Shopify App Beta Launch
by Philipp MuensToday I finally launched the Beta for the Shopify integration š„³
I went over to Reddit and Twitter to find some beta tests who are willing to test-drive the app on their stores.
Unfortunately Shopify had some hiccups right before I launched with their Admin panel which caused some issues during the app installation. Luckily enough those were resolved in a timely manner.
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Congrats! How did you organize the beta launch? Has your app already been reviewed by Shopify, but is not visible in the App Store yet? Or are you creating a "custom app" for each beta request?
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Thanks Lukasz!
That's a really good question. The Shopify App review process usually takes between ~15 and ~20 days. I'm currently getting all the resources together to enter the review process early next week (I should be done by Monday).The whole process is a little bit involved. That's why I decided to launch earlier with beta testers. Apparently Shopify doesn't offer something similar to Apples TestFlight. However after looking around I found this: https://community.shopify.com/c/Shopify-APIs-SDKs/Beta-process-for-unpublished-in-development-apps-in-real-stores/m-p/388218
The gist of it is that you can create a custom URL for merchants who can then use that URL to install the app.
What I did is I added a form on my landing page where the user can submit her Shopify store information. This form will then use that information to generate the install URL and redirect the user to the app install page. The install process is the same as if the user installed the app via the Shopify App Store.
The only thing one has to keep in mind is that Shopify will display a warning at the top of the screen that the app isn't reviewed yet. People joining the beta should be aware of that, otherwise they might churn (that's why I also added an E-Mail capture to follow-up if merchants churn during the install process).
In terms of Marketing I got the message out via Twitter and Reddit. I'm also active on Quora, trying to be helpful and providing value along the way.
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Oh, and do you remember when did you create your app in the partner dashboard? I used the same approach with my first app, but it's not possible with new apps. For apps created after October 2019 Shopify shows the following error message:
This app needs to be reviewed by Shopify before it can be installed. Contact the app developer for more information about this app.Take a look at this forums thread:
https://community.shopify.com/c/Shopify-Apps/New-App-Should-Be-Reviewed-Message/td-p/620135
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Interesting! Thanks for sharing!
I "recycled" an old app I created a while back. Maybe that's why it was still working. It's sad that that they've changed their policies. But I get that it's better in terms of security given the data you could potentially harvest and the damage you can do to a store.
Generally speaking I'd do things differently if I'd start all over again. Especially since Shopify displays a message that the app is not reviewed and one should trust the app developer before installing it. I'd simply capture the merchants E-Mail address and their Shopify store name and do a manual onboarding with them. That way you can also ask questions and see how and where they have struggles.
In fact I just changed my landing page to do just that.
Thanks again for sharing the link š
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If you recycled an old app then it makes sense that you were able to install it on production stores before review.
I remember that before my app was published around half of the visitors who filled in my install form were dropping off most likely because of the warning.
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Interesting! Thanks for sharing.
Yes, it's been a wild ride with a couple of unexpected obstacles. Shopify went down the exact moment when I started to spread the word on Reddit and Twitter. At the same time it's a really involved process to get everything ready for the review process.
I hope that it pays off. At the same time I'm wondering how one can validate and especially test a Shopify App Store idea given that it's not possible anymore to easily onboard users as beta testers.
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