Unleashing the Power of Shopify Plus: Transitioning from Checkout.liquid to Checkout Extensibility

(04) 2023Shopify Plus

Important Note: Checkout.liquid is deprecated. All Shopify Plus merchants must upgrade to Checkout Extensibility by the following dates:

August 13, 2024 | Checkout.liquid for information, shipping, and payment pages will be turned off and no longer supported.
August 28, 2025 | Checkout.liquid for thank you and order status pages will be turned off and no longer supported. This includes turning off apps using script tags and additional scripts under the post-purchase and order status pages. Shopify Scripts will continue to work alongside checkout extensibility until this date.

…If you’re already feeling lost, we’re here to help! Reach out here.

Embracing the evolution from Checkout.liquid to Checkout Extensibility can significantly elevate your Shopify Plus store’s efficiency and functionality. Transitioning to this advanced feature opens up a world of possibilities for customization, enhancing user experience, and optimizing your checkout process. This guide will walk you through the seamless process of upgrading to Checkout Extensibility, providing you with the knowledge and confidence to harness its full potential.

Understanding Checkout.liquid and Checkout Extensibility

The Deprecation of Checkout.liquid

Checkout.liquid has been the backbone of many Shopify Plus stores, providing the functionality needed for merchants to customize the checkout experience for their storefronts. However, its limitations can be a hurdle for businesses looking to scale and offer a unique customer experience. Historically, Checkout.liquid has restricted customization to basic aesthetic changes, limiting the ability to implement custom workflows or integrate specialized processing logic. This rigidity can lead to a checkout experience that doesn’t fully align with the brand’s identity or meet specific business needs. Additionally, for businesses with complex requirements, such as handling international taxes or offering dynamic shipping options, Checkout.liquid may fall short in providing the necessary flexibility to accommodate such complexities without resorting to cumbersome workarounds or the use of Shopify Scripts (also deprecated – Shopify Scripts have been replaced by Shopify Functions) or third-party apps. Building these workarounds, however, meant that merchants had to opt out of Shopify’s automatic updates, bug fixes, and security improvements in order to develop their custom checkout experience - putting the responsibility of maintaining checkout functionality and security solely on the merchant.

The Advantages of Checkout Extensibility

Checkout Extensibility is a robust solution that addresses the restrictions of Checkout.liquid by offering unprecedented control and customization of the checkout experience. With Checkout Extensibility, Shopify Plus clients can tailor their checkout process to meet specific business needs and enhance customer satisfaction. This new feature supports the addition of custom fields, allowing for more personalized customer data collection. It also enables the integration of advanced marketing tactics, such as dynamic upsells and cross-sells, directly within the checkout flow, potentially increasing average order value.

Furthermore, Checkout Extensibility opens the door to seamless third-party app integrations, expanding functionality without compromising checkout speed or security. The result is a more cohesive and branded checkout that can adapt to various promotional strategies and complex operational needs. This ultimately leads to a smoother and more reliable user experience for customers, which is critical for business growth. Merchants can now enjoy the ability to customize their checkout without having to opt out of Shopify’s managed checkout.

If you need any more reason to stop dragging your feet on upgrading to Checkout Extensibility, just know that the following incredible features are only available when you upgrade:

Transitioning to Checkout Extensibility

Preparing for the Transition

Before upgrading to Checkout Extensibility, preparing your Shopify Plus store for the change is essential. Start by evaluating your current checkout process. Identify the elements that are working well and those that could be improved. Think about the specific features you want to implement or enhance with Checkout Extensibility. Next, review your technical resources. Ensure your team is equipped with the knowledge of Shopify’s APIs and the new extensibility framework. If needed, consider investing in hiring experts with experience in the platform. It’s also wise to audit your existing integrations and apps to ensure compatibility with the new system. Lastly, develop a rollout plan that includes testing phases to iron out any issues before going live. Meticulous preparation will lead to a smoother transition and reduce the risk of disruption to your store’s operations.

Step-by-step Guide to Transition

The transition to Checkout Extensibility involves several key steps. First, access your Shopify Plus admin and initiate the upgrade to Checkout Extensibility.

Assess Current Checkout Customizations: Review your current checkout.liquid file and note all customizations you want to replicate or improve upon with Checkout Extensibility.
Familiarize with the New Environment: Explore the Checkout Extensibility documentation to understand the capabilities and limitations of the new system.
Update Your Themes and Apps: Check for updates to your Shopify theme and apps to ensure they are compatible with Checkout Extensibility.
Test in a Staging Environment: First, implement your checkout customizations in a staging environment. This allows you to test all functionalities without affecting your live site, allowing you to identify any potential issues or bugs.
Train Your Team: As with any update or feature release with your storefront, it’s best to provide the training and resources to your team to help them get up to speed on the changes made before going live. This practice ensures that site administrators and customer service members are equipped to handle any related inquiries efficiently.
Monitor and Optimize: Once everything checks out, you can fully deploy Checkout Extensibility. After going live, closely monitor the checkout process for any issues and gather customer feedback to optimize the checkout experience further.

Remember, thorough testing at each stage of the transition is key to a successful upgrade to Checkout Extensibility.

Unleashing the Power of Checkout Extensibility

Innovations Made Possible by Checkout Extensibility

Checkout Extensibility is a game-changer for Shopify Plus stores, enabling a variety of innovations that can transform the checkout experience. With this advanced feature, you can integrate sophisticated shipping options, such as same-day delivery for local customers, or offer real-time discounts based on customer behavior. Personalization reaches new heights, allowing you to tailor the checkout process to individual user preferences, increasing the likelihood of purchase completion.

Moreover, Checkout Extensibility enables the integration of various payment methods, catering to a global audience with diverse preferences. You can also introduce subscription-based models smoothly, enticing customers with recurring purchases. The ability to add custom fields provides valuable data collection opportunities, enabling you to understand your customers and their needs better. These innovations enhance user experience and position your store as a forward-thinking leader in the ecommerce space.

Upgrading to Checkout Extensibility with PIVOT

For Shopify Plus merchants with custom checkout experiences, upgrading from Checkout.liquid to Checkout Extensibility is no small feat. If you need support upgrading from a custom Checkout.liquid instance to Checkout Extensibility, drop us a line to find out how our team of Shopify Plus experts can help! Though the August deadline may seem far away, leverage the time available to execute a smooth upgrade and explore new enhancements you can take advantage of with Checkout Extensibility.

We’re currently supporting the upgrade to Checkout Extensibility for several of our Shopify Plus clients – stay tuned as we share some of the updates and checkout feature enhancements our clients are enjoying!

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