If you want to measure customer loyalty on your Shopify store with Net Promoter Score (NPS), you are probably asking one simple question: “Do I need an app to create an NPS survey on Shopify?”
The answer is yes. Shopify does not include a built-in NPS survey feature or a way to add structured survey questions to the post-purchase page without using an app. To collect NPS reliably and at scale, most merchants use a survey app that integrates directly with Shopify, such as Grapevine Surveys.
This article looks at why NPS is so useful, what Shopify can and cannot do by default, and how a dedicated NPS app makes the whole process simple.
What Is NPS and Why Use It on Shopify?
NPS, or Net Promoter Score, is a simple way to measure how likely your customers are to recommend your brand to others. Customers are usually asked a single question:
“On a scale from 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?”
Based on their answer, customers are grouped into:
- Promoters (9–10) who are very likely to recommend you
- Passives (7–8) who are satisfied but less enthusiastic
- Detractors (0–6) who are unhappy or at risk of churn
For Shopify merchants, NPS is useful because it gives a clear, trackable signal of customer loyalty that goes beyond conversion rates or average order value.
NPS becomes even more powerful when you tie it to orders and customer segments, which is exactly what an app like Grapevine Surveys helps you do.
Why You Cannot Create an NPS Survey in Shopify Natively
Shopify is designed to manage e-commerce, not surveys. There are three main reasons why you cannot create proper, in-store NPS surveys without an app.
1. No Built-in NPS Survey Tools
Shopify does not offer:
- Native NPS question types
- Rating scales or scoring logic for NPS
- A survey builder for the thank-you page
- Reporting or dashboards for NPS over time
2. You Cannot Add NPS Questions to the Thank-you Page by Default
The order status page and checkout experience are intentionally locked down. Without an app, you cannot easily place a question like “How likely are you to recommend us?” directly after checkout.
A survey app integrates with this part of Shopify and handles the placement for you.
3. Shopify Does Not Store Survey Responses
Even if you used an external survey tool and linked to it somewhere on your site, Shopify itself would not:
- Store NPS scores in the customer record
- Link scores to orders or products
- Help you track NPS trends across time
This is why most stores that take NPS seriously use a dedicated survey app that is built for Shopify and its post-purchase flow.
If you want a broader overview of survey apps in general, you might also find these articles helpful:
Why NPS Works Best as a Post-Purchase Survey on Shopify
You can ask NPS questions in different channels, but for Shopify merchants one of the best moments is immediately after a purchase.
Higher Response Rates
On the post-purchase page, customers are still engaged and paying attention. They have just completed the checkout and are more likely to interact with a simple one-question survey.
More Accurate Sentiment
NPS collected directly after a transaction reflects how customers feel about their experience right now. If you wait days or weeks, their memory fades and other factors influence their answer.
Order-Level Context
When you collect NPS via a post-purchase survey app, you can link each score to:
- The specific order
- Product types or SKUs
- Discounts or campaigns
- Acquisition channels or attribution responses
This is why many merchants run NPS alongside other post-purchase surveys, such as:
What an NPS App Allows You to Do That Shopify Cannot
A dedicated NPS app like Grapevine Surveys fills the gaps that Shopify leaves open. Here is what you gain.
1. Show NPS Directly After Checkout
The classic NPS question appears on the Shopify order status page, with no custom code required. Customers can respond quickly before they leave your store.
2. Collect First-party Customer Sentiment
NPS responses are captured as first-party data. This means you are not dependent on advertising platforms or third-party tools to understand how customers feel about your brand.
3. Link NPS Scores to Orders and Customers
With an NPS app, each score is connected to an order and a customer profile. This helps you:
- Compare NPS across different product ranges
- See how NPS varies between new and returning customers
- Understand how acquisition channels affect loyalty
4. Segment New vs Returning Customers
New customers might experience your brand very differently from long-term customers. An NPS app can:
- Show different survey flows based on customer type
- Add follow-up questions tailored to that segment
If you are thinking about segmenting your post-purchase questions, you might also want to read:
- The benefits of using a post-purchase survey for new customers
- Question ideas for returning customers
5. Use NPS as a Growth Signal
When NPS data is tied to orders and products, it becomes more than just a score. It helps you:
- Spot unhappy customers before they churn
- Identify promoters who might join your referral or loyalty program
- Find products that consistently delight or disappoint customers
Why Grapevine Surveys Is a Strong Option for NPS on Shopify
Grapevine Surveys is built specifically for Shopify and focuses on the survey types that matter most for e-commerce brands, including NPS, CSAT, and attribution.
With Grapevine Surveys, you can:
- Display NPS questions on the post-purchase order status page
- Link NPS scores to orders and customers automatically
- Combine NPS with attribution and CSAT surveys
- Install and configure everything without writing code
To learn more about how NPS works in the app, start here:
For a real-world example of NPS in action, see this spotlight:
ALT. Fragrances NPS spotlight
You can also explore more surveys, guides, and examples here:
Grapevine Surveys resources and guides
Can You Run NPS Without an App?
Technically, yes. You could:
- Send NPS surveys via email using your email service provider
- Link to a survey tool like Google Forms or Typeform
- Embed an NPS form on a separate page of your store
However, these approaches often lead to:
- Lower response rates than post-purchase surveys
- Scores that are not connected to orders or products
- More manual work to analyse and segment responses
If your goal is to build a consistent, scalable NPS program on Shopify, a dedicated survey app like Grapevine Surveys is almost always the better long-term choice.
Conclusion: Yes, You Need an App to Create an NPS Survey on Shopify
Shopify does not include a native NPS feature or a way to add survey questions to the post-purchase page without extra tooling. If you want to:
- Ask the classic NPS question right after checkout
- Collect first-party loyalty data at scale
- Link NPS scores to orders, products, and customers
- Segment results by new vs returning customers
- Use NPS as a decision-making signal across your business
then you do need an app to create and run NPS surveys on your Shopify store.
Grapevine Surveys is built for exactly this use case. It helps Shopify merchants collect NPS, CSAT, and attribution data on the post-purchase page and turn that insight into better marketing, happier customers, and repeat business.
