Previously, Shopify Plus brands used checkout.liquid theme files to customize their checkout experience and collect SMS subscribers. On February 13, 2023, Shopify announced that checkout.liquid theme files will be deprecated from the information, shipping, and payment pages as of August 13, 2024, and Shopify Plus brands will need to switch to checkout extensibility.
Checkout extensibility allows brands to streamline the customization of checkout by dragging and dropping app extensions into defined points of the checkout process.
To continue providing our merchants with a best-in-class experience, we built a Shopify checkout extension for SMS collection. With Postscript's checkout extension, you can:
- Confidently ensure compliant SMS opt-ins for all subscribers. Postscript's checkout extension populates TCPA language at checkout that meets the latest compliance standards.
- Provide a more personalized checkout experience by notifying subscribers if they're already subscribed to your SMS program.
- Boost your acquisition rate by collecting SMS opt-ins even during Shop Pay express checkout.
Postscript Checkout Extension Now Powered by Onsite Opt-In (OOI)
Our Postscript Checkout Extension has been upgraded to use Onsite Opt-In (OOI)—no more relying on “Reply Y” confirmations. With OOI, customers opt in seamlessly during checkout, creating a smoother, higher-converting experience.
This upgrade fully supports Shop Pay, ensuring a consistent opt-in flow across all checkout methods.
This article walks through how to add and customize Postscript's checkout extension and provides insight into the subscriber experience when they sign up for SMS via the checkout extension.
Add the Postscript Extension to Checkout
- From your Shopify Admin dashboard, select Settings in the bottom-left corner.
- Select Checkout and accounts on the left-hand side of the Settings menu.
- Under Customize your checkout, select the Go to Checkout Editor button.
- From the checkout editor page, select the + Add app in the bottom-left corner.
- Under Apps available for this page, select SMS Opt-In at Checkout Postscript SMS Marketing.
- By default, the Postscript SMS collection extension will populate on the right side of the Information Page.
- To move the extension to a different place on the Information Page, select the Postscript icon and drag and drop it to any point of the checkout process within the left-side panel.
- To move the extension to a different page, select the Information Page drop-down menu in the top center of the page.
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Choose the page you'd like to include the extension on, then select the + Add app button in the lower-left corner of the editor to re-populate Postscript. Move the SMS opt-in to any point of the selected page by dragging and dropping the Postscript icon within the left-side panel.
- To collect opt-ins with Shop Pay, click on the Postscript icon on the left panel, then select the Include app in express checkouts checkbox in the upper-right corner of the editor under App behavior.
- Once you've completed designing your checkout, select the Save button in the upper-right corner of the editor.
Customize Your SMS Collection Tagline
Below the headline Text offers within the SMS collection module, Postscript defaults the collection tagline to "Get the latest discounts and offers sent directly to your phone ✨". In this section, we'll walk you through how to customize this text according to your own brand voice and tone.
- On the left-side panel, select SMS Opt-in at Checkout. A setting panel will populate on the right-side of the checkout editor.
- Under Custom Tagline, enter the desired text for your SMS collection at checkout.
- Select Save in the upper-right corner to save any changes.
Understanding the Opt-In Experience
After updating Shopify checkout with the Postscript extension, brands can test the checkout process in the preview. When a subscriber opts in, they provide their phone number and then receive a one-time confirmation code via SMS. They're then prompted to enter the verification code.
After submitting the verification code, subscribers will have one of two experiences. If it's their first time opting in, they will see the green notification shown below:
If they have already opted in and are an existing subscriber, they will receive a notification that they're already subscribed and to keep an eye out for exclusive offers and info in the future, as shown below:
This opt-in experience works the same with both Shopify Plus Checkout and Shopify Pay.
Before You Go
This new opt-in user experience replaces the "Reply Y" experience, reducing the steps for subscribers to begin receiving promotions and other messages from merchants:
- Onsite opt-in allows brands to require that subscribers confirm their desire to opt into recurring SMS marketing messages by entering a confirmation code they receive via SMS. If the subscriber does not enter the confirmation code, then the number is not added as a subscriber. By employing onsite opt-in, brands can be sure to build a subscriber list that is verified and engaged, which ultimately will increase potential ROI while decreasing sending spend. Learn more about onsite opt-in here.
Get Support
Have questions? Please feel free to reach out to our wonderful Support team at support@postscript.io or via live chat. You can also submit a support request here!
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