Shopify Square Integration: A Step-by-Step Guide

Running an eCommerce store comes with its own set of challenges. Whether it’s managing multiple sales channels, keeping track of inventory, or ensuring smooth payment processing, it can feel like there are endless moving parts. Many store owners struggle with balancing their online and in-person sales, often leading to disjointed operations and frustrated customers.

This is where platforms like Shopify and Square come into play. Shopify, known for its powerful eCommerce features, helps you create and manage a seamless online store. On the other hand, Square excels at point-of-sale solutions, making it the go-to choice for businesses that also have a physical presence. Each platform offers incredible value on its own, but what if we say that you can use Shopify with Square? Yes, that’s true!

In this guide, we’ll discuss how Shopify development experts integrate Shopify with Square, so you can make the most out of both platforms and run your business more efficiently. Let’s start!

Benefits of Integrating Shopify and Square

By integrating Shopify with Square, you can streamline your operations, boost sales, and provide a better experience for your customers. Here’s how this integration can help your business thrive:

Expand Sales Channels with Ease

With Shopify, you already have a robust platform to manage your online store. On the other hand, Square is known for its seamless in-person payment solutions. By integrating the two, you can manage both online and offline sales effortlessly.

Whether you’re running a brick-and-mortar shop, attending pop-up events, or selling online, the integration lets you operate across multiple sales channels with ease. This means you can cater to more customers without worrying about managing different systems for each channel.

Unified Inventory Management

One of the biggest headaches for store owners is managing inventory across multiple platforms. Shopify and Square integration helps you avoid stock discrepancies by syncing your inventory in real-time.

Whether a product is sold online or in-store, your stock levels are updated instantly. This ensures you never oversell or run out of stock unexpectedly, saving you time and reducing the risk of errors.

Simplified Payment Processing

By integrating Shopify and Square, you can handle all your payments through one centralized system. Whether a customer buys something online or in person, all transactions are processed through Square.

This simplifies payment reconciliation, making it easier to track revenue and manage your financials. Plus, Square’s transparent and competitive pricing means you can save on payment processing fees.

Seamless Omnichannel Experience

Today’s shoppers expect a seamless experience, whether they’re browsing your online store or walking into your physical location.

Shopify and Square together enable you to create an omnichannel retail experience where customers can buy online, pick up in-store, or even return online purchases at your physical location. This flexibility keeps customers happy and coming back for more.

Better Reporting and Analytics

When you combine Shopify’s detailed eCommerce insights with Square’s powerful reporting tools, you get a complete view of your business performance. This integration allows you to track sales data, inventory, and customer behavior across both platforms.

With access to key metrics like average order value and customer lifetime value, you can make data-driven decisions that drive growth.

In-Person Selling Made Easy

Square is designed for in-person transactions, making it the perfect complement to Shopify’s online prowess. Whether you have a physical store or attend markets and pop-up events, Square allows you to accept card payments on the go.

The integration also helps you sync sales and inventory between your physical and online stores, so everything stays up-to-date.

Improved Customer Experience

With Shopify Square integration, you can offer a more consistent and convenient shopping experience.

Customers can access their accounts, use loyalty points, and even complete returns in-store for online purchases. This level of service not only improves customer satisfaction but also builds trust and loyalty.

Steps to Follow for Shopify Square Integration

Integrating Shopify with Square may sound technical, but it’s simpler than you think! With this step-by-step guide, you’ll have both platforms working together in no time, helping you streamline payments and manage your store more efficiently. Let’s dive into the process:

Step 1: Set Up Your Shopify Store

Before anything else, you need a Shopify store. If you already have one, feel free to skip this step. But if you’re just getting started with Shopify, here’s how to set it up:

• Go to Shopify and enter your email address.
• Click on Start free trial.
• Shopify will prompt you for some basic info like your store name and password.
• Once you’ve entered everything, hit Create your store.

You can read our guide on Shopify store setup for more details.

After your store is created, you can adjust some initial settings such as currency, time zone, themes, and setting up payment gateways. You’ll have a fully functioning Shopify store in no time!

Step 2: Create a Square Account

Now that your Shopify store is set up, it’s time to create a Square account (if you don’t already have one).

• Head over to Square and click Get started.
• Enter your email and password, then click Create Account.
• You’ll be asked for some basic information, such as your business type and personal details. Fill those in and hit Continue.

And voilà! Your Square account is ready to go.

Step 3: Configure Integration Settings in Shopify

Next up, we need to ensure that Shopify accepts Square as a payment provider. Here’s how to enable it:

• In your Shopify dashboard, go to Settings and then Payment providers.
• In the drop-down menu, find Square and click on Activate.

This will allow your Shopify store to process payments through Square, which is essential for handling both online and in-person transactions.

Step 4: Connect Shopify to Square via a Third-Party App

Unfortunately, there’s no direct way to connect Shopify to Square. But don’t worry! You can link them using a third-party app.

Here’s how:

• Go to the Shopify App Store and search for the integration app of your choice.
• Install the app and follow the on-screen instructions to connect your Shopify and Square accounts.
• Once connected, you can sync inventory, orders, and payment details between the two platforms.

Step 5: Set Up Payment Processing

Now that Shopify and Square are linked, it’s time to configure how payments are processed in your Shopify store.

• In the Square integration settings, you can customize things like enabling partial payments, allowing tipping, or automating refunds.
• Adjust these settings based on your business needs to ensure a smooth checkout process for your customers.

Step 6: Test the Shopify-Square Integration

Before you go live, it’s always a good idea to test the integration to ensure everything runs smoothly.

• Make a test purchase on your Shopify store and choose Square as the payment method.
• Ensure that the transaction processes correctly and inventory updates properly on both platforms.
• If you run into any issues, revisit the setup steps or check your app configuration for any errors.

Once everything works as expected, your Shopify Square integration is complete!

Third-Party Apps for Shopify Square Integration

To connect Shopify and Square, you’ll need a little help from third-party apps, as there’s no native integration between the two platforms. These apps make it easy to sync data, streamline payments, and manage your sales across both channels. Below are some of the top recommended apps to help you get the job done:

Zapier

Zapier is a well-known automation platform that allows you to create workflows, or “Zaps,” between different apps. It’s perfect for automating tasks and syncing data between Shopify and Square without the need for coding. With Zapier, you can automatically add new Square customers to your Shopify customer list or create a new invoice in Square whenever a new order is placed in Shopify.

Steps to integrate Shopify and Square using Zapier:

• Sign up for a Square account if you don’t have one yet.
• Connect both your Shopify and Square accounts to Zapier.
• Choose either Shopify or Square as the “trigger” to start the automated process.
• Select the action you want the other platform to take (e.g., create an invoice or add a new customer).
• Pick the data you want to sync between the two apps.

Zapier is a time-saving option that reduces manual operations, allowing you to focus on growing your business.

SKU IQ

SKU IQ is a cloud-based automation platform designed to simplify data transfers between Shopify and Square. It helps you sync inventory, product listings, and orders in one centralized location, making it easy to manage your sales across both platforms without technical skills.

Steps to integrate Shopify and Square using SKU IQ:

• Create a SKU IQ account and choose a pricing plan.
• Authenticate both Shopify and Square accounts.
• Select the data you want to sync, such as products, images, and inventory details.
• Start syncing the data between the platforms.

SKU IQ is great for business owners who want to consolidate their inventory management and ensure that everything stays in sync, whether they’re selling online or in-store.

FAQs on Shopify Square Integration

Does Square work with Shopify?

Yes, but Square and Shopify don't have a direct integration. To connect the two, you’ll need to use a third-party app like Zapier and SKU IQ to sync data between both platforms.

What is the difference between Shopify and Square?

Shopify is designed for online stores, offering advanced eCommerce tools, while Square excels in providing payment solutions for brick-and-mortar businesses. Shopify is more powerful for online sales, whereas Square is simpler for in-person transactions.

Can I import products from Shopify to Square?

Yes, you can. You need to export your products from Shopify as a CSV file, format it according to Square’s template, and then import it into Square.

Conclusion

Integrating Shopify with Square gives you the best of both worlds—robust online selling tools and effortless in-person payment solutions. Whether you’re managing a physical store, selling at events, or running an eCommerce site, this integration helps you streamline operations, sync inventory, and offer a smooth customer experience across all channels.

With the help of third-party apps, connecting Shopify and Square is easier than ever, allowing you to focus less on managing platforms and more on growing your business. Start the integration today and unlock the potential of combining these two powerful platforms!

If you need help in managing your eCommerce store’s development and maintenance, consider getting assistance from our eCommerce development experts.