Shopify emails vanish while you pack boxes. WhatsApp Pro is one way to get the ping in your pocket. ntfy is the other: no paid AlertHub channel, no extra Shopify app, one topic on Android and iOS.
Keep the Shopify webhook you already pointed at sendAlert. Add ntfy in Connections. AlertHub detects the topic URL and sends title, priority, and tags. Warning and critical reach the phone; every small sale can stay info in the dashboard.
What should buzz vs what should log
| Shopify topic | Suggested level | ntfy? |
|---|---|---|
orders/create (typical volume) | Info | No — feed only |
orders/paid (you fulfill from the phone) | Warning | Yes (priority 4) |
| High-risk / fraud review | Critical | Yes (priority 5) |
inventory_levels/update near zero | Warning | Yes |
orders/cancelled | Warning | Yes if refund abuse matters |
Only warning and critical leave AlertHub. If you celebrate every paid order on ntfy, a busy Saturday will train you to swipe everything away.
Setup (once)
- Build the Shopify URL with the Webhook Builder or copy it from the Shopify order guide.
- In Shopify Admin: Settings → Notifications → Webhooks, JSON, paste the URL.
- Subscribe to an unguessable ntfy topic and paste
https://ntfy.sh/YOUR_TOPICin Connections → ntfy.
Docs: Shopify source · ntfy destination. Treat the topic like a webhook secret. Do not put customer emails in ah_title if the phone is unlocked in public.
Alert 1: Paid order you actually fulfill
orders/paid at warning is the merchant default. Title with order name and total; description with a dashboard reminder, not a dump of the whole address. ntfy priority 4 is noticeable without matching a downed site.
Alert 2: High-risk checkout
Fraud review should be critical (ntfy 5). Same webhook URL with a stricter title, or a second Shopify webhook whose ah_level is critical when you filter on risk in the builder. Ship after you look, not after the notification scrolls by in Slack.
Alert 3: Low stock while ads are running
inventory_levels/update at warning beats discovering an empty SKU in a weekly report. Keep it off critical unless that SKU is the whole store.
Ideas to squeeze more value
- ntfy vs WhatsApp Pro. ntfy is the free pocket channel. WhatsApp still wins if the warehouse already lives there — you can attach both.
- Self-hosted shop? WooCommerce + Gotify is the parallel stack: WooCommerce → Gotify.
- Founder on ntfy, warehouse on Slack. Same project, two destinations — hybrid on-call.
- Do not curl ntfy from a Shopify Flow. Ingest once; rotate the topic in AlertHub.
FAQ
Is this a Shopify ntfy app?
No. Shopify talks to AlertHub. ntfy is a Connection.
Can every order hit ntfy?
Yes if they are warning. Use info when volume is high.
Does a reserved ntfy topic work?
Paste https://ntfy.sh/mytopic?auth=…. AlertHub forwards the query string.
Next steps
Keep the Shopify webhook, paste an ntfy topic, and place a test paid order.
Related: ntfy setup · Shopify to Slack/Telegram · Email ingest → ntfy