Shopify Editions Summer ‘23: Everything You Need To Know

Introduction.

If you’re on Shopify, you would have recently noticed the shiny new admin, courtesy of their bi-yearly update. Announcing the launch of some long-awaited features, the Shopify Editions Summer ‘23 update was filled with AI, native apps and even one-click checkout. We watched the launch and went through all the docs with a fine-tooth comb so you don’t have to. Here’s a rundown of the top features you should get excited about.

1. Sidekick and Shopify Magic (AI Tools)

Shopify seemed most excited about Sidekick, a handy tool that combines AI technology with Shopify’s data, aiming to take tasks off your plate. Shopify claims that it knows absolutely everything there is to know about their platform. According to the e-commerce platform, “you can use everyday language to improve your store, tackle time-consuming tasks, and make smarter business decisions.” But what does this actually mean in practical terms?

Sidekick lives on the right-hand side of your Shopify admin and you can effectively ask it anything, from suggesting the best apps for your business to setting up a discount code for you.

Continuing on with AI, Shopify Magic has had some improvements. It can now help you write blogs faster, assist with email marketing, like subject lines and suggest optimal send times for the best performance. One handy new feature is the suggested instant answers that you can use to reply to customers in Shopify Inbox.

Although Sidekick isn’t quite ready for release yet, you can sign up for early access now.

2. Shopify Subscriptions (New App)

Subscriptions are fast becoming a major player in the e-commerce industry and with Shopify now jumping on the bandwagon, it doesn’t seem like they’re slowing down any time soon.

A native subscriptions app has been at the top of many users’ wishlists for a while now, given the faff of having to opt for third-party paid apps to manage their subscriptions.

For the time being, Shopify Subscriptions is best suited for simple subscription offerings, with more advanced subscription services still needing to use a third-party app from the Shopify App Store.

Despite this, if you’re looking to give subscriptions a try before jumping in head first, their new app is perfect for just that. Best of all? It’s free so you won’t have to pay for a third-party app. It gives your customers the flexibility to pause or skip orders, and update payment and shipping details directly in their customer account. Things at Shopify are always changing and improving, so there’s a good chance they’ll add features to this app as it gains in popularity.

Similarly to Sidekick, Shopify Subscriptions isn’t live yet, but you can sign up for early access.

3. Shopify Bundles (New App)

If you’re looking for a feature from the Summer Editions 23’ release that you can start using right away, it’s Shopify Bundles. It does what it says on the tin: a Shopify native app that allows you to easily create bundles. Customers can choose from options like size and colour, and you can also give them a discount for purchasing them as a bundle.

Utilising bundles is one of the best ways to increase your average order value, so if you’re not selling bundles of your product, it’s definitely worth looking into. What’s more, the app is completely free so there’s no harm in giving it a go.

4. New Checkout Features (Plus Only)

Shopify does love to gloat about their checkout – and for good reason. A third-party research study found that Shopify has the world’s best checkout, with conversion rates that outpace other popular e-commerce solutions by up to 36%.

Making sure to remain in that number one spot, they’ve released over 17 new APIs for developers and an impressive product roadmap, exclusively for Shopify Plus customers. Upcoming features include a one-page checkout (a highly anticipated update!), app integrations as well as additional checkout customisations like delivery methods and dates.

5. Flex Sections

Flex sections allow you to create custom layouts on Shopify quicker and easier than ever before. With this release, you’ll be able to drag and drop, re-size, group and edit sections however you want.

Shopify is leveraging CSS Flexbox, which allows for more multi-directional responsive layouts, and easy content alignment within sections of your store. You can also use Shopify Magic to help with any copywriting.

Unfortunately this feature isn’t available yet, but you can sign up to preview the update later this year.

6. Shopify Collective (Select US Stores Only)

With Shopify Collective, you can connect with other brands to sell their products in your store, giving customers a larger product selection while earning a margin on what you sell. It’s as simple as connecting with the brand and adding the product to your store, which takes a matter of minutes.

You don’t need to hold any stock and the brand does the shipping and handling for you. Plus the inventory levels are all synced with theirs, so you never have to worry about overselling.

It’s currently only available for select US stores, but there’s always a chance they’ll expand this feature globally.

7. Shopify Marketplace Connect App

If you’re looking to sell your products on marketplaces like Amazon or eBay, then this native app might just be your new best friend. After syncing your store to the marketplace, you can manage your listings, inventory, orders and fulfilment, all directly in Shopify. You can even use their bulk editor tool to edit listings quickly and easily.

Luckily for you, the Shopify Marketplace Connect App is now live so you can give it a try.

Conclusion.

With every Shopify Editions release, it’s clear to see why Shopify is the leading e-commerce platform and the ‘23 Summer update is no different. If you want a more in-depth introduction to all of the new features, we’d recommend watching this walk-through led by Glen Coates, Shopify’s VP of Product. Which feature are you most excited about?