Are you ready for Shopify 2.0?

I am sure by now you have heard all about Shopify 2.0 and are beginning to realise that it isn’t just a passing fad. You still might not understand what all the hype is about though so let me take you through it!

The BIG advantages of Shopify 2.0

Sections everywhere

In a Shopify 1.0 Theme you might find that you had lots of sections on your homepage you could turn on and off but none or almost none everywhere else like your page and product templates. Meaning you had to choose your theme super carefully as your layouts were really predetermined. Depending on your theme you were likely to not be able to move these sections around either.

With a Shopify 2.0 Theme you have lots of different sections available throughout all the different content types, content pages, homepage, product pages – everywhere. Even better you can customise or changes options on each section and change its position (some limitations may apply depending on the theme) so you can get the exact look you are after!

Creating duplicate templates (just a fancy word for layouts) is also a breeze in 2.0 it literally happens with the click of a button.

Faster load times

There has been a streamlining as part of the development of Shopify 2.0 with the new technology comes what we think really is considerably quicker page load times! It is agreed upon by everyone we know that has made the leap from 1.0 to 2.0 that the page load times are a lot quicker.

Easier app integration

Most apps (if they are even required) can be installed in your theme by clicking a button. What makes it even better is once the apps are installed as part of your theme you get app sections. This means that just like the other sections already included in your theme you can adjust settings and locate them pretty much anywhere you like! Trust us – it’s super easy!

Metafields integration

I make no secret of how much I love metafields! They are an absolute GIFT when it comes to large product ranges, easily categorising things, easily having product content updated or having a brilliant selection of filters. Metafields are now seamlessly integrated into Shopify 2.0 themes and depending on your theme you can use them in some pretty epic ways. You can create some awesome store filters removing the need for a separate app to do this and so many more ways!

So – How do you know you are ready to make the switch?

Let me first start with if it ain’t broke don’t mess with it – a rule I learned very early on building websites. If you have a Shopify 1.0 store that is working like a dream, converting well and lightening fast you have at this stage no reason to switch across!

Some of the things to keep an eye on that indicate you might need to make a decision to move across to a Shopify 2.0 Theme.

Your site is slow, pages take ages to load and you have time to make a cup of coffee when you hit the checkout button.

Apps, apps everywhere – if you have lot of apps installed on your site to make it look or behave in a certain way this is not only likely to be costing you lots of money but is probably contributing to a slow site speed. By carefully choosing a Shopify 2.0 theme you are likely to eliminate the need for a lot of these extra apps. This means that the paid apps you remove will save you money and effectively “pay” for your theme purchase.

You are starting to pay big sums of money for custom coding by developers to make your site look or behave a certain way, or to update your site contents on a regular basis. We love developers especially when we need something done a certain way once or twice. But we hate the thought of you having to pay $1000’s of dollars regularly to update your own site. This also comes into play if you want control over all aspects of your site. Shopify 2.0 is awesome for this.

You want the latest features like video’s in your product pages but located in a certain position. You want a heading but in a specific spot not right at the top of the page. Hello sections! We promise sections will be your best friend!

You may start to find that the apps you want to use are not fully compatible with your Shopify 1.0 theme and store. As more and more apps and themes are being developed specifically for Shopify 2.0 and as developers focus on this, support and updates for Shopify 1.0 themes and apps will start to diminish and this means you may begin to run into difficulties with compatibility and future feature and security upgrades.

It really is all food for thought and honestly you are the only one that can make the right decision for you and your store.

Keep in mind that our Magical Unicorns are here for you if you want to discuss how feasible it is for you to move your website from Shopify 1.0 to Shopify 2.0 or if you want us to do the move across for you – including picking our brains on what your perfect theme is just reach out to us here.

Want to set up own Shopify 2.0 Store? Make sure you register HERE.

Want to know why we made the switch from WooCommerce to Shopify and became Shopify Partners? Read our why HERE.