Exclude Vendors From Shopify Product Tag Conditions

In the world of e-commerce, customizing your Shopify store to meet specific business needs is crucial. One common requirement is displaying different information for products based on their tags, while also considering the product vendor. This blog post will guide you through the process of excluding certain vendors from tag-based conditions in your Shopify theme.

Understanding the Challenge

The Basic Tag Condition

Many Shopify store owners use product tags to categorize items and display specific information. For instance, you might have a tag condition like this:

{% if product.tags contains 'PENDANTS' %}
  <p class="description">
    <strong>Price is for pendant only.</strong> Chain sold separately. 
    Shop our chain selection <a href="/collections/chains-1" target="_blank">here</a>.
  </p>
{% endif %}

This code displays a message for all products tagged with ‘PENDANTS’, informing customers that the price is for the pendant only and chains are sold separately.

The Vendor Exclusion Requirement

However, what if you want to exclude certain vendors from this condition? For example, you might have a vendor whose pendants always come with chains, so you don’t want to display this message for their products.

The Solution: Nested Conditions

Using the ‘unless’ Liquid Tag

The most effective way to exclude specific vendors from your tag condition is by using a nested condition with the ‘unless’ Liquid tag. Here’s how you can modify your code:

{% unless product.vendor == "XYZ" %}
  {% if product.tags contains 'PENDANTS' %}
    <p class="description">
      <strong>Price is for pendant only.</strong> Chain sold separately. 
      Shop our chain selection <a href="/collections/chains-1" target="_blank">here</a>.
    </p>
  {% endif %}
{% endunless %}

This code will display the message for all products tagged with ‘PENDANTS’, except for those from the vendor “XYZ”.

Expanding the Exclusion List

If you need to exclude multiple vendors, you can expand the condition using the ‘or’ operator:

{% unless product.vendor == "ABC Company" or product.vendor == "XYZ Company" %}
  {% if product.tags contains 'PENDANTS' %}
    <p class="description">
      <strong>Price is for pendant only.</strong> Chain sold separately. 
      Shop our chain selection <a href="/collections/chains-1" target="_blank">here</a>.
    </p>
  {% endif %}
{% endunless %}

This code excludes products from both “ABC Company” and “XYZ Company” from the tag condition.

Implementing the Solution

Locating the Right File

To implement this solution, you’ll need to edit your theme files. The most common location for product-related code is in the product-template.liquid file. Here’s how to find it:

1. Go to your Shopify admin panel
2. Navigate to “Online Store” > “Themes”
3. Click “Actions” > “Edit code” on your current theme
4. Look for product-template.liquid in the Sections folder

Making the Changes

Once you’ve located the file, find the existing tag condition and replace it with the new code that includes the vendor exclusion. Be sure to test the changes on a development theme before pushing them live to your store.

Best Practices and Considerations

Keeping Your Code Clean

When working with nested conditions, it’s important to keep your code clean and readable. Use proper indentation and comments to make your code easier to understand and maintain.

Testing Thoroughly

Always test your changes thoroughly before making them live. Create a development theme and test various scenarios to ensure the condition works as expected for different products and vendors.

Updating Vendor Names

Remember to update the vendor names in your code if they change in your product catalog. Keeping your code in sync with your actual product data is crucial for proper functionality.

By following these steps and best practices, you can effectively exclude specific vendors from your Shopify product tag conditions, providing a more tailored shopping experience for your customers.