Shopify has introduced an Store Speed feature, now conveniently located within the Themes section of your store admin. For more comprehensive insights, you can access detailed data by clicking the speed score. If you're interested in learning more about this new feature, please refer to Shopify's Help Center or check: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/online-store/store-speed

Below, you'll find some frequently asked questions regarding this.

As explained in the Shopify article linked above, your online store's speed significantly influences your customers' shopping experience, conversion rates, and the discover-ability of your store. A faster-loading store is undeniably preferred over a slower-loading one. Search engines also tend to favor faster-loading sites.

However, it's crucial to note that some of the world's highest-ranked and most successful stores have relatively low page speed scores. A fast-loading store does not necessarily guarantee a successful one, and a slower-loading store does not imply an unsuccessful business. Achieving the right balance between speed and user experience is key.

No, it's too simplistic to blame your theme for slowing down your store, but it can play a role in the overall picture. Your online store comprises a vast array of assets, including theme code, scripts, apps, images, videos, carousels, social media feeds, and analytics. Since Shopify is a platform system, various assets from different parties, such as theme developers, app developers, and Shopify itself, are integrated into your store's code.

All themes available in the Shopify theme store undergo optimization and rigorous testing to ensure they are as fast as possible. This is an ongoing process, and Shopify continuously works to improve loading times with each theme release. Unfortunately, there may not be immediate solutions to speed up your store.

Based on our experience, the assets that significantly affect store speed are Shopify apps. Consider reading this article for an in-depth study of how installing a few apps can impact your Google Page Speed score.

So, does this mean you should uninstall all your apps? Not necessarily. As mentioned earlier and in Shopify's documentation, you might need to make some speed trade offs to enhance the user experience and boost sales.

If you have a slow-loading app that drives conversions, it makes sense to collaborate with the app developer to improve loading speed rather than uninstalling a profitable app. The same applies to apps essential for other aspects of your business, like product customization. As a general guideline, run your store with as few apps installed as possible if speed is a top priority.

We've compiled a list of best practices to enhance your store's performance. You can find these recommendations in our dedicated article here: https://intercom.help/xtra-for-shopify/en/articles/8478702-optimize-your-store-speed

It's challenging to define a universally good score because it's heavily influenced by the apps and content on your site. For instance, a page with numerous images, videos, and sections will naturally have a lower score than a simple black-and-white blog post page.

However, as a rule of thumb, here are score ranges that should not cause issues. Ultimately, trust your own experience: if your store feels fast, it's probably fast enough for everyone and won't face penalties from Google and search engines.

If you're using apps: A score between 20-30 on mobile and between 30-40 on desktop is considered good (note that using more apps may lower your score; it's not unusual to have a score in the range of 5-10 with a high number of apps).

If you're not using any apps: A score between 50-70 on mobile and between 45-70 on desktop is a good range.

In conclusion, your page loading speed is vital and should be addressed. However, it's not the sole aspect to focus on when running your store. It's easy to become overly fixated on improving your score to the detriment of your time, money, and attention that could be better invested in growing your business in other ways.