How to Setup Shopify store Webhooks: step by step guide

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What Is a Shopify Webhook?

A Shopify Webhook is a system that notifies data to other apps or servers when a particular event happens in your Shopify Store. For example, when an order is created, Shopify sends a real-time HTTP POST request in the form of JSON to the URL you specify, like an app or external server. This app stores this data in its database and triggers the notifications to the desired email.  

Common Use Cases for Shopify Webhooks

There are different use cases for using Shopify Webhooks. Some of these are given below:

• You want to send the product, orders, and customer data automatically to other apps.
• You want to send invoices and payments to external systems.
• You want to update the stock to 3rd-party systems.
• You want to notify fulfillment partners when a new order is created. 
• You want to track conversion, customer activity, product updates, etc.

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Steps for how to setup Shopify Webhooks

To create a Webhook, you first need to decide which type of Webhook you want to create. Follow these steps to create a Shopify Webhook in your Shopify Store. 

Step 1: Navigate to Shopify Admin > Settings.

Step 2: Scroll down to the Notifications section.

Step 3: Click on the Webhooks tab.

Step 4: Click on the Create webhook button.

Step 5: Select the Event you want to create from the dropdown list, for example, Order Creation.

Step 6: Select the format from the list.

Step 7: Add the URL where Shopify will send the data and select the API Version from the dropdown as well.

Step 8: Save the changes.

Step 9: If you want to edit your Webhook, then click on the three dots and then click the Edit button.

Step 10: You can delete your Webhook URL anytime you want. 

Step 11: To test the Webhook, click on the Send test button.

Step 12: If you are a developer, then a Webhook can be created using the REST API, for example, use this

  
    POST /admin/api/2024-10/webhooks.json
    {
      "webhook": {
        "topic": "orders/create",
        "address": "https://yourapp.com/webhook/orders/create",
        "format": "json"
      }
    }
  

Step 13: Your Webhook URL must be able to accept a POST request, parse the JSON. Example Node.js Setup is here.

import express from "express"; import crypto from "crypto"; const app = express(); app.use(express.json()); const SHOPIFY_SECRET = "your_shopify_webhook_secret"; app.post("/webhook/order-created", (req, res) => { const hmac = req.get("X-Shopify-Hmac-Sha256"); const body = JSON.stringify(req.body); const digest = crypto .createHmac("sha256", SHOPIFY_SECRET) .update(body, "utf8") .digest("base64"); if (digest === hmac) { console.log("✅ Verified webhook:", req.body); res.status(200).send("Webhook received"); } else { console.log("❌ Verification failed"); res.status(403).send("Invalid signature"); } }); app.listen(3000, () => console.log("Listening on port 3000"));



Also Read: How to Clear Shopify Cache — ( Easy Methods )

Conclusion

Setting up Shopify webhooks allows you to automate critical aspects of your e-commerce workflow, from sending order details to updating inventory in real-time. By following the simple steps outlined above, you can ensure that your Shopify store integrates seamlessly with external systems and apps.

If you're interested in expanding your Shopify store or need help with other Shopify ecommerce services, be sure to explore our Shopify eCommerce branding services.