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We are a team of passionate individuals, all driven by a singular goal - to help our merchants succeed.
It was only back in 2022 when Shopify announced the release of Checkout Extensibility, a game-changer for online stores seeking a more branded and customizable checkout experience.
Following this, Shopify has now announced that it will be phasing out checkout.liquid entirely in favor of Checkout Extensibility. This will become the primary way to customize the new Shopify checkout experience.
What does this Shopify upgrade mean for merchants? For starters, if you currently use Shopify checkout.liquid, you'll need to migrate your customizations before August 13, 2024. Any customizations you currently have made with Shopify checkout.liquid code will eventually stop working after this date. There is more time (until August 28, 2025) to migrate the thank you and order status pages.
But the future is bright! This Shopify upgrade will allow you to create truly unique and frictionless checkout experiences for your customers. In this blog, we've rounded up everything you need to know about Shopify Checkout Extensibility. From the benefits of migrating to the new Shopify checkout UI extensions to the exciting features & resources, we'll help you navigate this transition seamlessly.
Shopify merchants use Shopify checkout.liquid to take shipping, payment, and customer details to complete and place an order. As the most critical step in a user's buying journey, Shopify ensures a fast and secure checkout experience focused on ease of use. This is the native checkout that Shopify provides:
While it served its purpose, Shopify checkout.liquid had quite limitations that made managing the checkout a headache for merchants. Every time a new Shopify upgrade is rolled out, there is a chance it could clash with your checkout.liquid customizations. This meant potential bugs and a scramble to fix things.Shopify checkout.liquid is also complex and time-consuming, requiring advanced coding knowledge which could also result in poor checkout performance, sub-par buyer experience, and security concerns.
To address these concerns, Shopify launched Shopify Checkout extensions for Plus customers that provide flexibility to Plus merchants to introduce unique checkout experiences, promotions, and custom logic in the Shopify Checkout page without breaking the original code for the regular checkout process. Furthermore, Shopifybranding API can be used with Shopify Checkout Extensions to introduce brand elements on the checkout page which was historically not possible.
If you have not migrated your Shopify Checkout Extensibility yet, here's a short video to get you started in 6 easy steps:
In Shopify’s own words - Shopify Checkout extensions make it easier for Shopify Plus merchants to customize their checkout in a way that’s app-based, upgrade-safe, higher-converting, and integrated with Shop Pay. Shopify Checkout Extension is also compatible with Shopify One Page Checkout.
You can find various Shopify checkout extension apps in the Shopify App Store that add functionalities, adjust branding, or modify specific checkout elements. These Shopify checkout extension apps integrate seamlessly with your store for a smooth experience.
For more advanced customization needs, you can leverage Shopify Checkout Extensibility's features to build a custom app. This approach requires coding knowledge and might involve a Shopify Partner for development.
Want to explore more about Shopify checkout customizations?
Here's a breakdown of how it works:
Using the Shopify Checkout Extensibility, Shopify branding API, and Checkout editor, you can now customize the entire checkout page to convey the same brand experience as your store. While customizing fonts and colors is extremely simple with the checkout editor, you can also use Shopify branding API to introduce more advanced elements like a section that speaks of brand values such as ethically sourced, locally grown, etc.
a) Custom Fields
Introduce custom fields using Shopify checkout UI extensions to customize orders like choosing a color, adding a gift message, ordering notes, or getting buyer information
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b. Product Offers
Offer exclusive deals on hitting a cart milestone, cash backs, upsell products (recommended buys, mini samplers, newly launched, gift wraps, greeting cards, free samples, etc.), and customized deals based on customer history at checkout.
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c. Informational
Add trust badges, banners, images, or text to convey information and increase credibility and conversion.
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Rename, reorder, or hide payment and delivery methods based on different rules at checkout. Or customize what offers customers see based on products added to the cart or UTM channel from where the customer was acquired. With Shopify checkout extensibility, you can also offer tiered pricing and discount combinations at checkout with custom logic.
Shopify checkout UI extensions allow buyers to add discount codes and redeem gift cards directly at checkout and update cart line items accordingly.
Ability to query storefront API to get information like product tags, collections, currency conversion, etc. Use this to display product information that will ensure a conversion like “Locally produced by artisans from a nearby town
Note: All graphics above have been produced with our app Checkout Wizard which helps you switch to the Shopify upgrade and set up every single feature we discussed above. It is a no-code Shopify checkout extension app that will completely transform your checkout with minimum setup.
A smooth and user-friendly checkout process is crucial for minimizing cart abandonment. Shopify Checkout Extensibility allows for customizations that streamline the checkout flow, like adding clear instructions, offering guest checkout options, and ensuring mobile-friendliness. These features can significantly reduce friction at the checkout stage, leading to more completed purchases.
Here are some ways you can ensure a purchase once the customer has reached the checkout page using Shopify checkout extensions:
Curious about more strategies to increase your checkout completion rates?
Shopify Checkout Extensibility provides the perfect platform to implement strategic upselling and cross-selling tactics that can significantly increase your AOV. There are several ways to urge a customer to add more at checkout in return for relevant product offers:
How can upselling at checkout boost your sales?
Acquiring a new customer is 5X-7X more expensive than retaining an existing one. This means that for every dollar you spend on retaining a happy customer, it could cost you five to seven dollars to acquire a new one. As a Shopify merchant, you do not want to miss out on this opportunity. Shopify checkout extensibility helps online stores create a checkout experience that makes your customers come back for more. Here’s how:
Standard checkout pages may not always reflect your brand identity. Shopify checkout extensibility allows customization using the branding API. You can tailor the checkout page's look and feel to match your brand's colors, fonts, and overall aesthetic. This consistency creates a familiar and trustworthy environment for customers throughout their shopping journey. Here are some pro-tips:
Learn how can trust badges improve your store's credibility?
Shopify checkout extensibility offers several tools to turn window shoppers into paying customers by increasing customer acquisition:
To start using Shopify Checkout Extensions, you first need to be subscribed to Shopify Plus Plan. If you are a plus customer, get in touch with us to help you upgrade from checkout.liquid to Shopify checkout extension. We have helped over 100 merchants migrate smoothly to Shopify checkout extensibility and have a ton of experience building lightning-fast, mobile-responsive, and native checkout experiences optimized for conversions.
We have written a detailed migration guide to understand how to upgrade from Shopify checkout.liquid to the all-new new Shopify Checkout Extensibility. Give it a read. You can also check out the successful migration of Yamazaki that led to higher conversion rates on their store.
We have also built an app -Checkout Wizard that can help you take complete control of your checkout and do any customization you wish without any need for coding. Use the app to enhance and create a smoother, more enjoyable branded Shopify checkout UI, leading to higher customer satisfaction and fewer abandoned carts. With a single app, you can do everything we explained above and much more.
Ready to transition to the new Shopify Checkout Extensions?
1. What is in Shopify Checkout Extensibility?
Shopify Checkout Extensibility is a set of tools that allows you to customize the checkout experience for your customers.
With the all-new Shopify checkout extensibility, you can:
Overall, Shopify checkout extensibility gives you more control over the checkout process, which can help you improve conversion rates and create a more positive experience for your customers.
2. How does Shopify checkout customization impact user experience? What are the latest features in Shopify checkout extensibility?
Shopify checkout customization improves customer experience by allowing merchants to tailor the checkout process through custom branding, content, and fields, as well as adding elements like upselling and free shipping bars to create a unique and engaging checkout.
The latest features include Shopify Checkout UI extensions, Functions, Post-purchase Checkout Extensions, Advanced Checkout Branding, and a drag-and-drop checkout editor for Shopify Plus merchants.
3. What Are the Steps to Implement Shopify Checkout Extensibility?
To implement Shopify Checkout Extensibility, follow these steps:
For more detailed guidance and insights on checkout extensibility, read the full article here.
4. How do I improve my Shopify checkout process?
You can improve your Shopify checkout process by simplifying the checkout flow, offering guest checkout, providing clear shipping information, offering multiple payment options, and adding trust signals.
5. Does Shopify have a secure checkout?
Yes, Shopify provides a secure checkout process. They adhere to strict security standards like PCI DSS and GDPR to protect sensitive customer information during payment transactions. They want merchants to shift from checkout.liquid to checkout extensions to provide even better security.
6. What capabilities does the Shopify branding API provide?
The Shopify branding API provides the capability to modify the look and feel of the checkout by adding logos, changing colors, updating fonts, and installing checkout apps for more functionality.
7. Why is Shopify checkout performance optimization crucial for sales?
Shopify checkout performance optimization is crucial for sales because it builds a faster and smoother checkout experience, reducing cart abandonment and increasing conversion rates.
8. What are the common challenges in customizing Shopify checkout?
A common challenge in customizing the new Shopify checkout was the need for developer assistance, but that's not the case anymore. With Shopify checkout extensions, you can customize your checkout easily with an app like Checkout Wizard.
9. Are there any risks associated with modifying Shopify checkout?
There are no risks to modifying checkout with new Shopify checkout extensions because it is designed to provide you with a more secure experience and keep you away from custom code. You can just migrate to Shopify checkout extensions with Checkout Wizard and start using Shopify functions for secure checkout customization.
10. What is the best checkout for Shopify?
Determining the best Shopify checkout extension for your Shopify store depends on your store's specific needs and target audience. However, here's a breakdown to help you decide:
Ultimately, test different checkout options and monitor your conversion rates to see what works best for your store.
We are a team of passionate individuals, all driven by a singular goal - to help our merchants succeed.