Creating Custom 'Results' Pages on Shopify Using Metafields and Typeform Answers

Once upon a time, in the not so distant world of e-commerce, we found ourselves wrestling with a vexing problem. It was the dawn of personalized online shopping, yet creating a seamless, tailored experience for each customer felt like deciphering an ancient code inscribed in a forgotten language. There was a day when I sat with a steaming cup of coffee, staring at the glowing screen, trying to navigate the labyrinth of metafields and Typeform data. The solution, my friend, seemed just elusive enough to keep me enthralled—and stubborn—determined to make it happen.

Facing the E-commerce Puzzle

Let’s begin by recalling the essence of our conundrum: we have a nifty quiz built on Typeform. It’s like inviting customers for a friendly chat, asking them what they love, and based on their responses, offering them a mirage of perfect product suggestions wrapped up with a bow. The problem is, how do we seamlessly jump from this delightful conversation to a personalized 'results' page that feels like a warm hug? This is our magical quest.

In making our Typeform quiz results actionable, it's crucial to employ metafields on Shopify. Metafields are those delightful hidden pockets of potential that let you stash extra information within Shopify’s sensible architecture. Here's how we can weave this narrative together.

Step 1: Harnessing the Power of Typeform

Picture this as the opening act in our exciting quest for personalization. We start with our Typeform quiz—brimming with potential and carefully crafted questions. Each customer’s response needs tagging, sorted like library books on bespoke shelves. For those not fluent in Typeform, gather your quiz answer data by setting up a Zap on Zapier. This will bridge the answers from Typeform to any other platform, and yes, we're going to tap right into Shopify.

Create a Zap on Zapier: Begin by connecting Typeform and Shopify. When a user completes the quiz, Typeform will serve their answers on a silver platter for a glorious automation journey.
Fetch User Responses: Set it up so each completed Typeform session captures responses. Now Zapier is poised to take these answers and do something magical—transform them into a tailored navigation route.

Step 2: Mapping Answers to Shopify Metafields

This intricate ballet requires our answers to morph into actionable data on Shopify. It’s like crafting a bespoke route on an intricate city map, ensuring the path is just right for each individual traveler, er, customer.

Define Metafields in Shopify: Take a deep breath, and dive into Shopify’s settings. Under "Metafields," create a new metafield for each type of recommendation you wish to display—a line of text, a true-or-false indicator, or a reference to another page.
Set Metafield Values Via Zapier: Once our metafields are created, they wait patiently. With slight mystical vibes, use Zapier to update these fields based on quiz responses. It's like passing secret notes in class, except here, the note tells Shopify which recommendations to conjure.

// An example setup might involve a Zapier action that updates a Shopify customer's metafield

const metafieldData = {
  metafields: [
    {
      namespace: 'quiz_results',
      key: 'recommended_product',
      value: 'ProductID_12345', // Dynamically assigned based on Typeform answer
      value_type: 'string',
    },
  ],
}

Step 3: Crafting the 'Results' Page on Shopify

With our metafields whispering sweet nothings of customer preferences, the pièce de résistance awaits—the 'results' page, where the magic touch of customization happens.

Theme Customization: Venture into your Shopify theme editor. The goal is to update the template with sections that read those metafields. Use Liquid, Shopify’s templating language, to work your magic.
Incorporate Conditionals: Customization shines when you use if-statements in Liquid, deciding what to display to each user. It's as if the page reads each metafield like a book, flipping to the chapter that has the specific recommendation your customer desires.

{% if customer.metafields.quiz_results.recommended_product == "ProductID_12345" %}
  <h1>We think you'll love this product!</h1>
  <p>Based on your answers, the perfect product for you is...</p>
  <!-- Product display logic here -->
{% endif %}

Reveling in the Results

As we sit back and view our creation, it's a marvel, really. Each click of the ‘view my results’ button transports a customer to an ever-so-personal results page, a testament to their preferences voiced through the Typeform quiz. It’s an experience crafted as if we, the creators, sat beside each person, whispering, "Here, this is just for you."

Solving this puzzle was not just about data and technology. It was about storytelling through commerce, making shopping feel uniquely personal. Just like we embarked on a journey to decode this mystery, each customer embarks on their own, guided by their preferences, curated through our love for personal touches. Here's to taking a step into the enchanting world of customized e-commerce! 🍷

And remember, while solving this may have felt like marathon sessions with cursed objects (read: metafields), the satisfaction of a delightful customer experience shines brighter than a morning sunbeam. Cheers to personalization!