Shopify Experts have Scripts for Shopify Plus

Shopify Plus has Scripts as a new feature, enabling subscription products to a new level for your shopping cart. Before continuing, check to see if your Shopify Plus Pricing or Plan is at the Shopify Plus level - this will not work otherwise. The basics of Scripts require a few components – A scripting Engine that can process the script, a language that the Script Engine can interpret/process, and the Script itself. Scripts can be timed or triggered so that commands can execute events, given that subscriptions are plans that consume events when subscribed, this is a very important capability in an eCommerce store. It is recommended that implementation like this requires project management alongside account management input to ensure the processes are well defined so that staff members can easily follow the Shopify flow and process. Shopify Scripts delivers a personalized experience for the audience in your Shopify Store where the cart can hold products and services for your personalized checkout areas in multiple currencies (with currency conversion rates configured).

Scripts are a powerful tool for front-end developers, web applications, and even for your digital marketing strategy. With Social Media being such an influencer in today's markets, web developers drive to have web designs that drive towards a digital marketing strategy, while business owners look for differentiated business models so that search engines can tune into their digital advertising and brand. While Shopify Scripts give you that additional business model option, social media marketing together with your Shopify developer can have a unique website design that can appeal and stand out from the competition.

What is the Script tool provided to Shopify Plus merchants?

In this enterprise-level platform, you will be able to create a script, debug it and use the Shopify API to interface with. Writing a script requires you to use the Ruby programming language for you to interface with the Shopify API. A Script Editor is available for you to build up your script. The Script Editor is available for Shopify Plus merchants and comes in the form of an App. Shopify Plus makes available template scripts to assist you with building, editing, debugging, and publishing your script.

Your script can run stand-alone, however, there are a couple of Apps it can interface with as well and are described in the below link.

https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/checkout-settings/script-editor/create

Shopify Liquid Templates Script Compatibility

Ensuring that your Shopify Theme is going to support your Script requires verification, not just compatibility but to ensure the Shopify Flow is preserved. Some Shopify Themes are already enabled to have this support, otherwise, you will be required to update your Liquid Template to add this functionality. In order to verify and ensure the support for Scripts, you can access this link to do this audit.

https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/checkout-settings/script-editor/update-liquid-templates-for-scripts

Shopify Script Limitations

Like all ecommerce platforms, limitations begin with the Ruby language, to which the developer would have to be fluent, or it will require a Shopify Expert. However, the main limitations are listed below.

• One Shopify Script Type can be published at one time. Line Item Scripts, Payment Scripts, Shipping Scripts are Types of Shopify Scripts.

• Up to 200 Shopify Scripts can be created.

• Draft Orders don’t work with scripts such as the ones listed above.

• MetaFields are not within reach of the Shopify Scripts.

• Shopify Liquid Cart Attributes are not available to Shopify Scripts.

• Discounts and Scripts aren’t compatible with how Scripts can reach the Discount Codes, totals, and information.

• Shopify Scripts can’t add an item to the cart or increase an item’s price.

• Shipping prices cannot be increased via Shopify Scripts.

• The maximum script limit is 24,576 characters long.

• Shopify Payments only!

For more limitations – please refer to https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/checkout-settings/script-editor/limitations

Shopify Plus Script API

As mentioned previously, there are 3 main Shopify Script Types, to which you can only run one at a time for each type. This requires good planning, and optimization gave the limitations of script size above. This is why it requires someone with a strong understanding of the Ruby language to write and deliver the Shopify Script. Additionally, given that scripts can affect the general experience of the shoppers online at multiple accounts – careful debugging, and ensuring that no action steps out of specification since the liability can be impactful. Here is the summary of each Shopify Script Type:

Line item scripts

Line item scripts affect line items in the cart and can change prices and grant discounts. These scripts are run when a change is made to the cart.

Line item: scripts that discount a subscription apply only to the first payment of the subscription. Subsequent payments are not discounted by the script.

Additional Information on Line Item Scripts: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/checkout-settings/script-editor/shopify-scripts#line-item-methods

Shipping scripts

Shipping scripts interact with shipping and can change shipping methods and grant discounts on shipping rates. These scripts run when the checkout reaches the shipping options page.

Shipping scripts that discount the rate of shipping a subscription apply only to the first payment of the subscription. Subsequent payments are not discounted by the script.

Additional Information on Shipping Scripts: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/checkout-settings/script-editor/shopify-scripts#shipping-methods

Payment Scripts

Payment scripts interact with payments and can rename, hide and reorder payment gateways. Note that payment scripts do not interact with payment gateways shown before the checkout screen, such as Apple Pay. These scripts are run when the checkout reaches the payment page.

Additional Information on Payment Scripts: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/checkout-settings/script-editor/shopify-scripts#payment-methods

Using Shopify Scripts for Subscriptions

Now that the above background on the architecture, access, restrictions, and capabilities have been laid out, getting to the Subscriptions is what store owners look for. Shopify has dedicated a section to how the use of Shopify Scripts can be used for a Subscription business model, only available in Shopify Plus.

https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/checkout-settings/script-editor/scripts-subscriptions

Doing a Subscription Business Model in a Shopify Store will require the use of all 3 types of Shopify Scripts:

Line Item Scripts used to identify the product and pay for the first pay-for-delivery only (no discounts can be applied). Charge for the entire amount of a prepaid subscription order. Shipping Scripts used to do the same as the Line Item Scripts with the same on Discounts. The Shopify Payment Script will take the said item and shipping and use Shopify Payments from the basket to process it.

Here are Subscriptions resource links

General Subscriptions Description for use in Shopify:

https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/products/subscriptions

Subscriptions Overview with Shopify: https://shopify.dev/tutorials/shopify-subscriptions-overview

Shopify Scripts API Reference Guide: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/checkout-settings/script-editor/shopify-scripts

Subscription Script Examples

Line Item: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/checkout-settings/script-editor/examples/line-item-scripts

Shipping: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/checkout-settings/script-editor/examples/shipping-scripts

Payment: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/checkout-settings/script-editor/examples/payment-gateway-scripts

Conclusion

While Shopify Plus has this capability, for subscriptions storeowners will have to get this programmed in for their products to be processed. Account Managers can manage the relationships with this service level subscription easily through both relationship management and the online store's admin, enabling a long-term relationship with clients. Part of the account manager's job would be focused on customer service, which the business model is focused on. If advice is required on how to go about it feel free to reach out to us at wish@thegenielab.com. Additionally, if you need to look into Shopify Experts, we have a Shopify Experts resource center to assist you with how to obtain the right assistance.

https://www.thegenielab.com/blogs/articles/shopify-experts-resource-center

https://www.shopify.com/partners/directory/partner/thegenielab

Related Shopify Plus articles:

Integrations with Shopify Plus for your eCommerce business: https://www.thegenielab.com/blogs/articles/integrations-with-shopify-plus-for-your-ecommerce-business

Migrating to Shopify Plus: https://www.thegenielab.com/blogs/articles/migrating-to-shopify-plus

Shopify Development for Shopify Plus: https://www.thegenielab.com/blogs/articles/shopify-development-for-shopify-plus

When to upgrade to Shopify Plus 2021: https://www.thegenielab.com/blogs/articles/when-to-upgrade-to-shopify-plus-2021

Shopify Plus for Black Friday Sales: https://www.thegenielab.com/blogs/articles/shopify-plus-for-black-friday-sales