Overview
When a client considers migrating to Shopify Markets, they often raise concerns regarding how this change will impact their existing data ingestion, particularly if they are using older, deprecated Shopify connectors. This article assesses the risks and provides recommendations for maintaining data integrity during such a transition.
Issue Summary
Shopify Markets is a cross-border management tool that helps merchants identify, set up, and manage international markets. While it changes the storefront experience (currencies, languages, localized themes), there is a primary concern that it might alter the underlying data schema used by Amperity to parse regional or market-specific data.
Key Questions Addressed:
Will the migration fundamentally alter the data structure of core tables (Customers, Orders)?
Will existing regional parsing logic break?
Are deprecated API connections at higher risk during this migration?
Technical Analysis
1. Data Schema Stability
Shopify Markets organizes sales and customers by region, but it does not fundamentally change the core database schema for ingestion. The standard structures for the Customers and Orders tables are expected to remain consistent.
Impact Level: Low for basic ingestion.
Nuance: Markets primarily influences storefront metadata rather than the fundamental record types.
2. Risks Associated with Deprecated Connectors
The primary risk during a Shopify Markets migration is not the data itself, but the stability of the connector.
API Deprecation: Older connectors rely on dated Shopify APIs. Any platform-wide update (like enabling Markets) can expose hidden compatibility issues or cause the connector to fail due to lack of support for newer endpoint behaviors.
Regional Logic Dependencies: If Amperity segments or configurations rely on specific custom fields or assumptions about country groupings, these may require manual review. The "Market" designations introduced by Shopify may not automatically map to legacy custom region fields.
Troubleshooting & Verification Steps
Audit Existing Logic: Review the current Amperity setup for any custom SQL or segments that rely on
country_code,province_code, or specific currency-based groupings.Verify Connector Version: Check if the tenant is using the "Legacy" Shopify plugin. If they receive regular notifications regarding deprecated API calls, the connection is at high risk.
Cross-Reference Shopify Documentation: Verify if any new data structures introduced by the Markets feature (e.g.,
market_id) are required for the client's business logic.
Recommendation: Future-Proofing via Fivetran
For any client migrating to Shopify Markets—especially those on deprecated connectors—the strongest recommendation is to transition to the Fivetran Connector for Shopify.
| Feature | Legacy Connector | Fivetran Connector |
|---|---|---|
| API Support | Deprecated / At Risk | Modern / Actively Maintained |
| Market Data | Limited / Manual Logic | Robust Multi-Market Support |
| Schema Stability | Fragile during updates | Automated Schema Evolution |
| Maintenance | High Support Overhead | Low (Managed Service) |
Summary for Support Engineers
While a move to Shopify Markets is generally low-risk for the data schema, it is a high-risk event for deprecated connectors. Use this migration as a strategic opportunity to move the client toward a Fivetran-managed connection to resolve API deprecation warnings and ensure a future-proof integration.