E-Commerce Integration: Shopify

Business Goal 1: Automatically sync Contact information in Shopify and AELYST.

Business Goal 2: Manage orders and carts by sending customers messages and keeping agents up-to-date on status changes.

Prerequisites for integrating AELYST with Shopify using Zapier

Shopify uses email as the required Zapier identifier for contacts. To send information between AELYST and Shopify, you’ll need to:

• ensure you have Contacts’ email addresses in AELYST. To automatically collect Contacts’ emails in AELYST, consider using Workflows.

• ensure customers check out with an email address. To do this, go to Shopify Settings > Checkout and accounts > Customer contact method > select email.

Automatically sync Contact information in Shopify and AELYST

Check if you have the necessary Contact identifiers and settings for your Zaps to work.

Understanding Contact Syncing Logic

There are four tasks that you can automate in order to sync contacts.

Sending data from AELYST to Shopify

• Create a customer in Shopify when a new Contact is added in AELYST.

• Update a customer’s information in Shopify when it is updated in AELYST

Sending data from Shopify to AELYST

• Create or update a Contact in AELYST when a new customer is added in Shopify.

• Create or update a Contact’s information in AELYST when a customer is updated in Shopify.

Create a customer in Shopify when a new Contact is added in AELYST

When a new Contact is added in AELYST, the Zapier template will automatically search for that contact in Shopify using the email as the identifier. These are the expected outcomes.

Method

• Use a Zapier template

How-to

Use this template:

• Add new AELYST contacts as Shopify customers.

Template Configuration

AELYST Trigger - New Contact

First, follow the steps to set up a AELYST Zapier integration here and set up your AELYST trigger.

Test the trigger and continue to the next step.

Filter Action

Filters by Zapier and multi-step Zaps are only available on Zapier’s Starter plan and above.

Create a Custom Field in AELYST and name it Contact Note.

Only continue if…

• Contact Email exists in AELYST. This is because Shopify uses email as a required identifier for Zapier.

• Select +And to add Contact Note in AELYST does not contain #shopify. This is necessary to prevent a Zap loop due to Zapier’s limitations on contact syncing.

Formatter Action

Last name is required by Shopify to complete a Zap. This action will fill in the last name field if AELYST Contacts do not have a last name on record. Most of the configuration is already done by the template. Simply fill in “Unknown” or any other default value you want to use.

Shopify Action - Find Customer

Select your Shopify account and continue to set up the action. Map the name and email fields to identify the Contact > choose Yes for the step to be considered a success when nothing is found > tick create Shopify Customer if it doesn’t exist yet.

Map the fields to be filled in for the newly created customer.

• Fill in email and last name (mandatory fields).

• Fill in the Note field with #respond to prevent Zap loops (this is case sensitive).

• Choose any other fields you want to add.

• If you have Custom Fields in AELYST that match certain Shopify fields, consider mapping those as well.

Update a customer’s information in Shopify when it is updated in AELYST

When a Contact is updated in AELYST, the Zapier template will automatically search for that contact in Shopify using the email as the identifier. These are the expected outcomes.

Method

• Use a Zapier template

How-to

Use this template:

• Add new AELYST contact updates to Shopify customers

Template Configuration

AELYST Trigger - Contact Updated

First, follow the steps to set up a AELYST Zapier integration here and set up your AELYST trigger.

Test the trigger and continue to the next step.

Filter Action

Filters by Zapier and multi-step Zaps are only available on Zapier’s Starter plan and above.

Only continue if…

• Contact Email exists in AELYST. This is because Shopify uses email as a required identifier for Zapier.

Formatter Action

Last name is required by Shopify to complete a Zap. This action will fill in the last name field if AELYST Contacts do not have a last name on record. Most of the configuration is already done by the template. Simply fill in “Unknown” or any other default value you want to use.

Shopify Action - Find Customer in Shopify

Select your Shopify account and continue to set up the action. Map the name and email fields to identify the Contact > choose Yes for the step to be considered a success when nothing is found > tick create Shopify Customer if it doesn’t exist yet.

Map the fields to be filled in for the newly created customer.

• Fill in email and last name (mandatory fields).

• Fill in the Note field with #respond to prevent Zap loops (this is case sensitive).

• Choose any other fields you want to add.

• If you have Custom Fields in AELYST that match certain Shopify fields, consider mapping those as well.

Shopify Action - Update Customer in Shopify

Map the fields you want to fill in to update customer in Shopify.

• Choose Shopify Customer ID as the customer identifier.

• Fill in Last Name with the Output value from the Formatter step.

• Choose any other fields to be updated.

Create or update a Contact in AELYST when a new customer is added in Shopify

When a new customer is added in Shopify, the Zapier template will automatically search for that contact in AELYST using email as the identifier. These are the expected outcomes.

Method

• Use a Zapier template

How-to

Use this template:

• Add new Shopify customers as AELYST contacts

Template Configuration

Shopify Trigger - New Customer in Shopify

Choose your connected Shopify account and test the trigger.

Filter Action

Only continue if…

• Note in Shopify does not contain #respond. This is necessary to prevent a Zap loop due to Zapier’s limitations on contact syncing.

Filters by Zapier and multi-step Zaps are only available on Zapier’s Starter plan and above.

AELYST Action - Create or Update Contact in AELYST

First, follow the steps to set up a AELYST Zapier integration here.

To prevent a Zap loop, add a Custom Field in AELYST and name it Contact Note.

Map the fields you want to add for the AELYST Contact.

• Choose Email as the Identifier Type.

• Fill in the Contact Note field with #shopify (this is case sensitive).

• Fill the other fields with the information you want from Shopify.

Create or update a Contact in AELYST when a customer is updated in Shopify

When a customer is updated in Shopify, the Zapier template will automatically search for that contact in AELYST using email as the identifier. These are the expected outcomes.

Method

• Use a Zapier template

How-to

Use this template:

• Add new Shopify customer updates to AELYST contacts

Template Configuration

Shopify Trigger - Updated Customer in Shopify

Choose your connected Shopify account and test the trigger.

AELYST Action - Create or Update Contact

First, follow the steps to set up a AELYST Zapier integration here.

Map the fields you want to add for the AELYST Contact.

• Select email as the Identifier Type.

• Fill the other fields with the information you want from Shopify.

Manage Orders and Carts with AELYST and Shopify

If your customers are AELYST Contacts and you have their email, you can send them instant messages about their Shopify orders and notify agents about customers’ order status. First set up Contact syncing so your customers are more likely to be in both places.

For channels like WhatsApp and SMS, you will also need to have the customer’s phone number.

Check that you have the necessary Contact identifiers and settings for your Zaps to work.

Benefits of Managing Orders and Carts with AELYST and Shopify

• Keep customers informed about their Shopify orders over their preferred messaging channel

• Track customer activity and send tailored messages to prompt purchases

Methods

• Send customers instant messages related to their orders using Zapier.

• Send abandoned cart messages to prompt customers to complete their Shopify purchase using Zapier.

• Update AELYST Contacts’ Shopify order status using Zapier.

Send customers instant messages related to their orders using Zapier

This can only be done if the customer is a AELYST Contact and you have their email. For channels like WhatsApp or SMS, a phone number is also required.

How-to

Use this template to send a message to a customer when they make an order in Shopify:

• Send messages via AELYST for new Shopify orders

Use this template to send a customer a receipt for their Shopify order:

• Send AELYST messages for new Shopify paid orders

Use this template to send customers messages about changes to their order status:

• Send messages via AELYST for newly updated Shopify orders

Template Configuration

The configuration is similar for all of these templates.

Shopify Trigger

Select your Shopify account, test the trigger and continue.

AELYST Action - Send Message

First, follow the steps to set up a AELYST Zapier integration here.

Map the fields accordingly:

• Identifier Type: Choose email

• Identifier Value: Choose Shopify customer email

• Channel Type: Select Last Interacted Channel or Specific Channel.

• Message Type: Select Text, Attachment, Quick Reply, Custom Payload, or Email.

If the last interacted channel has a messaging window that is closed, the message will not be sent. Use Specific Channel to send template or tagged messages.

Send abandoned cart messages to prompt customers to complete their Shopify purchase using Zapier

This can only be done if the customer is a AELYST Contact and you have their email. For channels like WhatsApp and SMS, a phone number is also required.

How-to

Use this template to send abandoned cart messages:

• Send AELYST messages for new abandoned Shopify carts

Template Configuration

Shopify Trigger - New Abandoned Cart in Shopify

Select your Shopify account and select the age of the cart in hours. Test the trigger and continue.

AELYST Action - Send Message

First, follow the steps to set up a AELYST Zapier integration here.

Map the fields accordingly:

• Identifier Type: Choose email

• Identifier Value: Choose Shopify customer email

• Channel Type: Select Last Interacted Channel or Specific Channel

• Message Type: Select Text, Attachment, Quick Reply, Custom Payload, or Email

If the last interacted channel has a messaging window that is closed, the message will not be sent. Use Specific Channel to send template or tagged messages.

Update AELYST Contacts’ Shopify order statuses using Zapier

You can only do this if you have the Contact’s email in AELYST. These are the expected outcomes.

How-to

Use this template to add tags to AELYST Contacts so agents can see Contacts’ Shopify purchase activity:

• Add custom tags to contacts in AELYST after new purchases in Shopify

Trigger Configuration

Shopify Trigger

Select your Shopify account and the type of order activity you want to trigger the Zap. For this example, we’re using paid, closed, shipped orders. You may set up different Zaps for different order statuses.

AELYST Action - Add Tags in AELYST

First, follow the steps to set up a AELYST Zapier integration here.

Choose email as the identifier and fill in the Shopify customer email as the value. You may type in the tags or choose from Shopify fields.