📝5 Hidden Features in Shopify That Can Boost Your Sales Instantly

🔍 Introduction

Shopify has become the go-to platform for entrepreneurs and businesses launching online stores—and for good reason. It’s user-friendly, scalable, and packed with features that simplify eCommerce. But while most store owners use the basics—product listings, themes, and payment gateways—many are missing out on powerful built-in tools that can significantly boost performance and profits.

These features aren’t hidden behind expensive apps or custom code. They’re already part of Shopify, just waiting to be discovered and leveraged properly. Whether you’re a new store owner or a seasoned merchant, tapping into these underrated capabilities can streamline your operations, enhance customer experience, and drive higher sales with minimal effort.

In this post, we’ll walk you through 5 lesser-known Shopify features that can give you a competitive edge and show you exactly how to make them work for your store. Let’s dive in!

1. Shopify Flow (For Plus Users)

Shopify Flow is one of the most powerful tools available to Shopify Plus merchants. Designed to streamline repetitive tasks and enhance store automation, Flow allows users to create custom workflows without writing a single line of code. It’s like having a virtual assistant managing your store’s backendn automatically.

At its core, Shopify Flow operates on a simple trigger-condition-action logic. You define an event (trigger), set conditions, and specify what action should follow. For example, when a customer places an order over $200 (trigger), and is located in the US (condition), you can automatically tag them as a VIP (action). You can then use this tag to enroll them into loyalty campaigns, personalized emails, or exclusive discounts all without lifting a finger.

Here’s a real-world scenario:
Let’s say you want to reward repeat buyers. With Flow, you can set up an automation where after a customer places their third order, they’re tagged as “Loyal Customer” and sent a thank-you email via your email marketing tool. This kind of personalization deepens customer loyalty and increases lifetime value, all with zero manual work.

Beyond customer segmentation, Flow is also extremely effective for:

• Inventory management: Automatically hide out-of-stock products.
• Fraud prevention: Flag high-risk orders for review before fulfillment.
• Operational efficiency: Notify your team in Slack when a big order comes in.

What makes Shopify Flow stand out is how seamlessly it integrates with other apps in the Shopify ecosystem. Whether you’re using Klaviyo, LoyaltyLion, or ReCharge, Flow can be the connective tissue that keeps your tools working in sync.

Result: More personalized marketing, fewer human errors, and hours saved on repetitive tasks every week. If you’re a Plus user and not using Shopify Flow yet, you’re leaving serious money and time on the table. It’s time to automate the smart way and unlock the full potential of your store.

2. Draft Orders

Shopify’s Draft Orders feature is a hidden gem for merchants who handle custom, bulk, or B2B transactions. While most Shopify stores rely on the standard checkout process, Draft Orders allow you to manually create orders, apply custom pricing, offer discounts, and generate invoices all tailored to individual customers.

This feature is particularly useful when dealing with complex orders that don’t fit your standard catalog or pricing. For example, if a customer reaches out for a bulk order of 100 units with a special discount, you don’t need to create a discount code or a private product page. Instead, just open your admin panel, create a Draft Order, apply the custom price, and send the invoice directly to the customer. They can then complete the purchase using your usual payment methods.

📦 Why is this a game changer?

Because it simplifies B2B transactions, wholesale deals, custom product requests, and even post-sale adjustments. You can also apply manual taxes, shipping rates, and product variants, giving you full control over the transaction without affecting your public-facing store.

Here are just a few use cases:

• Custom Quotes: Create personalized pricing for VIP clients.
• Backorders: Manually process orders for out-of-stock items to be fulfilled later.
• Phone or Email Orders: Enter orders on behalf of customers who prefer offline communication.
• Corrections or Adjustments: Easily fix pricing or shipping issues without needing to refund and restart an order.

Draft Orders are also extremely useful for service-based businesses or stores offering personalization. You can create a one-time custom product with specific notes and details, add it to a Draft Order, and send the payment link directly to the customer.

Once the Draft Order is converted to a real order (after the customer pays), it appears in your order dashboard just like any other purchase making it seamless to manage.

In short, Draft Orders give you the flexibility that traditional eCommerce often lacks. Whether you’re managing high-volume clients or just need to be more responsive to customer needs, this tool gives you the freedom to sell on your terms.

3. Product Recommendations (AI-powered)

One of the most effective ways to increase your average order value (AOV) and boost customer satisfaction is to leverage AI-powered product recommendations a built-in Shopify feature that many store owners overlook.

Available under Online Store > Themes > Customize, this tool uses Shopify’s machine learning algorithms to display relevant product suggestions to each shopper based on their browsing behavior, purchas e history, and popular trends across your store.

These personalized recommendations are typically shown in sections like:

• “You may also like” 
• “Related products”
• “Customers also bought”

By automatically presenting shoppers with relevant items, you’re reducing the time they spend searching and increasing the chance they’ll add more products to their cart. And the more items they buy, the more revenue you generate without spending an extra cent on ads.

💡 Example in Action:
A customer adds a pair of sneakers to their cart. Shopify’s AI instantly suggests matching socks, cleaning kits, or similar sneaker styles. The customer, now engaged, adds an extra item or two. You’ve just increased the order value with zero manual effort.

🔥 Why It Works:

• Contextual Relevance: Recommendations are based on real behavior, not guesswork.
• Frictionless Upsells: Shoppers are nudged toward products they’re already likely to buy.
• Improved Experience: It mimics in-store shopping, where clerks suggest what goes well with your current selection.

And the best part? It requires no coding or external app. Simply customize your theme and enable the recommendation block where you want it product pages, cart page, or even your homepage.

If you’re looking to increase AOV, this is one of the easiest wins. Combine it with strategic product bundling or limited-time discounts on related items, and you’ll see immediate results.

Whether you’re running a fashion store, selling electronics, or offering digital goods, AI-powered product recommendations turn passive browsing into profitable actions at scale.

4. Built-in Fraud Analysis

Chargebacks are a nightmare for any eCommerce business. They not only cost you money in lost products and fees, but they can also damage your store’s reputation and merchant account standing. That’s why Shopify’s Built-in Fraud Analysis tool is such a critical asset yet it’s one of the most underutilized features among store owners.

Every order placed on your store goes through Shopify’s real-time fraud detection system, which analyzes dozens of data points to flag suspicious behavior. You’ll see these insights directly within the order summary, categorized into Low Risk, Medium Risk, or High Risk, based on the likelihood of fraud.

🕵️‍♂️ How does it work?

Shopify uses machine learning, historical data, and third-party fraud databases to evaluate:

• IP address inconsistencies
• High-risk billing or shipping locations
• Mismatched credit card information
• Unusually large or rapid orders
• Proxy use or masked identities

Each flagged order includes risk indicators and a recommendation on whether to proceed, investigate further, or cancel. This allows you to make smarter fulfillment decisions without playing guessing games.

💡 Example:
An order comes in for $1,200 worth of electronics. Shopify flags it as High Risk because the billing and shipping address don’t match, and the customer used a VPN. Rather than automatically fulfilling it, you can pause the order, contact the customer for verification, or cancel it outright saving yourself from a potential chargeback.

🛡️ Why You Should Use It:

• Prevent Losses: Spot fraud before it costs you money.
• Save Time: Get instant insights without using third-party tools.
• Protect Your Business: Keep your chargeback rate low and your merchant account safe.

While no system is foolproof, Shopify’s built-in fraud analysis gives you a strong first line of defense. It’s smart, constantly learning, and free with every plan.

Pro Tip: Combine it with manual review for high-ticket orders or integrate it with Shopify Flow (if you’re a Plus user) to automatically flag or cancel risky orders.

5. Shopify Inbox (Live Chat + Automation)

In eCommerce, timing is everything especially when it comes to customer engagement. If a potential buyer has a question and can’t find the answer quickly, chances are they’ll bounce. That’s where Shopify Inbox becomes a game-changing tool.

Shopify Inbox is a free, built-in live chat tool that lets you communicate with customers in real-time, directly from your Shopify admin or mobile app. But it’s more than just a basic chat feature. It includes smart automation, customer insights, and integrations that help you turn casual visitors into committed buyers.

💬 Here’s what makes it powerful:

• Live Conversations: Instantly respond to customer inquiries while they’re still on your site when buying intent is highest.
• Saved Responses: Speed up your replies with pre-written answers to common questions (e.g., shipping, return policies, sizing).
• Automated Messages: Greet new visitors automatically or ask if they need help based on their behavior (e.g., time spent on page).
• Customer Insights: View order history and cart contents during the chat, so you can offer personalized support and recommendations.

🛍️ Example in Action:
A visitor lands on your product page and lingers for a few minutes. Shopify Inbox pops up with a friendly message: “Need help finding the right size?” They ask a question, you reply instantly, and they feel confident enough to make a purchase. Without this interaction, they might have been left uncertain.

🚀 Business Benefits:

• Higher Conversions: Real-time support builds trust and reduces friction.
• Fewer Abandoned Carts: Answering a single question can prevent a lost sale.
• Stronger Relationships: Personalized chats build loyalty and satisfaction.

Shopify Inbox also integrates with platforms like Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs, centralizing your conversations across multiple channels. Everything is managed from a single dashboard making it perfect for small teams or solo entrepreneurs.

If you’re not using live chat yet, you’re likely leaving sales on the table. Shopify Inbox gives you a direct line to your customers at exactly the right moment.

Result: More conversions, happier customers, and a more responsive store experience all for free.

 🚀 Conclusion

You don’t need a massive budget or a team of developers to supercharge your Shopify store. Sometimes, the most powerful tools are already built into the platform you just have to know where to look.

From automating customer rewards with Shopify Flow, to personalizing support with Shopify Inbox, these underrated features are designed to help you increase efficiency, boost revenue, and create a better customer experience all without extra apps or code.

Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or scaling a larger operation, start using these hidden Shopify features today to unlock more value from every visitor, every order, and every interaction.

✅ Less effort.
✅ More conversions.
✅ Smarter growth.

Stay ahead of the competition by working smarter—not harder. 🚀