Webhook Configurations for Store Event Handling in Shopify

What Are Webhooks?

Webhooks allow Shopify to automatically send information to another server or application whenever a specific event takes place in your store. Think of it like a notification system. When an event takes place (like a new order), Shopify sends a message to the URL you set, with details about that event. 

For example: 

• A customer places an order ➜ Shopify sends order details to your server. 

• A product is updated ➜ Shopify sends the updated product info to your URL. 

• An app is uninstalled ➜ Shopify notifies you with a webhook. 

This helps automate tasks, keep external systems up to date, and build custom features or apps.

Why Use Webhooks?

Here are some benefits of using webhooks in Shopify:

• Real-time updates – Get notified instantly when something happens. 
• Automation – Trigger custom logic like sending an email, updating a CRM, or syncing data. 
• Custom workflows – Perfect for developers building Shopify apps or integrations.
• Reliable communication – Shopify retries if your server is down, so you don’t lose data.

Common Shopify Webhook Event

Shopify supports many webhook events. Some popular ones include: 

• orders/create – When a new order is placed 
• orders/cancelled – When an order is cancelled 
• products/update – When a product is updated 
• customers/create – When a new customer signs up 
• app/uninstalled – When someone uninstalls your app

How to Set Up and Configure a Webhook

To get updates when something happens in your store, you must subscribe to a webhook event. 

There are two main ways to create a webhook: 

1. Using the Shopify Admin Dashboard 
2. Using the Shopify Admin API 

Let’s go through both methods in simple steps. 

1. How to Configure a Webhook with the Admin API 

To create a webhook through the Admin API, you’ll need to send a POST request to the appropriate Shopify endpoint: 

/admin/api/2025-07/webhooks.json 

In this request, you must include:

• Topic – The event you want to track (for example, orders/create). 
• Address – The URL where you want Shopify to send the notification.
• Format – The data format you want to receive (usually JSON or XML).

Example Request: 
{ 
  “webhook”: { 
“topic”: “orders/create”, 
“address”: “https://your-server.com/webhook”, 
“format”: “json” 
  } 
} 

1. Setting Up a Webhook Through Shopify Admin 

This method is easier if you are not familiar with code. You can manage this directly through your Shopify Admin: 

Steps: 

1. Log in to your Shopify Admin 
2. Go to Settings > Notifications 
3. Scroll down to the Webhooks section and click “Create Webhook” 

Choose: 

• The event you want to listen to (like order created) 

• The format (JSON or XML) 

• The URL where the webhook should send data 

That’s it! Your webhook is now set up.

Important Tips 

• Secure your endpoint: Verify the HMAC signature to confirm the webhook is really from Shopify. 

• Log data: Store received data for debugging or future use. 

• Test webhooks: Use tools like Postman or Ngrok to simulate events and test locally. 

• Handle retries: Shopify will retry the webhook several times if your server doesn’t respond.