Venue - Collections - Add dynamic subcollections to a collection page

This article covers how to set up visual subcollection filters on your collection pages.

Subcollections enhance store navigation by allowing visitors to find what they need more quickly and efficiently by dividing collections into smaller, more targeted subcollections. This type of organization improves visitor engagement and can lead to increased sales.

For instance, if customers are browsing your Carry collection page, you can provide thumbnail links to its subcollections, such as Wallets, Multitools, and Knives. Once they land on the Wallets collection, you can introduce another tier of subcollections like Clip Wallets, Leather Wallets, and Card Wallets.

Create some collections and subcollections

To get started, ensure you have created some collections and subcollections. Navigate to Products > Collections in your Shopify admin.

For example, create a top-level collection named Wallets that includes all the wallets available in your store. From there, organize smaller, targeted subcollections like Clip Wallets, Zip Wallets, and other types of wallets.

Set up a subcollection menu

The Subcollections section can usually be managed by creating a single Shopify menu that defines all of your collection and subcollection hierarchy. You can name this menu anything you wish, but it must include the collections and subcollections in the correct structure as shown below. To set this up, go to Content > Menus in your Shopify admin.

Information

Shopify menus are limited to a maximum of three levels. However, you can bypass this restriction by using multiple subcollection menus and multiple collection page templates.

For example, a structure like Everything > Carry > Wallets > Zip Wallets exceeds the limit as it is four levels deep. To achieve this, you can create a unique page template and a dedicated subcollection menu for the Everything collection page. Similarly, if you want to add more levels below Zip Wallets, the same approach can be applied.

Add your subcollection menu to your collection page

From the Shopify admin area, go to Online store > Themes > Customize.
Select Collection from the dropdown at the top of the screen and choose your collection template from the submenu (usually Default collection).
In the side menu, look for the Template heading and click into the Subcollections section.
Use the menu picker to select the subcollections menu you have created in the admin.
Explore and configure the wide range of design and layout settings available.

Show related collections

Normally, with a structure like Carry > Wallets > Zip Wallets, once the user reaches the deepest level of collections, such as Zip Wallets, the thumbnails disappear as there are no further navigation options. By enabling the Show related collections option, you can keep subcollections related to Zip Wallets, like Card Wallets and Clip Wallets, always visible. This feature enhances engagement and provides a better shopping experience for visitors.

Show parent collection

This feature can function like a 'back' button, and also provides an additional way to boost engagement. For example, in the structure Carry > Wallets > Zip Wallets, if a user navigates to the Wallets subcollection, you can automatically display a thumbnail link for Carry, which is the parent collection of Wallets.

Note

If you are using the three level workaround as outlined above you may need to manually add a link back to the parent collection in Content > Menus.