A General Guide to Third Party Apps

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What is an app? 

Apps, sometimes also referred to as an Application or Plug-in, is a type of software that can be installed on your Shopify store in order to perform a specific task. These tasks can be for adding extra features and functionalities to your store, or they can be used to integrate your Shopify account with external services. 

Why do you need an app?

Shopify is continually growing and updating the functionalities of the platform in order to improve the experience for both our store owners and their customers. However, we recognize that every business and its needs are unique, so there may be times when what your business requires to optimize performance isn’t yet built-in to the Shopify platform. Alternatively, you may already rely on an external company or software to fulfill an aspect of your business, and want to integrate this with your Shopify store to increase efficiency. Third-party apps offer a flexible solution for these types of tasks and can be a cost-efficient way to help you increase sales, scale your business, or improve store management.

Below are some Shopify Blog posts that discuss ways that apps can be used to improve, enhance or grow your business: 

• The 27 Free Shopify Apps to Help You Build, Manage, and Grow Your Store
• 13 Shopify Apps for Finding Products to Sell (Without Shipping Them Yourself)
• Five Ways to Grow the Average Order Value of Your Online Store
• Keep Them Coming Back: 7 Innovative Customer Loyalty Programs (And How to Start Yours)
  
  

Where to find apps for your Shopify store

The Shopify Partner Program is composed of many trusted developers who create apps specifically for Shopify stores. All apps go through a rigorous review process to ensure certain requirements are met; Once an app is approved, it is made available to all Shopify stores in the Shopify App Store. Check out this Shopify Blog to learn more about Our Commitment to App Quality in the Shopify App Store.

The Shopify App Store is easy to navigate. Entering a keyword about what you are looking for in the search bar at the top of the page will generate all possibilities available to you. Further filters to narrow down your search results are found on the left-hand side of the search results page, as seen in the example below when looking for an app to help increase sales through ‘Upselling’:

Once you find an app that interests you, click on it to find more information about what it offers, how it works and to read reviews about it from other store owners. Within the full description, you’ll find a link to an example store where you can experience the app in action. Pricing information, as well as free trial offers, are found here too. For further details about how app billing works, please see the help document on App Charges.

How to work with apps

When you’re ready to add an app to your store, click the green Add app button as seen below, and follow the prompts to install it on your store. 

If the app has a free trial period, you won’t be charged for the app until the trial time ends. Free trials are also a

great opportunity to test an app; in the event, it doesn’t fulfill your requirements, you can remove it before the free trial ends to avoid any charges and find one that is better suited for your business.

Once added to your store, all apps are listed within Apps on the left-hand side of your admin. It’s here that you can access each one of your apps to set up and customize it as necessary. Additional app actions, such as Delete, About and Write a review are also available within the Apps section and are discussed in the help document Working with Apps.

Who to contact for support with third-party apps

Most of the apps in the Shopify App Store are built by third-party developers, and so the best way to receive support for an issue involving an app is to contact the developer directly. 

Some apps are very intuitive and straightforward to use, while others may require guidance. Questions may arise about how the app works, unexpected behaviours can sometimes occur, or some store owners may just want to have a discussion about the app before moving forward with adding it to their store. Whatever type of support is needed, the app developer fully supports their product and will be more than happy to assist. 

You can contact the developer from the Apps section of your admin. Click Get support, as outlined in the help document Getting help with third-party apps, to initiate contact via a direct message to the app developer in order to get the help you need, when you need it. 

Of course, the Shopify Support team is always here for you too. While any specific assistance with a third-party app is best directed to the developer, Shopify Support is always happy to discuss your business needs and offer suggestions of apps that will get you on your way to achieving your goals. Contact us anytime!