How to Add a Back Button to Your Shopify Product Pages

Introduction

In the world of e-commerce, user experience is paramount. One simple yet effective way to enhance navigation on your Shopify store is by adding a back button to your product pages. This feature allows customers to easily return to the collections page, improving overall site usability. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the process of adding a back button to your Shopify product pages, with a focus on the Dawn theme.

Why Add a Back Button?

Improved User Navigation

A back button provides a quick and intuitive way for customers to return to the previous page, typically the collections page. This can significantly improve the browsing experience, especially for users who like to explore multiple products.

Reduced Bounce Rates

By making it easier for customers to navigate between products and collections, you may see a reduction in bounce rates. Users are more likely to continue browsing when they can easily move back and forth between pages.

Enhanced User Experience

A well-implemented back button can contribute to a smoother, more user-friendly shopping experience. This attention to detail can leave a positive impression on your customers.

Adding a Back Button: Step-by-Step Guide

Preparing Your Shopify Theme

Before we begin, ensure you’re working with the Dawn theme or a similar Shopify theme. If you’re using a different theme, the process may vary slightly, but the general principles should still apply.

Creating a New Snippet

Log in to your Shopify admin panel.
Navigate to “Online Store” > “Themes”.
Click on “Actions” > “Edit code” for your active theme.
In the left sidebar, locate the “Snippets” folder and click on “Add a new snippet”.
Name the new snippet “back-button” and click “Create snippet”.

Adding the Back Button Code

In the newly created “back-button.liquid” file, paste the following code:

<style>
.back-btn__wrapper svg {
  width: 28px;
  height: 20px;
}
.back-btn__wrapper {
  margin-bottom: 12px;
}
.back-btn {
  background: #fff;
  padding: 10px 7px 4px 6px;
}
.back-btn:hover {
  border-radius: 26px;
  background: #f0f0f0;
}
</style>
<div class="back-btn__wrapper">
  <a class="back-btn" href="/collections/all">
    <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" version="1.1" id="Capa_1" x="0px" y="0px" width="493.578px" height="493.578px" viewBox="0 0 493.578 493.578" style="enable-background:new 0 0 493.578 493.578;" xml:space="preserve">
      <g>
        <path d="M487.267,225.981c0-17.365-13.999-31.518-31.518-31.518H194.501L305.35,83.615c12.24-12.24,12.24-32.207,0-44.676 L275.592,9.18c-12.24-12.24-32.207-12.24-44.676,0L15.568,224.527c-6.12,6.12-9.256,14.153-9.256,22.262 c0,8.032,3.136,16.142,9.256,22.262l215.348,215.348c12.24,12.239,32.207,12.239,44.676,0l29.758-29.759 c12.24-12.24,12.24-32.207,0-44.676L194.501,299.498h261.094c17.366,0,31.519-14.153,31.519-31.519L487.267,225.981z"/>
      </g>
    </svg>
  </a>
</div>

This code creates a styled back button with an arrow icon.

Implementing the Back Button

To add the back button to your product pages:

In your theme editor, locate the “main-product.liquid” file.
Add the following line of code where you want the back button to appear:

{% include "back-button" %}

Save your changes.

Customizing the Back Button

Modifying the Appearance

You can easily customize the appearance of the back button by adjusting the CSS in the “back-button.liquid” snippet. For example, to change the button’s color on hover:

.back-btn:hover {
  border-radius: 26px;
  background: #e0e0e0; /* Change this to your desired color */
}

Adding Text to the Button

If you want to add text alongside the arrow icon, you can modify the HTML in the “back-button.liquid” snippet:

<div class="back-btn__wrapper">
  <a class="back-btn" href="/collections/all">
    <svg>...</svg>
    <span>Back to Collections</span>
  </a>
</div>

Don’t forget to adjust the CSS to accommodate the added text.

Changing the Destination

By default, the back button links to “/collections/all”. If you want it to return to the previous page instead, you can use JavaScript:

<a class="back-btn" href="#" onclick="history.back()">

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Button Not Appearing

If the back button doesn’t appear on your product pages:

Ensure you’ve correctly added the include statement to “main-product.liquid”.
Check that the “back-button.liquid” snippet is properly created and contains the correct code.
Clear your theme cache and refresh your browser.

Styling Issues

If the button appears but doesn’t look right:

Inspect the button using your browser’s developer tools.
Check for any conflicting CSS from your theme.
Adjust the CSS in the “back-button.liquid” snippet as needed.

Mobile Responsiveness

To ensure the back button works well on mobile devices:

Add responsive CSS to adjust the button’s size and positioning for smaller screens.
Test thoroughly on various mobile devices and screen sizes.

Conclusion

Adding a back button to your Shopify product pages is a simple yet effective way to improve navigation and enhance the user experience on your store. By following this guide, you should now have a functional and customizable back button on your product pages. Remember to test thoroughly and make adjustments as needed to ensure it fits seamlessly with your store’s design and functionality.