How Paceline Achieved 262% Sales Growth with Shopify Collective

Transforming Rewards into Real Goods

Paceline began by rewarding steps and active minutes tracked on devices like Apple Watch. They issued gift cards tied to user milestones, but managing those vouchers offline led to frustration. Many users never saw their credit applied, and the team lacked data on redemptions. Paceline knew it had to shift from vague incentives to a clear digital storefront offering real products.

Identifying the Bottleneck

Off-platform gift cards are hard to track, push notifications can feel random, and customer support tickets piled up as people waited on codes. Stocking inventory wasn’t an option: predicting demand for apparel sizes and wellness gadgets carries steep overhead. Storage fees, shipping logistics and upfront purchase costs risk any healthy startup’s runway.

Adopting Shopify Collective

Moving to Shopify Plus opened doors but Shopify Collective changed everything. Paceline connected directly with brands, invited them to share product catalogs and let items flow into the store without a cent spent on stock. The discovery tool imported images, specs and pricing in minutes. When orders came in, the partner brand fulfilled shipments and the platform handled payments.

Results that Speak Volumes

In just two years Paceline launched 150 brand partnerships and expanded its catalog by over 3,000 SKUs—all with zero inventory risk. Year-over-year sales soared by 262% as users could see and choose rewards instantly. Support cases fell by 90% once gift cards were replaced by tangible products. A curated offering also drove 185% more new customers.

Key Lessons from Paceline’s Journey

This shift shows that giving customers a clear, real-time path to shop rewards does more than improve satisfaction. It unlocks growth by reducing operational waste, slashing support overhead and fueling partnerships. Smart founders can use flexible platforms like Shopify Collective to test product-market fit without draining capital.