The Short Answer

To fix the “Webhook Not Firing” error in Shopify, which causes payment delays, navigate to Settings > Notifications > Webhooks and ensure that the webhook is enabled and configured correctly with the proper API version, typically 2022-04 or later. Additionally, verify that the webhook URL is correctly formatted and accessible, as issues such as firewall restrictions or incorrect URLs can prevent the webhook from firing.

Why This Error Happens

• Reason 1: The most common cause of the “Webhook Not Firing” error is an incorrect or outdated API version. Shopify regularly updates its API, and using an outdated version can lead to compatibility issues, including webhooks not firing. For instance, if your store is using API version 2020-10 but the webhook is set up for 2022-04, this mismatch can cause the webhook to fail.
• Reason 2: An edge case cause is the misconfiguration of the webhook settings, such as an incorrect webhook URL or an improperly set webhook event. For example, if the webhook is set to listen for the orders/create event but the URL is incorrectly pointing to a service that expects the orders/updated event, the webhook will not fire as expected.
• Impact: The primary impact of the “Webhook Not Firing” error is a payment delay. When webhooks are not firing correctly, it can prevent payment processing systems from receiving the necessary notifications to complete transactions, leading to delays in payment processing and potential losses in sales.

Step-by-Step Solutions

Method 1: The Quick Fix

1. Go to Settings > Notifications > Webhooks to access your webhook configurations.
2. Toggle the Enable webhook option to Off and then back to On to reset the webhook configuration. This simple step can sometimes resolve connectivity issues.
3. Refresh the page to ensure the changes are applied and test the webhook by simulating an event (like creating a new order) to see if the webhook fires correctly.

Method 2: The Command Line/Advanced Fix

For more advanced users or when dealing with custom integrations, using Shopify’s GraphQL API or REST API can provide more detailed control over webhook configurations. An example using GraphQL to create a webhook might look like this:

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mutation {
  webhookSubscriptionCreate(
    topic: ORDERS_CREATE
    webhookSubscription: {
      callbackUrl: "https://your-webhook-url.com/orders-create"
      format: JSON
    }
  ) {
    userErrors {
      field
      message
    }
    webhookSubscription {
      id
    }
  }
}

This GraphQL mutation creates a new webhook subscription for the ORDERS_CREATE topic, specifying the callback URL and format. Ensure you replace "https://your-webhook-url.com/orders-create" with your actual webhook URL.

Prevention: How to Stop This Coming Back

• Best practice configuration involves regularly reviewing and updating your API versions and webhook configurations to ensure they are compatible with the latest Shopify updates.
• Monitoring tips include setting up logging and alert systems for your webhooks to quickly identify and respond to any issues that may arise, such as using services like Zapier or Shopify’s own logging tools to track webhook failures.

If You Can’t Fix It…

[!WARNING] If Shopify continues to experience issues with webhooks not firing despite following these steps, and the problem significantly impacts your business operations, consider evaluating alternative e-commerce platforms like BigCommerce or WooCommerce, which may offer more robust or native support for capture settings and webhook management, potentially reducing the occurrence of such errors.

FAQ

Q: Will I lose data fixing this? A: The risk of data loss when fixing the “Webhook Not Firing” error is minimal if you follow the steps carefully. However, it’s always a good practice to back up your store’s data before making significant changes to your settings or configurations.

Q: Is this a bug in Shopify? A: The “Webhook Not Firing” error is not typically considered a bug in Shopify but rather a configuration or compatibility issue. Shopify regularly updates its platform, and these updates can sometimes require adjustments to custom integrations or third-party apps. Checking the Shopify API changelog and ensuring your integrations are compatible with the latest API version can help prevent such issues.

📚 Continue Learning

Check out our guides on Shopify and Webhook Not Firing.