r/Shopify_Circle

I've been working on a Shopify app called Fide Shoppable Videos & UGC. It lets store owners embed shoppable videos and UGC directly on product pages.

It's have free plan. No catch. Just want real feedback from store owners.

If you've been looking for a way to add video or UGC to your store - give it a try and let me know what you think. Happy to share the link in the comments

I just spent 3 hours trying to set up a discount that applies only to first-time customers.

Three. Hours.

Something that should be a checkbox somewhere deep in settings requires an app, which costs $9/month, which Shopify probably gets a cut of anyway.

Sorry I was just frustrated about this whole process so wanted to vent.

I've been working on a Shopify app called AltMaster and just launched it. It's free right now, and I'd genuinely love feedback from store owners who've dealt with this problem.

Totally free for now. No catch. Just want real feedback before I think about pricing. Thanks!

I’m trying to decide what makes more sense for a Shopify store: buying a paid theme that already includes a lot of features, or using a free/lightweight theme and adding paid apps for the same things.

For example, let’s say a paid theme already gives me things like a mega menu, product badges, quick add, color swatches, product tabs, promo sections, cart drawer, and maybe some conversion-focused blocks.

The other option is to use a free theme like Dawn and install separate apps for swatches, upsells, reviews, bundles, sticky add to cart, cart drawer, etc.

My concern with apps is that the monthly cost can slowly add up, and too many apps might affect speed or create conflicts. But with a paid theme, I’m also wondering if the features are flexible enough or if I’ll still end up needing apps later anyway.

For store owners who have tried both, what worked better for you in the long run?

but real talk is app devs gotta take some blame too.

installed Stellar delivery app for my flower store, used it for months, had zero clue it had route optimization built in. started going down a rabbit hole - comparing apps, talking to custom developers, getting quotes for something that was literally sitting in my dashboard the whole time.

found out the truth only because I randomly asked their support if they could BUILD it for me. support was probably like "sir this has been here" 😭

not promoting Stellar or anything but this whole situation made me realize - if you're sleeping on your app's feature list, check it before spending hours (and money) looking elsewhere. and if you're an app owner, maybe an onboarding email with proper features explained wouldn't hurt lol

bro I genuinely thought I was losing my mind

opened Shopify and everything was just… gone. hours of work. vanished. like it never even existed. I sat there staring at the screen thinking I did something wrong, maybe I accidentally deleted something, maybe I'm cursed idk

was fully ready to have a breakdown and then I found out Shopify was just… down. for everyone.

the emotional rollercoaster of going from "my entire life is ruined" to "oh it's not just me" hit different ngl

Hey everyone. I just wanted to share a quick screenshot of my current dashboard because it’s been a massive help for my fulfillment process lately.

I’ve been trying to find a better way to separate my standard shipping, store pickups, and local deliveries without jumping between a million different screens. I started using the Delivery Date & Pickup Stellar app recently, and the overview it gives is stunningly clear.

https://preview.redd.it/u473bqan105h1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=64ae7a2399681e2aa0c9ee39f254875d9c91cd69

I am not promoting this app, but as someone managing a store, seeing all the "to-be-delivered" orders categorized this perfectly just gave me so much peace of mind today. If anyone else is struggling with keeping their local delivery logistics straight, I highly recommend Delivery Date & Pickup Stellar checking out how they set up their dashboard!

2000+ Apps launched in May 2026.

I’ve been noticing something lately as someone who works in the Shopify space.

AI has made it much easier for people to build and launch apps on the Shopify App Store. On one side, that’s cool because more people can bring ideas to life faster. But honestly, I’m not sure this is good for the long run.

Building a Shopify app is not just about getting it live. You need to understand real merchant problems, keep the app updated, handle support, fix bugs, avoid slowing down stores, and actually build something useful.

My concern is that AI might lead to a lot of apps that look good on the surface but don’t really solve deep problems. And then merchants end up with even more confusion when choosing apps.

I’m not against AI at all. I think it’s a great tool for serious builders. But if it only increases the number of apps without improving quality, support, or long-term reliability, I think it could hurt the Shopify ecosystem.

Curious what others think.

Do you think AI is making the Shopify App Store better, or just more crowded?

I’ve been thinking about this while working on Shopify stores.

A lot of new merchants install apps too quickly, then later deal with slow speed, extra monthly costs, theme conflicts, and a messy admin. At the same time, some areas really do need a proper app because Shopify’s native features are too basic for serious use.

So I’m curious how experienced store owners decide this.

For example, Shopify’s native tools seem fine for things like:

• basic discounts
• simple email automations
• standard product setup
• basic analytics
• simple shipping rules
• collections and navigation

But apps may be worth it for areas like:

• reviews
• subscriptions
• advanced upsells
• loyalty/referrals
• returns
• advanced search/filtering
• product options
• back-in-stock alerts
• advanced reporting

How do you decide when to use Shopify’s native feature and when to add an app?

Also, are there any app categories you think almost every serious Shopify store eventually needs? And any app categories you think merchants usually install too early?