Are you launching a Shopify store, managing a catalog of thousands of SKUs, or preparing a migration from WooCommerce or Magento? This FAQ brings together the 30 most frequently asked Shopify questions that Stellar Projects, a Shopify agency, has received from experts since 2018. They are grouped into seven themes (apps, configuration, payments, compliance, development, logistics, multi-channel). Each answer is concise and directly actionable, with a link to the complete guide if you want to delve deeper. Stellar supports more than 200 Shopify brands (Wyve, Caillou Paris, Bienaimé, Charlotte Make Up) and publishes new practical content for e-merchants every week.
Table of Contents
Applications and Shopify Apps
The Shopify App Store has over 8,000 applications. Choosing the right ones avoids paying for duplicate functionalities and slowing down your store. Here are the top six questions merchants ask us.
What is the best app to integrate an Instagram feed on Shopify?
To display an Instagram wall on your homepage or a brand page, the three market leaders are Instafeed, Foursixty, and Socialwidget. Instafeed remains the quickest to install (less than five minutes) and the lightest option for Core Web Vitals scores. Foursixty also allows you to tag products in posts to turn your feed into a shoppable storefront. Socialwidget is interesting if you combine Instagram and TikTok in the same grid.
Complete Guide: Integrating an Instagram Feed on Shopify
What is the best data export app for Shopify?
Matrixify is the de facto standard for bulk exporting and importing Shopify data: products, customers, orders, metaobjects, redirects, metafields. Its main advantage is its support for large files (several GB) and its native integration with Google Sheets. At Stellar, we use it for 100% of our inbound migrations and catalog redesigns. Lighter alternatives for ad-hoc needs: Bulk Export or Matrixify.
Complete Comparison: Best Shopify Export Apps
What is the best shipping app for Shopify?
To automate shipments and reduce time spent on generating labels, the three leading apps are Sendcloud, Shippo, and Boxtal Connect. Sendcloud is the most mature choice in Europe with native connectors for Colissimo, Mondial Relay, Chronopost, and DHL. Shippo is relevant for brands that primarily ship to the United States. Boxtal Connect is suitable for French small businesses that want to compare carriers without commitment.
Complete Guide: Best Shopify Shipping Apps
What is the best translation app for Shopify?
For international sales, Shopify natively integrates Translate & Adapt, which covers the needs of most brands (manual or automatic translation, multi-language management per market). For advanced needs (editorial workflow, human translator validation, glossary), Weglot and Langify remain the paid references. For large multilingual catalogs, we recommend Weglot for its admin interface designed for marketing teams.
Comparison: Best Shopify Translation Apps
How to integrate Instagram Reels into my Shopify store?
Three possible methods. The simplest: use Foursixty or Socialwidget, which support Reels as a dedicated feed format. The most controlled: manually embed each Reel via the official Instagram embed on a Shopify page (Liquid plus iframe). The most performant for SEO and CRO: host videos as MP4s in Shopify Files and display them with a native HTML5 player, which avoids dependency on Instagram and boosts loading time.
Complete Guide: Integrating Instagram Reels on Shopify
How to create a beauty diagnostic on my Shopify store?
A beauty diagnostic (skincare quiz, skin type, personalized routine) is a powerful lever for engagement and conversion for cosmetic brands. Three apps cover this need: Octane AI (the most complete, conversational), Shopify Forms coupled with simple conditional logic, and Heyday by Bold. At Stellar, we built the Bienaimé quiz on Octane AI with a completion rate of 68% and an average basket size multiplied by 2.3 for users who complete the diagnostic.
Complete Guide: Creating a Beauty Diagnostic on Shopify
Product Configuration, Listings, and Navigation
Catalog and navigation configuration determines SEO quality, site speed, and conversion rates. The questions below come up in almost all our redesign projects.
What is a Shopify metafield and how to use it?
A metafield is a custom field that you add to a product, collection, customer, order, or page. It's an indispensable tool for enriching product pages with structured data: ingredient, composition, size in cm, material, certifications. Metafields are managed from Settings > Custom data and then displayed in the theme via Liquid. Combined with metaobjects, they allow modeling complex data without custom development.
Complete Guide: Shopify Metafields, Enriching Product Pages
What is a Shopify metaobject and what is it for?
Metaobjects are custom data objects (introduced in 2023) that allow you to create your own content types: a tutorial category, a list of physical stores, customer testimonials, product FAQs. Unlike metafields, which attach data to an existing Shopify entity, metaobjects are autonomous and reusable across multiple pages. They are now the cleanest way to manage structured editorial content in Shopify without a third-party application.
Complete Guide: Shopify Metaobjects, Customizing Your Data
How to create an effective mega menu on Shopify?
A mega menu is a multi-column dropdown menu that displays the main categories and subcategories at a glance. On recent Shopify themes (Dawn, Sense, Origin), the mega menu is native via classic navigation. For advanced needs (images, featured collections, promo banners), apps like Meteor Mega Menu or Qikify Mega Menu are the most used. Golden rule: no more than 7 main entries in the menu, otherwise conversion drops.
Complete Guide: Creating an Effective Mega Menu on Shopify
How to optimize my Shopify store's images?
Image optimization is the most cost-effective lever for improving Core Web Vitals and Shopify SEO. Three practices to apply: 1) use the WebP format (30% higher compression than JPEG without visible loss), 2) serve dimensions adapted to the device via Liquid's srcset attribute, 3) compress images before import with an app like TinyIMG or Crush.pics. A well-optimized product page loads in under 1.5 seconds on mobile.
Complete Guide: Optimizing Your Shopify Store Images
What are the best merchandising practices on Shopify?
Digital merchandising consists of organizing products to maximize perceived value and conversion. Four proven rules: 1) prioritize collections by margin and rotation, not alphabetically, 2) display badges (new arrival, best seller, low stock) to create urgency, 3) personalize display order based on visitor history via Shopify Search & Discovery, 4) plan bundles and upsells on key product pages. Product pages enriched via metafields convert on average 18% better than generic pages.
Complete Guide: Shopify Merchandising, Optimizing Your Listings
Payments, Taxes, and Shopify Finance
The financial management of a Shopify store covers payment gateways, commissions, financing tools, and gift cards. The six questions below cover the essentials that a merchant needs to understand.
What is Shopify Payments and how to activate it?
Shopify Payments is Shopify's integrated payment gateway, powered by Stripe in the background. Enabled by default on most plans, it accepts credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Shop Pay. The main advantage: no additional Shopify transaction fees (unlike third-party gateways like Stripe or Adyen where Shopify takes an additional 0.5 to 2%). Activation takes two minutes from Settings > Payments, provided you have a Kbis or equivalent.
Complete Guide: Understanding Shopify Payments
How much does Shopify Payments cost in France?
Shopify Payments fees vary depending on your plan. Summary for a European bank card:
- Basic (36 EUR per month): 1.5% + 0.25 EUR per transaction
- Grow (105 EUR per month): 1.3% + 0.25 EUR per transaction
- Advanced (384 EUR per month): 1.1% + 0.25 EUR per transaction
For cards outside Europe, expect at least 2.7% + 0.25 EUR. Check the Shopify pricing page for the latest updates. Important to note: if you use Shopify Payments, no additional Shopify transaction fees are charged, unlike other gateways.
Fee details: How much does Shopify Payments cost?
How to create a gift card on Shopify?
Gift cards have been native to all Shopify plans since 2020. To activate them: Products > Gift cards > Add gift card product. You can set available amounts (e.g., 10, 25, 50, 100 EUR) or let the customer choose a custom amount. Three best practices: 1) create a custom card design (transparent PNG image) to strengthen the brand, 2) add a personalized transactional email, 3) display the gift card on the homepage during peak periods (Christmas, Mother's Day). At Stellar, we measure a gift card conversion rate 4 times higher in November and December.
Complete Guide: Creating a Gift Card on Shopify
How to simulate payments to test my Shopify store?
Before launching your store, it's essential to test the entire purchase funnel. Shopify provides a native test mode for this: Settings > Payments > Manage > Test mode. Once activated, you can use the fictitious card number 4242 4242 4242 4242 with any future date and any CVV. All orders appear in the admin with a "Test" tag and are never charged. Remember to deactivate test mode before the actual launch.
Complete Guide: Simulating Payments on Shopify
What is Shopify Capital and how to qualify for it?
Shopify Capital is Shopify's internal financing program. Instead of a traditional bank loan, you receive a cash advance (between 200 and 1,000,000 USD depending on your history) which is repaid automatically via a fixed percentage of your daily sales. No interest, just a fixed total cost communicated upfront. Eligibility: at least six months of Shopify history with consistent revenue. The offer is automatically proposed when you are eligible (in the Finances > Capital tab) and requires no application.
Complete Guide: Using Shopify Capital to Finance Your Growth
What is Shopify Balance and who is this tool for?
Shopify Balance is a professional bank account integrated with Shopify, available in the United States since 2021 (and gradually rolling out in Europe). It offers a physical and virtual debit card, a dedicated IBAN, and most importantly, instant access to your sales revenue without waiting for Shopify Payments payouts. For growing brands, it's a valuable treasury tool that avoids cash flow disruptions between sale and collection. France availability: roadmap in progress, not yet active as of today.
Complete Guide: Shopify Balance, the Integrated Pro Account
To learn more about express checkout and its effects on conversion, discover everything you need to know about Shop Pay.
GDPR, Legal, and Compliance
Legal compliance is non-negotiable for a French store. Two topics concentrate most of the questions merchants ask us: the General Terms and Conditions of Sale (CGV) and the privacy policy.
How to manage the CGV (General Terms and Conditions of Sale) on Shopify?
The General Terms and Conditions of Sale (CGV) are mandatory for any French e-commerce store. Shopify does not provide them by default: it is up to you to draft them or to use a specialized lawyer. Three methods for integration: 1) create a dedicated page Online Store > Pages > Add page and link it in the footer, 2) add a "I accept the CGV" checkbox on the checkout via Settings > Checkout > Checkout language, 3) provide a CGV page adapted for B2B sales if you sell to professionals. Stellar works with lawyers specialized in e-commerce to produce solid and up-to-date CGV.
Complete Guide: Effectively Managing CGV on Shopify
How to integrate a privacy policy on Shopify?
The Privacy Policy describes how you collect and use your customers' personal data. It is mandatory under GDPR. Shopify generates a default template accessible in Settings > Policies, but this template must be adapted to your reality: analytics tools used, third-party cookies, transfers outside the EU, subcontractors. Once the page is edited, it is automatically linked in the footer and on the checkout. For brands that collect a lot of data (newsletter, loyalty program, quizzes), we recommend an annual review by a DPO.
Complete Guide: Shopify Privacy Policy
Development and Technical Customization
For brands pushing Shopify to its limits (custom frontend, marketplaces, advanced B2B), five topics come up repeatedly: headless commerce, Hydrogen, GraphQL, development environment, and Liquid.
What is headless commerce and how to implement it on Shopify?
Headless commerce involves decoupling the front-end (the customer-facing interface) from the back-end (the Shopify engine). You keep Shopify as your commerce engine (catalog, carts, payments, shipping) but build the front-end with a modern stack (Next.js, Nuxt, Remix). Advantages: superior performance, unlimited design flexibility, native support for composable architectures. Disadvantages: high initial development cost (3 to 6 times more than a classic Shopify theme), heavier technical maintenance. Relevant for annual revenue above 5 million euros.
Complete Guide: Headless Commerce Shopify, Definition and Implementation
What is Shopify Hydrogen and how to use it?
Hydrogen is Shopify's official headless framework, launched in 2022 and based on React and Remix. Coupled with Oxygen (Shopify's dedicated cloud hosting), it allows for building a native headless storefront with pre-wired components on Shopify APIs (Cart, Product, Customer). Hydrogen is free and open-source. It is particularly suitable for brands already committed to the Shopify ecosystem that want full control over the storefront without managing third-party infrastructure. Stellar delivered the headless redesign of Caillou Paris on Hydrogen plus Oxygen.
Complete Guide: Shopify Hydrogen, creating a headless store
How to use GraphQL with Shopify?
Shopify exposes two main APIs: the REST Admin API and the GraphQL Admin API. GraphQL is the recommended path by Shopify since 2024 (the REST API is in maintenance mode). Advantages of GraphQL: you request only the fields you need (performance and bandwidth gains), explicit mutations to modify data, strict schema that catches errors before production. The main tools to get started: GraphiQL App, Postman, and official SDKs (Node, Ruby, Python).
Complete Guide: using GraphQL with Shopify
How to set up a Shopify development environment?
A local development environment allows you to modify a theme or develop an app without affecting the production store. The current standard is Shopify CLI, the official command-line tool. Installation in one command (npm install -g @shopify/cli), then shopify theme dev to launch a local server connected to your development store. Coupled with a development store (free store reserved for developers), this is the setup all Shopify Expert agencies use.
Complete Guide: setting up a Shopify development environment
What is the Liquid template language?
Liquid is the templating language created by Shopify in 2006 and used in all themes. It is a simple language, based on tags ({% if %}, {% for %}) and objects ({{ product.title }}). It allows dynamic display of your store's data within the theme's HTML. Liquid is now used by WordPress, Salesforce, Mailchimp, and other CMS. To learn Liquid, the official Shopify documentation is exhaustive, and front-end developers can master it in a few days.
Complete Guide: the Liquid template language on Shopify
Logistics, orders, and Shopify POS
For brands that combine online and physical sales, or that manage high volumes, four questions regularly arise: exporting orders, choosing the right Shopify POS payment terminals, identifying compatible terminals, and testing performance.
How to export your Shopify orders in a few clicks?
Shopify offers a native CSV export from Orders > Export, with a choice of date range and format (Excel-friendly by default). For more advanced exports (complex filters, custom columns, automatic recurrence), Matrixify is the benchmark. Common use cases: monthly accounting, BI reporting to Power BI or Looker Studio, export for the accountant, feeding an ERP. The native Shopify export can reach its limits beyond 50,000 orders; Matrixify handles hundreds of thousands of lines without issue.
Complete Guide: exporting your Shopify orders
Which payment terminals are compatible with Shopify POS?
To sell in-store with Shopify POS, two payment terminals are compatible in France: the BBPOS WisePad 3 (portable Bluetooth reader, approximately 59 EUR) and the Stripe Reader S700 (standalone terminal with screen, approximately 350 EUR). Both accept contactless bank cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay. For more structured points of sale (flagship store, multiple checkouts), Shopify also offers the POS Go, an all-in-one terminal with an integrated scanner and receipt printer.
Complete Guide: which payment terminals for Shopify POS?
Which payment terminals are compatible with Shopify POS in 2025?
Beyond native Shopify payment terminals, some third-party manufacturer terminals work in conjunction. iZettle (PayPal) and SumUp can be used in parallel for external operations (market, trade show) but do not integrate directly with Shopify stock. For total integration (unified stock, shared customer records, consolidated sales), only official Shopify or Stripe payment terminals are truly suitable. 2025 roadmap: Shopify has announced support for new compact terminals for European markets.
Complete Guide: compatible Shopify POS terminals in 2025
How to test your Shopify store's performance?
Three essential tools for measuring Shopify performance: PageSpeed Insights (Google, free), GTmetrix (detailed waterfall analysis), Shopify Web Performance Report (under Online Store > Themes > Edit code > Performance). The three key metrics to monitor are Core Web Vitals: LCP (Largest Contentful Paint, less than 2.5s), CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift, less than 0.1), and INP (Interaction to Next Paint, less than 200ms). A well-optimized Shopify store scores 85 and above on mobile and 95 and above on desktop.
Complete Guide: testing your Shopify store's performance
Multi-channel, marketplaces and B2B
To move from single-channel to multi-channel, brands must integrate marketplaces, subscriptions, B2B, and customer account migration. The six questions below cover the most frequent cases.
How to sell on eBay with Shopify?
Three approaches to synchronize Shopify and eBay. The simplest: use a synchronization app like Codisto, LitCommerce, or CedCommerce eBay Integration. The most controlled: native eBay integration (deprecated by Shopify in 2022, replaced by third-party apps). The most advanced: use middleware (Channable, Lengow) that synchronizes several marketplaces at once. Watch points: unified stock management, price alignment, automatic product sheet translation, understanding eBay rules (delivery times, returns, seller scores).
Complete Guide: selling on eBay with Shopify
How to integrate Shopify with Amazon?
Shopify and Amazon integration follows the same principle as for eBay: a third-party app orchestrates synchronization. The most used in France: Codisto (multi-marketplace), ChannelEngine (B2B oriented), SellerCloud. The main challenge on Amazon is product sheet compliance with the marketplace's strict rules (standardized titles, mandatory EANs, images on a white background). Once synchronization is in place, Amazon becomes a complementary acquisition channel, particularly relevant in DACH and the UK.
Complete Guide: integrating Shopify with Amazon
How to launch subscriptions and monthly boxes on Shopify?
Shopify natively offers Shopify Subscriptions (free) since 2023, covering 80% of simple needs (product subscription, regular frequency, customer management from their account). For more advanced needs (complex pricing logic, build-a-box, mixed subscription and one-shot), the paid references are Recharge (market leader), Bold Subscriptions, and Loop Subscriptions. Recharge charges approximately 99 USD per month plus 1% on recurring payments.
Complete Guide: Shopify for subscriptions and monthly boxes
How to export customer accounts from Shopify?
Customer export is done natively from Customers > Export, in CSV format. You can filter by tag, status (order placed or not), creation date. For large or recurring exports, Matrixify remains the benchmark. Typical use cases: synchronization with an external CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce), import into Klaviyo for specific segments, regular backup for GDPR or accounting purposes. Warning: the export contains personal data, conservation and access must be secured.
Complete Guide: exporting customer accounts from Shopify
How to migrate customer accounts to Shopify?
Migrating customer accounts from another CMS (WooCommerce, Magento, PrestaShop) is a critical step in a redesign. Three methods: 1) native Shopify CSV import (limited to 50,000 lines, no order history), 2) Matrixify which supports multi-GB files with custom mapping, 3) custom development via the GraphQL API for tailored migrations. Major watch point: passwords are never transferred (different encryption) and each customer must reset their password on first login. Stellar has successfully migrated over 80 stores while preserving order histories.
Complete Guide: migrating customer accounts to Shopify
How to sell B2B on Shopify?
Since 2023, Shopify natively integrates B2B functions into Shopify Plus: dedicated customer catalogs, specific pricing, payment terms (net 30, net 60), purchase order processing, multi-user accounts per company. For brands without Shopify Plus, third-party apps like Wholesale Gorilla, Bold B2B, or BSS B2B provide some of the functionalities at a lower cost. Stellar supports several brands in their Shopify Plus B2B deployment, particularly in fashion and cosmetics.
Complete Guide: selling B2B on Shopify
How Stellar can help you
Stellar Projects is a Shopify Expert agency founded in 2018 by Florian Pohl and Volkier Bentinck. We support ambitious brands throughout their Shopify store's lifecycle: creation, redesign, migration from another CMS, SEO and CRO optimization, Hydrogen headless development, B2B and Shopify Plus implementation, team training.
Our conviction, structured in the STELLAR Method: a lasting e-commerce brand is built through architecture, not reaction. We publish practical content weekly and the book "Creating Your Brand in the AI Era" (Florian Pohl and Volkier Bentinck, 2026) records our complete approach.
If you have a Shopify question not covered in this FAQ, or if you want to discuss a project, contact us directly. Response within 48 hours by a Shopify expert.
Quick Shopify FAQ
Five very frequent questions, each with a one-sentence answer.
How much does Shopify cost in 2026?
Shopify plans range from 36 EUR per month (Basic) to 384 EUR per month (Advanced), with a 3-day free trial and a first month at 1 EUR. Shopify Plus starts around 2,100 EUR per month.
How long does it take to create a Shopify store?
A simple store can be launched in 7 to 14 days with a theme from the Theme Store. A custom redesign with Liquid customization and app integrations requires 8 to 12 weeks.
Do you need to be a developer to use Shopify?
No, Shopify is designed to be used by merchants without code. A developer is useful for customizing the theme, integrating complex apps, or developing custom features.
Is Shopify good for SEO in France?
Yes, provided best practices are followed: enriched content, speed, structured data, internal linking. Our Shopify SEO guide covers the essentials.
How to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify?
WooCommerce to Shopify migration is done via Matrixify or via the official Shopify Migration app. Allow 1 to 3 weeks for a clean migration with URL and customer account preservation.