Introduction

Shopify recently removed the Save Cart feature from the Shopify POS app, which has led to confusion and frustration among merchants who rely on it for seamless customer interactions. This change replaced Save Cart with a “Save as Draft Order” function, altering workflows for many retail stores. In this article, we’ll discuss why this change was made, how to adapt to the new Draft Order feature, and what feedback Shopify has received from its user base.

Problem Overview: Missing Save Cart Function in Shopify POS

On February 29, 2024, Shopify merchants began noticing that the Save Cart function had disappeared from the Shopify POS app. The feature was replaced with a “Save as Draft Order” function. While draft orders provide some similar capabilities, they differ in key aspects, such as requiring more steps to complete and saving to the store’s main Draft Orders list, which can clutter the dashboard for stores that primarily use draft orders for other purposes.

This update affected both POS Lite and POS Pro users, though initial communication from Shopify indicated the change might only impact Lite users. However, merchants on both plans have reported the absence of Save Cart functionality.

Solution: Using Draft Orders Instead of Save Cart

Shopify staff confirmed that the Save Cart feature would not be returning and suggested that merchants use the Draft Order function as a replacement. With the Draft Order feature in POS, merchants can save an order in progress and retrieve it later from the Orders > Draft Orders section.

To save a draft order on POS, select “Save as Draft Order” from the More Actions menu. To retrieve it, go to Orders > Draft Orders, find the draft, and continue from there. However, this approach has drawbacks:

• Draft orders are saved across all Shopify admin locations, cluttering the Draft Orders page.
• Draft orders require more clicks and are not as easily accessible as the original Save Cart feature.
• Editing a draft order on POS and re-saving it requires selecting the trash icon, which can be confusing.

Merchant Feedback on the Change

Many merchants expressed frustration over this change, citing that the Draft Order feature is less intuitive and requires extra steps compared to Save Cart. Additionally, several users noted that saving and retrieving carts in real-time for quick transactions is essential in fast-paced retail environments, and the Draft Order workaround does not provide the same level of efficiency.

In response, Shopify’s support team acknowledged the feedback and assured users that improvements to the Draft Order workflow are underway. However, a timeline for these enhancements has not been provided, and there’s no indication that the original Save Cart feature will be restored.

Additional Tips for Working with Draft Orders

• Streamline Draft Orders: Limit the use of Draft Orders in your main Shopify admin to reduce clutter. Consider assigning specific tags to easily identify draft orders created via POS.
• Organize Draft Orders: Keep the Draft Orders list organized by using a naming convention or categories so staff can quickly locate in-progress carts.
• Provide Feedback: Continue providing feedback to Shopify support to advocate for more streamlined workflows in the POS app.

Conclusion

While Shopify’s removal of the Save Cart feature and replacement with Draft Orders has impacted merchant workflows, users now have a temporary workaround. By adopting the Draft Order feature and adjusting operations to minimize inconvenience, merchants can still manage saved carts, albeit less efficiently than before. As Shopify’s development team is actively reviewing feedback, it’s possible that future updates will improve the user experience.

FAQs

• Why did Shopify remove the Save Cart feature from POS?
  Shopify replaced Save Cart with a Draft Order feature to centralize in-progress orders, but this change has complicated workflows for some merchants who relied on the simpler Save Cart function.
• Can I get the Save Cart function back?
  As of now, Shopify has stated that the Save Cart feature will not return. They are, however, working on improvements to the Draft Order function in response to feedback.
• Is there a way to make Draft Orders easier to use in POS?
  To make Draft Orders easier, organize them by using specific tags, and keep your Draft Orders list tidy. This can help POS users quickly find and retrieve saved orders.
• How can I provide feedback to Shopify about this change?
  You can reach out to Shopify support via their help center or chat to provide feedback. The more feedback Shopify receives, the more likely they are to prioritize improvements to the Draft Order feature.
• Will Shopify offer a different feature to replace Save Cart?
  Shopify has not announced a new replacement for Save Cart, but improvements to Draft Order workflows may make the feature more usable in future updates.