How to Create Custom Featured Collections on Shopify Home Page

Are you looking to showcase your best products on your Shopify store’s home page? You’re not alone. Many store owners struggle with the seemingly random selection of products in their featured collections. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to take control of your featured collections and display exactly the products you want your customers to see.

Understanding Featured Collections in Shopify

What are Featured Collections?

Featured collections are a powerful tool in Shopify that allow you to highlight specific groups of products on your store’s home page. They serve as a curated showcase of your offerings, giving visitors an immediate glimpse into what your store has to offer.

The Importance of Curated Featured Collections

Having control over which products appear in your featured collections is crucial for several reasons:

1. First impressions matter: The products showcased on your home page are often the first things visitors see.
2. Strategic marketing: You can highlight your best-selling, high-margin, or seasonal products.
3. Brand representation: Carefully selected products can better represent your brand’s identity and values.

Default Behavior of Featured Collections

By default, Shopify often displays a random selection of products from a chosen collection. This can lead to suboptimal product presentations that don’t align with your marketing strategy or showcase your best offerings.

The Solution: Creating a Custom Featured Collection

The most effective way to control which products appear in your featured collection is by creating a custom collection specifically for this purpose. Here’s a step-by-step guide to achieve this:

Step 1: Create a New Collection

1. Navigate to your Shopify admin panel.
2. Go to “Products” > “Collections”.
3. Click on “Create collection”.

Step 2: Choose Manual Selection

When creating your new collection:

1. Set the collection type to “Manual”.
2. This allows you to handpick the exact products you want to feature.

Step 3: Add Products to Your Collection

1. Use the product selector to add items to your collection.
2. Choose the products you want to showcase on your home page.
3. Remember, you can always update this selection later.

Step 4: Update Your Home Page

Once your custom collection is ready:

1. Go to “Online Store” > “Themes”.
2. Click “Customize” on your current theme.
3. Navigate to the “Homepage” section.
4. Find the “Featured collection” module.
5. Change the collection to your newly created one.

Advanced Tips for Optimizing Your Featured Collection

Leveraging Manual Sorting

Even within your custom collection, you can further control the order of products:

1. Go to your custom collection’s page.
2. Enable “Manual sort” if not already active.
3. Drag and drop products to arrange them in your preferred order.

This method ensures that the first products in your collection are the ones that appear in the featured section, while still maintaining a full collection for customers to browse.

Balancing Featured Products and Full Collections

When using a custom collection for your featured products, consider the following:

1. “View All” functionality: Be aware that if you enable a “View All” button, it will lead to your custom collection.
2. Collection page layout: The manual sort you use for featured products will also apply to the full collection page.
3. Regular updates: Keep your featured collection fresh by updating it periodically to reflect new products or seasonal changes.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Products Not Appearing in Featured Collection

If you’ve set up your custom collection but products aren’t showing:

1. Check sales channel settings: Ensure products are authorized for the Online Store sales channel.
2. Verify product status: Make sure products are set to “Active” in your inventory.
3. Clear cache: Sometimes, clearing your browser cache or waiting a short while can resolve display issues.

Unexpected Example Products Appearing

If you see Shopify example products instead of your own:

1. Double-check your collection selection in the theme customizer.
2. Ensure your products are properly added to the selected collection.
3. Verify that your products are published and available in your Online Store channel.

Conclusion

Taking control of your featured collections is a simple yet powerful way to enhance your Shopify store’s home page. By creating a custom, manually curated collection, you can ensure that your best products are front and center, making a strong first impression on your visitors and potentially boosting your sales.

Remember, the key to a successful featured collection is regular maintenance and updates. Keep your selections fresh, relevant, and aligned with your current marketing strategies. With these tips and techniques, you’ll be well on your way to creating a more engaging and effective Shopify store front page.