How to Create Categories in Shopify: Manual vs Smart Collections
Updated
Organizing your catalog is the foundation for selling more. In Shopify, categories are called "Collections" and there are two ways to create them: one where you choose products manually and another where Shopify does it for you automatically.
What's the Difference Between a Manual and Automated Collection?
The fundamental difference is maintenance. In a Manual Collection you must add and remove products one by one (ideal for specific curation), while an Automated Collection uses logical rules (like tags, price, or stock) to include products instantly without human intervention.
Manual Collection
You choose products one by one.
- ✓ Ideal for "Flash Sales" or specific curation.
- ✓ Full control over the order.
- ✕ Slow to maintain if you have many products.
Smart Collection
It fills itself with rules.
- ✓ Automatic: if it meets the rule, it's included.
- ✓ Perfect for "New Arrivals", "By Brand", or "Discounts".
- ✓ Saves hours of manual work.
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Step by Step: Creating a Collection
1 Go to Collections
In your Shopify admin, go to Products > Collections and click the black "Create collection" button in the top right.
2 Define the Collection Type
Enter the title and description. Then, under "Collection type", choose the magic:
- Manual: You'll need to search and add products one by one after saving.
- Automated: This is where you set up the "Conditions".
3 Set Up Smart Rules
If you chose automated, you can use powerful rules like:
- Product tag is equal to "New" (for a new arrivals section)
- Compare-at price is greater than 0 (creates an automatic "Deals" category)
- Inventory is greater than 0 (hides out-of-stock products)
💡 Important SEO Tip
At the bottom of the page you'll see "Search engine listing preview". Don't ignore it. Click on "Edit SEO" and make sure to write an attractive title and description, as this is how your category will appear on Google.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change from Manual to Automated later?
No, Shopify doesn't allow editing the type once created. You'll need to create a new one and delete the previous one.
How do I add the collection to the menu?
Once created, it won't appear on its own. You need to go to Navigation and add it. Check out our tutorial on how to add collections to the Shopify menu.
For more details, visit the official Shopify Collections documentation.