FAQ
Answers to the most common questions Shoplift merchants ask.
Testing capabilities
What can I test with Shoplift?
Shoplift lets you test almost any change to your Shopify store. The main options:
Template tests — Test changes to specific page types like product pages, collection pages, homepages, or landing pages. You edit your pages in Shopify's Theme Editor, so no code is required.
Theme tests — Test your entire theme against a modified copy. Ideal for full redesigns, new navigation, or switching themes entirely.
Price tests — Test different price points to find the optimal pricing for your products.
URL redirect tests — Compare two completely different URLs or landing pages.
API tests — Use custom JavaScript for advanced changes (requires coding knowledge).
If you're unsure which test type fits your situation, see Choose the Right Test Type or reach out to support.
Can I test more than two versions (A/B/n testing)?
Shoplift does not currently support A/B/n testing, but our out-of-the-box mutual exclusion allows you to run multiple tests at once.
Can I test changes to a specific product page instead of all product pages?
Yes. When creating template tests, you can choose which products or pages use your Original template by editing the assignment in Shopify. For more details, see Guide: Testing Individual Pages
Can I test checkout pages?
Shoplift does not currently support testing Shopify's checkout pages directly. Shopify restricts third-party apps from modifying the checkout flow. However, you can test elements that influence checkout behavior — like product page layouts, pricing, add-to-cart buttons, and cart pages — to improve your overall conversion funnel.
Can I A/B test shipping thresholds or costs?
Yes, by using our JavaScript API. To do this, see Guide: Testing Shipping Thresholds
Can I test images on product pages?
Yes, by using URL redirect tests. To do this, see Guide: Testing Product Properties
Setting up and running tests
How do I install Shoplift?
Install Shoplift in a few clicks from the Shopify App Store. No manual script installation is required — Shoplift automatically adds a small tracking script to your theme.
How do I edit my pages for a test?
All edits happen directly in Shopify's Theme Editor. This means you have full access to your theme's built-in editing capabilities.
How does Shoplift split traffic between control and variant?
Shoplift randomly assigns each new visitor to either the control or a variant on their first page load. By default, traffic is split 50/50. The assignment is permanent — the same visitor sees the same version every time they return (on the same device and browser) for as long as the test remains active.
Traffic is not rotated by time or alternated between visitors. It's a true random assignment, which is essential for accurate test results.
You can't adjust the split percentage while a test is running. This ensures accuracy and validity of your results by maintaining the same sample distribution throughout the duration of the test.
Can I run multiple tests at the same time?
Yes. Shoplift uses a sophisticated Mutual Exclusion system to prevent tests that might have major interaction effects from overlapping.
Visitors can participate in multiple template tests and URL redirect tests, as long as they target different pages.
Theme tests, price tests, and most JavaScript API tests are mutually exclusive. Visitors participating in these tests cannot participate in any other tests while they run.
My test was paused because of "missing templates" — what do I do?
This happens when your test relies on Shopify templates that are no longer available in your live theme or, if you are running a theme test, your variant theme. Shoplift pauses the test automatically to prevent visitors from seeing broken pages.
To fix it:
Open the test in Shoplift and look at the error details — it will list which templates are missing.
Use Shoplift's Auto Restore Templates feature to automatically copy the missing templates from your control theme to the variant.
Once the templates are restored, resume the test.
This commonly happens when templates are deleted or renamed in your live theme after a test was created.
How do I preview my test before launching?
Two ways:
Compare view — In the Shoplift app, use the compare view to see your control and variant side by side before launching.
Preview Mode — Click the preview link in your test settings to view the variant on your live store.
Can I schedule a test to start at a specific time?
Yes, Shoplift has a test scheduling feature. You can schedule start and end times for your tests.
What happens to my tests if I switch to a new theme?
When you publish a new theme, Shoplift automatically migrates its tracking script to the new theme. If you have an active test:
If the templates used in the test still exist in the new theme, the test continues running.
If the tested templates are missing from the new theme, the test will be paused. You'll need to add the missing templates to your new theme to resume your test.
How do I apply the winning variant after a test?
Once your test reaches statistical significance, Shoplift displays an Apply Variant button on the test results page. Click it and follow the prompts to make the winning variant your permanent, default experience.
For template tests, this assigns the winning template to the relevant products, collections, or pages. For theme tests, this publishes the winning theme as your live theme.
Results and reporting
When is my test ready to end? How do I know the results are reliable?
Wait until Shoplift shows your test has reached statistical significance. As a guideline, most tests need at least 10,000 visitors per variant and 14 days of running time. Shoplift will clearly indicate when your test has enough data to make a confident decision — don't end it early, even if one version looks like it's winning.
I just launched my test but I don't see any data yet. Is something wrong?
Report data updates periodically each hour. If you still see zero tested visitors after 24 hours, check the following:
Is the tracking script installed? Open your store in a browser, right-click, select "View Page Source," and search for "shoplift" to confirm the script is present.
Are audience targeting rules too restrictive? If you've set audience rules, make sure they aren't excluding most of your traffic.
If none of that resolves it, contact support.
How does Shoplift track conversions?
Shoplift tracks conversions using server-side methods to collect cart and order data directly from Shopify.
When a visitor who was assigned to a test completes a purchase — even days later on a return visit — the order is attributed to the test variant they saw.
If a visitor sees my product page test but buys a different product, does that count?
Yes. Shoplift tracks whether a visitor made any purchase after being exposed to the test, regardless of which product they bought. This gives you the most accurate picture of how your test variant affects overall store performance.
Does Shoplift track post-purchase upsells?
Yes. Shoplift supports all major post-purchase upsell apps, including AfterSell, out of the box. When post-order edits are made to an order (like additions, reductions, or cancellations) Shoplift will update test reports accordingly.
Does Shoplift track orders made with one-click checkout?
Yes. Shoplift natively supports all major one-click checkout solutions — Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and more.
Can I see my test results in other reporting tools (like GA4)?
Yes. Shoplift has a native GA4 integration. You can also send test data to other analytics platforms with our API.
Can I use heatmapping tools (like Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity) to analyze test variants?
Yes. Since Shoplift appends a URL parameter to tested templates, you can filter by that parameter in your heatmapping tool to view heatmaps, recordings, and scroll data for each variant separately.
Compatibility and integrations
What themes does Shoplift support?
Shoplift supports all Shopify themes — custom themes, Shopify Theme Store themes, and Online Store 2.0 themes. Some editing capabilities in the Theme Editor may be limited on legacy (Online Store 1.0) themes, but tests will still run.
Does Shoplift work with page builder apps (Replo, PageFly, GemPages)?
Yes. Shoplift fully supports Replo, PageFly, GemPages, and other major page builders. You can test pages built with these tools using template tests or URL redirect tests.
Does Shoplift integrate with subscription apps?
Yes. Shoplift has out-of-the-box integrations with all major subscription apps and reports on subscription metrics in your test results — no extra setup required.
Supported apps include: Recharge, Prive, Loop, Skio, Appstle, Subify, Yotpo, Ongoing Subscriptions, and Ordergroove. Bold Subscriptions is also supported if your account provides "first order" tags on initial subscription orders.
Does Shoplift work with headless Shopify storefronts?
Shoplift is designed for standard Shopify storefronts (Liquid-based themes). Headless storefronts using custom frontends (like Hydrogen or Next.js) are not currently supported, because Shoplift relies on Shopify's theme system to inject tests and track visitors.
Can my developers test Shoplift on a development store?
Yes. Install Shoplift from the Shopify App Store on the development store. Shoplift automatically recognizes development stores and enables a test charge for the subscription, so your developers can test without setting up a payment method.
Performance, privacy, and SEO
Does Shoplift affect my store's page speed?
Shoplift has a near-zero impact on page speed — approximately a 2-point reduction when measured with Google's PageSpeed Insights. Page speed is critical for ecommerce, and Shoplift is built to keep its footprint as small as possible.
Do Shoplift tests cause any "flicker" or page blinking?
No. Shoplift includes a built-in anti-flicker system that prevents visitors from briefly seeing the original page before the variant loads.
Will testing affect my SEO or search engine listings?
No. Shoplift detects and blocks all major search engine bots (including Googlebot) from seeing test variants. Search engines always see your original pages, so your rankings and listings are unaffected.
Does Shoplift exclude bot traffic from test data?
Yes. Shoplift automatically detects and blocks most bots — including crawlers from major search engines — so they don't inflate your visitor counts or distort your results. If you're still seeing unusually high traffic, contact support and the team can investigate.
What cookies or data does Shoplift store on visitors' browsers?
Shoplift uses browser storage and cookies to persist test assignments. No personal information is collected. If a visitor declines analytics tracking through your store's consent banner, Shoplift respects that preference and stops tracking their events — though they'll still see a consistent test experience.
Do I need to manually install any scripts on my theme?
No. When you install Shoplift, a small tracking script is automatically added to your theme — referenced just after the opening <head> tag in your theme.liquid file. You never need to touch code.
Account and billing
What are the different pricing plans?
Shoplift has three plans: Core, Advanced, and Pro. The cost depends on your store's traffic volume and is highly flexible — you don't need to pay for more than you use. All plans include unlimited tests.
What happens if I exceed my plan's visitor limit?
If you exceed your plan's visitor allotment, your tests will be temporarily paused until you either upgrade your plan or your billing cycle resets and the visitor count returns to zero. Once you're back within your limit, you can resume your tests.
How do I add team members to my Shoplift account?
Shoplift uses Shopify's permission system. Any staff member with access to your Shopify store and the Shoplift app can access Shoplift by opening the app from the Shopify admin. No separate Shoplift account or invitation is needed.
What happens if I uninstall Shoplift?
If you uninstall Shoplift from within the app, Shoplift will automatically remove all scripts and files from your theme.
If you uninstall from the Shopify admin instead, you may need to manually remove the Shoplift tracking script from your theme's theme.liquid file.
It's recommended to always uninstall from within the Shoplift app to ensure a clean removal.
Why does my activity log show "Shoplift changed [theme]"?
When Shoplift releases a new version of its tracking script, it updates the script on your themes to ensure you have the latest version. This happens once per theme and does not change any of your store's content or design.
How can I get in touch with Shoplift support?
Reach out through the live chat widget inside the Shoplift app, or email [email protected].
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