E-commerce giant Shopify is establishing a new presence in Bellevue, Washington, marking its entry into a region dominated by tech competitor Amazon. The Canadian company has secured approximately 31,000 square feet of office space through a sublease agreement with Google at the 112 @ 12th building in downtown Bellevue.
The new office, scheduled to open in May, represents Shopify’s strategic move to tap into the Seattle area’s rich technology talent pool. The company is actively seeking to recruit engineering professionals to support its global merchant network, which serves millions of businesses worldwide.
This expansion places Shopify among more than 100 technology companies that have established engineering centers in the Seattle region, which has become a prominent hub for technical talent, particularly in artificial intelligence development. The move follows similar recent expansions by other major tech players in Bellevue, including Zoom and OpenAI, while companies like Snowflake, ByteDance, and Pokémon have also increased their footprint in the area.
The office market in Bellevue has seen some positive momentum with recent lease renewals from WeWork, Salesforce, and eBay. However, the current vacancy rate stands at 20%, a significant increase from 5.8% in 2019, according to Broderick Group’s market analysis.
Notably, Bellevue has become increasingly attractive to tech companies, with Amazon leading the charge in expanding its presence there. Following tensions with Seattle lawmakers over corporate taxation, Amazon has shifted much of its growth focus to Bellevue, with plans to employ 25,000 people in what it considers part of its Puget Sound headquarters region.
While Shopify and Amazon operate in related spaces within e-commerce, their business models differ significantly. Shopify provides infrastructure and tools for businesses to create and manage their online stores, including payment processing and shipping services, rather than operating as a direct retail platform like Amazon. Despite their competitive positions, the two companies have collaborated on initiatives, including a Buy with Prime integration agreement in 2023.
Shopify’s financial performance has shown strong momentum, with fourth-quarter revenue reaching $2.8 billion, representing a 31% increase, and operating income of $465 million. The company, which went public in 2015, now boasts a market capitalization exceeding $126 billion.
Operating under a remote-first work policy, Shopify maintains a global workforce of approximately 8,100 employees as of the end of 2023. The company already has a significant presence in the Seattle region, with over 100 employees based in the area according to LinkedIn data.
This expansion into Bellevue reflects a broader trend of technology companies seeking to establish themselves in the Seattle metropolitan area, drawn by its deep pool of technical talent and established technology ecosystem. The move positions Shopify to compete more effectively for local engineering talent while building its presence in one of North America’s primary technology hubs.
The addition of Shopify to Bellevue’s growing tech landscape further solidifies the city’s position as an emerging technology center, particularly as companies seek alternatives to traditional Silicon Valley headquarters while maintaining access to top-tier technical talent and innovation opportunities.