Should You Upgrade To Shopify Online Store 2.0?
When you are running an eCommerce store, you want your store to be the best it can be.
Sometimes updates come along and you aren’t sure whether or not to jump on board.
Last year, Shopify announced one of their biggest updates to date: Online Store 2.0.
So, should you be upgrading your site to Shopify 2.0?
Well, we are big fans of this evolution.
If you’re running your online shop on Shopify 1.0, it’s worth considering upgrading. This switch will give you more power to edit and personalise your site.
But, of course, you don’t have to do it alone. We’ve got all the info and support you need.
Let’s dive into looking at all the great things about Shopify 2.0 and why you might consider the upgrade.
Should You Upgrade To Shopify Online Store 2.0?
Make Your Site Faster
One of the best improvements you can make to your website is optimising your site speed.
Google research has shown a website loading time of between 1.5 and 3 seconds is optimal. Slower than that and users may abandon your page. You obviously don’t want to lose those sales!
By upgrading to Shopify 2.0, you could improve your site speed. Shopify’s new standard storefront theme ‘Dawn’ is 35% faster than the previous default theme. Switch themes to decrease your load time, decrease your bounces and secure sales.
There is also more functionality in this theme, so you may not need as many external apps on your store. This again can improve your loading speeds.
More Bespoke: Sections, Sections Everywhere
Felt a bit hemmed in by the limitations of your existing Shopify store. Well, no more!
Shopify 2.0 allows you to personalise every page of your shop without the need to edit the code. Sections and blocks are now available throughout your site (not just on the homepage as with 1.0).
That means you can now make your store more bespoke, better-designed and optimised for your customers – for a better shopping experience.
If you aren’t sure how to make that happen, drop us a line for some pointers on adding sections and blocks throughout your Shopify 2.0 upgraded site.
Make Everything Easier
No one likes to work harder than they have to and with the improved UI on the theme editor, you won’t need to.
Shopify has improved its theme editor in 2.0. The new iteration makes it easier to navigate and understand your site’s hierarchy. Functions have been centralised, and the UI is more logical. Save time and enjoy an easier experience whenever you’re working on your shop.
Better App Integration
While there were plenty of apps available in Shopify 1.0, the way they were installed into your Shopify store was quite inflexible. That meant they couldn’t always be deployed in the best way.
That has all changed with Shopify 2.0.
The apps are now installed on your website pages in modular app blocks. This has a whole bunch of benefits, like being able to control which pages the blocks appear on, allow for greater editability and personalisation, plus maximising an app’s benefits through enhanced configuration.
Make Developers Happy
The news is good for developers too! Shopify’s coding language, ‘Liquid’, has seen improvements to its deployment, making work faster and more efficient for developers. This will simplify development and save time.
While this is a benefit to developers, it’s also a benefit to merchants. Merchants can add Liquid directly via the theme editor which saves time and is a lot more straightforward than in 1.0.
Overall, 2.0 makes Shopify sites easier to build, more flexible and easier to maintain.
Better Meta(fields)
Metafields are extra pieces of data you can attach to all sorts of objects within Shopify (products, customers, orders etc). They store important information that is useful but may not have a logical home (such as delivery time frames).
2.0 makes it quick and easy to upload and amend content via metafields. These can be displayed anywhere in your store: on your product pages or even at checkout. Metafields also allow easy product and variant configuration right there on the product page.
You’ll be able to define and edit metafields directly in your admin area, connect metafields to apps or your theme, and make them accessible to anyone on your team.
End Goal: Customers Check Out – And Come Back
Shopify 2.0 is all about making it easy for your customers to check out.
Full checkout customisation is still reserved for Shopify Plus merchants. But all store owners on the normal Shopify plan will now have access to checkout apps – unlike in version 1.0. You’ll be able to access items like discounts to further encourage customers to check out and entice them back.
Open Up A World Of Customisation For Your Shop
So, should you upgrade to Shopify 2.0?
Well, we think you should. Online Store 2.0 is not a new payment plan or higher tier programme. It’s a free upgrade for your existing Shopify store. So long as you’re on a paid plan with a compatible theme, you’re eligible for Online Store 2.0 to replace your current version of Shopify.
The full suite of 2.0 Shopify features are released only on Online Store 2.0 themes, so you’ll need to make the move to a new theme in order to enjoy the full benefits of the upgrade.
Not sure how to make it happen or don’t have the time to sort out your upgrade?
Creative Web Designs can help make your move to the new version smooth. Let us assess the complexity of migrating your shop, and manage the process for you. Get in touch with us today.