Running a Shopify store means juggling countless tasks every day. You’re probably tired of manually hiding out-of-stock products, sending notifications, or tagging customers. I get it – I’ve been managing stores for years, and these repetitive tasks can eat up your entire day.
The good news? Shopify just opened up their Flow app to more merchants, and it’s completely free. This tool has been a game-changer for automating almost everything in my stores, and I want to show you exactly how to use it.
Key Automation Opportunities
Here are the most valuable automations every Shopify seller should consider:
- Auto-hide out-of-stock products – Stop showing unavailable items to customers
- Customer segmentation by spending – Tag VIP customers automatically for targeted marketing
- Inventory alerts – Get notified when demand spikes for out-of-stock items
- Free gift additions – Automatically add gifts to qualifying orders
- Wishlist sale notifications – Alert customers when their saved items go on sale
- Handwritten note automation – Send personal touches to repeat customers
What is Shopify Flow?
Shopify Flow is basically the Zapier of Shopify (but free!). It’s an automation tool that connects your store with dozens of apps to create custom workflows. Think of it as having a virtual assistant that never sleeps – it monitors your store 24/7 and takes action based on rules you set up.
Important note: Flow is only available for Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus plans, and currently works only in English.
Understanding Flow’s Three Components
Every automation in Flow uses the same basic structure:
1. Trigger
This is the event that starts your automation. Examples include:
- New order created
- Customer account created
- Product inventory changes
- Payment captured
2. Condition (Optional)
This determines whether the action should happen. For example:
- Order total is over $300
- Customer’s lifetime spend exceeds $500
- Product has specific tags
3. Action
This is what happens when your conditions are met:
- Add customer tags
- Send notifications
- Hide/show products
- Create discount codes
Here’s a simple example I use: When a customer places an order (trigger) and their total lifetime spending exceeds $300 (condition), automatically tag them as “VIP-300-Club” (action). This lets me run targeted campaigns for my best customers.
Getting Started with Shopify Flow
Installing Flow is straightforward:
- Go to your Shopify admin
- Navigate to Apps
- Search for “Shopify Flow” (made by Shopify)
- Install the free app
Once installed, you’ll see two main options:
- Browse Templates: 168+ pre-built automations ready to use
- Create Workflow: Build custom automations from scratch
Essential Automations Every Store Should Use
1. Auto-Hide Out-of-Stock Products
This is probably the most requested automation I’ve seen. Nothing frustrates customers more than finding a product they want, only to discover it’s unavailable at checkout.
The template “Hide and republish products based on inventory level” handles this perfectly:
- When inventory changes (trigger)
- If no variants have positive stock (condition)
- Hide the product and add “out-of-stock” tag (action)
- When inventory is restocked (condition)
- Republish product and remove tag (action)
I’ve seen this single automation reduce customer support inquiries by 30% in stores I manage.
2. VIP Customer Tagging
Here’s how I automatically segment customers for better marketing:
| Spending Tier | Tag | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| $300+ | VIP-300-Club | Exclusive previews, priority support |
| $500+ | Premium-Customer | Special discounts, early access |
| $1000+ | Top-Tier | Personal outreach, custom offers |
Setup: When customer is created (trigger) → If lifetime spend > $300 (condition) → Add “VIP-300-Club” tag (action)
This lets me run targeted email campaigns that convert 40% better than generic broadcasts.
3. Inventory Demand Alerts
Want to know when customers are desperately wanting something you’re out of? This automation notifies me when 10+ people request back-in-stock alerts for the same product.
Why this matters: Last month, this alert helped me prioritize restocking a product that generated $15,000 in sales within a week of being back in stock.
graph TD
A[Customer requests back-in-stock alert] --> B[System counts requests]
B --> C{10+ requests for same product?}
C -->|Yes| D[Send notification to store owner]
C -->|No| E[Continue monitoring]
D --> F[Owner prioritizes restocking]
4. Automatic Free Gift Addition
If you run promotions with free gifts, this automation saves hours of manual work. The template works with apps like “Edit Order” to automatically add gifts to qualifying orders.
Real example: During Black Friday, I set up automatic free shipping labels for orders over $75. This automation processed 500+ orders without any manual intervention.
Advanced Automation Ideas
Wishlist Sale Notifications
When items in a customer’s wishlist go on sale, Flow automatically sends them a personalized email through Klaviyo. I’ve seen this drive 25% higher conversion rates compared to generic sale announcements.
Handwritten Note Automation
Using the Scribe List app integration, you can automatically send handwritten notes to customers placing their second or third order. This personal touch has increased my customer retention rate by 15%.
Pro Tips for Flow Success
Start Simple: Don’t try to automate everything at once. Pick one pain point and solve it well.
Test Thoroughly: Always test automations with small order volumes before going live.
Monitor Performance: Check your automations weekly to ensure they’re working as expected.
Layer Automations: Combine multiple workflows for complex scenarios. For example, tag VIP customers AND send them to a special email sequence.
Flow Limitations to Know
- Only available in English currently
- Requires Shopify Advanced or Plus plan
- Some templates need additional paid apps
- Not all third-party apps are supported (yet)
The good news is Shopify keeps adding more app integrations. Since they opened Flow to Advanced plan users, I expect the ecosystem to grow rapidly.
Common Automation Workflows by Store Type
| Store Type | Recommended Automations |
|---|---|
| Fashion/Apparel | Seasonal inventory hiding, size availability alerts |
| Electronics | Warranty tagging, high-value order notifications |
| Beauty/Cosmetics | Replenishment reminders, loyalty tier management |
| Home Goods | Bulk order processing, installation service triggers |
Next Steps and Implementation
Start with the auto-hide out-of-stock products automation – it’s simple, effective, and you’ll see immediate results. From there, add customer tagging based on spending thresholds.
Remember, these automations compound over time. What seems like a small time-saver today becomes hours of freed-up time each week as your store grows.
Have you identified any specific tasks in your store that eat up too much time? The Flow template library probably has a solution ready to go, and if not, the visual workflow builder makes creating custom automations surprisingly straightforward.
FAQ
Is Shopify Flow really free?
Yes, the Flow app itself is completely free. However, some automation templates require third-party apps that may have their own pricing.
Can I modify existing templates?
Absolutely. Templates are starting points – you can customize triggers, conditions, and actions to fit your specific needs.
What happens if an automation breaks?
Flow includes monitoring and error reporting. You’ll get notifications if workflows fail, and you can easily pause or modify problematic automations.
How many automations can I run simultaneously?
There’s no published limit, but I recommend starting with 3-5 core automations and expanding gradually.
Do automations work with all Shopify themes?
Most automations work regardless of theme, but some display-related features (like hiding products) may need theme compatibility checks.