What Is Shopify Flow? A Guide to eCommerce Automation
Quick Summary
What is it? Shopify Flow is a no-code tool for Shopify Plus merchants to automate tasks like inventory updates, fraud detection, and customer segmentation.
How It Works: Uses "if-then" logic (trigger → condition → action) to streamline workflows—e.g., tag VIPs or restock inventory automatically.
Key Benefits: Saves time, reduces errors, personalizes customer experiences, and scales operations effortlessly.
Popular Use Cases: Manage inventory, prevent fraud, collect reviews, run loyalty campaigns, and send hyper-targeted marketing.
Running an online store means juggling countless tasks—tracking inventory, managing orders, and engaging customers. That is, all while trying to scale. Manual processes slow you down, but automation can change that. Enter Shopify Flow.
Shopify Flow is a powerful tool designed to streamline eCommerce operations by automating workflows without coding. Whether it’s tagging high-value customers, restocking inventory, or flagging fraud, Shopify Flow can be helpful. It handles repetitive tasks so you can focus on growth.
In this blog, I’ll explain how the Shopify experts use Flow to turn complex processes into simple, rule-based automations. Let’s begin.
What is Shopify Flow?
Shopify Flow is a built-in automation tool that helps eCommerce businesses streamline operations by eliminating repetitive, manual tasks. It’s designed exclusively for Shopify Plus merchants.
So you can create custom workflows—called “flows”—that trigger actions based on predefined conditions.
For example:
Automatically tag high-value customers who spend over $500.
Restock inventory when levels drop below a threshold.
Flag suspicious orders for fraud review based on specific criteria.
With a no-code, drag-and-drop interface, Flow makes it easy to automate marketing, logistics, and customer management. That frees up time to focus on growth.
Benefits of Using Shopify Flow
Shopify Flow isn’t just another automation tool—it’s a strategic advantage for scaling ecommerce businesses. Here’s how it drives tangible results:
Saves Time & Reduces Human Error
Automate repetitive tasks, such as tagging customers, updating inventory, or processing refunds. It frees your team to focus on growth instead of manual busywork.
Improves Operational Efficiency
Eliminate bottlenecks in fulfillment, fraud detection, and customer service. You may use instant, rule-based actions that keep workflows moving smoothly.
Enhances Customer Experiences
Deliver personalized interactions at scale—whether it’s rewarding loyal shoppers, triggering wishlist restock alerts, or sending targeted post-purchase emails.
Scales with Your Business
As order volume grows, Shopify Flow handles the complexity effortlessly, ensuring consistency without adding overhead.
Provides Real-Time Insights
Monitor automated workflows in the dashboard to spot trends, optimize rules, and make data-driven adjustments.
Shopify Flow turns operational challenges into competitive strengths—helping you work smarter, not harder.
How Does Shopify Flow Work?
Shopify Flow automates eCommerce tasks by following a simple “If This, Then That” logic, triggering actions based on real-time events in your store. Here’s how it works:
Trigger: An event starts the workflow (e.g., a new order, low stock, or a customer update).
Condition: Rules filter when the action should run (e.g., “If order value > $500”).
Action: The automated response (e.g., “Tag customer as VIP” or “Notify the fulfillment team”).
With a drag-and-drop editor, you can create custom flows without coding, saving time, reducing errors, and scaling operations effortlessly. Shopify Flow turns manual processes into seamless automation.
Start automating your Shopify store today and save time
Step 2: Open Shopify Apps and find the app “Flow”.
Step 3: Click on ‘Create Workflow’.
Step 4: Choose ‘Browse templates’ and pick a suitable template.
Step 5: Adjust the flow’s settings after installing it.
Step 6: Click ‘Install’ and follow through.
Step 7: Edit the template as necessitated per the eStore.
Step 8: Change the name of your template if needed.
Step 9: Click ‘Turn on workflow’ to enable the workflow.
Step 10: Click ‘Turn on’ to activate the workflow.
Before you activate the workflow, edit the fields and values as desired. For example, if a workflow is meant to send messages, update the recipient information, like their email address.
Method #2: Creating Shopify Flow Manually
Let’s say you couldn’t find a template well-suitable for your use case on the Shopify store. In that case, Shopify Flow also lets you build your own custom workflow from scratch.
Before starting this process, let’s assume you have already installed the Shopify Flow app in your store. Here we go.
Step 1: Select ‘Create workflow’.
Step 2: Now, choose ‘Select a trigger’; that will open a screen where you can pick the trigger to initiate the workflow.
Step 3: Click on ‘Then’ and then ‘Condition’. That will prompt you to choose a condition that needs to be taken care of before any actions can be executed.
Step 4: Again, click on ‘Then’ and choose ‘Action’. That will prompt you to decide the action to be executed if the condition is true.
Step 5: Or, you may click ‘Otherwise’ to set additional conditions in case the original condition is false.
Step 6: Now, click ‘New Workflow’ and set a name for your workflow.
Step 7: Click ‘Turn on workflow’ and then ‘Turn on’.
Start with high-impact automations like fraud prevention or VIP customer tagging before expanding to complex workflows. If you need help with implementing these workflows and getting the best results, hire our dedicated Shopify development company.
7 Popular Shopify Flow Use Cases
Shopify Flow unlocks powerful automation for merchants. Here are the most impactful ways brands use it:
Inventory Management
Shopify Flow transforms inventory management and control by automating stock alerts and replenishment. When products hit a predetermined threshold, Flow can instantly notify your procurement team via Slack. Plus, it can email vendors for restocking or even hide out-of-stock items from your storefront.
For seasonal businesses, create smart workflows that prioritize reordering bestsellers while phasing out slow movers. It can eliminate stockouts and overstocking without manual oversight.
Customer Segmentation
Move beyond basic tagging with dynamic customer segmentation and categorization. Flow automatically segments shoppers based on behavior. Like, tagging “High-Value Customers” after 3+ purchases or “At-Risk VIPs” who haven’t shopped in 60 days.
These real-time segments sync with your email marketing tools. It enables hyper-targeted campaigns (e.g., exclusive offers for “Luxury Buyers” who purchase $1K+ items).
Fraud-related Order Cancellation
Reduce chargebacks by auto-flagging suspicious orders using custom rules (e.g., high-value orders with mismatched billing/shipping addresses). Flow can pause fulfillment, trigger manual reviews, or instantly cancel orders that meet fraud criteria. Plus, trusted repeat customers are whitelisted to avoid false positives.
Product Review Collection
Boost social proof by automating post-purchase review requests. Flow triggers personalized email/SMS reminders 14 days after delivery—but only for customers who received undamaged goods (verified via order fulfillment status).
For negative reviews, create a parallel workflow to alert your customer service team for immediate damage control.
Loyalty Campaigns
Shopify Flow can help you implement loyalty programs. You can turn casual buyers into brand advocates with automated rewards. Flow can:
Grant loyalty points when customers hit spend milestones.
Unlock exclusive perks for those who refer friends.
This app can even help reactivate lapsed members with “We Miss You” discounts after 90 days of inactivity.
Personalized Email Marketing
With Flow, you can sync buyer behavior with email triggers for razor-sharp relevance. Here are a few examples:
Send a “Complete Your Look” email when a customer buys pants but no matching top.
Target cart abandoners with dynamic SMS reminders showing their left-behind items.
You can even invite frequent buyers to early-access sales before the public.
Wishlist Item Notifications
Capitalize on intent by automating wishlist follow-ups. Flow tracks price drops or restocks for wishlisted items, triggering:
“Back in Stock!” alerts with a direct checkout link
Urgency-driven messages like “Only 2 Left!” for low-inventory wishlist items
Discounts for customers who’ve had items in their wishlist for 30+ days
Enterprise brands report 20-30% operational time savings by implementing these flows. Start with 2-3 high-impact automations and scale from there.
FAQs on Shopify Flow
Is Shopify Flow only for Shopify Plus merchants?
Yes, Shopify Flow is exclusively available to Shopify Plus stores. It’s designed for high-volume merchants needing advanced automation to scale operations efficiently.
Can I undo actions triggered by Shopify Flow?
Some actions (like customer tags) are reversible, but others (order cancellations) are permanent. Always test workflows in a development store first.
Can Shopify Flow integrate with other tools?
Yes! Flow connects with Slack, Zapier, Klaviyo, and more via Shopify’s ecosystem. That allows for cross-platform automations like sending order alerts to your team’s Slack channel.
How do I track if my flows are working?
The Flow dashboard shows success/failure rates for each workflow. Set up email notifications for critical failures (e.g., inventory sync errors).
What’s the most common mistake when setting up flows?
Overlapping conditions (e.g., two flows modifying the same customer tag). Use workflow priorities to control execution order.
Let’s Summarize Shopify Flow
Shopify Flow transforms how ecommerce businesses operate by turning repetitive tasks into automated workflows. It saves time, reduces errors, and scales growth effortlessly.
So are you trying to manage inventory, segment customers, or prevent fraud? Then Flow’s no-code automation empowers Shopify Plus merchants to focus on strategy rather than manual processes. They can enhance operational efficiency, improve customer experiences, and drive smarter decision-making.
As a Business Consultant at Brainspate, I collaborate with clients to understand their business objectives, challenges, and opportunities, and develop tailored strategies and action plans to drive organizational growth, increase efficiency, and enhance profitability.
