Integrate Existing Shopify Storefront into a New, Separate App

Shopify Apps

Topic summary

Goal: Embed an artist’s existing Shopify merch store inside a new promotional app (as a tab/page/widget) so fans can browse and buy.

Key approaches suggested (question deemed too vague for a single “best” answer):

  • Custom Storefronts: Use the Storefront API plus additional SDKs to build a bespoke shopping UI inside the app, pulling products/collections and handling checkout.
  • Lightweight embeds: Use Buy Buttons or product/checkout permalinks to quickly surface products and route to Shopify checkout from within the app.
  • Sales Channel: Build a sales channel integration where your app presents the merchant’s catalog; alternatively, embed a UI portion of that channel (e.g., via an iframe) inside the musician’s app.

Definitions:

  • Storefront API: Shopify’s API for querying products, collections, and creating checkouts for custom UIs.
  • Buy Button: Embeddable component that adds products and links to Shopify checkout.
  • Permalinks: Direct links to products or pre-filled carts/checkout.
  • Sales Channel: An app-based surface that lists/sells a merchant’s products outside the online store.

Status: No single prescribed solution; explore the linked Shopify docs. Discussion remains open.

Summarized with AI on January 9. AI used: gpt-5.
1

Hi there!

I work with musicians and other creative artists to build apps that help promote them and their events. Many of these musicians have existing Shopify storefronts to sell their branded merchandise, e.g. band t-shirts, gig stickers, etc. A frequent request from a given musician is to integrate their existing Shopify merch shop into the new promotional app that we build for them.

I’m wondering what Shopify’s suggested approach for this is? Ideally we’d like to have the band’s Shopify merch shop appear as separate tab/page/widget/etc within the app we build for the musician. Is this possible? What tools, SDKs, etc would you suggest for getting this done?

Thanks for any help!

2

Hi @richardrauser Recognize your question is VERY vague in terms of knowing what specific features to use.

Broadly for stuff to dig through: Custom storefronts, and or it’s additional SDK’s , or tangentially sales channels

Storefront api, buy buttons, or permalinks

https://shopify.dev/docs/custom-storefronts

https://shopify.dev/docs/custom-storefronts/additional-sdks

There’s also sales channels, where it’s “your” app/platfrom that presents the merchants products.

Or roundabout it’s is the merchants app but they embed a UI part of the sales channel for their app; like an iframe.

https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/selling-strategies/channels

It’s a lot of ground to explore, Good Luck.