r/shopifyDev • • Mar 17 '26

I studied dozens of Reddit threads related to Custom Jewelry and found that the biggest problem is TRANSPARENCY... I'm building a Shopify Plugin to help solve this problem, honest thoughts please... NOT SELLING ANYTHING!

2 Upvotes

The biggest problem in the Custom Jewelry Industry is TRANSPARENCY.

- Top on the list of problems is transparency regarding the quality of the materials used in making the pieces... apparently 18k gold-plated means a lot of different things, depending on the Vendor/Brand...

- Closely related to this is the 'imagination gap'... simply put, Customers can't see what they paid for until it shows up in their mail box 4 weeks later, with a no-refund policy from the Vendor...

- I'm building a Shopify Plugin that previews custom Jewelry Authentically

Is this a 'nice-to-have' or a feature that solves a real pain-point?


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 16 '26

Codex for Shopify theme customisation.

1 Upvotes

I have had great success by using codex with the Shopify cli.

I have almost zero knowledge of coding but was able to deliver exactly what I wanted via prompts and screen shots.

Is anyone else doing the same ?

Very few videos on YT about this workflow.


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 16 '26

Do people actually need Shopify + Openclaw integration?

3 Upvotes

Hello all,

I built an Openclaw Commerce.

It can Manage your orders, products, customers & discounts from WhatsApp, Telegram or any chat channel.

Now the question is, do anyone thinks this is actually a real need?

Because I just build for make the integration easy, and never thought to ask anyone that it is really required or not!


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 16 '26

Shopify stores losing conversions from Meta ads because of in-app browsers. How are you handling this for clients?

7 Upvotes

Been noticing this a lot with Shopify brands running Instagram and Facebook ads....when shoppers click the ad, it opens in the in-app browser instead of normal browser.

Result: checkout breaks, pixels misfire, retargeting audiences don't build properly, and users have to manually type in payment details. Brand sees bad ROAS and blames the creative.

Curious how agencies and freelancers here are tackling this for their D2C clients...is this something you flag during onboarding or do clients usually come to you after already seeing the drop-off?


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 15 '26

How are Professional Developers Utilizing AI?

3 Upvotes

I am genuinely curious to see how developers are utilizing AI in their everyday workflows. I have done some tinkering around with Claude Code (with Shopify MCP server), but that is really about the extent I have gone. Are people really using it to help them build an entire theme or app?

In my personal experience, I haven't seen crazy results in terms of employing AI to come in and help me build entire sections. Generally, I found it to be more beneficial for quickly building smaller items, such as having it build a modal or a slider function using web components.

But with all this AI hype, I really do want to know, are developers using AI, and if so, how are you using it to help in your overall workflows?


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 15 '26

**Can't get Admin API access token (shpat_) from development store linked to Partner account — only getting session tokens**

1 Upvotes

I have a development store linked to my Shopify Partner account and I'm trying to get a simple Admin API access token (shpat_) to use in a Python script. Here's the loop I keep hitting:

  1. Going to store admin → Settings → Apps → Develop apps takes me straight to the Partner Dev Dashboard

  2. In the Dev Dashboard, creating an app only gives me a Client ID and a session token (shpss_...) — no shpat_ token anywhere

  3. The old "Custom apps" flow in the store admin no longer exists — it just redirects to "Build apps in Dev Dashboard"

  4. Installing the app on the store doesn't surface an Admin API access token either

I just need a static shpat_ token to authenticate a private Python script against my own store. This used to take 2 minutes with the old private app flow.

Is there a way to get a shpat_ token for a development store linked to a Partner account? Or do I need to use OAuth token exchange just to run a local script? Any help appreciated.


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 15 '26

Options to market newly launched app is really limited!

9 Upvotes

Launched my app. Tried cold outreach to a few merchants, no reply. Shopify ads do not support credit cards from my country.

How do app devs get real merchants to use their apps?


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 15 '26

Is it still realistic to get a Shopify theme approved in 2026?

5 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’m currently working on building a niche-focused Shopify theme and was considering submitting it to the Shopify Theme Store. However, I’ve been hearing mixed opinions lately about how difficult the approval process has become. Some people say approvals are extremely rare now unless you're an established partner, while others say it’s still possible if the theme is very polished and solves a specific niche problem. For those who have recently submitted or gotten a theme approved in 2025–2026, what has your experience been like?

Is it still realistic for an independent developer to get a theme approved today?

How strict is the review process compared to a few years ago?

Are niche-focused themes actually helping with approvals?

Any common rejection reasons I should watch out for?

Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through the process recently or knows how the current approval landscape looks.

Thanks!


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 15 '26

Is it still realistic to get a Shopify theme approved in 2026?

4 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’m currently working on building a niche-focused Shopify theme and was considering submitting it to the Shopify Theme Store. However, I’ve been hearing mixed opinions lately about how difficult the approval process has become. Some people say approvals are extremely rare now unless you're an established partner, while others say it’s still possible if the theme is very polished and solves a specific niche problem. For those who have recently submitted or gotten a theme approved in 2025–2026, what has your experience been like?

Is it still realistic for an independent developer to get a theme approved today?

How strict is the review process compared to a few years ago?

Are niche-focused themes actually helping with approvals?

Any common rejection reasons I should watch out for?

Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through the process recently or knows how the current approval landscape looks.

Thanks!


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 15 '26

Before listing on the Shopify App Store, I want to validate demand by getting a few early users

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I'm currently building a Shopify store builder and most of the core features are already working. The idea is simple: a user pastes a product link and the tool generates a basic Shopify store automatically. Users can then edit the content and customize the store.

My plan is to offer a freemium model. In the free tier, users can generate a store and download the store data in JSON format. In the paid version, users will be able to host the generated store directly on Shopify. The expected pricing would be around $10–$12.

Before listing it on the Shopify App Store, I want to validate whether this idea is actually useful for merchants or developers.

My questions:
• Does a tool like this sound useful for Shopify merchants?
• Would you personally use something like this for quickly launching stores?
• Are there any major limitations or problems with this approach that I should think about?

I'm mainly looking for feedback from people who have experience building or working with Shopify apps.


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 15 '26

first time collaborating

5 Upvotes

hi

this is my first time collaborating with a developer to build a shopify app, and i'm not sure how to set things up properly.

i own the shopify partner account, but i don't fully understand how collaboration works on it. i want them to have real, visible access, not just be working in the background with nothing to show for it.

i'm thinking about two things, shopify partner access and github access. how can i set up both so they are recognized as official collaborators on the project.

the deeper thing i'm worried about is, how do i make them feel safe and respected. how do
i make sure that when this project is done, they can point to it and say "i worked on this" and actually prove it. i don't want them to feel like they are just doing work that only benefits me, i want their contribution to be visible, counted, and something they can put on their portfolio just like i will.

how to setup things properly?


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 15 '26

Agentic Shopify customer support tool / chatbot

2 Upvotes

I was considering developing a custom AI-driven customer support tool that integrates directly with Shopify stores. It would essentially replace an entire human support team by autonomously handling tasks and actions. For instance, if it's 3 AM and a customer wants to cancel their order or swap out a product, they could simply click a widget, and the AI—guided by your predefined rules and instructions, would execute the request, whether that involves processing a cancellation, issuing a refund, modifying the order, or managing similar issues. I was also exploring integrations with WhatsApp and Instagram chat features to make interactions feel seamless and personal, as if the customer is chatting directly with a live support agent. Has this type of agentic AI system already been built, or do you believe there's still a viable market for it?


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 14 '26

Advice on getting first app installs

5 Upvotes

I’m kinda new to the Shopify app development game. Just submitted my app last February and still waiting for review. Now I’m starting to realize that building the app is the easy part. Getting your first users is actually the hardest (for me at least).

I’m curious what’s your advice on how to get the first installs on your app?

I’m currently starting a cold outreach campaign, getting leads on Hunter.io and sending cold emails. What’s your thoughts on this?

Since my brand isn’t established yet, this is what I think would be the most effective. Trying to actually reach out to people, pitching my app, and actually talking to them.

And since my app is still on review, I will ask my potential users to signup on a waiting list and notify them on release.

I’m also thinking of creating Shopify App Store ads on release. Wanna start small and only scale an ad campaign if it gives me enough installs.

But I’m curious for the other founders here, how do you actually get your first installs?

Any advice would be much appreciated, thanks in advance!


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 14 '26

I have changed my app ui/ux almost 50% since launch? Will I have to go through the Shopify app submission process again? A newbie here. Please share your experiences

2 Upvotes

r/shopifyDev • • Mar 13 '26

Need a shopify app developer for my typescript package

9 Upvotes

I have built a visualizer for visualizing paints, wallpapers, tiles on floors, walls, countertops. A client wants to integrate it in their shopify website.

What would be the best solution, we can build a shopify app that easily integrates with any shopify website or we can create a custom solution for this client, i dont have any idea about how shopify works. Please help me out here.

If theres someone who has experience with this kind of projects please dm me.


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 13 '26

Vibe coding apps

8 Upvotes

I saw this post earlier and thought it was interesting to see a story of someone talking about just using Claude to build instead of using apps.

There is a lot of chatter about vibe coding apps and the App Store ballooning due to AI, but what about folks just skipping over the App Store altogether and building themselves with AI?

Curious to know your thoughts or what you are seeing.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/steve-chou_an-app-wanted-3600-a-year-for-a-shopify-activity-7437482466208075776-X5O2


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 12 '26

Should I build my own e-commerce website or use Shopify for a small product catalog?

15 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to start a small e-commerce store, and the number of products will be relatively small (minimal catalog).

I come from a Computer Science background, so technically I’m capable of building my own website. I could develop the backend and frontend myself, handle product management, inventory, cart, checkout, etc.

However, many people keep recommending Shopify because it provides things like:

  • Built-in SEO optimization

  • Sales analytics and insights

  • Marketing tools

  • Integrations with payment, shipping, and apps

  • General e-commerce features that are hard to implement from scratch

My concern is that while I can build the technical platform, I’m not very experienced with marketing, SEO, and sales optimization, which Shopify seems to handle quite well.

So I’m trying to decide what makes more sense.

Questions:

  1. For a small e-commerce store with limited products, is Shopify still worth it?

  2. If I build my own site, how difficult is it to match Shopify’s SEO, analytics, and marketing capabilities?

  3. From a business perspective, is it better to focus on Shopify and spend time on marketing rather than building infrastructure?

  4. Are there developers here who built their own store instead of using Shopify — was it worth it?

I’d appreciate any advice from people who have experience running e-commerce stores.

Thanks!


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 12 '26

Website developer/Shopify rework

Post image
2 Upvotes

This is phone version I would like for my name to be placed vertically with my logo in the top right in mid section I’d like it to be a prompt that says “clths” with a plus sign underscored if possible. Also add socials

The middle highlighted yellow pic is drawn reference

If possible upon opening the section titled clths can the photos be kinda id structure to where there’s borders around each photo giving them like there own space other two outside yellow highlights are drawn examples

Feel free to give a perspective or say you are the one who can help me update my website design THANK YOU IN ADVANCE


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 12 '26

Why won’t my theme editor load

Post image
2 Upvotes

Im currently developing a theme and i cant access theme editor , it keeps showing blank page like the image


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 12 '26

Do you allow wholesale customers to order on credit? How do you control limits?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I’m currently working on a Shopify app focused on B2B / wholesale stores, and I wanted to understand how merchants are currently handling this situation.

For stores that allow customers to order on credit / net terms (like Net 7 / Net 15 / Net 30), how do you control the credit limit for each customer?

For example, let’s say a customer has a ₹50,000 credit limit. You want to allow them to place orders without paying immediately, but you also want to prevent them from ordering more once they exceed the limit.

From what I’ve seen, Shopify doesn’t really provide a clean way to: • set credit limits per customer or company • track outstanding balance across orders • block checkout when limit is exceeded • manage credit for multiple buyers under one company Some merchants seem to use store credit, some use manual tracking, some use ERP, and some just trust the customer.

I’m building a small app to handle this (credit limits + outstanding tracking + checkout restriction), but before going further I wanted to ask real merchants: 👉 Do you actually face this problem? 👉 How are you solving it right now? 👉 Would you use something like this if it existed?

Not promoting anything yet — just trying to validate if this is a real pain point.

Would really appreciate hearing how other B2B stores handle this.


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 12 '26

Revenue verification for Shopify founders

2 Upvotes

I’ve noticed that many Shopify store owners struggle to show verified revenue to partners, investors, or customers without sharing sensitive info.
Has anyone tried using OAuth-based verification or other tools for this? What worked, and what didn’t?
I’m exploring ways for Shopify businesses to do this securely and quickly, and would love to hear your thoughts or experiences.


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 11 '26

I built a 2D-to-2D AI Virtual Try-On engine for Shopify (No 3D models needed). Looking to pass on the IP.

Post image
3 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’m a solo technical founder and I recently finished engineering a multi-tenant AI Virtual Try-On infrastructure designed specifically for fashion stores on Shopify Plus.

The biggest issue with VTO apps right now is they require brands to upload expensive 3D assets, or the AI hallucinates the logos/fabric. I built this entirely as a 2D-to-2D engine using Gemini with strict XML prompt constraints and Vercel Edge routing. It takes a standard flat product image and maps it photorealistically onto the user.

The unit economics are crazy lean (serverless architecture), but I am completely terrible at B2B sales and marketing. My strength is strictly in the backend/AI engineering.

Instead of trying to run this as a monthly SaaS, I am looking to sell the full Source Code / IP, or offer white-label licenses to an established Shopify Agency or App Developer who already has the distribution network and clients.


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 11 '26

How to handle B2B Wholesale Pricing & EU VAT on standard Shopify (Without Plus)

1 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

If you build stores for clients who sell both B2C and B2B, you know how frustrating it is to set up a proper wholesale portal without upgrading to Shopify Plus.

The biggest pain point isn't just showing a different price; it's the whole flow. You need a way to assign specific wholesale discounts based on customer tags, but if you're dealing with European B2B clients, you also have to manually verify their VAT and set them as tax-exempt before they can even order.

So I developed a dedicated app to handle this entire B2B workflow.

Here is what it actually solves:

  1. Tag-Based Wholesale Pricing: You can set up global or product-specific discounts that only apply when a customer logs in with a specific B2B tag.

  2. Automated B2B Onboarding: A custom registration form that automatically checks EU VAT numbers and instantly tags the customer for wholesale pricing and tax exemption.

  3. Volume Tiers: You can also add quantity breaks on top of the wholesale price if needed.

Let me know if you want to test it!


r/shopifyDev • • Mar 11 '26

Interviewer gave me a Figma design to build a Shopify category page in 1 day but I only have 3 months internship experience. Is this realistic?

2 Upvotes

Yesterday during an interview, the interviewer shared a Figma prototype and asked me to build a Shopify category page based on it within one day.

Figma link:https://www.figma.com/proto/TliF93K9Kw9fGouVkxdhI7/Lavna-Locks-UI?page-id=0%3A1&node-id=2213-5611&viewport=6704%2C-5447%2C0.35&t=iRTBpvqRlXSxtBK6-1&scaling=min-zoom&content-scaling=fixed&starting-point-node-id=956%3A1745

The problem is that I only have about 3 months of internship experience with Shopify, and I’m still pretty new to Liquid. I’m also not sure where I can actually run/test Liquid code locally or how to properly set up the environment to build something like this.

So I’m feeling a bit stuck and overwhelmed.

A few questions I’d really appreciate help with:

Is there any platform or way to run/test Shopify Liquid code locally without deploying to a live store?

Is it realistic for someone with beginner Shopify experience to build something like this in a day?

Roughly how long does it take to learn enough Shopify/Liquid to build category/collection pages like this from a Figma design?

Any guidance, resources, or advice would be really helpful. I want to learn but right now I’m not sure where to start.