This episode of The Shopify App Show is all about Pre-orders.

I’m lucky enough to be joined by Sandesh Kulai from Stoq. He lives and breathes the topic, and has built not just the toolset but pre-defined game plans for Shopify stores to drive more sales through pre-orders.

Like all the great founders we’ve talked to on this show, Sandesh hasn’t just built a set and forget product, he is working with his customers every day to help make his product better for them.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for pre-orders. It’s obvious that pre-orders can make a big impact on an ecommerce business, but they need all parts of the business, from warehouse & supply chain to marketing & customer support to all be aligned.

If you want to learn from the guru of pre-orders, you’ve come to the right place.

• [00:00] Introduction: Martin introduces Sandesh from Stoq and the "guru" status of his pre-order expertise.
• [01:42] The "Evergreen" Pre-Order: Case study of a truck parts store using pre-orders to manage thousands of SKUs without holding inventory.
• [03:00] Pre-Orders for Startups: Using pre-orders as a "validation engine" for new brands to gauge demand before manufacturing.
• [06:17] Building for the Shopify Ecosystem: The philosophy of building native apps that grow with the merchant.
• [08:49] The Power of Shopify Flow: Using custom automations and "Sidekick" to create bespoke merchant workflows.
• [11:09] The Human Element in Support: Why complex apps like Stoq require 24/7 human experts alongside AI.
• [14:27] Sponsor Break: The Support Heroes: A word from our sponsor on how to scale your app's support without drowning in tickets.
• [15:10] The "Built for Shopify" Standard: Sandesh’s experience being named one of the top 25 apps on the platform.
• [19:54] Navigating Inventory & Logistics: Solving the "Negative Inventory" headache and downstream fulfillment challenges.
• [24:19] UX and Customer Trust: Ensuring customers know they are pre-ordering at every step of the journey to reduce support tickets.

Thanks as always to The Support Heroes for supporting this episode, just like they support over 100 of the top Shopify Apps. If you're an app developer and want time back in your day, reach out to The Support Heroes to take over your customer support tickets with their dedicated service.

Resources & Links:

• Stoq on the Shopify App Store
• The Support Heroes (sponsor)

In this episode, we explore how Shopify's evolving discount landscape is being shaped by innovative apps like Discount Kit.

Sammy Isseyegh shares insights into the platform's capabilities, the importance of flexibility in promotions, and the future of commerce automation.

Key Topics:

• The shift from discount codes to automated, frictionless discounts
• How Shopify Functions enable powerful, developer-friendly promotions
• The role of metafields and storefront sync for customization and UX
• The significance of building apps that integrate seamlessly into the platform
• Opportunities around multi-market, location-specific discounts, and B2B
• The impact of Shopify's new AI and agentic commerce features on apps and merchants
• Best practices for balancing complexity with simplicity in promotion design

Timestamps: 

00:00 - Introduction to Shopify discount evolution and Sammy I’s background

01:02 - Are discount codes becoming obsolete? The debate

01:53 - The evolution of Shopify from Scripts to Functions and the developer challenge

02:18 - How Discount Kit fits the platform's expansion 

04:15 - Using Discount Kit as a cheat sheet for rapid experimentation

06:21 - The importance of Shopify-native data storage in app development

06:45 - Support Heroes’ role in enabling global customer support for apps like Discount Kit (plug for our Sponsor, The Support Heroes)

09:15 - Complex scenarios merchants face beyond standard discounting

10:07 - The challenge of explaining advanced discounts to customers

11:34 - Creative use cases and surprising implementations of Discount Kit

14:01 - The importance of storefront UX and dynamic promotional displays

15:12 - Innovations with Discount Kit Live for storefront data sync

17:27 - Putting discount data into Shopify metafields for flexibility

19:13 - Building better integrations with Shopify Flow and app ecosystems

21:50 - The significance of app data being accessible platform-wide

24:29 - How some developers reduce onboarding costs with flexible integrations

26:20 - B2B, markets, and multi-location discounts

28:50 - Customization challenges for geographically diverse stores

30:41 - Final thoughts: the importance of balancing technical power with UX and simplicity

Resources & Links:

• Discount Kit
• The Support Heroes (sponsor)

Connect with Sammy I:

• LinkedIn | Twitter

Enjoy this episode for a strategic look at how apps like Discount Kit are driving Shopify toward a more flexible, automated discount future—balancing technical wizardry with great user experience.

Everyone knows that bundles are a powerful tool in ecommerce. But for many, it can be an overwhelming topic.

In this episode, Prakhar from FoxSell Bundles shares his experience on the evolution of bundling technology in Shopify, operational challenges, and the exciting future shaped by AI and agent commerce. Whether you're a developer, ecommerce manager, or business owner, his perspective offers clarity on how to harness bundles for growth and innovation.

manager, or business owner, his perspective offers clarity on how to harness bundles for growth and innovation.

Main insights:

• Effective bundle strategies vary significantly by industry, with food, cosmetics, and fashion each requiring different approaches to maximize conversions.
• Starting with fixed, preset bundles based on customer reports and gradually evolving based on operational insights helps businesses adopt bundling without overwhelming them.
• Scaling bundles involves operational challenges like inventory management, preventing double discounts, and handling rapid sell-outs—solutions often require process adjustments.
• The future of bundling is intertwined with AI-driven agent commerce, emphasizing knowledge sharing between products and cross-store recommendations rather than UI complexity.
• AI's rapid evolution will make personalized, cross-store bundles more accessible, but brands need to adapt their processes and data integration.
• Shopify's ongoing improvements are crucial, such as native bundle reporting and component display on storefronts.
• The community in the bundle space remains collaborative, with competitors recognizing the value of shared knowledge and a large, growing market.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction: The importance of customization in e-commerce bundles
02:03 - Why FoxSell focused on native Shopify bundling APIs
03:11 - The difference between early app development and today's native tools
04:56 - FoxSell's value proposition: flexible, developer-focused bundling engine
06:39 - Communicating complex bundle features to merchants
07:26 - Strategies for onboarding and supporting agencies and developers
09:39 - What makes an effective bundle across different industries
12:55 - Overcoming operational challenges in scaling bundles
15:02 - The role of support teams like Support Heroes for app success
20:05 - The future of agent commerce and AI-driven bundling experiences
23:31 - How AI will shift from merchant-centric to shopper-centric bundling
26:19 - The evolution of FoxSell and staying relevant amidst platform changes
28:35 - Next features and improvements needed from Shopify
30:14 - Collaboration and competition within the bundle app ecosystem
31:33 - Final thoughts: The importance of community and innovation

Resources & Links:

• FoxSell – Official website
• Shopify API Documentation – Native bundling APIs and functions
• Support Heroes – Customer support for Shopify apps (proud sponsors of The Shopify App Show)
• Erika’s – Example of a successful bundle app brand

Connect with Prakhar:

• LinkedIn

• Twitter

Today’s episode of the Shopify App Show is as topical as they come.

Search has changed more in the last 12 months than in the previous 20 years combined.

Is the search bar now a chat box? Is it AI, curated, or algorithmic? Does the traditional "Results Page" even exist anymore?

The answers are changing daily. But one thing is clear: a new wave of apps is rewriting the rules of discovery.

My guest today is Sebastian Hooker, an ex-Google & Microsoft engineer who left the land of tech giants to build Nimstrata.

Nimstrata’s proposition is simple: it puts Google’s enterprise-grade search algorithms directly onto your Shopify store, powered by Google Cloud Vertex AI.

I learn something new every time I talk to Sebastian—and I’m sure you will too.

Every week, the Shopify App Show showcases the independent apps that are changing ecommerce.

Takeaways

• The search landscape in e-commerce is rapidly evolving, influenced by AI and changes to user behaviour.
• Nimstrata aims to democratize access to Google's search algorithms for Shopify stores rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.
• On-site search experience is crucial for converting visitors into customers, but not all stores need an enterprise tool to achieve this. A streamlined tech stack with essential apps can create a more powerful customer experience.
• Users are increasingly using conversational queries in search, changing how merchants should optimize their content.
• Data quality is foundational for effective search and merchandising in e-commerce. The future of UCP will require merchants to adapt their data structures and practices.
• Merchants need to be aware of the paradox of choice when presenting products to customers.
• It's essential to balance user needs with the fast-paced changes in technology.
  

Chapters

00:00 From Google to Nimstrata: Meet Sebastian Hooker

07:02 Nimstrata's Role in E-commerce Search

12:00 Personalization in Search: Enhancing User Experience

14:58 The Evolution of Search Queries

19:20 Conversational Commerce: Redefining User Interaction

22:36 The Paradox of Choice in E-commerce

26:14 Data Quality: The Foundation of Effective Search

27:12 The Future of Data Quality in E-commerce

33:32 Navigating Product Roadmaps in a Rapidly Changing Landscape

36:29 Innovations and Challenges in E-commerce Tools

43:06 Optimizing Your E-commerce Tech Stack

There haven't been many Shopify apps break onto the scene in the past few years with as much impact as Order Editing.

They have struck a formula to envy - a simple product with a failsafe value proposition. They're led by a couple of savvy founders who have grown their brand in public with that perfect balance of youth, authenticity and most importantly results.

Kiril is the tech guy behind the product, but he is just as comfortable behind the microphone. Surprisingly this is his first ever podcast but you wouldn't know it.

This is a must listen for anyone building digital products or apps, whether you're working agency side, client side or independently. Kiril is super generous with sharing his story and learnings as he evolved from being a designer to a CTO.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Kiril Climson and Order Editing
• 03:39 Evolution of Order Editing: Features and Growth
• 05:40 Expanding Beyond Order Editing by understanding Customer Needs
• 07:47 Scaling Development: Balancing Speed and Quality
• 10:05 Leveraging AI and Automation in App Development
• 12:34 Integration Challenges and Solutions
• 16:44 Innovating Address Validation for E-commerce
• 20:54 The Importance of Scoping Projects Effectively
• 23:35 Building no-bullshit analytics for apps

30:44 Future of AI in E-commerce and Shopify's Role

Takeaways

• The evolution of Order Editing reflects the growth of Shopify's API capabilities.
• Customer feedback is crucial for feature development and app improvement.
• Scaling a remote team requires trust and effective communication.
• Innovative features like address validation can enhance customer experience if delivered properly.
• Effective project scoping is essential to avoid wasted time and resources.
• Analytics in e-commerce is complex and requires careful planning.
• AI integration should be approached cautiously, considering Shopify's advancements. There's no point building stuff that is going to become outdated almost straight away, or become part of the platform.

Chatting with Josh Bitossi about Shopify POS is like talking to Steve Jobs about Apple. His knowledge as both a Shopify Alumni and indie app developer who has dedicated his expertise to building apps for Shopify POS.

Every episode the Shopify App Show chats with indie app developers who are breaking new ground across the Shopify ecosystem. Whether you are a business already using Shopify POS, you're considering a move to Shopify POS or are building stuff for POS yourself, Josh's insights are worth a million bucks. We discuss the challenges and limitations of Shopify POS, the importance of indie developers in driving innovation, and the future of scanning technology. This is not a product demo show!