How to Create Smart Collections in Shopify: A Step-by-Step Guide
Managing a growing product catalog manually can become time-consuming and inefficient. Shopify’s Smart Collections allow you to automate how products are grouped, saving time and ensuring your collections stay up to date as your inventory evolves.
This guide walks through how to set up a Smart Collection step by step — and offers a few practical insights drawn from working with a variety of Shopify clients.
What Are Smart Collections?
Smart Collections (formerly known as automated collections) automatically include products based on rules or conditions you define — such as product tags, vendor, price, or availability. For example, if all your jackets are tagged with “winter,” you can create a collection that automatically includes every product with that tag — no manual sorting required.
They’re ideal for collections like:
Sale items
Seasonal products
Products by vendor or brand
New arrivals
Size or category-based groupings
How to Create a Smart Collection in Shopify
1. Log Into Shopify Admin
Visit: your-store-name.myshopify.com/admin
2. Navigate to Collections
From the Shopify dashboard, go to Products > Collections
3. Click “Create Collection”
Use the Create collection button in the top-right corner
4. Enter Collection Details
Fill in your:
Title (e.g., “T-Shirts”, “Winter Sale”)
Description (optional – shown on your storefront)
Collection image (optional – helps visual merchandising)
5. Set Collection Type to “Smart”
Under Collection type, choose Smart.
This enables automatic population based on conditions.
6. Add Conditions
Set one or more rules for product inclusion, such as:
Product tag is equal to "sale"Product type is equal to "Jacket"Price is less than 50
You can combine multiple conditions for more specific filtering.
7. Choose Condition Logic
Decide whether:
All conditions must be met (for stricter control), or
Any condition can be met (for broader inclusion)
8. (Optional) Edit SEO Settings
You can update the meta title, description, and URL handle to improve search visibility.
9. Set Visibility
Choose where the collection should appear (e.g., Online Store, Point of Sale). Use the checkboxes under Collection availability.
10. Save
Click Save and your collection will update automatically going forward — no need for manual edits when products change.
A Few Helpful Tips
Standardise your product tags and vendors to make Smart Collections work reliably.
Use Smart Collections for promo landing pages — like “Under £50” or “New for Autumn.”
Revisit your conditions every so often to ensure they still make sense as your catalog evolves.
Combine Smart Collections with menu navigation to give customers an intuitive shopping experience.
Working with Shopify: When to Ask for Help
While setting up Smart Collections is fairly straightforward, things can get trickier when you're managing large inventories, multiple storefronts, or complex filters.
In my work as a Freelance Shopify Developer, I’ve supported a wide range of businesses — from solo founders to established brands — with everything from custom theme development to backend optimisations and migration from other platforms.
If you find yourself needing more advanced customisation (e.g., filters that depend on inventory levels, integrating third-party tools, or improving load times), working with a developer can save you hours — and avoid the need for workarounds.
Wrapping Up
Smart Collections are a powerful way to reduce repetitive tasks, ensure accuracy, and create a more dynamic storefront. They're especially useful if your product range changes frequently or if you're running multiple marketing campaigns tied to specific product attributes.
If you're unsure how to make the most of Shopify's features — or want a second opinion on your store setup — having someone experienced on hand can make all the difference.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to reach out with questions, or check out more Shopify tips and insights.
Whether you need a new Shopify store or improvements to your current one, I’m here to support your goals. Get in touch today on 07815 743 072 or via email to office@pinkdigital.co.uk to find out how I can help take your Shopify store to the next level.