# Shopify Onboarding Guide

A step-by-step technical guide for implementing Upzelo loyalty on your Shopify store, from app installation to live launch.

***

## Phase 1: App Installation & Setup

### Step 1: Install the Upzelo App

1. Search for "Upzelo" in the Shopify App Store
2. Click **Install app**
3. Authorize Upzelo to access your store data
   * **Permissions granted**: Customer data, orders, products, inventory, theme access
   * **Why**: Upzelo syncs customer purchase history and deployes the loyalty widget to your storefront

### Step 2: Create Your Loyalty Program

In the Upzelo dashboard:

1. Set up your **Program Name** and **Branding** (logo, colors)
2. Define **Earning Rules** (points per $1 spent, bonus points for first purchase, referrals)
3. Create **Rewards Catalog** (discount codes, free products, exclusive offers)
4. Set **Redemption Rules** (points needed per reward, expiration policies)

***

## Phase 2: Data Synchronization

### What Gets Synced

When you install Upzelo, your store data flows both ways:

**From Shopify → Upzelo:**

* ✓ Customer list (name, email, phone)
* ✓ Order history (purchase amount, date, items purchased)
* ✓ Product catalog (prices, SKUs, collections)
* ✓ Real-time order updates (new purchases trigger point awards automatically)

**From Upzelo → Shopify:**

* ✓ Customer loyalty points (stored as customer metafield)
* ✓ Tier/membership status
* ✓ Earned rewards (visible in checkout)

### Verify Data Sync

1. Go to **Upzelo Dashboard** → **Data Sync Status**
2. Check:
   * ✓ Customers imported (should match Shopify customer count)
   * ✓ Orders synced (last 90 days)
   * ✓ Products loaded
3. If missing data: Check store permissions and click **Resync**

***

## Phase 3: Choose Display Method

You have **two options** for how customers see the loyalty widget:

### Option A: Launcher Widget (Recommended)

**What it is**: Floating popup button that customers open on any page

**Best for**:

* New stores (simplest setup)
* Stores with custom themes or frequent theme updates
* Maximizing customer engagement (visible everywhere)

**Setup**:

1. In Upzelo app, go **Settings** → **Deployment** → **Launcher**
2. Click **Enable Launcher Widget**
3. ✓ Automatic—no theme edits needed
4. Customize: Colors, button position, text

**Result**: Customers see a "Loyalty" button in corner of your store → click to view points, redeem rewards

***

### Option B: Theme Block

**What it is**: Integrated section in your Shopify theme (hero, sidebar, or custom page)

**Best for**:

* Established stores with stable themes
* Seamless brand integration
* Specific landing page experiences

**Setup**:

1. In Upzelo app, go **Settings** → **Deployment** → **Theme Block**
2. Click **Deploy to Theme**
3. Go to **Shopify Admin** → **Online Store** → **Themes**
4. Edit theme and add "Loyalty Program" section to desired page
5. Publish

**Result**: Loyalty dashboard appears natively in your theme (not a popup)

***

### Comparing Options

| Feature             | Launcher                         | Theme Block                       |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| Setup time          | \~5 minutes                      | \~15 minutes                      |
| Theme updates       | Unaffected                       | Requires re-sync if theme changes |
| Customer visibility | Floating button (always visible) | On selected pages only            |
| Mobile UX           | Optimized for mobile             | Varies by theme                   |
| Customization       | Basic (colors, text)             | Advanced (layout, positioning)    |

**→ Most stores start with Launcher, upgrade to Theme Block later**

***

## Phase 4: Checkout Integration (Optional)

Enable **Checkout Extensions** to let customers use loyalty points at purchase:

1. In Upzelo app, go **Settings** → **Checkout**
2. Toggle **Enable Loyalty Discount at Checkout**
3. ✓ Customers can instantly redeem points for discounts
4. Test: Add product to cart → proceed to checkout → see "Apply Loyalty Discount" option

***

## Phase 5: Test Before Launch

### Internal Testing

1. **Add test orders**:
   * Purchase as test customer on your store
   * Verify points awarded in Upzelo dashboard (within 1 minute)
2. **Test earning rules**:
   * Does first-purchase bonus trigger?
   * Do referral links work?
3. **Test redemption**:
   * Can you redeem points for a reward in the widget?
   * Does discount code apply at checkout?

### Customer Testing (Optional)

1. Share store link with 5-10 people
2. Have them make test purchases
3. Ask for feedback on widget experience

***

## Phase 6: Go Live

### Checklist Before Launch

* [ ] Data sync complete (customers/orders matched)
* [ ] Display method chosen (Launcher or Theme Block) and deployed
* [ ] Earning rules defined and tested
* [ ] Rewards catalog created
* [ ] Checkout integration tested (if using)
* [ ] Customer communications ready (email, social, FAQ)

### Launch Steps

1. **Announce to customers**:
   * Email: Invite existing customers to join
   * Website banner: Link to loyalty program info
   * Social media: Promote rewards program
2. **Monitor first 24 hours**:
   * Check Upzelo dashboard for early signups
   * Verify points are awarding correctly
   * Monitor customer support tickets
3. **Celebrate**: You're live! 🎉

***

## After Launch: Ongoing Operations

### Monitor Performance

* **Dashboard Metrics**: Active members, points earned, rewards redeemed, customer lifetime value
* **Engagement**: Are members returning? What rewards are popular?

### Optimize

* Adjust earning/redemption rules based on data
* Feature winning rewards more prominently
* Run seasonal campaigns (referral bonuses, birthday rewards)

### Support

* Check Upzelo support docs at `upzelo.com/docs`
* Contact Upzelo support team for technical issues

***

## Troubleshooting

| Issue                       | Solution                                                                    |
| --------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Customers not seeing widget | Check Deployment settings; clear browser cache; test in incognito window    |
| Orders not syncing          | Go to Data Sync → Resync; verify Upzelo has read access to orders           |
| Points not awarding         | Check earning rules are active; verify order status is "paid"               |
| Theme block not appearing   | Confirm you added the block to your theme; check block is visible on mobile |

***

## Key Takeaways

1. **Installation is instant** → Shopify OAuth grants access, data begins syncing
2. **Choose Launcher or Theme Block** based on your store's needs
3. **Test thoroughly** before announcing to customers
4. **Go live when ready** → monitor performance and iterate
5. **Upzelo handles the heavy lifting** → you focus on your business

***

## Questions?

* **Setup help**: Visit Upzelo dashboard's live chat support
* **API docs**: `docs.upzelo.com` for advanced customizations
* **Status**: Check `status.upzelo.com` for platform health

Good luck with your loyalty program! 🚀


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://guides.upzelo.xyz/documentation/shopify_onboarding_guide.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.