Customizable children’s books on Shopify are feasible using product customizer apps that collect character options (name, hair/skin/eye color) and pass them with the order. Suggested options: Custom Product Builder and Kickflip Product Customizer.
Automation limits: The apps capture inputs but do not auto-generate multi-page book files. Producing a version of the book that reflects the chosen character across all pages remains the merchant’s responsibility (i.e., separate production workflow or custom solution).
Integration need raised: A participant wants end‑to‑end automation via a web‑to‑PDF pipeline and Print on Demand (POD, e.g., Lulu), asking for plugins or a no‑code/API connector to link customizer apps to external APIs (API = Application Programming Interface). They seek a UI-based integration to avoid custom coding.
Current status and outcomes:
Hi,
I want to start a webshop with childbooks, where customers can customize the main character of the book by haircolor,skin, eyecolor etc.
Is there an app that can do this or is this not do able on shopify?
So the storybook is already made by me, customers can only change the characters look & name.
Hey, @Ley1987
Great question. This would in fact be possible by utilizing a Product Customizer app that you can install into your Shopify store. This will give customers the ability to customize your product (the book) by filling out information that will be forwarded to you when the order is processed.
Check out Custom product builder or Kickflip product customizer as these apps should suit your needs. If there is anything else I can help you with, please let me know.
@Dirk thank you for your response. Can this also be automated to be adjusted simultaneously on every page of the book? Or would I have to manually adjust the book with each order? I mainly see Shopify apps applied to a single product, but the book has multiple pages that need to be modified. Manually would be too much of a work.
Great question. If you sell a product, let’s say it’s called “Adventure Book” and then you use one of these customizer apps. You will be able to set that particular Adventure book that gets customized. It would be on you to determine how you are publishing/producing the product to match the customers customized features.
If there is anything else I can help you with, please let me know.
I am looking to do the same thing. I am hoping to automate the book creation process by utilising a web-to-PDF API or SASS/plugin-app combination to then send off to an Print on Demand service like Lulu. Can you recommend any plugins which could help me connect something like ‘Custom product builder’ or ‘Kickflip product customizer’ to external APIs? Do you have something like an API connector or something with a UI to save manually coding it?