If you’re managing a Shopify store, you may have heard the term “smart collections” used and wondered what they are. Designed to streamline product organization, smart collections are a powerful feature that can enhance your store’s efficiency and customer experience. In this blog post, we’ll dive into Shopify smart collections, explore some potential uses for them in your store, and provide a step-by-step guide to set them up.
What are Shopify Smart Collections?
A smart collection is a dynamic grouping of products that Shopify organizes based on predefined conditions. Unlike manual collections, where you individually select each product, smart collections rely on rules you establish, such as product tags, types, prices, or vendors. Once these conditions are set, Shopify automatically populates and updates the collection as you add/remove products or modify existing ones.
This distinguishes smart collections from manual ones. Manual collections require ongoing adjustments, whereas smart collections adapt in real time, making them an invaluable solution for store owners seeking scalability and organization. Smart collections are perfect for businesses with large or frequently changing product catalogs and allows for what one would consider a hands-off approach to product categorization.
Some Examples for Using Smart Collections
- Seasonal Products Collections – For businesses with seasonal offerings, smart collections simplify the process of showcasing relevant items. For example, to highlight summer products like flip-flops or sunglasses, you could create a smart collection with the condition “product tag equals summer.” As you tag new seasonal items, they automatically join the collection. When the season changes, updating the collection’s tag adjusts the collection’s contents without requiring manual reconfiguration.
- Automating Your Sale Page – By setting a condition such as “compare at price is greater than price,” you can automatically group all discounted products into a single collection. Alternatively, use “price is less than $50” to curate a budget-friendly selection. This setup allows customers to easily browse your sale items, while you avoid the repetitive task of manually updating the collection during promotions.
- Monitor Low Inventory – While smart collections don’t send notifications, they can help with inventory management. A condition like “inventory stock is less than 10” creates a collection of products that are soon to be out of stock. This allows you to quickly identify items needing restocking or to promote as “low stock” to drive urgency with customers who may be on the fence about purchasing one of these items.
- Catering to a Niche – Smart collections also allow you to target specific customer groups. For instance, a pet store could use “product type equals dog accessories” to create a collection tailored to dog owners, leaving out unrelated items like cat toys. This approach works for any niche—think “vegan cosmetics” or “vintage clothing”—ensuring customers find relevant products easily.
These examples are just a few ways you can take advantage of smart collections. Take some time to play around with different rules and see how they can work within your store, you may be surprised at what you find!
How to Set Up a Smart Collection: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating a smart collection is easy and can be accomplished in just a few steps, so let’s dig in:
- Access Your Shopify Admin – Begin by logging into your Shopify admin panel. Navigate to Products > Collections from the left-hand menu. This section serves as the hub for managing your store’s product groupings.
- Create a New Collection – Click the Create collection button in the top-right corner. This opens a new page where you’ll set your collection’s parameters.
- Name and Select “Automated” – Enter a name for your collection, such as “Winter Clothing” or “Sale Items.” Below the title field, choose the Automated option (as opposed to Manual). This selection activates the smart collection rules.
- Define Conditions – In the Conditions section, specify the rules for your collection. Shopify allows you to set multiple conditions and choose whether products must meet all conditions (“match all”) or any single condition (“match any”). Examples include:“Product tag is equal to clearance” for sale items, or, “Price is greater than $100” for premium products, or, “Vendor is equal to BrandX” for vendor/brand-specific collections. You can add multiple conditions to refine the selection—for instance, “product type equals shoes” AND “inventory stock is less than 5.”
- Save and Preview – Once your conditions are set, click Save. Shopify will generate the collection based on your rules. Review the product list to make sure it pulls the products you intended. If adjustments are needed, tweak the conditions and save again.
Shopify smart collections are a great way for automating product organization, saving time, and enhancing your store’s navigation. Take the time to experiment with different conditions and use cases to discover how they best serve your business. With this feature, you’re well-equipped to keep your Shopify store organized and well-tuned to capture more sales!
Scott Sanfilippo began his eCommerce journey in 1994 by co-founding one of the Internet’s first online retailers, TheFerretStore.com, which was acquired by PetCo in 2006. In 2001, he co-founded the eCommerce design and marketing firm Solid Cactus, which was acquired by web.com in 2009. Today, Scott is the General Manager of Your Store Wizards and lives in Delray Beach, FL. Scott can be contacted at scott@yourstorewizards.com.