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Hey there,

Shopify just rolled out something that doesn't happen often: a platform update that makes things better without merchants having to lift a finger.

On January 13th, they flipped the switch on stricter Liquid parsing that's supposed to make storefronts faster and more reliable. No migration, no setup wizard, just automatic improvements happening in the background.

The technical stuff (simplified)

Starting this month, Shopify's rewriting how it processes Liquid code in theme files. If your theme had sloppy syntax or compatibility issues, Shopify's automatically fixing those files behind the scenes. The promise? Faster load times, fewer bugs, and a more stable foundation for future platform updates.

For most stores, this is completely invisible. Your storefront looks the same, works the same—it's just snappier under the hood. The only people who might notice anything are developers working with custom themes or apps, and even then, Shopify's handling most of the heavy lifting.

Also launching: POS Hub for retail

If you're running physical retail locations, Shopify's now taking pre-orders for POS Hub—a wired hardware connector that links scanners, printers, and card readers directly to your iPad or Android tablet.

It's available for early access now, with general availability coming later this year. This is Shopify doubling down on reliability for brick-and-mortar. No more Bluetooth dropouts during a Saturday rush. Just plug-and-play hardware that actually stays connected.

The real question: does faster matter?

Here's where it gets interesting for us. Speed improvements are great, but they're table stakes in 2026. What actually moves the needle is whether your store makes it easy for people to find what they need and check out without friction.

A faster storefront that still has confusing navigation, weak product detail pages, or a checkout flow that makes people second-guess? That's just a faster way to lose conversions. The Liquid update is a good foundation. But speed only matters if the UX is already doing its job.

Bottom line: Shopify's handling the infrastructure so you can focus on what actually matters: the experience.

Faster code execution is nice. Better product discovery, clearer CTAs, and checkout flows that don't make people bail—that's what keeps customers coming back.

Good thing that's what we do.

The Oddit Team

P.S. If your store's fast but conversions are still flat, that's a UX problem, not a speed problem. Let's fix it.

→ Watch the video below: a quick way to spot what's actually stopping people from buying.