Venue - Collections - Set up your collection sidebar filters
OS 2.0 themes
Information
If you have set up collection filters prior to August 16, 2022, then your filter settings have been moved over to the automatically installed Shopify-built app Shopify Search & Discovery.
This article has been updated with new instructions, please see below to find the steps on adding and managing your filters.
Check out Shopify's helpdesk article regarding the app here: Shopify Search & Discovery
This article covers how to set up collection filters and add them to a sidebar on your collection pages.
This is a powerful Shopify-developed feature that is fully integrated with the platform, allowing your customers to easily use search filters to find the products that they need. Shopify also has plans to further develop it so your filters will become even more dynamic with future updates.
Here is a screenshot of the collection filter in action :
To give the filters a test run, head over to our demo store where they have been enabled on each theme style: Venue theme demo
How to create and manage filters
Shopify comes with a pre-installed app called Search & Discovery, this is where all your filter settings can be created and managed.
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- Log in to your Shopify store admin
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- Click on Apps then open the Search & Discovery app.
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- From here, click on the green View filters button, under the Collection and Search Filters heading.
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Note: This menu will initially appear with only Price and Availability filters. You can select Edit filters to select additional filters to be displayed in the sidebar of your collection page.
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- After clicking on Edit filters, check the boxes of the options you wish to include as part of your collection filters.
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Click Save and check your work.
Insight
Extra filter options can be added using Shopify's Metafield feature. Metafields allow you to create new fields within the product pages of your admin, which will then be available within the Shopify Search and Discovery app for use as a filter option.
Check out Shopify's helpdesk article on this here: Adding metafield definitions.
How to display the filter in your collection sidebar
Once the above steps have been completed, you are ready to add the filter to your website through the theme editor.
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- Log in to your Shopify store admin
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- Click on Online Store then Themes in the side menu to get to the themes area of your admin.
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- Click the Customize button next to your active theme to go to the theme editor.
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- Choose your collection page from the page selector at the top of the page :
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- To enable the filter, first click into the Product grid section and then check the Enable sidebar filter box :
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Once enabled, then select Add block and choose Filter :
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- Click Save and check your work.
Insight
Product findability plays a major role in the customer journey. Having the ability to autonomously select products they want to see empowers the customer to make faster, more informed decisions.
Each customer is unique, with different tastes and requirements. Providing well-thought-out filtering options allows them to create their own experience on your website and tailor it to what they need.
Here are some tips to help you get started :
- Use plain language - Sometimes when we have expertise in a certain area, we can unconsciously use terms that might be jarring or incompressible to a person with less experience.
Try to be mindful of this when creating your filters and use language that all your customers will understand.This will help avoid any missed opportunities caused by misunderstanding filter terms and saves your customers from dusting off their dictionary!
- Refine options - Always consider what options the customer needs, and what filters will make their experience easier. If there are too many options, using a filter can begin to feel like a task.
Something to keep in mind is that many customers will want to try out a few different filter combinations, if they have too many filter options consider they may lose interest.For example, if your products contain multiple color options, you may not need to add a filter for every single shade available, more basic ones will likely do for the customer's needs.
Navy, Azure and Capri all equal blue.
- Get creative - Filters can also be used in clever ways to promote certain products or perhaps service options. You could create a filter to display products that have gift-wrapping options or products that will ship in time for Christmas.
This extra care with your filters will be highly appreciated by your customer, especially around busy seasons and when buying a product for a loved one. - Capitalize on data - Data is readily available in many different ways, customer support emails, social media comments and Shopify reports to name a few.
This can be invaluable when creating filters, look out for common threads such as questions about a certain product's availability or the options that it comes with.