Shopify 2024: our favourite features from their latest update

The leading eCommerce platform Shopify had recently released their latest update, with new features having been implemented in early 2024. The platform has launched a range of exciting features designed to enhance both the merchant and customer experiences. Click have done an analysis of all the pioneering new features, and have highlighted our favourites from their most recent update.

1.Updated product taxonomy

Shopify has updated their product taxonomy; now each standard product category is includes a detailed set of related attributes, including sub sectors such as:

• Activity the product can be used for
• The colour(s) of the product
• Targeted gender differentiation
• Product material

These new features make product creation easier, and simplifies the classification and organisation process.

2. Introduction of combined listings

Now, products that can be purchased in multiple product variations (such as style, or colour) can be merchandised under the same parent listing.

The Combined Listings app streamlines the merchandising process, and in turn improves customer experience, all without compromising on the ability to provide unique descriptions and characteristics for each product.

• Key features of the combined listings app include:
• Customisable product descriptions
• Image galleries for each variant
• Variant-level publishing controls
• Descriptive URLs

This new feature is designed to boost conversions by providing a visually engaging and convenient shopping experience.

3. New swatches for product listings

As search becomes increasingly visual, users are gravitating towards a preference of searching with visual elements, over text based elements. Which is why we love Shopify’s new addition of colour and pattern swatches for product listings.

This feature not only aligns with the evolving search behaviours of users but also enhances the overall browsing and decision-making process. By incorporating colour and pattern swatches, Shopify enables users to quickly and intuitively explore product variations, allowing them to make more informed purchasing decisions.

4. Semantic search

This innovative new AI powered search feature allows users to search using a more natural language, to get a broader and wider range of relevant results.

The feature goes beyond keyword research, and is designed to understand the intent behind user searchers – rather than focusing on the syntax. By leveraging both textual and visual data of products, this feature accurately understands whether products are relevant to customers’ search queries.

5. One-page checkout

Shopify’s innovative one page checkout feature ‘ShopPay’ is the highest converting one-page checkout system. Some of the impressive statistics of the feature include:

• Reduces buyer competition time by 4 seconds
• Checkout loading speeds have accelerated by up to 95%
• 15% higher conversion rate than competitors
• 644 million global customers
• 5.5 billion orders processes

Key features of Shopify’s one-page checkout include:

• Address autocomplete, flexible payment options
• Instalment payments
• Localised experiences
• Advanced security measures

6. More precise inventory locations

One of the new Shopify features allows you to build a more accurate inventory by syncing them with the regional marketplace that the orders are fulfilled. This new functionality empowers merchants to achieve greater accuracy in their inventory tracking, ensuring their inventory levels remain up-to-date across all channels, and minimising the risk of overselling or stockouts.

7. A more intuitive search for creator collaborations

The Shopify Collabs database allows merchants to recruit and discover creators, send direct email invites, and respond to collaboration applicants. Shopify has added to this feature, with new location and audience filters, and additional search options.

8. Smarter shop assistant

Shopify’s AI powered shop assistant uses ChatGPT to offer enriched product recommendations to customers. Through a conversation with the AI chatbot, shoppers can discover products that are best suited to their needs, using the shopping assistant to provide details about the kind of products they’re looking for, and receive suggestions.

9. AI-powered photography transformation

Shopify have enabled new AI image editing features, which allows you to edit the backgrounds of your existing images by:

• Generating new colours, images and assets
• Removing the background
• Match background with other images

This allows merchants to modify and improve the quality of their product images, without a working knowledge of the necessary design skills.

10. 3D product models

Shopify has introduced a groundbreaking 3D scanner feature on its iOS app. Leveraging Apple’s advanced technology, merchants are able to effortlessly create detailed 3D models of their products directly within the platform. This innovation aims to revolutionise online shopping by providing customers with immersive, lifelike representations of products, enhancing their confidence in their purchase and potentially reducing returns.

The user-friendly process requires no prior 3D modelling experience and can be completed in under 20 minutes, with no additional software, technology, or costs.

Summary & final remarks

Shopify’s latest update demonstrates their dedication to empowering businesses of all sizes to thrive in the competitive eCommerce landscape. The update has introduced a range of innovative features that promise to revolutionise the ecommerce landscape for both merchants and customers.