How to set up the Dropdown block

What the Dropdown block does

The block adds a select list to checkout. It starts empty, with your label as the placeholder, so no answer is picked for the buyer. When the buyer chooses an option, Checkout Ninja writes that option’s value to the cart as an attribute or a cart metafield, and it carries through to the order.

When to use it

• Offer a fixed set of choices, such as a delivery window, a packaging option or a “How did you hear about us?” answer.
• Keep order data clean. You control the saved value, so fulfilment and reports see consistent text.
• Record a yes/no answer on the order, with two options: Yes and No.

Before you start

• List your options with the label the buyer sees and the value you want on the order.
• Decide the attribute name, for example delivery_window.

Set it up

1. In Checkout Ninja, go to Blocks and click Create New Block. Then click Start Fresh, or open an existing block you want to add it to.
2. Click Add block and choose Dropdown.
3. Enter a Label. It’s shown as the field label and as the placeholder.
4. Under Options, add one entry per choice. Fill in its Label and Value.
5. Under Where to store the value, choose Attribute and enter Name of the attribute. Or choose Metafield and enter a Namespace and Key, such as custom.delivery_window.
6. Click Done. Check that Status is Active, then click Save and copy the Block ID.
7. Click Open Checkout Editor. Add the Custom Block app block where you want the dropdown, paste the Block ID and save.

Settings reference

Setting	What it does	Default
Label	Field label and placeholder in checkout. Also used as the attribute name if you leave the storage name blank.	Empty

Options

Each option has two fields:

Setting	What it does
Label	Text the buyer sees in the list.
Value	Text saved to the attribute or metafield when the buyer picks this option.

Where to store the value

Setting	What it does	Default
Attribute → Name of the attribute	Saves the chosen value as a cart attribute with this name. It appears on the order under Additional details.	Attribute, using the Label as the name
Metafield → Namespace and Key	Saves the chosen value as a cart metafield, written as namespace.key.	None

Verify it worked

1. Open your checkout. The dropdown shows your label with nothing selected.
2. Open it. Every option label you added is listed, in the order you entered them.
3. Pick an option and place a test order.
4. Open the order in Orders. With attribute storage, the option’s Value is listed under Additional details with your attribute name.
5. Negative check: place a test order without choosing. The order goes through with no attribute for the dropdown.

Limitations

• Shopify Plus only for placement in the checkout steps. That’s a Shopify rule for all checkout apps.
• No Required setting. The dropdown never blocks checkout.
• Single choice only. The buyer can’t pick several options.
• No default selection.
• Metafield values only reach the order if Shopify copies them. See save a checkout field to an order metafield.

Troubleshooting

The order shows a code instead of the option name. The order stores each option’s Value, not its Label. Edit the option and make Value the text you want on the order.

The choice is on the order under an unexpected name. If Name of the attribute is blank, the dropdown’s Label is used as the attribute name. Look for the Label under Additional details, or set a name and save the block again.

Buyers skip the dropdown. The Dropdown block can’t block checkout. If an answer is mandatory, use a Dependency Dropdown with a single column and All Fields Required set to Yes.