Custom fields can be a goldmine for stores that wish to seek information from their buyers. Let’s find out the what and why of custom fields, and how Flits’ users are utilizing custom fields.
Flits app is known for its customer account page. The app’s main objective is to enhance Shopify’s existing infrastructure. Hence, the team keeps brainstorming ideas on how to improve or add new features. The latest addition is a custom fields feature.
The customer account page feature takes care of commonly used input fields, but every business has unique requirements. Often, merchants request additional input fields on the signup or profile page. So far, the development team has added them on request (depending on the plan), but we realized that adding a feature for extra fields was the need of the hour. It also supplements our primary feature, i.e., the customer account page.
Merchants often need information from customers for shipping, marketing, or customization purposes; the best way to collect this information is through a signup page or the profile page. This is where custom fields play a role.
In this article we will read about the following
- What are custom fields?
- Why should you use custom fields?
- 5 Flits stores that are utilizing custom fields
Before we dive into how store are using custom fields, let’s talk about what kind of businesses need custom fields and why they need them.
What are custom fields?
Custom fields allow users to input data (text, numerics, alphanumeric, documents, etc.). For example, when you sign up on a website, you must input your first name, last name, email address, and phone number. All these fields accept a certain type of input.
When a merchant wants an additional an input field (not already available on the signup form/profile page or anywhere else on the website), such as date of birth, license number, photographs, shoe size, etc., this is called a custom field.
Do you want to use custom fields but aren’t sure whether you should use them? Let’s read ahead and find out.
Why should you use custom fields?
Every business has unique needs and may need different sets of tools. But there are certain features that every business must utilize. Following are the reasons why you should use custom fields:
You want to know your customers better: You can express gratitude by sending a handwritten letter or a personalized gift. You can seek information on the signup page and make them excited about the prospect of a gift or a personalized item—for example, you can ask about their favorite color, favorite festival, etc.
You sell customized products: If you sell customized products, you will always need exact information about what your customers prefer. If you sell tailor-made shirts, you will need exact measurements and specific information from the customer. The same goes for any other store that sells customized products, for example, gifting stores, cake shops, etc.
You need documentation to process orders: If you sell items like guns and ammunition, you will need documents for identification purposes. You may need documents such as a license or prescription if you sell medical equipment or medicines.
You sell products to a select segment of customers: You need more data if you sell items used by a small number of customers but in large quantities. You need to determine requirements such as quantity, quality, delivery dates, etc.
Flits launched the custom fields feature in December 2022; post that, many stores started using the feature, a few contacted our support team because they wanted to use the file upload option as a custom field.
Flits stores that are utilizing custom fields
Below are a few stores that started using custom fields on their signup and profile pages.
- Dog Hugs Cat: this pet store was founded in 2022 as an online pet store supporting pets and homeless animals.
Dog Hugs Cat needed multiple custom fields for their store as they provide free pet portraits with their orders. They need the pet’s name, birth date, and photographs.
For pet’s name: for this requirement, stores can can use text only field, multiline text, or alphanumeric field. The store opted for the text field.
For pets birthdate: for this, a date picker field is the best choice
For pet’s photograph: merchants need to contact customer support and ask them to activate the file upload option.
- Dubmeals: This UAE-based meal plan provider offers weekly and monthly subscription meal plans that cater to daily nutritional needs. Dubmeals is using custom fields on the signup page and the profile page.
Asking about allergies on the signup page is a very intelligent use of the custom field. This way, they can customize the meal and gather data about common allergens. For this, dubmeal uses a multiline text field.
Customers can also share their BMR or TDEE. This will help the store further customize the meals or suggest better meals. For this section, Dubmeals uses a numeric input field.
- Wavex: this store is the pioneer in India’s auto care products manufacturing industry. They have added a custom field asking buyers if they need products for personal or professional use. Wavex is using a text field for seeking this information.
- Think Robotics: Think robotics is an online store that supplies equipment for DIY electronics projects. It has thousands of customers, including prominent companies like Asus, Nvidia, etc.
Given the components they supply, they require the company’s name and GSTIN, which is a 15 digits goods and service tax identification number. They used an alphanumeric field because GSTIN comprises alphabets and numbers.
- Stocker supplier: Stocker supplier is a Spanish dropshipping store that supplies products under various categories. They wanted to add a custom field to collect Paypal emails. They are using an alphanumeric field for this.
There are many stores that are using custom fields and we will keep sharing such use cases in future as well. The custom field update is one of the most powerful feature upgrades by Flits, and the best part is that the business and enterprise plans can avail of the benefits of this feature without any extra cost.
Are you ready to know your customers better? If your answer is yes, then Install Flits Customer Account Page App on your Shopify store today!
