"i only speak liquid" #29: B2B Customizations & Continuous Learning

Hey all 👋!

Welcome to 'i_only_speak_liquid' by Storetasker, where active Shopify developers like me (Roberto) share the learnings we face daily.

PS: I've been focusing my efforts on building my Shopify app, called Orbe, to make selling globally easier on Shopify Markets. I'm also a developer on Storetasker. Apply here if you want to join Storetasker's gated network of vetted Shopify developers.

What I’ve been thinking about:

As you may know, Shopify recently launched its B2B feature for Shopify Plus accounts, bringing native B2B capabilities to the platform. However, it's important to note that B2B selling on Shopify was already possible through various fantastic apps available in the ecosystem.

While the new native B2B feature comes with exciting APIs and functionalities, merchants often find the need to customize their storefronts when venturing into B2B selling. Here are a couple of examples:

• Streamlining the cart experience: Business customers typically purchase in larger quantities than individual consumers. It's beneficial to display variants grouped per product to optimise the cart page and drawer drawer rather than listing each variant as a separate line. This approach prevents an overly cluttered cart when dealing with multiple quantities.

• Enhancing the product page: For a smoother user experience, it's ideal to provide a way for businesses to add multiple variants at once. Implementing a quantity picker for each variant allows them to input desired quantities quickly. Some merchants have achieved this by developing a popup interface resembling an Excel sheet that appears when clicking buttons like "Add to cart" or "Select quantities."

While these tasks may seem straightforward, they require JavaScript and Liquid workarounds. Let's see some code snippets that demonstrate how to implement the quantity picker on the product page.

First, in the Liquid part of the code, a loop iterates over each product variant, generating a quantity picker interface for each variant.

In the JavaScript part of the code, an event listener is set up to handle click events on elements with the class "add_to_cart." When clicked, the script collects the selected variant IDs and quantities and sends a POST request to the Shopify cart endpoint to add the items to the cart.

3 links you can’t miss:

• Simplified extension versioning and deployment. Coming soon, you'll be able to release all your extensions simultaneously, directly from Shopify CLI. This is huge for all Shopify app devs, as it’s a waste of time.

• New Figma Developer Tools. Figma has released great features to help developers interact and understand the design to develop. If you use Figma with your clients, take the time to understand all the new features and let us know to designers.

• Storefront API is now available to non-channel apps. In case you miss it, Storefront API is now available for any app. This allows developers to create faster apps that are compatible with Shopify Markets or better interact with the storefront.

One app I like:

ReturnGO

ReturnGO is a one-stop solution for post-purchase management, automating everything from order tracking to returns and exchanges.

After working with several return apps, ReturnGO is the best product out there in the App Store. It helps provide customers with a branded, self-service return portal that makes it easy for them to initiate returns and exchanges. They’re even integrated with the most common solutions in any country and are super open to integrating with more local warehouses and carriers. If your clients want a return management solution, trust ReturnGO as your partner.

One learning as a freelancer:

I've learned that continuous learning is crucial as a freelancer. In the rapidly evolving world of technology, staying up-to-date is essential.

Especially with the rise of AI-powered tools like Shopify Sidekick, these advancements are transforming how we work and highlighting the importance of honing our skills to provide exceptional client value.

Tools like Sidekick exemplify how AI can automate tasks and provide valuable insights, freeing time to focus on more strategic and high-value activities. As a freelancer, this underscores the significance of staying ahead of the curve and embracing new technologies to remain competitive.

While the demand for Shopify expertise is promising, it's important not to become complacent. Technology trends change quickly, and it's vital to avoid stagnation.

As AI advances, embracing new technologies and expanding your skill set will be pivotal in delivering exceptional results. Clients increasingly value freelancers who can harness the power of AI to drive innovation, improve efficiency, and provide strategic guidance.

I hope you enjoy this issue. Reply to this email and let me know your thoughts :)

Speak in 2 weeks,

Roberto Aresena