Shopify is revolutionizing how merchants interact with their business data. The platform's analytics query editor now seamlessly integrates with Sidekick, a new feature that allows users to generate advanced analytics reports using simple, natural language questions. This innovation aims to make sophisticated data analysis accessible to all merchants, regardless of their technical expertise.
Key Takeaways
- Natural Language Queries: Ask questions like "What was the best converting traffic source in September?" and Sidekick will instantly generate the relevant report.
- Conversational Refinement: Build on previous queries with follow-up questions, such as "How many repeat versus new customers for each traffic source?", allowing for deeper, more nuanced insights.
- Learning Tool: Sidekick translates natural language questions into ShopifyQL, providing business-friendly explanations of the reports, thus serving as a practical learning tool for query building.
- Accessibility: Advanced reporting is no longer limited to those with deep technical knowledge, democratizing data insights for all Shopify users.
Transforming Data Analysis
The integration of Sidekick into Shopify's analytics query editor marks a significant step towards democratizing business intelligence. Previously, generating custom analytics reports often required a strong understanding of query languages like ShopifyQL. Now, merchants can simply type their business questions in plain English, and Sidekick will translate these into actionable reports.
This intuitive approach allows for rapid exploration of business performance. For instance, a merchant can quickly ascertain their top-performing sales channels, customer demographics, or inventory trends by posing straightforward questions. The system's ability to remember conversation history is particularly powerful, enabling users to refine their analysis iteratively. By asking follow-up questions, merchants can drill down into specific metrics, uncovering more complex relationships within their data.
Bridging the Gap Between Questions and Insights
Sidekick not only generates reports but also educates users. It provides clear explanations of what each generated report measures, helping merchants understand the underlying data and learn the principles of query building through practical application. While direct ShopifyQL coding remains an option for advanced users, Sidekick offers a more accessible entry point.
To begin using this feature, merchants can create a "New Exploration" within the Analytics section of their Shopify admin or open any existing saved report to start asking questions. This user-friendly interface ensures that valuable business insights are within reach for every merchant, empowering them to make more informed decisions.
