Case Study

How ExpressText Brought Targeted SMS to Shopify

ExpressText expanded its established SMS platform into a Shopify app that syncs subscriber data, supports audience segmentation, and helps merchants send personalised SMS campaigns directly from their stores.

Contact Us ↗
Store preview
Development Effort 29 Days Estimated Development Effort
Project ExpressText Shopify App
Platform Shopify Embedded App
Estimated Effort 29 Days
Technology Remix, Polaris, GraphQL & Theme App Extensions
Messaging Layer ExpressText API

Client Requirements & Challenges

Building a Centralized SMS Platform for Shopify

ExpressText needed a Shopify app that connects merchant data with its SMS platform, enabling automated campaigns, customer messaging, and reliable store-triggered notifications.

01

Client Requirements

The main requirements were:

  • Subscription Plans: Create a Shopify billing page for plan purchases and feature access.
  • ExpressText API Integration: Connect SMS messaging, contacts, campaigns, and customer segments.
  • Abandoned Cart SMS: Send timely messages to recover incomplete checkouts.
  • Review Requests: Automate post-purchase SMS requests for customer reviews.
  • Text Us Feature: Replicate the existing Text Us chat experience inside Shopify.
  • Back-in-Stock Alerts: Build configurable stock notifications through a Shopify storefront extension.
  • Reliable Event Handling: Process customer, checkout, order, and inventory events accurately.
  • Launch Readiness: Test, deploy, and prepare the app for Shopify App Store publishing.
02

Challenges Faced

Key challenges encountered during the project:

  • Reliable Event Processing: Process Shopify events without slowing webhooks or blocking API requests.
  • ExpressText Integration: Sync customers, orders, products, segments, campaigns, and messaging data with the ExpressText API.
  • Duplicate Message Prevention: Prevent repeat SMS messages when checkout events or automation jobs are retried.
  • Back-in-Stock Alerts: Identify genuine restocks and notify relevant customers only once.
  • Billing & Access Control: Keep Shopify subscription status aligned with app features and permissions.
  • Storefront Compatibility: Deliver Text Us and back-in-stock tools across Shopify themes using Theme App Extensions.
  • Production Testing: Test billing, automations, API sync, storefront tools, and SMS delivery before launch.

Approach & Solutions

Extending ExpressText for Shopify

The Shopify app connects directly with the existing ExpressText platform, giving merchants powerful SMS tools without creating a separate messaging system.

BILL

Implemented Shopify App Plans and Billing

A dedicated plan-selection page was created for merchants to purchase ExpressText plans. The application uses the merchant's subscription status to control access to plan-specific features.

API

Integrated the ExpressText API

Integrated as the primary messaging and campaign-management service handling SMS delivery, campaign management, customer segments, campaign configuration, contacts, and messaging records.

CART

Built Automated Abandoned Cart SMS

Implemented using Shopify checkout events and scheduled background processing. Instead of immediately sending a message, the system delays processing and verifies whether the customer completed the purchase. Duplicate events are handled to prevent multiple recovery messages.

REV

Added Post-Purchase Review Automation

The After-Sale Text Reviews workflow uses completed orders as its trigger and schedules review-request SMS messages according to configured automation timing, sent through the ExpressText API when due.

CHAT

Replicated the Text Us Chat Box

The existing Text Us Chat Box was integrated into the Shopify storefront, allowing customers to initiate SMS conversations directly from the merchant's store while continuing to use the ExpressText messaging infrastructure.

STK

Developed Back-in-Stock Alerts

A storefront extension displays a 'Notify me when back in stock' option for out-of-stock products, captures mobile numbers, monitors inventory restocks, and sends SMS notifications through ExpressText.

Testing and Production Deployment

Validated for a Reliable Shopify Launch

We tested each core workflow before deploying the app to production and preparing it for Shopify App Store publishing.

01

Billing & API

Tested Shopify installation and billing, plan-based feature access, ExpressText API integration, and SMS delivery.

02

Campaigns & Segments

Tested campaigns and segments, contact records, and subscriber data management.

03

Automations & Extensions

Tested abandoned-cart automation, review automation, Text Us Chat Box, back-in-stock notifications, and Shopify storefront extensions.

04

Error & Duplicate Handling

Tested error, retry, and duplicate-event handling before deploying to production and preparing for Shopify publishing.

Storefront & App Features

SMS Workflows Built for Shopify

A connected Shopify app that combines ExpressText API integration, automated SMS workflows, and theme-ready storefront tools.

Campaigns SetupCampaigns Setup
App WidgetApp Widget
Shopify Billing: Plan Selection & PermissionsShopify Billing: Plan Selection & Permissions

Technology

Technology Stack

Shopify App (Remix)Shopify PolarisShopify Admin GraphQL APIShopify Theme App ExtensionsExpressText APISMS/Automation Services

Conclusion

“

The ExpressText Shopify app required a reliable integration between Shopify, ExpressText, SMS automation, billing, and storefront extensions. The solution focused on reliable event processing, background automation, duplicate protection, and seamless integration with the existing ExpressText API. The resulting application provides Shopify merchants with a centralized SMS platform for abandoned-cart recovery, post-purchase reviews, customer-initiated conversations, and back-in-stock notifications, while supporting subscription-based feature access.

”

Integration FAQ

Questions About the ExpressText Project

Key details about app integration, subscription billing, Shopify events, and storefront features.

We designed and developed a Shopify app that connected with the existing ExpressText SMS platform. The work included billing, API integration, automations, storefront extensions, testing, and production deployment.

The main focus was handling Shopify events reliably, keeping data in sync with the ExpressText API, managing subscription-based access, and preventing duplicate automation messages.

We integrated Shopify customer, product, order, checkout, and inventory events with the ExpressText API. This allowed the platform to respond accurately to store activity.

The project included app billing, feature permissions, automated SMS workflows, review-request automation, back-in-stock alerts, and Theme App Extensions for storefront functionality.

We tested billing, API connectivity, event processing, automations, storefront tools, error handling, and duplicate-event safeguards before production deployment and Shopify App Store submission.

Start Your Project

Have a Project in Mind?

Looking for the right team to bring your next digital project to life? Let’s discuss your goals, challenges, and ideas. Our team is ready to help you turn them into a solution that delivers results.

Book a Consultation →