Shopify Winter Editions 2024: Everything You Need to Know

Shopify just dropped their Winter Editions update, and it's packed with improvements that merchants have been asking for. From faster checkouts to better B2B tools, these updates are all about helping you run your business more smoothly and grow faster. Let's break down what's new and why it matters.

Performance Improvements Take Center Stage

Let's start with something everyone loves: speed. Shopify has put in some serious work to make everything faster, and you'll notice the difference right away.

The platform is running faster across the board, with cart loading speeds up by 50%. The admin dashboard loads 25% faster, and moving between pages is smoother than ever, with navigation speed increased by 12.5%. These aren't just numbers - they mean less waiting around and more getting things done.

Checkout and Cart Enhancements

We all know checkout is where the magic happens - or where sales can disappear if things aren't running smoothly. Shopify's latest updates tackle this head-on with some major improvements to both checkout and cart functionality.

Faster, More Flexible Checkout

- Your checkout pages now load a full second faster thanks to smarter loading of customizations

- Those handy accelerated checkout buttons? They're now 58.8% faster on product pages

- Carts stick around longer before expiring, giving customers more time to complete their purchase

- Split shipping is now available to everyone, and it works with your favorite fulfillment apps

Draft Order Improvements

- Price locking keeps your quoted prices stable until the order is complete

- Better compatibility with functions and bundles

- Your checkout customizations now work consistently across all draft orders

Enhanced B2B Capabilities

If you're selling to other businesses, you know B2B comes with its own set of challenges. Shopify's stepped up their B2B game with updates that make wholesale selling much more manageable.

Here's what's new:

- Customer accounts can now be customized specifically for B2B without coding

- Your B2B customers can handle their own returns

- New account setup can be automated with Shopify Flow

- Better tax handling for company accounts

- B2B-specific analytics to track your wholesale business

Marketing and Customer Experience

Getting noticed online is harder than ever, so Shopify's added some new tools to help you connect with customers and make your marketing more effective.

Customer Accounts and Marketing Tools

- New ways to personalize customer accounts without touching code

- Login pages that match your brand's look and feel

- Better email marketing with custom UTM tracking

- AI-powered quick responses in Shopify Inbox (if you're using English)

Shop App Improvements

- A more eye-catching feed featuring your brand colors and videos

- Shop Campaigns for everyone in the US and Canada

- New tools to win back customers who haven't bought in a while

Retail and POS Updates

For those of you running physical stores alongside your online business, there's plenty to get excited about in the POS updates.

What's new in store:

- Handle returns even without a receipt

- Split screen search makes finding products easier

- Sell bundles through POS

- Keep selling even when the internet's down

- Tap to Pay on more devices in more countries

- Better customer data integration in POS

International Commerce and Markets

Ready to take your store global? These updates make international selling less of a headache.

Going Global Made Easier

- Markets feature is rolling out to everyone

- Search works in more languages

- Better VAT handling in the EU and UK

- More shipping insurance coverage

- Option to include duties in your prices

Analytics and Operations

Good data helps you make better decisions, and Shopify's new analytics tools give you more insight into your business than ever before.

Better Insights and Management

- A new analytics system that lets you customize your reports

- Organizations feature for everyone (great for managing multiple stores)

- More control over what your team can access

- Sidekick AI assistant to help you out (in English)

Inventory and Fulfillment

Getting products to customers efficiently is crucial, and these updates make that whole process smoother.

What's improved:

- One unified system for handling fulfillment across your store

- Ship-to-store available for all plans

- Better rates on small packages with UPS

- Easier bulk label creation and shipping claims

What This Means for You

All these updates add up to some big improvements for your business:

1. Everything's Faster: Your store runs better, and your customers have a smoother experience.

2. More Flexibility: New shipping options and better draft orders help you serve customers the way they want.

3. Better B2B Tools: Running wholesale alongside retail just got easier.

4. Easier Global Selling: New tools make international sales less complicated.

5. Smarter Insights: Better analytics help you make smarter decisions.

Looking Forward

These updates show that Shopify's listening to what merchants need. Whether you're just starting out or running a complex operation, there's something here to help your business run better in 2024.

Want to make the most of these updates? Here's where to start:

- Check out the new checkout features

- If you do B2B, explore those new tools

- Try out the new marketing features

- Think about expanding internationally

- Dive into the new analytics