How can you troubleshoot common issues in a Shopify store?

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Troubleshooting common issues in a Shopify store involves a mix of technical checks, theme debugging, app reviews, and customer experience testing. Here’s a breakdown of how to tackle the most common problems:

1. Slow Store Performance

Symptoms: Long load times, low PageSpeed scores.

Troubleshooting:

  • Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix.

  • Compress images (use WebP format).

  • Limit the number of apps and third-party scripts.

  • Minify CSS/JS or defer non-critical scripts.

  • Switch to a performance-optimized theme (like Dawn).

2. Broken or Missing Elements (e.g., buttons, product images)

Symptoms: Elements not showing or behaving as expected.

Troubleshooting:

  • Check if the issue appears on all devices/browsers.

  • Inspect the page using the browser developer tools (Console tab for errors).

  • Revert recent theme edits or test using an unmodified copy of the theme.

  • Temporarily disable third-party apps one by one to identify conflicts.

3. Cart/Checkout Issues

Symptoms: Customers can’t add items to cart, cart doesn’t update, checkout errors.

Troubleshooting:

  • Test with multiple products and payment methods.

  • Check for app conflicts (especially upsell, cart drawer, or custom checkout apps).

  • Ensure cart.js or AJAX API isn’t broken in custom code.

  • Contact Shopify Support if it’s on the checkout page—they control that part.

 4. Payment Gateway Errors

Symptoms: Payments not going through or are declined.

Troubleshooting:

  • Review payment settings in Settings > Payments.

  • Check payment provider status (e.g., Stripe, PayPal) for outages.

  • Make a test transaction using a real card (if allowed).

  • Look for error messages during checkout for clues.

5. Shipping or Tax Calculation Problems

Symptoms: Wrong rates or taxes at checkout.

Troubleshooting:

  • Double-check Settings > Shipping and delivery and Settings > Taxes and duties.

  • Ensure zones, rates, and rules are correctly configured.

  • Use Shopify’s shipping calculator tool to preview expected rates.

 6. Low or No Traffic/Sales

Symptoms: No visits, no conversions.

Troubleshooting:

  • Verify tracking codes (Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel).

  • Use Shopify Analytics to identify trends or drops.

  • Check for SEO issues using tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush.

  • Review marketing campaigns or social ad setups.

 7. Theme or App Not Working as Expected

Symptoms: Features missing or behaving oddly.

Troubleshooting:

  • Disable or remove recent apps to test for conflicts.

  • Test with a fresh theme to isolate whether the issue is code-related.

  • Check theme code customizations for recent changes or errors.

8. Customers Reporting Errors

Symptoms: Site bugs, login problems, mobile issues.

Troubleshooting:

  • Ask for detailed info: browser, device, screenshots.

  • Try to replicate the issue.

  • Use tools like BrowserStack to test across different devices.