Why I Should Migrate To Shopify 2.0

When businesses bring out new versions of software it can often be interpreted in a couple of ways. Firstly, you'll have the users who are hopeful that the new version will fix any previous bugs or functionality. Secondly, you'll have the sceptics who will (usually on Twitter) denounce the brand for wanting to make more money from rehashing the same ideas. Lastly, you'll get the optimists who, quite rightly so, are excited to see what changes and new tools are available!

Shopify 2.0 is so much more than a 'rebrand', and we're going to explain why you should consider migrating.

It's Different & Deserves To Be Recognised

Online store 2.0 is not just another 'update'. It's not a new payment plan. It is a clever set of features that have been designed to strengthen the experience that current Shopify merchants experience on the platform. 2.0 will give shop owners the ability to edit and customise their own sites, this means it's easier to maintain your shop in the way you want. As we have mentioned before, the new version uses the Dawn Theme which will give you quicker loading times. Blocks and collection sections are easier to use, and there are improved tools so that your devs can work more efficiently.

I'm Happy With My Current Version, Why Should I Migrate?

Shopify 1.0 is by no means a 'bad' platform – remember, we are Shopify experts and we love working with all the different variations on offer! The main setbacks that can sometimes occur within the platform are related to how you want to run your online business, and what skills you have within your team. If you are a small brand with a highly skilled set of developers on board, you may be comfortable with working in a way that centres more around code. Therefore, when changing elements of your shop you don't mind sending details over to be translated into code changes in the digital store.

If you are a medium enterprise, especially if you are looking to upscale in the near future, this way of working can be more time-consuming. It can also be impacted if your team is running on dual/multi-skill members where devs are only working in this capacity for some of the time. Migrating to 2.0 means that people who are not as familiar with web development can be up-skilled fairly easily to use the new features.

One of the best features of Shopify 2.0 is the introduction of metafields that can be used straight away. This means that images can be uploaded with no APIs or coding. The checkout options for the new Shopify have also been improved, meaning that checkout apps can be added to your store – these allow merchants to apply discounts and really drive that intent to buy.

Sometimes in Shopify 1.0 the integrated apps are a little inflexible, even though there are thousands to choose from! As we mentioned earlier, if you have a strong web team, this is not always an issue, but if you are operating different you may have found it a bit of a barrier. So, in 2.0 the apps are designed to be in modular blocks, giving you more control about where and how your apps appear on your website. Combining this with the new UI on the theme editor – it neatly irons out those creases from version one.

In short; if you are a team with varied skills, if you are thinking of scaling up your business, or if you want to improve the ease of use on your website for both consumers and your staff. You should consider migrating your shop onto version two.

What If Another Version Comes Out Soon?

As with all software this can be something that makes you hesitate to migrate. Within Shopify 2.0 the Dawn Theme has been upgraded already, and so have other elements, but the overall new version of Shopify is still 2.0. As a business you can play the waiting game, then what happens in the meantime? Depending on your scale you could be losing money through less system efficiency and longer website loading times (turning away customers).

Am I Compatible To Migrate?

You can find out if your shop is compatible with migrating to Shopify 2.0 by visiting their website and reading their help guide. The TLDR is that many new online store features rely on JSON templates and so you may need to convert your current Liquid templates and code... sounds like hard work? We can look into this for you and talk you through the migration process in a simple, friendly way.

How Can Pear Digital Help Me?

We are experts in Shopify and other related areas. However, this doesn't mean that we'll be discussing things with you on a granular technical level from the start. If you want to know more about migration, and the points we've raised in this blog, please give us a call... because we're a family-run company who have a passion for improvement. We understand that you may be working to a tight budget, or you may not have the same knowledge as web developers, and we can break down the information in a clear impartial way. Giving you the power of choice.