FAQ and Troubleshooting

Common questions and solutions for Plain Jane Starter. If you can't find your answer here, contact support at <info@openspaces.design.

Common questions and solutions for Plain Jane Starter. If you can't find your answer here, contact support at info@openspaces.design.

📦 Installation & Setup

Q: Why won't my theme file upload?

A: Upload issues are usually caused by:

  • File size too large (over 50MB) - Contact support for alternative
  • Corrupted zip file - Re-download and try again
  • Browser issues - Try different browser or clear cache
  • Wrong file format - Ensure you have the .zip file, not extracted folder

Q: Theme looks broken after installation

A: Try these solutions:

  1. Clear browser cache - Hard refresh (Ctrl+F5 or Cmd+Shift+R)
  2. Check if published - Make sure theme is set as live
  3. Test incognito mode - Rules out browser-specific issues
  4. Wait 5-10 minutes - CDN might need time to update

Q: Some features from the description are missing

A: Remember Plain Jane Starter has limited features:

Q: Can I preview before making live?

A: Yes, always preview first:

  1. Upload theme (don't publish yet)
  2. Click "Actions" → "Preview"
  3. Test all essential pages
  4. Only publish after thorough testing

🎨 Design & Customization

Q: How do I change colors throughout the site?

A: Colors are managed per section:

  • No global color system in Starter version
  • Configure colors in each theme setting section
  • Check Theme Settings for all options
  • For global color control, consider upgrading to full Plain Jane

Q: Why can't I find certain customization options?

A: Starter has intentionally limited options:

  • Missing: Animation controls, cursor settings, music player
  • Missing: Advanced typography, cart drawer, global menus
  • Available: Basic typography, footer, announcement bar, shop layout
  • See complete comparison

Q: Fonts aren't loading properly

A: Font loading issues:

  1. Clear browser cache - Font files might be cached
  2. Check font selection - Ensure you've saved changes
  3. Test different fonts - Some fonts load slower
  4. Mobile testing - Fonts may appear different on mobile

A: Logo upload locations:

  1. Main logo: Theme Settings → Shop Logo
  2. Footer logo: Theme Settings → Footer Settings
  3. File requirements: PNG, JPG, or SVG recommended
  4. Size optimization: Resize before uploading for best performance

🛒 Store Functionality

Q: Shopping cart isn't working

A: Cart functionality troubleshooting:

  1. Check Shopify settings - Ensure checkout is enabled
  2. Test with real products - Not draft products
  3. Clear browser data - Cookies might be corrupted
  4. Try different browser - Rule out browser-specific issues
  5. Check product inventory - Ensure products are in stock

Q: Search isn't finding products

A: Search functionality fixes:

  1. Wait for indexing - New products need time to index
  2. Check product titles - Search matches titles and descriptions
  3. Verify product status - Products must be active and available
  4. Test exact product names - Try searching for known products

Q: Password protection not working

A: Password page troubleshooting:

  1. Check Shopify settings - Enable password protection in Settings → General
  2. Verify password - Ensure you're using correct store password
  3. Clear cache - Browser might cache old version
  4. Test in incognito - Rules out cookie issues

Q: Mobile site looks different than desktop

A: This is normal for responsive design:

  • Different layouts - Mobile uses fewer columns
  • Font sizes adjust - Text scales for readability
  • Navigation changes - Mobile gets simplified menu
  • Test on real devices - Browser testing isn't always accurate

📧 Email & Forms

Q: Email signup forms aren't working

A: Email form troubleshooting:

  1. Connect email service - Link Shopify to email provider (Klaviyo, Mailchimp)
  2. Check form settings - Verify forms are enabled in theme settings
  3. Test with real email - Use actual email address
  4. Check spam folder - Confirmation emails might be filtered

Q: Contact form not sending emails

A: Contact form issues:

  1. Shopify notification settings - Check Settings → Notifications
  2. Form field validation - Ensure all required fields completed
  3. Email address format - Must be valid email format
  4. Spam filters - Check admin email spam folder

🔧 Technical Issues

Q: Site loading slowly

A: Performance optimization:

  1. Optimize images - Compress before uploading
  2. Limit apps - Too many apps slow down site
  3. Check file sizes - Large files affect loading
  4. Use Shopify's image optimization - Enable in settings

Q: Changes aren't showing up

A: Update troubleshooting:

  1. Save changes - Ensure you clicked "Save" in customizer
  2. Clear cache - Browser cache might show old version
  3. Wait a few minutes - CDN updates take time
  4. Check correct theme - Ensure editing the published theme

Q: Getting error messages

A: Common error solutions:

  1. "Liquid error" - Contact support with exact error message
  2. "Page not found" - Check page URL and ensure page exists
  3. "Out of stock" - Check product inventory settings
  4. "Invalid checkout" - Verify Shopify checkout settings

Q: Third-party apps not working

A: App compatibility:

  • Check app requirements - Some apps need specific theme features
  • Contact app support - Theme integration issues vary by app
  • Test with default theme - Isolate if it's theme or app issue
  • Consider alternatives - Some apps work better with Starter

🔄 Migration & Upgrades

Q: How do I upgrade to full Plain Jane?

A: Upgrade process:

  1. Contact OPENSPACES - Get upgrade instructions
  2. Backup current theme - Download theme file
  3. Document customizations - Screenshot settings
  4. Plan migration time - Avoid peak business hours

Q: Will I lose my content when upgrading?

A: Content is preserved:

  • ✅ Keep: Products, collections, customers, orders
  • ✅ Keep: Pages, blog posts, navigation menus
  • ⚠️ May need reconfiguration: Theme settings, custom code
  • ⚠️ May need updates: App integrations, custom styling

Q: Can I go back to Starter after upgrading?

A: Yes, but with considerations:

  • Keep theme file - Save Starter theme as backup
  • Settings reset - Will need to reconfigure
  • Feature loss - Content using advanced features may break
  • Testing required - Thoroughly test after reverting

📱 Mobile & Responsive

Q: Mobile menu not working

A: Mobile navigation fixes:

  1. Clear mobile cache - Force refresh on mobile
  2. Test different mobile browsers - Safari vs Chrome vs Firefox
  3. Check touch targets - Ensure menu items are tappable
  4. JavaScript enabled - Mobile menu requires JavaScript

Q: Mobile layout looks wrong

A: Mobile layout troubleshooting:

  1. Check mobile settings - Verify mobile column configuration
  2. Image sizing - Large images might break layout
  3. Text scaling - Some text might be too large/small
  4. Test real devices - Simulator isn't always accurate

🔍 SEO & Analytics

Q: Site not showing up in Google

A: SEO checklist:

  1. Remove password protection - Can't index password-protected sites
  2. Submit sitemap - Use Google Search Console
  3. Check robots.txt - Ensure search engines can crawl
  4. Add meta descriptions - Use SEO settings in theme
  5. Wait for indexing - Can take days or weeks

Q: Analytics not tracking

A: Analytics troubleshooting:

  1. Google Analytics setup - Add tracking code in Shopify settings
  2. Privacy settings - Check cookie consent settings
  3. Ad blockers - May block tracking scripts
  4. Wait for data - Analytics may take 24-48 hours to show data

🆘 Getting Help

When to Contact Support

  • Installation failures after trying troubleshooting steps
  • Liquid error messages (include exact error text)
  • Features not working that should be included in Starter
  • Upgrade questions and migration planning

How to Get Better Support

  1. Include details: Theme version, browser, device
  2. Describe steps: What you did before the issue occurred
  3. Share screenshots: Visual issues need visual context
  4. Test first: Try basic troubleshooting before contacting
  5. Be specific: "Contact form broken" vs "Red error message when submitting contact form"

Support Resources

Common Misunderstandings

"This feature is missing" → Check Limitations Overview - many features require upgrading

"Theme is broken" → Usually browser cache or settings issue - try troubleshooting steps first

"App doesn't work" → Contact app developer - theme can't control third-party app functionality

"Mobile looks different" → This is responsive design working correctly - different layouts for different screen sizes

🔧 Quick Fixes Checklist

Before contacting support, try these:

For Display Issues:

  • Clear browser cache (Ctrl+F5 / Cmd+Shift+R)
  • Test in incognito/private mode
  • Try different browser
  • Wait 10 minutes (CDN updates)
  • Check if theme is published

For Form Issues:

  • Check Shopify notification settings
  • Verify email addresses are valid
  • Test with different email
  • Check spam folders
  • Ensure required fields are filled

For Mobile Issues:

  • Test on actual mobile device
  • Clear mobile browser cache
  • Try different mobile browser
  • Check mobile column settings
  • Verify touch targets work

For Performance Issues:

  • Optimize image sizes
  • Check number of installed apps
  • Test with minimal browser extensions
  • Use browser developer tools to check errors

Still need help? Contact info@openspaces.design with:

  • Detailed description of the issue
  • Screenshots or error messages
  • Browser and device information
  • Steps you've already tried

Need Help?

💬 Join our community on Discord: https://discord.gg/hcc2GvgZc6

📧 Email us at: support@openspaces.design

💻 Live chat with us: Available Monday–Friday, 10AM–6PM EST, directly on our website