The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that Shopify is increasing the base price of its advanced merchant subscription plan, a long-expected hike following the increase of its "Basic" plan prices last year. The Globe's Irene Galea writes that Shopify, which provides an on-line platform for retailers, will raise the fee it charges merchants on its annual Plus plan to $2,500 a month, up from $2,000 currently (all figures U.S.). That amount will be reduced to $2,300 for those who commit to a three-year plan. Existing Shopify Plus merchants can lock in their current pricing if they sign up for a three-year plan by April 24. The Shopify Plus plan includes priority access to support, lower credit-card fees and greater customization options for checkout. The plan is intended for larger merchants who require more complex tools and are growing quickly. In its last quarterly report, the Ottawa-based e-commerce player said that for the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2023, overall subscription revenue increased to $1.3-billion from $1.1-billion for the same period the year before and accounted for 27 per cent of total revenue. Shopify said its Plus subscription revenue contributed $44-million in the third quarter.