Understanding Collections

In Shopify, a collection is a group of products that you organize based on specific criteria. There are two types of collections:

Automated Collections: These collections automatically include products that meet certain conditions.

Manual Collections: These collections require you to manually add each product.

Creating Automated Collections

Automated collections save time and ensure that new products are included based on the rules you set. Here's how to create an automated collection:

1. Log in to Shopify Admin: Log in to your Shopify admin panel.

2. Go to Products > Collections: Navigate to the Products section and click on Collections.

3. Create Collection: Click on "Create collection".

4. Name Your Collection: Enter a name for your collection. This name will be visible to your customers.

5. Set Collection Type: Choose "Automated" as the collection type.

6. Define Conditions: Set the conditions that products must meet to be included in the collection. You can add multiple conditions and choose whether products need to meet all conditions or any of them.

7. Sort Order: Select how you want the products within the collection to be sorted (e.g., best-selling, alphabetically, by price, etc.).

8. Save Collection: Click "Save" to create your automated collection.

Creating Manual Collections

Manual collections give you full control over which products are included. Follow these steps to create a manual collection:

1. Log in to Shopify Admin: Log in to your Shopify admin panel.

2. Go to Products > Collections: Navigate to the Products section and click on Collections.

3. Create Collection: Click on "Create collection".

4. Name Your Collection: Enter a name for your collection.

5. Set Collection Type: Choose "Manual" as the collection type.

6. Add Products: After saving the collection, you can add products by searching for them and clicking "Add".

7. Sort Order: Decide how you want the products to be sorted within the collection.

8. Save Collection: Click "Save" to finalize your manual collection.

Managing Existing Collections

You can always edit, update, or delete your collections as needed.

1. Edit Collections:

- Navigate to Products > Collections.

- Click on the collection you want to edit.

- Make the necessary changes (e.g., conditions for automated collections or adding/removing products for manual collections).

- Save your changes.

2. Delete Collections:

- Navigate to Products > Collections.

- Click on the collection you want to delete.

- Click "Delete collection" and confirm.

Using Tags for Better Organization

Tags help you organize your products within collections and can be used to create more specific groups.

1. Adding Tags to Products:

- Go to Products and select the product you want to tag.

- In the Tags section, enter the desired tags.

- Save your changes.

2. Filtering Collections by Tags:

- When setting conditions for an automated collection, you can use tags as one of the conditions.

- This helps in creating more targeted collections.

Displaying Collections on Your Store

To ensure your customers can easily find and browse your collections, you need to display them prominently on your storefront.

1. Navigation Menus:

- Go to Online Store > Navigation.

- Add a new menu item for your collection in the main menu or footer menu.

2. Collection Pages:

- Customize your collection pages in Online Store > Themes.

- Add sections or blocks that highlight specific collections.

3. Homepage Sections:

- Use the theme editor to add featured collection sections to your homepage.

Tips for Effective Collection Management

Regularly Review Collections: Periodically review your collections to ensure they are up-to-date and relevant to your current product offerings.

Use Descriptive Names and Images: Make sure your collection names and images are descriptive and visually appealing to attract customers.

Promote Collections: Highlight your collections in marketing campaigns, social media, and newsletters to drive traffic to your store.

By effectively managing collections, you can enhance the shopping experience for your customers, increase sales, and streamline your store's organization. Whether you choose automated or manual collections, the key is to keep them well-organized and aligned with your overall merchandising strategy.