Data is one of the most powerful assets for Shopify brands in 2025 and beyond. After all, it’s what empowers you to tailor communications and experiences to each of your customers, driving better outcomes.
Don’t just take our word for it. 64% of consumers are willing to spend more on a brand that remembers them and offers a personalized experience.
But, personalizing customer accounts in Shopify is evolving right before our eyes. New Shopify customer accounts are becoming the norm as classic accounts phase out. What does this mean for brands? You might want to make the switch sooner rather than later.
We’re going to show you some of the key differences between Shopify new customer accounts vs classic so you can familiarize yourself with the capabilities you now have access to.
We’ll also share tips on personalizing Shopify customer accounts with Rivo to achieve better results with your Shopify loyalty program. Learn more below!
The Role of Customer Accounts in Shopify
You’re already using some form of customer accounts in Shopify whether you realize it or not. These are how your customers log in for a seamless shopping experience that keeps them coming back for more, without the hassle of having to re-enter the same information every time.
Customer accounts allow for saved payment and delivery details, past order review, and other personal details. This helps minimize checkout friction, in turn improving conversion rates.
While some brands still rely on guest checkout experience, those interested in brand loyalty segmentation need to be using accounts. This supports personalization as you can use customer loyalty analytics to deliver more tailored experiences.
If nothing else, a smooth account experience makes it easier to nurture long-term relationships with buyers. It’s not a matter of whether you’re going to leverage customer accounts, but rather, which style, you’re going to use: Shopify classic vs new customer accounts.
Shopify New Customer Accounts vs Classic: Key Differences to Consider
The main difference between Shopify classic vs new customer accounts comes down to how users log into their accounts. The big advantage of new customer accounts in Shopify is being able to log in through a one-time 6-digit verification code sent by email.
But, there are a few other features Shopify has rolled out, and some that have been archived. Here’s a detailed look at Shopify new customer accounts vs classic.
Authentication and Login Process
Classic Shopify customer accounts rely on a username (or email) and password for logging in. The way customers log in is changing for the better in new accounts.
Say goodbye to forgotten passwords and friction that’s costing you orders at the checkout process. Instead, customers can use a passwordless authentication system thanks to the one-time email verification link.
This can feel unfamiliar to customers who prefer traditional login methods, and they may raise security concerns as well. But, it’s a far more convenient way to access account information and place orders.
Account Interface and UX Improvements
The way in which customers create their accounts is changing as well. With classic accounts they’d accept invites or use the login page. New accounts simplify things by allowing customers to log in using an email address and automatically creating their account.
UX is changing from a branding perspective, too. Legacy customer accounts use branding from your online store theme settings, but the new accounts pull branding details from the checkout settings (except the login page).
We’ll talk more about this later on, but you get way more branding abilities with new customer accounts paired with Rivo loyalty. You can customize fonts, colors, CSS, and even add your own custom code blocks on accounts.
Feature Set and Capabilities
Both types of accounts support integration with third-party apps. There is also quite a bit of feature overlap.
Classic Shopify accounts support basic order history viewing and address management, with limited support for saved payment methods or self-serve returns. On the other hand, new customer accounts on Shopify bring a few exciting new capabilities to the table:
- Saved Payment Methods: Customers can store payment details for faster checkouts.
- Self-Serve Returns: Customers can start returns directly from their account without contacting support.
- Reordering: Facilitates quick reorders from past purchases, perfect for brands selling consumable goods.
- B2B Support: Supports business-to-business functionalities within the account interface.
One area where classic accounts have an edge, though, is in customization through Liquid templating. While it’s in the works, it’s not available to new customer accounts just yet. Instead, customization is done through Checkout Extensibility which requires more technical expertise.
Security and Privacy Enhancements
While some users look at new customer accounts passwordless authentication as a security risk, it’s actually safer. Password breaches are all too common and can leave users exposed to hackers if their weak or repeated passwords are found online.
But with new customer accounts on Shopify, each login requires email verification - so as long as a customer keeps their email secure, there is no threat to worry about.
So, Should You Upgrade to New Customer Accounts or Stick With Classic?
Choosing between Shopify new customer accounts vs classic isn’t as simple as you might assume, and it’s certainly not a one-size-fits-all decision.
Most brands would benefit from upgrading their database to the new customer account approach. But there are circumstances where it might make sense to keep using classic customer accounts while you can and kick the can further down the road.
When Classic Customer Accounts Might Still Work for Your Brand
As you can see in our comparison of Shopify classic vs new customer accounts, not all the features from classic have made their way into the new account structure yet.
For instance, stores with customer-specific pricing, wholesale login access, or third-party B2B apps that integrate with classic accounts will run into compatibility issues.
It’s also worth noting that classic accounts support multiple saved addresses - this is useful for businesses that sell giftable items or cater to shoppers who frequently ship to different locations. New customer accounts only accommodate one saved address.
You also won’t have access to liquid customization with new customer accounts. Weigh these things against your own storefront and see if you’re going to run into challenges. If not, then you can simply enjoy the benefits of upgrading to new customer accounts.
The Benefits of Upgrading to New Customer Accounts
The appeal of Shopify new customer accounts vs classic is clear. It’s less friction for users and a better experience for brands, especially those trying to focus on retention:
- Frictionless Login Experience: Customers no longer need to remember passwords. Instead, they receive a one-time email login link, reducing the chance of forgotten passwords and abandoned carts due to login issues. This also saves you on the customer support side of things with fewer tickets for password resets.
- Seamless Shopify Checkout With Saved Payment Methods: This speeds up checkout and encourages repeat purchases, especially for brands with high purchase frequency who feel as if friction at checkout costs them conversions.
- Better Integration With Shopify's Native Features: New customer accounts work seamlessly with Shopify’s latest checkout updates and Shop Pay, again, creating a faster and more convenient shopping experience.
Ultimately, only you can determine if it makes sense to go with Shopify new customer accounts vs classic. But what if you could enjoy the best of both worlds?
Can You Enjoy the Best of Both Worlds?
Technically, yes! Shopify lets you enable both classic and new customer accounts simultaneously. This is a great way to test the new system while still giving long-time customers access to their existing accounts.
Just be clear, this is a temporary solution. Classic accounts will be gone for good before you know it. The sooner you make the switch to new customer accounts in Shopify, the better off you’ll be. So, we’ll share tips on getting started below.
Tips on Navigating the Transition From Classic Customer Accounts to New Customer Accounts
Shopify has done a good job making the process of transitioning from classic accounts to new accounts as hands-off as possible. Older customer account links automatically redirect to new ones.
However, things might break in other areas of your website. Custom features don’t transfer over, and certain automated workflows may be interrupted as well. Here are some more things to know as you make the upgrade.
Communicating Changes to Customers
You can imagine how jarring and frustrating it would be from a customer’s perspective to try and login into their account and be met with a totally different interface or login method.
This change needs to be communicated well in advance. Use email, SMS, and banners on your website to explain what’s new and how it benefits them. Emphasize the convenience and security benefits.
You might even put up a quick tutorial or FAQ section on your site to walk customers through how the one-time email login works. Even still, some customers are going to have questions - make sure your support team is prepared to field those.
Testing and Implementing the New Customer Accounts
Like we mentioned earlier, you’re in a unique position right now (depending on when you’re reading this) to be able to use both types of accounts at once.
You might want to enable new accounts for a small segment of users and monitor engagement levels, login success rates, and customer feedback to identify any friction points. This way you can put fixes in place by the time classic accounts are phased out for good.
Make sure third-party apps, including payment processors, subscription services, and loyalty programs, work smoothly with the new account structure. You may need to reconnect certain integrations.
Integrating Loyalty Programs and Rewards
Your transition to new accounts should enhance loyalty programs, not interrupt them. What matters most is you transfer over all relevant data, whether you’re using Shopify’s built-in customer accounts or a third-party loyalty solution like Rivo.
Confirm that purchase history, rewards points, and VIP status carry over without issues. Then, it’s just a matter of leveraging the improved experience to make your rewards program more compelling for users.
You could even go as far as offering a one-time reward for customers who log in and explore their updated accounts, using this store update as a re-engagement opportunity.
Rivo gives you more ways to personalize customer accounts than ever before, allowing you to tailor every touch point to the customer. You get historical order, post-purchase surveys, and zero-part data. Explore more than 50 other features including:
- Mobile first functionality
- AI order predictions and subsequent suggestions
- Wishlists and saves
- Recommendation engines
- 50+ apps for loyalty, referrals, returns, and more
- A fully customizable UX
Browse our blog for more customer loyalty strategies and customer retention examples. We also have resources on how to reward customer loyalty, customer retention KPIs, and a loyalty program cost calculation.
Parting Thoughts on Shopify Classic vs New Customer Accounts
Choosing between Shopify classic vs new customer accounts is just a matter of aligning with your brand’s needs now and in the future. Classic accounts are familiar with password-based logins and stored customer data, but they’re on their way out whether you like it or not.
Fortunately, the new account capabilities give you more control over how you use customer data - all while creating a better user experience. If seamless login, reduced password fatigue, and a more integrated Shopify experience matter to your brand, upgrading makes sense.
No matter your choice between Shopify new customer accounts vs classic, make sure you’re prioritizing retention. Rivo makes it easy. Request a demo today to see what’s possible, or see how we stack up to the alternatives:
