Upgrade to Shopify Checkout Extensibility for Faster Checkouts: Deadline 13th August

After August 13, 2024, Shopify will no longer support the checkout.liquid theme file for the information, shipping, and payment pages (with further areas to follow in August 2025). You have 2 weeks to upgrade to Checkout Extensibility before checkout.liquid and your customizations are locked on the Information, Shipping, and Payment pages.

Checkout.liquid is no longer being updated with new features and is considered deprecated as of 2021. Because of the constantly shifting global standards, such as the adoption of PCI DSS v4 card industry requirements, checkout.liquid is less secure than Extensibility Checkout, and its support will be discontinued.

Starting August 14, 2024, at 11 am Eastern, shops that have not completed the upgrade will face restrictions, including:

• Shopify Payments payouts will be delayed to 5 days.
• Risk indicators for orders will be disabled.
• Checkout.liquid customizations will be locked, and no support will be provided.
• Payment gateways will be locked.

Folio3 Shopify experts can update your business’s information, shipping, and payment pages from checkout. Liquid to Checkout Extensibility before August 13, 2024.

Introducing the Shopify Checkout Extensibility

Checkout Extensibility is a set of robust system features that make it easy to modify your checkout, whether app-based, upgrade-safe, performant, or seamlessly connected with Shop Pay. It allows you to create no-code customizations using applications and branding tools and construct more unique checkout experiences utilizing our collection of components and APIs.

Eligibility to Upgrade to Shopify Checkout Extensibility

Upgrade to Checkout Extensibility to get access to these features and a faster, more secure checkout experience. If you need help with your upgrade, visit the Checkout Extensibility Upgrade board where you’ll find a complete list of resources, videos, and FAQs.

Upgrade to Checkout Extensibility is not available for all Shopify stores. This powerful new technology is now only available to Shopify Plus merchants. Shopify’s plan is particularly designed for high-volume businesses. If you have a lower-tier Shopify plan, you will not have access to the Checkout Extensibility features. 

However, if you are not yet on Shopify Plus, don’t panic. The current deadlines only apply to Shopify Plus stores, and Shopify is expected to create upgrade options for other plans in the future.

You can learn more about checkout’s latest releases in the Summer ‘24 Edition.

Shopify Merchants are Embracing Extensibility

With Checkout Extensibility, Shopify Plus merchants can now easily configure Shopify Checkout in a way that is app-based, upgrade-safe, higher-converting, and linked with Shop Pay for their in-checkout pages, which include their Information, Shipping, and Payment Pages. With the help of public apps and the new checkout editor, merchants can easily customize their checkout without requiring coding. Additionally, they have the option to create custom apps for more customized options.

Why Shopify is Depreciating Checkout.liquid?

Checkout.liquid is replaced by a new theme for checkout pages. By August 13, 2024, checkout.liquid customizations will not be supported for in-checkout pages. Before this date, stores that utilize checkout.liquid to personalize their in-checkout screens must update to Checkout Extensibility. If a checkout isn’t updated on time, it will immediately switch to a Shopify checkout that isn’t personalized.

Shopify Plus merchants can use checkout.liquid to further customize their post-checkout pages, such as the Order Status and Thank You pages. Folio3 Shopify experts can provide customization options for these pages in the future.

Shopify Checkout Extensibility vs. Checkout.liquid

Technology

It has a modern app-based framework with better security and stability. On the other hand, checkout.liquid is dependent on editing theme code, compatibility issues, and updates. 

Functionality

It offers multiple built-in customization options using apps and extensions, whereas checkout.liquid has limited functionality based on coding expertise and theme limitations. 

Customization

It has a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop features. Checkout.liquid is more complex in customization as it requires advanced coding knowledge. 

Ease of Use

It is more accessible for people who are not developers as it will have pre-built apps with a visual interface. Checkout.liquid requires coding expertise. 

Performance

It is designed for optimal performance with faster loading. Checkout.liquid has a slow speed due to the customization of the code and implementation. 

Reliability

Its app-based structure ensures fewer conflicts. Checkout.liquid requires fixes occasionally because of Shopify updates. 

Maintenance

In Shopify CE, store owners do not have to keep up with updates and maintenance, as these are handled by app developers. checkout.liquid requires manual maintenance. 

Tracking

It integrates with Shopify Analytics and third-party tracking tools, whereas checkout.liquid requires additional coding to implement tracking tools. 

Available Payment Methods with Extensibility Checkout

The new checkout accepts Shopify Payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Stripe as payment methods. 

Advantages of Extensibility Checkout

Free Checkout Blocks

Checkout Blocks is a free, easy, no-code way to build checkout customizations like custom fields and banners, custom discounts, advanced branding and more!

Improved Address Management

You can use APIs or leverage apps like Experian, Fetchify, and Address Finder to standardize and validate addresses in real-time at checkout. It helps improve regional shipping with more address fields, such as neighborhoods, and optional tax ID fields. Expedite checkout and avoid errors with prefilled and one-time-use addresses.

Enhanced Fulfillment Options

You can build custom apps that connect to any third-party pickup point network of your choice. Show customers when an order will be split into multiple shipments to give them more clarity and choice at checkout. It offers customers the convenience of picking up online orders at their preferred store, even if those items aren’t locally in stock – without custom code.

Speed and Conversion

Shopify Checkout Extensibility is built on cutting-edge platform technology, resulting in 2X faster checkout interactions and page transitions that enhance conversion rates by more than 1% on average.

Shop Pay Integration

Add any or all of your customizations to Shop Pay to provide a consistent experience for your consumers while taking advantage of Shop Pay’s 4X faster checkout process.

Checkout Features

When you upgrade to Shopify Checkout Extensibility, you can access new features, such as one-page checkout, Shopify bundles, stackable discounts, and more.

Up-to-date

Unlike with checkout.liquid, you never have to do a checkout upgrade again, allowing you to enjoy new checkout capabilities as soon as they become available.

Better Security

A set of Shopify UI components and APIs run in a sandboxed environment to enable the new theme for additional security. By upgrading to Checkout Extensibility, you can be better prepared for new payment card industry standards. It has PCI DSS v4 compliance.

Consistency

The Shopify CE theme is now accessible to Plus merchants on the Thank you and Order status pages. This allows you to improve your complete checkout process from beginning to end and stay consistent every time.

Is Your Shopify Checkout Ready Before August 13th 2024?

Change the way you personalize your Shopify checkout page. Previously, Shopify Plus merchants were limited by checkout.liquid layout for checkout customization. To change the page’s appearance and functionality, users had to create a checkout.liquid file and rewrite its code. 

Checkout Extensibility enables code-free customization. Merchants can totally avoid checkout.liquid; instead, they can seamlessly design their page directly in the checkout editor or via an app.

By the end of 2024, checkout page customization with Shopify will be streamlined. Extensibility’s app-based feature and integration with Shop Pay will help you add new features, such as upselling products on the checkout page, to boost the site’s AOV (average order value) without raising load times or encountering compatibility concerns.

Shopify guarantees automatic updates, ensuring the protection of your store from attacks and breaches.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Upgrade to Shopify Checkout Extensibility

Assess your Customizations

Locate the Report: To assess checkout customizations, log in to your Shopify admin panel and click on View customized report beside Upgrade to Checkout Extensibility at Settings > Checkout. This report will show you the customizations made to your checkout.

Review the report: The report provides information such as:

• Customization Category: Branding, validations, etc
• Customization Details: Name, description
• Source File: e.g. checkout.liquid
• Code Lines: Where the customization starts and where it ends
• Migration Guidance: How to recreate the customization in Checkout Extensibility

Analyze Thank You and Order Page

Review Installed Apps: Go to Settings > Apps and check for apps modifying the Thank You and Order Status pages.

Check Additional Scripts: In your Shopify admin, navigate to Settings > Checkout. Under Upgrade to Checkout Extensibility, click View personalized report. Review the Additional Scripts section under the Thank you and Order Status pages tab.

Plan and Prioritize

Timeline: The deadline for upgrading the Information, Shipping, and Payment pages is August 13, 2024. While the Thank You and Order Status pages have a later deadline (August 28, 2025), it’s best to start early. The complexity of your customizations will determine the upgrade time. Aim to get started now to avoid last-minute rushes.

Prioritization: Review the report and prioritize customizations based on their importance to your checkout experience.

Replicate Functionalities in Checkout Extensibility

Checkout Extensibility Features: Familiarize yourself with the features and functionalities of Checkout Extensibility. Shopify resources can help you understand how to achieve similar results using the new system.

Customization Replication: Use the report’s guidance to rebuild your customizations within Checkout Extensibility. This involves using the built-in features, installing third-party apps from the Shopify App Store, or developing custom apps for complex functionalities.

Potential Impacts of Missing the August 13th Checkout Extensibility Deadline

Failure to upgrade to Checkout Extensibility for core checkout pages (Information, Shipping, and Payment) by August 13th may disrupt your consumers’ checkout experience and create potential security risks in your store. 

Shopify is discontinuing support for checkout.liquid, thus your customizations will no longer work, leaving your checkout with an outdated design and missing functionalities. This may confuse customers and disrupt the entire checkout process flow, lowering your conversion rates. 

Without Checkout Extensibility’s improved security capabilities, your store may be vulnerable to data breaches, putting consumer information at risk and perhaps leading to compliance difficulties. Upgrading today guarantees your consumers a secure and seamless checkout experience, protecting your business and keeping a competitive advantage.

Checkout.liquid deprecation

Start planning your upgrade today

How Can Folio3 Help?

Customizing your Shopify store’s checkout page is critical to its success. The checkout page is the most important aspect of the overall shopping experience, and if you don’t optimize it, you’ll lose money. Folio3 partners with eCommerce businesses for Shopify development to customize their Shopify checkout pages. If you are dissatisfied with the appearance of your checkout page or wish to add new features, changing it is an excellent alternative. Contact us to hire Shopify experts to improve your business with Shopify Checkout Extensibility.