The features and benefits of updating to Shopify OS2.0
Shopify is a leading ecommerce platform and is continually improving its performance and features to make running an online and in person store simple and easy. It was announced at the annual Shopify Unite (2021) event that a new way to edit Shopify websites was being released, using an advanced themed editor (Customise Admin Panel) called Online Store 2.0 or more commonly referred to as OS2.0. Not only would it provide better technical improvements and updates but would make the experience of creating themes and custom pages much easier and simple. A collective sigh of relief for all design agencies!
Me hearing this news!!
It is important to note, all Shopify websites currently being built by Lionsorbet utilise the new OS2.0 update.
Shopify’s long awaited Customise panel update has provided some much needed and requested features by designers and merchants including:
Sections on every page - Most vintage themes only had editable sections on the homepage. This has now been rolled out across pages, products and collections, allowing drag and drop sections to appear on any page template. This feature enables completely editable, bespoke designed pages.
Super fast preview - Updates and website changes can be viewed in realtime in the preview window in a faster, more responsive way. Click between standard, fullscreen and mobile editing views.
Codeless App Integrations - Install apps using drag and drop blocks in the customiser panel. Simple and easy to install and add apps to your website
‘Undo’ and ‘redo’ buttons - allows you to apply or remove changes easily in the preview window without having to save or re-built sections.
Collection Filtering - You can now offer filters for collections by price and availability amongst others.
Why should I upgrade to Shopify OS2.0?
If you are looking to migrate your website to Shopify or upgrade your existing website to online store 2.0 then let us delve a little deeper into the core features and why they are important.
1. Sections, Sections, Sections…
Did I forget to mention sections? OS1.0 themes have allowed store owners and designers the ability to create a bespoke Home page using a variety of installed section blocks. These can be dragged and ordered and styled to create the perfect page layout. Creating additional bespoke page layouts was problematic. There are some clever workarounds but they are time consuming and can be expensive to create.
Online store 2.0 for Shopify introduced a game changing feature for designers by allowing blocks to be added to every page template, product page and collection page. These blocks can be re-ordered and styled and then a page can be duplicated with ease to create multiple styled pages with galleries, sliders, videos and contact forms with ease. It’s a designer’s dream come true. We now have flexibility with our design, can expand our thinking and create more innovative and eye catching layouts to attract and engage customers.
2. Enhanced performance and speed optimisations
We all love a faster loading site and better performance for customers right? With page speed and Google’s core web vitals being an important part of site optimisation for website developers and SEO, Shopify online store 2.0 has had its architecture re-built to provide accelerated speeds throughout. Some features include:
up to 100% faster loading checkouts based on in-house tests
up to 50% faster page loading times based on in house builds against previous stores
New default ‘free’ theme called Dawn which upgrades the original Debut theme by offering online store functionality and 30-40% speed improvements for those looking to test Shopify at no additional cost.
3. Future proofing your website
To put it plainly the world moves with the new. As more and more merchants adopt the new OS2.0 functionality, apps, agencies, vendors and integrations will all start to spend their resources on what is rather than what was. This could lead to your current integrations and apps being phased out, deprecated or turned off as they become less profitable. Vintage themes will become more difficult and time consuming to support and search algorithms could penalise older and slower websites in favour of newer, faster, more responsive designs. If you can’t or don’t feel the need to update now, create a simple impact assessment for not doing it and what would it mean for your business if this stopped working or integrations failed.
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4. Metafields are the new Tags
Metafields have introduced additional and dynamic information into product pages without the need for additional apps. Adding information such as extended product specifications of dynamic labels to pages is straightforward to add in the customize panel to any template. We employ this at Jewellery Graphics to add information about the product for instance, Image size and dimensions, and License type, which are dynamically updated from the product metafields directly without the need for any apps. Prior to upgrading to online store 2.0 we couldn’t add this information in easily without a lot of extra work with alternate apps. The scope for these types of fields are hugely important for customer journey, information gathering and engagement.
Dynamic Metafields are used at Jewellery Graphics to display additional information about the product.
5. Customisable App Blocks
This feature is possibly the most useful of the upgrades. Implementing apps into Vintage OS1.0 themes requires code blocks added into the main template files. This requires some advanced knowledge of coding and if installed incorrectly can break your website or cause problems. Also determining the exact position of the app on the page was also a bit of hit and miss.
Online store 2.0 has solved the integration of apps by adding in app blocks that allow you to add an app into a page or product template with a simple click and then dragging into the position you want it on the page all using the theme editor customizer. Our recently approved Shopify Ring Builder App for live diamond display utilises these features in OS2.0 themes and makes installation of the app and set up quick , simple and easy. Allowing apps to have their own blocks makes removing and deleting apps easier too without the issues of having old or outdated code handing around your site.
Do I really need to Upgrade to Shopify OS2.0?
In brief no! Your website isn’t going to all of a sudden break and Shopify will continue to support OS1.0 Vintage themes for the foreseeable future. While the decision to upgrade is ultimately yours, it's crucial to consider the long-term implications of staying on an aged theme architecture. With OS1 becoming outdated, you may encounter compatibility issues with new apps and themes, and your website's performance may suffer as a result. Additionally, maintaining an older codebase can potentially expose your website to security vulnerabilities, which may compromise sensitive customer information and damage your reputation. What is the real cost of this over time? Increased support and maintenance, loss in customers and revenue and not keeping up to date with your competitors. Remember it’s not just a lick of paint, to recap, this upgrade ensures:
Enhanced Performance
OS2 has been designed with a focus on speed and efficiency, providing your website with faster loading times and improved responsiveness. This means happier visitors and a higher likelihood of conversions.
New Features
OS2 comes packed with an array of exciting new features, including advanced customisation options. These features will empower you to create a more engaging and personalised shopping experience for your customers, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Future-Planning & Sustainability
By upgrading to OS2, you ensure that your website remains compatible with the latest technological advancements and industry standards. This reduces the risk of compatibility issues, security vulnerabilities, and outdated codebase, giving you peace of mind and minimising potential downtime or disruptions.
To avoid future complications and unforeseen costs, we strongly recommend upgrading to OS2. We will be more than happy to assist you throughout the process, ensuring a seamless transition and minimising any impact on your business operations. At the very least you should consider financial provision for future costs and issues. Setting aside some funds on a monthly basis to ensure if the time comes and you need to upgrade you can do without the financial burden.
How much will it cost to upgrade to Shopify OS2.0?
The cost will vary on who is doing the work e.g. in-house designer vs Agency. Also the amount of pages, blogs and content you have that needs upgrading, plus any custom features, code and apps that you have integrated. We have found a standard site requires about 1 week of work to cover the full upgrade but some sites with additional features and content can go way beyond this. We provide a tailored audit for each website that needs upgrading and cost breakdown to ensure the customer knows what is involved.
Additionally if your site is older or a little tired you may want to add a design refresh and update into the project. This may include, complete theme updates, new sliders and graphics, photography and brand elements to make the experience more enjoyable and memorable for your customers.
Determining your Shopify theme architecture version
To determine if you need to consider an upgrade or not, it is important to know what version of Shopify your theme currently is. View the Shopify Theme Architecture Version Guide for a comprehensive overview of understanding your theme version. Our quick tip is to log into the customise panel, navigate to your pages dropdown and see if there is a ‘Create Template’ option. If there is, you should have an OS2.0 theme. If missing you most likely have a Vintage Theme.
From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Themes.
Find the theme that you want to edit, and then click Customize.
Open the drop-down menu at the top of the page.
Select Pages > Default product. This opens the default product template.
Look in the sidebar, below the product template sections. If you have an Online Store 2.0 theme, then an Add section button appears below the section list.
If no Add section button appears, then you might have a vintage sectioned theme or a vintage non-sectioned theme. Follow the steps in Determine your vintage theme architecture version to learn which vintage architecture version your theme is using.
If you can Create a New Template in pages dropdown you have an OS2.0 compatible theme.
How do I upgrade my Shopify Website to Online Store 2.0?
Shopify has provided an excellent OS2.0 Upgrade Guide which walks you through the process and options for upgrading your current website theme. Although is isn’t mandatory to upgrade, the features and improvements listed above make it a worthwhile update to your existing e-commerce store. In brief there are a few simple ways to upgrade and include:
Browse and download a Shopify OS2.0 theme from the Theme Store: The new themes have been re-built to include all Shopify online store 2.0 features.
Update your current theme version: If you have a purchased theme, look for a new, updated version of the theme and download. In most cases we have found them to be free upgrades and you can re-built your website alongside your existing live theme until you are ready to launch. If you use a designer or agency to manage your website, contact them to discuss your options.
Manually migrate your current installed theme: Add the new OS2.0 features and functionality to your website by updating and migrating your current theme templates to the new architecture. This is a little more involved but if you follow Shopify’s guidelines you can get set up in no time.
NOTE: Any customisation / code changes to your original theme will not be automatically applied to the new version / theme selection. If your new theme choice does not fully satisfy your requirements then website design and development expertise will be required.
Need Help with your Upgrade?
If you are on an OS1.0 Vintage Theme or are unsure what steps to take to update your current theme contact our team to discuss your options. Lionsorbet specialise in building beautiful, feature rich Shopify websites for luxury brands. Please get in touch and arrange a consultation with us
