Global payments service provider SumUp (www.sumup.co.uk) today announced a new partnership with Shutterstock (www.shutterstock.com), a leading global creative platform offering full-service solutions, high-quality content, and tools for brands, businesses and media companies.

Through the partnership, merchants using SumUp Online Store can now revamp their online storefronts, and immediately benefit from quick and easy access to Shutterstock’s vast library of high-quality images, including access to Smart Image Recommendations. Launched in May 2020, SumUp Online Store allows merchants to showcase their products to a global audience, accepting online payments from the biggest possible customer base.

The Shutterstock integration is the latest in a host of new solutions and innovations unveiled by SumUp over the past year to help businesses navigate the operating restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the introduction of payment links and invoicing options, new online selling functionalities through the ‘SumUp Online Store’, and gift card collaborations with Google, Facebook and Instagram -- solutions all designed to help business owners receive payments safely, and continue trading in the face of uncertain economic circumstances.

How the Shutterstock integration works

SumUp merchants can now quickly and easily add photos to design their online storefronts, giving greater visibility to their businesses and improving their brand personalities. Access to images comes at no additional cost, and is included within SumUp merchants’ existing subscription plans.

In the user dashboard of SumUp’s Online Store, merchants now have the option to add up to ten photos to their online stores from an embedded image database, filtering images by type and category.

1. Access Shutterstock content directly from within SumUp: Once in the SumUp portal, users can navigate to “Get free images” to access the Shutterstock search experience.
2. Search content quickly with advanced search options: Next, merchants can use the robust keyword search and advanced search filters to find the exact image(s) they’re looking for.
3. Benefit from Smart Image Recommendations: Merchants will notice that search results are relevant to their industry and business category. SumUp has mapped Shutterstock categories to customers’ industries (ie: Business/Finance, Professional Services, etc.) to help users save time and find exactly what they need.
4. Select and license images directly: Once merchants find the right image(s), they can license photos directly from the SumUp portal and add the content to their media library for future website usage.

Alex von Schirmeister, Executive Vice President for Europe at SumUp, comments: “We’re happy to be able to offer our merchants this new feature of access to millions of images to revamptheir online stores. It’s important now more than ever that small businesses have the means to trade in the e-commerce space in order to take on larger competition. This partnership with Shutterstock will do just that, giving them more visibility to grow their customer bases.”

Alex Reynolds, Vice President of Platform Solutions at Shutterstock, comments: “After the events of 2020, countless small businesses were financially impacted and forced to pivot, and we’re thrilled to be able to help them get back on their feet through our collaboration with Sum Up.Integrating high-quality visual content and smart image recommendations into the workflow of SumUp’s merchants will allow small businesses to attract new customers through stunning online storefronts, simultaneously helping to drive online sales.”