include confidence in the digital infrastructure supporting the customer journey.

Another significant trend is the increasing importance of relationship-based B2B marketing. Research suggests that organisational purchasing decisions are influenced not only by functional attributes such as price and features, but also by perceptions of reliability, expertise and risk reduction (KEATS, 2026). Consequently, commerce platforms must demonstrate strategic value rather than simply technical capability.

These developments create both opportunities and challenges for Shopify. As digital commerce expands into sectors characterised by professional expertise, higher consumer expectations and greater regulatory oversight, competitive advantage may depend less on basic e-commerce functionality and more on the ability to support trust, transparency, operational reliability and long-term customer relationships.

3. Narrative and the Brand Problem

Shopify’s most significant marketing challenge during 2024 and 2025 has been sustaining merchant growth within an increasingly mature e-commerce market. During the pandemic, online adoption accelerated rapidly as businesses sought digital sales channels. As e-commerce has become standard business practice rather than a source of differentiation, Shopify faces a more complex challenge: persuading merchants not simply to sell online, but to choose Shopify over alternative commerce solutions. This challenge is particularly important because future growth is likely to depend on attracting more specialised merchants operating in sectors where trust, professional credibility and risk management influence purchasing decisions as strongly as functionality or price. This challenge is fundamentally one of positioning. Shopify’s traditional value proposition has centred on merchant empowerment, ease of use and scalability. While these benefits remain attractive, they may be insufficient for organisations operating in trust-sensitive environments.

In such sectors, organisational buyers often evaluate suppliers not only on performance and cost, but also on perceived risk, operational reliability and reputational consequences (Mitchell, 1999). The decision therefore becomes less about whether a platform can facilitate transactions and more about whether it can support long-term business objectives without introducing unacceptable levels of uncertainty. Heronden Vets provides a useful illustration of this challenge. As an independent veterinary practice, its competitive advantage is built on professional expertise, trusted relationships and continuity of care. Should the practice expand its online retail activities through Shopify, the decision would extend beyond software procurement. It would involve transferring part of the client experience into a digital environment. As a result, Shopify would become embedded within Heronden’s customer journey despite remaining largely invisible to end users. This reflects the concept of derived demand, whereby demand for Shopify’s services originates from consumer demand for convenient and trusted pet healthcare solutions.

The organisational buying process further demonstrates the complexity of the decision. Rather than being evaluated by a single purchaser, adoption would likely involve a buying centre consisting of practice owners, veterinary surgeons, practice managers and administrative staff. Webster and Wind (1972) argue that organisational purchasing decisions involve multiple participants with different priorities and perceptions of risk.

A practice owner may focus on profitability, growth and return on investment, while veterinary professionals may prioritise client trust, operational control and professional standards. Administrative staff may focus on ease of use and workflow efficiency.

Shopify must communicate value to multiple stakeholders simultaneously, each requiring different forms of reassurance before supporting adoption. Perceived risk is particularly relevant in this context. Mitchell (1999) argues that buyers assess potential purchases according to both expected benefits and possible negative outcomes. For many retailers, selecting an e-commerce platform may involve primarily financial or operational considerations. However, for professional service organisations, additional reputational risk exists because service quality and customer trust are closely linked.

The consequences of platform failure may therefore extend beyond lost sales and affect customer confidence, long-term loyalty and brand credibility. As perceived risk increases, supplier trustworthiness often becomes more important than price advantages or additional features.

Consumer behaviour trends intensify this challenge.

Customers increasingly expect the convenience, speed and transparency associated with mainstream e-commerce platforms. Subscription purchasing, repeat ordering, digital comparison tools and home delivery have become normalised across retail categories (McKinsey & Company, 2025). At the same time, consumers continue to value professional expertise when making healthcare-related decisions. This creates a strategic tension. Customers expect frictionless digital experiences while simultaneously seeking reassurance and informed guidance.

Businesses operating in trust-sensitive sectors require digital solutions that enhance convenience without weakening perceptions of expertise, accountability or care. Relationship marketing theory provides further insight into the problem. Morgan and Hunt’s (1994) Commitment-Trust Theory suggests that trust and commitment are the foundations of successful long-term business relationships. In Shopify’s case, trust operates at multiple levels. Merchants must trust Shopify as a platform partner, while customers must trust the merchant delivering the service. This creates a form of trust transfer throughout the customer journey. Weaknesses in the digital experience may influence perceptions of the merchant even when the underlying issue originates elsewhere within the platform ecosystem. Shopify therefore functions as an invisible contributor to customer trust despite rarely interacting directly with end consumers. The marketing mix highlights how this challenge manifests strategically. In terms of product, Shopify is no longer simply selling website-building software. The perceived product includes the broader platform ecosystem, integrations, customer support, operational reliability and the ability to support increasingly complex business requirements.

Organisational buyers evaluate whether the platform can support future growth while maintaining consistency and control. Consequently, value is created not only through functionality but through confidence that the platform can continue supporting the business as requirements evolve. Price presents a similar challenge. Organisational buyers rarely evaluate software solely on subscription costs. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) provides a more appropriate framework because it incorporates implementation costs, staff training, operational management, support requirements and ongoing maintenance. For risk-sensitive organisations, value is often created through efficiency gains, reduced administrative burden and lower operational risk rather than simple cost reduction.

Shopify therefore competes on total business value rather than on subscription fees alone. Place represents one of Shopify’s strongest competitive advantages. The platform allows merchants to maintain ownership of customer relationships and first-party data rather than relying exclusively on third-party marketplaces. This supports stronger customer lifetime value, greater control over brand experience and improved opportunities for relationship building. However, direct ownership also increases responsibility. Merchants become accountable for fulfilment, communication and service quality throughout the customer journey.

The platform must support an integrated experience that aligns digital transactions with wider organisational objectives. Promotion may represent Shopify’s greatest strategic challenge in relation to specialist sectors. Much of the company’s communication focuses on growth, entrepreneurship and scalability. While these themes resonate strongly with many merchants, organisations operating in higher-risk environments often seek different signals. Buyers concerned with reputation and professional credibility may place greater value on evidence of reliability, governance, transparency and risk reduction.

So the issue is not whether Shopify possesses the necessary capabilities. Rather, it is whether its communications effectively signal those capabilities to audiences whose primary concern is trust rather than growth. From a competitive strategy perspective, this challenge reflects the tension between standardisation and specialisation. Shopify’s broad positioning has enabled it to serve a diverse customer base and achieve significant scale. However, specialist merchants often evaluate suppliers according to their ability to understand industry-specific challenges and reduce uncertainty. This creates the risk that more specialised providers may appear more credible despite possessing fewer technical capabilities.

Competitive advantage depends not only on platform functionality but also on the ability to communicate relevance to specific customer segments. Ultimately, Shopify’s brand problem is a positioning problem rather than a technology problem.

The company possesses substantial technical capabilities, a strong ecosystem and significant market credibility. However, future growth may increasingly depend on attracting merchants operating in environments where trust, reputation and risk management are critical competitive assets. The challenge is not whether Shopify can technically support these organisations. The challenge is whether it can credibly communicate a value proposition that reduces perceived risk, strengthens relationship-based service delivery and supports professional credibility without sacrificing the simplicity and accessibility that originally drove its success. As commerce becomes increasingly specialised, Shopify’s ability to balance scale with trust may become one of its most important sources of competitive advantage.

4. Five Strategic Questions

Five Strategic Questions To what extent should Shopify adapt its value proposition for regulated sectors without weakening the simplicity and broad appeal that underpin its mass-market positioning?

Would sector-specific merchant journeys create meaningful competitive advantage for Shopify, or risk fragmenting a platform built on scalability and standardisation?

How much responsibility should Shopify assume for the governance of AI-enabled commerce in sectors where inaccurate recommendations could damage consumer trust?

What source of competitive differentiation would be most difficult for competitors to imitate when targeting trust-sensitive merchants?

How can Shopify support digital convenience while preserving the human expertise and relationship-based trust that many professional-service organisations rely on as a source of competitive advantage?

5. What Did Shopify Do?

Shopify’s response to the challenge of sustaining merchant growth has been to evolve from a website-building platform into a broader commerce operating system. Rather than competing solely on storefront functionality, the company has expanded its ecosystem through Shopify Payments, Shopify Plus, merchant solutions, subscriptions, platform integrations and tools that support merchants across multiple sales channels (Shopify, 2025a). This strategic shift reflects an understanding that long-term competitive advantage depends on becoming embedded within merchants’ operations rather than simply facilitating online transactions.

A major component of Shopify’s response has been investment in artificial intelligence. During its Summer 2025 Edition, Shopify introduced and expanded tools such as Shopify Catalog, Knowledge Base, AI shopping agents and a more advanced Sidekick assistant (Shopify, 2025b). These developments were strategically important because commerce discovery is increasingly influenced by conversational search, automation and AI-assisted purchasing. For merchants, the benefits include improved efficiency, reduced administrative burden and faster management of digital operations. In B2B terms, these tools help reduce friction and complexity, making digital commerce more accessible for organisations with limited technical resources.

The evidence suggests that Shopify’s broader strategy has been commercially successful. The company reported gross merchandise volume (GMV) of US$292.3 billion in 2024, representing a 24% increase from the previous year (Shopify, 2025a). This indicates that merchants continue to perceive value in the platform despite increasing competition and changing market conditions. Furthermore, by expanding merchant services beyond website creation, Shopify has increased switching costs and strengthened its platform ecosystem. Merchants using multiple Shopify services become more integrated into the ecosystem, making platform replacement more costly and complex. From a relationship marketing perspective, this supports merchant retention while strengthening Shopify’s competitive position (Morgan and Hunt, 1994).

However, commercial success does not necessarily mean that the underlying marketing challenge has been fully resolved. Shopify’s growth metrics demonstrate strong adoption among merchants generally, yet growth alone does not demonstrate successful penetration of trust-sensitive sectors. As argued in Section 3, Shopify’s core challenge is not simply merchant acquisition but positioning. While the company has successfully expanded platform capability, it has been less successful in demonstrating why those capabilities are uniquely relevant to organisations operating in environments where trust, governance and professional credibility are central competitive assets. This limitation becomes clearer when viewed through perceived risk theory. Mitchell (1999) argues that buyers become increasingly concerned with reliability and potential negative outcomes when the consequences of failure are significant. Shopify has largely responded by increasing functionality, efficiency and scale. Yet for specialist merchants, additional functionality alone may not be sufficient. Buyers may be less concerned with what the platform can do and more concerned with what could go wrong.

Shopify has strengthened what the platform is capable of delivering without equally strengthening what risk-sensitive merchants believe it can safely support. A deeper critique emerges from this observation. Shopify appears to assume that increasing platform capability will naturally increase adoption among specialist merchants. However, the evidence presented throughout this report suggests that trust, credibility and risk reduction may be more influential than functionality when organisations operate in environments characterised by higher perceived risk. If this assumption is incorrect, further investment in features alone may generate diminishing returns among the very merchant segments Shopify is attempting to attract.

This gap is particularly visible in Shopify’s marketing communications. Much of the company’s messaging focuses on entrepreneurship, growth, scalability and innovation. These themes resonate strongly with merchants seeking commercial expansion. However, organisations operating in higher-risk environments often evaluate suppliers differently. Buyers concerned with governance, accountability and professional credibility may place greater value on reassurance than acceleration. Due to this, Shopify’s communications frequently promote opportunity while giving less prominence to trust, risk reduction and operational governance. This creates a disconnect between the platform’s capabilities and how those capabilities are perceived by specialist merchants.

One of Shopify’s most significant missed opportunities is its failure to make trust infrastructure visible. The company possesses many capabilities that can contribute to operational control, customer confidence and risk management. However, these capabilities are rarely positioned as a coherent strategic benefit. Instead, they are often presented as individual features within the wider platform ecosystem. Consequently, merchants operating in trust-sensitive sectors may perceive Shopify as a powerful commerce platform without fully recognising how it could support concerns regarding credibility, accountability and customer protection.

A second missed opportunity relates to sector-specific positioning. Shopify has largely maintained a universal merchant narrative despite serving increasingly diverse customer segments. This approach has undoubtedly contributed to scale and accessibility. However, it may also increase uncertainty among specialist merchants seeking evidence that a supplier understands their operating environment. The organisational buying process suggests that new-task buyers require substantial information and reassurance before making strategic purchasing decisions (Webster and Wind, 1972). This weakness may be particularly important because Forrester (2026) found that 68 per cent of B2B buyers already have a preferred supplier at the beginning of the purchasing process, and that supplier wins approximately 80 per cent of the time.

Failure to establish credibility and preference during the earliest stages of evaluation may reduce Shopify’s ability to compete for specialist merchants before formal supplier comparisons even begin. This creates a strategic opportunity for more specialised competitors to occupy the trust-based positioning space even when Shopify possesses superior technical capabilities. In such circumstances, competitive advantage may be determined less by platform functionality and more by perceived relevance, sector expertise and confidence in the supplier relationship.

Another area where Shopify could have strengthened its response is Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) communication. Much of the company’s marketing focuses on platform features, growth opportunities and merchant success stories. However, organisational buyers frequently evaluate technology investments according to long-term value rather than upfront costs. Factors such as operational efficiency, reduced administrative burden, customer retention and workflow integration often influence purchasing decisions more strongly than subscription pricing alone. Greater emphasis on these outcomes could strengthen Shopify’s value proposition among merchants seeking strategic rather than purely transactional benefits.

From a relationship marketing perspective, Shopify has also underutilised trust as a source of competitive differentiation. Morgan and Hunt (1994) argue that trust and commitment are central to successful long-term business relationships. Shopify’s communications successfully promote growth and innovation, but they place less emphasis on the role the platform plays in supporting trusted customer relationships. This represents a missed opportunity because trust itself may become increasingly valuable as digital commerce expands into sectors characterised by professional expertise and higher perceived risk.

Alternative strategies were available. Rather than focusing primarily on growth and commerce enablement, Shopify could have complemented its existing positioning with a stronger narrative around trust enablement. Such an approach would not require substantial changes to the platform itself. Instead, it would involve reframing existing capabilities through the lens of reliability, governance, transparency and risk reduction. This would allow Shopify to address the concerns of specialist merchants while retaining the simplicity and scalability that underpin its broader market appeal.

Shopify’s response has been commercially successful and strategically logical. Investments in merchant services, artificial intelligence and platform expansion have strengthened the company’s competitive position and contributed to continued growth. However, these actions have primarily addressed the challenge of merchant enablement rather than the challenge of merchant reassurance. Shopify has demonstrated that it can help merchants operate more efficiently, but it has been less successful in communicating how its capabilities support organisations whose success depends on credibility, professional judgement and customer confidence. In Short, Shopify has largely solved the problem of merchant enablement but has only partially solved the positioning problem that increasingly shapes adoption among specialist merchants.

6. Learning Outcomes and Main Themes

This case shows that B2B platform marketing is not solely about functionality. It is about risk reduction, buyer confidence and the ability to create value within a specific organisational context. Shopify’s challenge with regulated merchants illustrates that organisations purchase platforms not only for what they enable, but also for what they protect, including reputation, customer relationships, compliance and operational stability.

The first learning outcome is that positioning can become more important than capability when buyers operate in environments characterised by higher perceived risk. Although Shopify possesses extensive technical capabilities, adoption among specialist merchants may depend as much on trust, credibility and reassurance as on platform functionality. The second learning outcome is that B2B value propositions must reflect the buyer’s risk context.

The third is that derived demand links platform strategy to end-consumer behaviour, meaning that changes in customer expectations can indirectly shape organisational purchasing decisions. Finally, the case demonstrates that Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and tiebreaker selling often provide more persuasive B2B arguments than price alone because buyers seek justifiable value rather than simply lower costs.

The main themes emerging from the case are platform positioning, organisational buying behaviour, relationship marketing, perceived risk, integrated marketing communications, AI-enabled commerce and competitive differentiation. Important marketing tensions, including growth versus trust, scale versus specialisation and automation versus human expertise.

“SO WHAT?” Well, this matters because contemporary buyers increasingly evaluate suppliers according to their ability to reduce uncertainty rather than simply increase efficiency. As digital commerce becomes more sophisticated and competitive, marketers must recognise that customers are not only choosing products, services or platforms. They are choosing organisations they trust to support critical business outcomes.

References

Anderson, J.C., Narus, J.A. and Narayandas, D. (2014) Business market management: Understanding, creating, and delivering value. 3rd edn. Harlow: Pearson.

BigCommerce (2026) B2B ecommerce platform. Available at: https://www.bigcommerce.com (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Cespedes, F.V. (1994) ‘Industrial marketing: Managing new requirements’, Sloan Management Review, 35(3), pp. 45-60.

Competition and Markets Authority (2026) CMA concludes market investigation with major reforms to veterinary sector. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-concludes-market-investigation-with-major-reforms-to-veterinary-sector (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Forrester (2026) Building preference is the key to winning B2B buyers. Available at: https://www.forrester.com/blogs/building-preference-is-the-key-to-winning-b2b-buyers/ (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Grand View Research (2025) UK pet care e-commerce market size and outlook, 2025-2030. Available at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/pet-care-e-commerce-market/uk (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Heronden Vets (n.d.) Healthcare remedies for your pet. Available at: https://herondenvets.co.uk/products-for-sale/ (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Hutt, M.D., Speh, T.W. and Hoffman, D.L. (2023) Business marketing management: B2B. 13th edn. Boston: Cengage Learning.

Information Commissioner’s Office (n.d.) Security. Available at: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/security/ (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Juska, J.M. (2022) Integrated marketing communication: Advertising and promotion in a digital world. 3rd edn. London: Routledge.

King’s College London (2026) 7QQMO507 Business to Business Marketing KEATS course materials: Weeks 1 and 6. London: King’s College London.

Mitchell, V.W. (1999) ‘Consumer perceived risk: Conceptualisations and models’, European Journal of Marketing, 33(1/2), pp. 163-195.

Morgan, R.M. and Hunt, S.D. (1994) ‘The commitment-trust theory of relationship marketing’, Journal of Marketing, 58(3), pp. 20-38. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299405800302

PDSA (2024) UK pet populations of dogs, cats and rabbits. Available at: https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/pdsa-animal-wellbeing-report/uk-pet-populations-of-dogs-cats-and-rabbits (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (2023) Client confidentiality. Available at: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/veterinary-professionals/conduct-and-guidance/supporting-guidance/14-client-confidentiality/ (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (2024) Under care guidance. Available at: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/about-us/our-policies/under-care-guidance/ (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Shopify (2025a) Form 10-K: Annual report for the year ended December 31, 2024. Available at: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1594805/000159480525000012/shop-20241231.htm (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Shopify (2025b) Expanding your AI horizons: Summer ’25 Edition. Available at: https://www.shopify.com/uk/blog/expanding-your-ai-horizons-summer-edition-25 (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Shopify (2026a) The all-in-one commerce platform for businesses. Available at: https://www.shopify.com (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Shopify (2026b) Shopify App Store. Available at: https://apps.shopify.com (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

The Guardian (2026) Killer counterfeits: The flea treatments that could send you rushing to the vet. Available at: [insert full article URL] (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Vargo, S.L. and Lusch, R.F. (2004) ‘Evolving to a new dominant logic for marketing’, Journal of Marketing, 68(1), pp. 1-17. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.68.1.1.24036

Veterinary Medicines Directorate (2024a) Sell veterinary medicines on the internet. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/sell-veterinary-medicines-on-the-internet (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Veterinary Medicines Directorate (2024b) Retail of veterinary medicines. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/veterinary-medicines-guidance-notes (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Webster, F.E. and Wind, Y. (1972) ‘A general model for understanding organizational buying behavior’, Journal of Marketing, 36(2), pp. 12-19.

Wix (2026) eCommerce website builder. Available at: https://www.wix.com/ecommerce (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

WooCommerce (2026) The most flexible ecommerce platform. Available at: https://woocommerce.com (Accessed: 19 June 2026).

Appendix A: Where the module concepts are embedded

Original AI-use disclosure

AI use note: Generative AI was used for drafting support, structuring, source organisation and language refinement.

2. I declare that parts of this submission has contributions from AI software and that it aligns with acceptable use as specified as part of the assignment brief/ guidance and is consistent with good academic practice. The content can still be considered as my own words. I understand that as long as my use falls within the scope of appropriate use as defined in the assessment brief/guidance then this declaration will not have any direct impact on the grades awarded. I acknowledge use of software to : (i) Generate ideas or structure suggestions, for assistance with understanding core concepts, or other substantial foundational and preparatory activity. ChatGPT (ii) Write, rewrite, rephrase and/or paraphrase part of this essay. ChatGPT (iii) Generate some other aspect of the submitted assessment. ChatGPT see AI attributions at end of report

Images from the original