Articles and guides

Challenges in Shopify Plus, what's important to know before upgrading Shopify Plus provides power and growth, but requires technical and operational preparation. This way you know what to expect and how to overcome obstacles. Reading time: ~6 minutes TL;DR: Plus adds Checkout Extensibility, Functions, and B2B capabilities, but still has limitations in dynamic pricing, ERP integrations, variants, and support. Build a hybrid solution, Functions for rules, Apps where it saves time, Flow for automation, and a technical partner who knows the nuances. 1) Flexibility on the payment page More advanced customizations are possible than standard programs, but customized fields and deep integrations require Extensions or Functions. Solution: Use Shopify Functions to define rules, Checkout UI Extensions for components, and dedicated apps where needed. 2) Discounts and dynamic pricing There are Scripts and Functions, but full differential pricing by user or group is not fully built in. Solution: Discount rules in Functions, price tables through Apps, and B2B policies by customer groups. 3) Integration with ERP and CRM Deep joins often require intermediaries or dedicated development, especially in field mapping and error control. Solution: Custom API, Integrator.io or Celigo for varitory scheduling, and Flow for pre-send validations. 4) B2B budget and order management Shopify B2B is powerful, but there is no built-in mechanism for monthly or quarterly budgets. Solution: Metafields for per-customer budget, Flows for basket limitation and approval, and customized budget reports. 5) Variants and inventory Complex variant management or advanced kitting will often require third-party applications. Solution: Matrixify for massive catalog management, apps for extended variants, and display rules with Functions. 6) Technical support Dedicated support is available, but for integration or architecture issues you will sometimes need an expert partner. Solution: Working with a Plus Partner agency, defining an internal SLA, and fully documenting integrations. Table of challenges and solutions challenge How to solve Owner Custom fields at checkout Checkout UI Extensions, validations with Functions Frontend Pricing by groups Apps for differential pricing, general functions for discounts Commerce Two-way ERP Integrator.io, Field Mapping, Retry, and Scheduling Windows Integrations B2B budget management Metafields, Order Blocking Flow, Multi-Layer Approval Oops Complex variants Matrixify, Bundling Apps, Smart Display Rules Catalog Support for complex questions Plus Partner, internal playbooks and documentation PM Best Practices for Upgrading a Part Proof of Concept: Build a test environment with POS, B2B, and pricing flows before a full transition. Organized catalog: uniform option names, handling problematic variations in advance. Integrations in stages: start with one-way reads, add writes only after monitoring. Measurement: Set KPIs, CVR at checkout, AOV, load time, number of integration failures. Fallback: Playbook for rollback, and customer service ready for exceptions in the first week. Considering upgrading to Shopify Plus At SPIKY DIGITAL, we will build the right architecture, implement functions and extensions, connect ERP and CRM, and measure results. Talk to us

Shopify Flow continues to evolve and offer more powerful solutions for managing your ecommerce store, with the launch of new blocks focused on working with Metaobjects. These features bring Flow closer to becoming a complete backend system for managing data and processes. The new blocks include: Get Metaobject Entries You can now retrieve lists of Metaobjects by type or using a custom query. For example, if you are using Metaobjects to display specific colors in a product or filters, you can retrieve the specific color using a query and take actions based on the result. Practical example : Your product provider provides colors as a text value ("red," for example). Using a query, you can locate the Metaobject of type "Colors" that contains this value, and then use it to update the appropriate product fields in your store. Get Metaobject Entry This function allows retrieving a specific Metaobject by its ID, a more focused and simplified version of the first function. Why is this important? Data management in Shopify has come a long way: from basic metafields to advanced Metaobjects. The new functions allow you to fully work with data - read, write, edit, and delete - directly from Flow. What does this mean for your business? Less dependence on paid apps. Create custom solutions without the need for code. Shopify Flow continues to simplify processes and provide merchants with powerful tools for efficient and cost-effective management. #shopify #shopifyplus #ecommerce

Shopify Plus and a winning customer experience, how to build a CX that increases growth From a commerce focused on basic functionality to a customized, intuitive, and seamless experience at every touchpoint, Shopify Plus shifts the focus to the customer, generating loyalty and sales. Category: CX · eCommerce Reading time: ~7 minutes TL;DR: Today's customer expects a personalized, fast, consistent, and secure shopping journey. Shopify Plus provides an infrastructure that combines performance, personalization, and efficient operations to close gaps at every stage of the funnel, from discovery to post-purchase. The key is smart experience design, converting checkout, automation, and data that drives decisions. Why CX has become the key growth engine In the past, we just wanted the website to work. Today, customers expect more: speed, clarity, contextualization, and service that precedes the cure. A good customer experience shortens time to decision, increases conversion rates, reduces returns, and increases loyalty. Consistent across all channels: same branding, pricing, and information across mobile, desktop, and POS solutions. Minimal friction: as few clicks as possible, fewer fields, fewer surprises at the checkout. Contextuality: Suggestions, language, and content that are appropriate for the user and the buying situation. How Shopify Plus enables modern CX 1) Checkout that converts Checkout Extensibility: Add fields, banners, trust messages, and invalidations without affecting performance. Fast wallets: Fast payment options that shorten the path to payment. Pricing and gift card rules: coupons, quantity promotions, gift wrapping, and upgrades. 2) Customization that feels natural Smart recommendations: complementary products based on catalog, browsing history, and context. Dynamic content: Shipping notifications, delivery times, and policies that match the customer's destination. Segmentation: promotions, pricing, and communication based on audiences and behavior. 3) Automation and code-free operation Flows and events: order confirmations, inventory updates, returns management, service triggers. Cross-system processes: ERP, WMS, CRM and marketing platform connections in a clean and stable approach. 4) Global commerce and omnichannel Stores and markets: languages, currencies, local payments, and tax display by region. Connected POS: Inventory, coupons, and credits that work online and offline in the same experience. 5) Performance and trust Speed ​​and stability: Infrastructure that holds loads and loads quickly to reduce abandonment. Security and compliance: Up-to-date standards, script control, and clean permissions. Work model, CX throughout the journey 1. Discovery and examination Fast collection pages with predictable filtering and complementary automatic search. Clear titles, smart variant display, and images that show scale and usage. 2. Decision and purchase Product pages with social proof, frequently asked questions, highlights on shipping and returns. Party cart with subtle upsell, gift options and order notes. Short checkout, minimal fields and transparent cost display. 3. Post-acquisition and retention A thank you page that recommends the next step, registration, a complementary combo, or a user guide. Emails with shipping status, guides, product reviews, and repurchase offers. Proactive service support, chat, and simple return scheduling. Metrics that reveal whether CX is working Conversion Rate: Conversion rate on the website and at the checkout. AOV: Average Cart Value, mainly after Upsell and Bundles. Time to Buy: Time from arrival at the site to purchase. Cart Abandonment: Cart and checkout abandonments. Repeat Rate and LTV: Rate of repeat customers and customer lifetime value. NPS and CSAT: Post-purchase service experience. 90-day action plan, improving CX without breaking tools Week 1 to 2: Full funnel mapping, basic data collection, identifying bottlenecks. Week 3 to 4: Improving product page, adding social proof, FAQ, and clear shipping. Week 5 to 6: Shortening the checkout, adding fast wallets, trust messages. Week 7 to 8: Upsell components and subtle handoffs in the cart and checkout. Week 9 to 10: Smart post-purchase email, product review, repurchase offer. Week 11 to 12: Fine tuning according to metrics, ongoing A/B testing. Anti-patterns to avoid Too many pop-ups: harm concentration and confidence. Non-required fields at checkout: Every field reduces conversions. Cost surprises: shipping, taxes, or fees that appear late. Duplicate apps: slows down speed and creates bugs. Want to turn your CX into a sales engine? At Spiky, we will build a CX plan based on your data, upgrade product pages and checkout, and measure real results. Talk to us