Shopify Price Display Errors: Unmasking the HTML Escaping Bug in Ride & Dawn Themes

Shopify Price Display Errors: Unmasking the HTML Escaping Bug in Ride & Dawn Themes

Hey there, fellow store owners! Ever run into one of those head-scratching moments where your Shopify store just isn't showing prices the way you expect, especially after adding a currency converter app? You're definitely not alone. As experts in Shopify migrations and development at Shopping Cart Mover, we frequently encounter intricate issues that can disrupt the seamless operation of an online store. One such challenge, recently highlighted in the Shopify community, involves raw HTML tags appearing in price displays, particularly with themes like Ride and Dawn.

Our story starts with a store owner, Lemon1, who was using the Ride theme (a Shopify-made theme, much like Dawn) and the Libautech: Currency Converter app. Their default currency was Malaysian Ringgit (MYR), but the app was converting prices to USD. Everything seemed fine on the main product page, but when customers clicked "Choose Options" for products with variants, things went sideways.

Instead of seeing a clean converted price like $2.84, Lemon1's customers were seeing raw HTML tags like 65.00/ea right on the storefront! Talk about a user experience killer. Even more confusing, if they added a quantity, the total in the variant tab would show correctly. The issue was purely a display problem with the variant price itself.

Lemon1 shared some helpful screenshots, showing the raw HTML and then, after disabling the converter, the price in MYR with an extra "/ea" tag. These visuals really helped the community understand the problem:

The Technical Deep Dive: Why It Happens

This isn't just a random glitch; it stems from a fundamental aspect of how Shopify's Liquid templating language handles translations and security. At its core, the problem lies in HTML escaping.

Understanding HTML Escaping in Liquid

Shopify's Liquid engine, by default, is designed to be secure. When you output content using the | t (translation) filter, Liquid automatically escapes any HTML characters to prevent cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. This means characters like <, >, and & are converted into their HTML entities (<, >, &). While crucial for security, this behavior can inadvertently break the display of content that *should* contain HTML, such as custom currency tags injected by an app.

In Lemon1's case, the Ride theme (which shares much of its codebase with the popular Dawn theme) was using a translation key like sections.quick_order_list.each in a Liquid snippet, specifically within snippets/quick-order-list-row.liquid (around line 106 in some versions):

{{- 'sections.quick_order_list.each' | t: money: item_price -}}

The currency converter app was likely injecting HTML (e.g., ...) into the `item_price` variable. Because the translation key `sections.quick_order_list.each` *did not* have the special `_html` suffix, the `| t` filter escaped this injected HTML, turning it into plain text on the storefront.

This oversight has actually been reported as a bug in the Dawn theme's GitHub repository, suggesting it's a known issue that primarily affects third-party currency converters or custom HTML in price outputs, as native Shopify currency conversion usually bypasses this specific mechanism.

Actionable Solutions for Merchants & Developers

If you're facing a similar issue, don't despair! Here are the most effective ways to resolve this HTML escaping problem:

1. The Recommended Fix: Modify the Translation Key (Best Practice)

This approach addresses the root cause by telling Liquid that the translated content *should* be treated as HTML.

• Duplicate Your Theme: Always, always, always duplicate your live theme before making any code changes. This provides a safe rollback point. Go to Online Store > Themes > Actions > Duplicate.
• Locate the Translation File: In your duplicated theme, navigate to Actions > Edit code. Look for your locale files, typically in the locales directory (e.g., locales/en.default.json for English).
• Rename the Key: Find the problematic translation key. In Lemon1's case, it was "each": "{{ money }}/ea" under "sections": { "quick_order_list": { ... } }. Rename this key by adding _html to its suffix, so it becomes "each_html": "{{ money }}/ea".
• Update Liquid Usage: Now, you need to tell your theme to use this new `_html` key. The specific file is often snippets/quick-order-list-row.liquid (or similar price-related snippets). Find the line that uses the old key (e.g., {{- 'sections.quick_order_list.each' | t: money: item_price -}}) and update it to use the new key: {{- 'sections.quick_order_list.each_html' | t: money: item_price -}}.
• Test: Thoroughly test your product pages, especially those with variants and the currency converter enabled.

2. Alternative Fix: Direct Liquid Output (Specific Use Cases)

This method bypasses the translation filter entirely for the price output. It's quicker for a single instance but less flexible for multi-language stores.

• Duplicate Your Theme: Again, always start by duplicating your theme.
• Locate the Snippet: Navigate to Actions > Edit code and find the relevant snippet, often snippets/quick-order-list-row.liquid or snippets/price.liquid.
• Modify the Output: Find the line responsible for outputting the price (e.g., {{- 'sections.quick_order_list.each' | t: money: item_price -}}). Replace it with a direct Liquid output for the price, like: {{ item_price | money }}/ea.
• Consider Implications: Be aware that hardcoding "/ea" means it won't be translated if you offer your store in multiple languages. If you need the "/ea" to be translatable, the first method is superior.
• Test: Verify the display across your store.

Preventive Measures & Future-Proofing Your Shopify Store

Understanding these nuances is crucial for maintaining a healthy and user-friendly Shopify store. Here are some general tips:

• Theme Updates: Keep your theme updated. While this specific bug might persist, newer versions often include other fixes and improvements.
• App Compatibility: Before installing any app that significantly alters your storefront display (especially currency converters or price modifiers), check its compatibility with your theme.
• Developer Consultation: If you're unsure about making code changes, or if the issue persists, don't hesitate to consult with a Shopify development expert.
• Robust Setup: For those embarking on their e-commerce journey or considering a platform switch, starting your Shopify store with a keen eye on these technical details can save headaches down the line. A well-configured store from day one is invaluable.

Conclusion

The appearance of raw HTML in your Shopify price displays, particularly with currency converters and themes like Ride or Dawn, is a common issue rooted in Liquid's HTML escaping mechanism. By understanding the role of the | t filter and the `_html` suffix for translation keys, merchants and developers can effectively resolve these display errors. Implementing these solutions ensures a professional, trustworthy storefront experience for your customers.

At Shopping Cart Mover, we specialize in not just migrating your store seamlessly but also optimizing its performance and resolving complex development challenges. If you're encountering similar issues or planning a migration, our team is here to help you navigate the intricacies of Shopify development.