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Online Store 2.0: Launching a New Theme Architecture for Developers

Shopify's strength is that it unifies all commerce onto a single platform. Merchants can build and customize one online store, or theme, and sell in multiple places. Across channels and locations, from social media to online marketplaces.

Online Store 2.0 was a theme architecture that allowed merchants do more without code. In order for merchants to enjoy Online Store 2.0, we needed ecosystem developers to make some changes. We needed theme developers to build JSON templates into their themes. App developers needed to update their apps with theme app extensions. Raising awareness of Online Store 2.0 with agencies was also important.

I helped to launch a variety of products as part of Online Store 2.0. This included 'sections on every page', app blocks, metafields and a new developer tools.

Nikki
Product Marketing Manager
Me
Product Marketing Manager

Problem

1. There is a huge ecosystem of Shopify developers. We needed tailored messaging that would resonate with three different developer audiences. We also needed to reach a variety of channels and touchpoints.

2. Shopify ask for many third party (3P) updates so that themes and apps continue to integrate well. This delayed timelines for 3P partners, who were already frustrated with Shopify marketing. Some 3P partners felt they weren’t getting enough support and compensation. This led to delays in the uptake of 2.0 infrastructure, that later affected merchants.

Outcome

We organized over 30 marketing materials from live events to online resources. We designed and tested them to encourage the adoption of Online Store 2.0, as well as express gratitude. The result was better sharing between 1P and 3P teams and earlier recognition of issues. We also had higher click through rates on the Shopify Theme Store.

Objectives

1

Drive adoption of JSON templates among existing theme developers on the Shopify Theme Store.

2

Drive adoption of theme app extensions among app developers on the Shopify App Store.

3

Raise awareness of Online Store 2.0 among developer agencies who work with merchants.

Personas

App Partners
Theme Partners
Agency Partner

App Partners

App partners build apps for use on the frontend or backend of a merchant’s store. For example, showing reviews to customers, or supporting backend functionality like shipping. These developers sell their products to millions of merchants on the Shopify App Store.

Responsiblities

  • Follow Shopify requirements for installation, onboarding, functionality, and quality.
  • Support merchants that have issues with their third-party apps.
  • Make apps Online Store 2.0 compatible.

Challenges

  • No structured, end-to-end solution for apps to easily integrate with themes.

  • Building integration logic for every existing theme is tedious. It’s hard to build app features that work consistently across all themes.

Theme Partners

These partners build and maintain paid themes in the Shopify Theme Store. They’re ecommerce experts and have teams of 10-20 designers and developers. They often sell apps as well as themes.

Responsiblities

  • Follow Shopify requirements for installation, onboarding, functionality, and quality.
  • Support merchants that have issues with their third-party themes.
  • Make themes Online Store 2.0 compatible.

Challenges

  • No standardized workflow for building themes. 
  • Keeping up to date with platform changes.
  • Handling support requests, particularly from the impact of apps.

Agency Partner

Full-service professional developers or small agency teams. These partners that are closely bought into the Shopify ecosystem. They support merchants with performance and migrations, and sometimes brand new features.

Responsiblities

  • Building and maintaining storefronts. 
  • Front-end development.
  • Setting up integrations.
  • Building private apps and adding new features.
  • Migrations to Online Store 2.0.

Challenges

  • The amount of time spent on performance.
  • Inefficient workflows and painful incremental work (e.g. creating sections from scratch).
  • Helping non-technical clients make small updates to their store.

Competitive Analysis

First we needed to determine our position in the market. We were introducing a variety of features with Online Store 2.0. We needed to know if we were catching up with competitors or taking the lead. This would vastly impact messaging.

I looked at how competitors positioned themselves. For example, how technical their target audience is and the language they used.

I also a feature matrix to understand how well they were really competing. This was particularly important for how we positioned the developer experience.

Interviews

We wanted to bring in new developers as well as work with existing ones to adopt Online Store 2.0 features. This would help us build the Online Store 2.0 theme and app catalogue more quickly.

I interviewed developers on competitor platforms like Wix and Squarespace. The goal was to understand their challenges and motivations.

Segmentation

My research led to the first substantial breakdown of developer audiences at Shopify. Previously our messaging had only targeted developers who already knew Shopify. This segmentation allowed us to target different developer audiences with unique messaging.

We captured new segments like the ‘assemble only’ developer. I also learnt about merchant developers and how they manage updates. In the short term, it informed the design of three emails that went to different groups of agencies. 

Strategy and Project Management

I designed and implemented the Go To Market (GTM) campaign of a new theme architecture, Online Store 2.0. This required positioning for eight developer and merchant audiences.

I aligned multi-disciplinary product teams, 3P theme partners, adjacent marketing orgs and creative teams. Together we created over 30 marketing assets.

Unite 2021

In June Shopify ran a developer centred conference to highlight major product releases. This was the big go to market date we had been waiting for.

An important part of the campaign was an email drip that would raise awareness of Online Store 2.0 after event. We added a fourth developer group of developers not in the existing ecosystem. We designed the other developer emails to encourage the adoption of Online Store 2.0. They also expressed gratitude.

Take a look at some of other materials

Shopify Unite 2021 | Online Store 2.0: investing in products for developers

Introducing Online Store 2.0: What it Means For Developers

How to use JSON Templates with Shopify Themes

Shopify.dev/themes

Impact and Results

A year after the developer launch,

  • There were 81 Online Store 2.0 themes on the Shopify Theme Store.
  • There was regular, informed discussion in our agency communities about Online Store 2.0.