Shopify Entrepreneur Weekly

Hey there! 👋

Welcome to HeyCarson's weekly newsletter. Hope you are doing well!

I stumbled upon Shopify's 2023 financial results this week, and some numbers really caught me off guard. I mean, I knew Shopify was big, but I never thought it now fuels over 10% of all US ecommerce. If you're curious about Shopify's profit, it hit $3.5 billion in 2023, marking a 28% increase from the year before.

Here are some other cool updates I shared below. Enjoy the read!

Lidia from HeyCarson

📰 Shopify news

• Beyoncé hits Shopify as her new haircare brand Cécred goes live on e-commerce platform.

• Shopify is improving the Billing reporting functionality to allow merchants to export reports on-demand showing charge history for a period of up to a year.

• New metrics added to Home.

• Shopify announces fourth-quarter and full-year 2023 financial results.

💡 Avoid Last-Minute Hassles

Shopify Plus merchants can now get creative with their in-checkout pages, including Information, Shipping, and Payment Pages, thanks to Checkout extensibility.

Note: Checkout extensibility is the new go-to, replacing checkout.liquid. Starting August 13, 2024, checkout.liquid won't function on in-checkout pages.

This change will affect Shopify Plus merchants who've customized their ordering process, as they'll be moved to the updated checkout version automatically. If you're in this group, make sure to get ready for this shift by recreating any old mechanisms on the new checkout version before August 13.

If you're here reading this newsletter, you've already taken the first step towards being well prepared. What should you do next?

Check out your current checkout.liquid setup: Take a look at the changes you've made and think about how you can do the same with the new method.

Check the Value: Keep it real and think about how your past solutions fit your business. Look at both the user interface (how it looks at checkout) and the logic behind little functions.

Define the Scope of Work: Lay out the tasks that need to be done to adjust to the changes clearly.

Make the most of your Shopify Plus perks: If you're a Shopify Plus seller, try out the new checkout by creating a test version. 

Get ready for the Transition: Once you're feeling good to go, launch your new solution. Keep an eye on it to make sure your customers can smoothly navigate the selling process.

Expect Some Differences: Just a heads-up, not all your previous checkout.liquid tweaks may be copied exactly. It's a good idea to chat with a dedicated developer to tackle any hurdles smoothly.

Remember, when getting ready for these changes, having an experienced partner by your side can be super helpful. Reach out to HeyCarson if you're looking to get the most out of your Shopify Plus plan. Although it’s going to take some time, the resulting upgrade will undoubtedly be positive for your business. No need to wait until the last minute!

🛎 Theme version updates

Empire – Empire 11.0.0 update brings scheduled send feature for gift cards, improved theme accessibility & performance, and removal of Twitter feed section.
_{Version 11.0.0 [February 14, 2024]} 

Palo Alto – Version 5.5.0 introduces theme enhancements like new sections, typography updates, image loading optimizations, improved animations, bug fixes, and added features such as "Buttons list" and "Recently viewed products." It also offers better image optimization for faster site speed, includes a secondary navigation menu option near header icons, and supports metaobject swatches in the Search and Discovery app.
_{Version 5.5.0 [Jnuary 22, 2024]} 

📗 Read of the week

Discover how Lulu and Georgia scaled exponentially by migrating from Magento to Shopify in this exclusive interview with Anis Tayebali, VP of Engineering. Learn about their transition from Magento to Shopify with over 40,000 SKUs.

👀 Overheard on LinkedIn & Twitter [X]

That's so cool! His teacher totally didn't expect that.

🖼 Photo of the week

YouTuber Matty Benedetto gained fame for making a 50-foot rug inspired by a super long CVS receipt. When he bought Swedish Fish at a CVS in Burlington, Vermont, he got a receipt longer than his arm. He recreated a digital version of it and had a rug made in China. The rug arrived in about 3 weeks and is now in his studio.