Dynamic Collections for Shopify: Automation Guide

Dynamic collections in Shopify automatically organize products based on conditions you define. Instead of manually adding products to collections, you set rules and let the system handle the rest. This guide covers how dynamic collections work and how to use them effectively.

What Are Dynamic Collections?

Dynamic collections (also called automated or smart collections) use condition-based logic to include products automatically:

• Products are added when they match your defined criteria
• Collections update automatically as inventory changes
• New products are sorted without manual intervention
• Out-of-stock items can be automatically hidden

Benefits of Dynamic Collections

Time Savings

• Eliminate manual product sorting for each collection
• New products appear in relevant collections automatically
• Reduce ongoing maintenance work

Consistency

• Rules apply uniformly to all products
• No products accidentally missed or miscategorized
• Collections stay current with inventory

Available Condition Types

Shopify supports conditions based on:

• Product title: Contains, equals, starts with, ends with
• Product type: Category matching
• Vendor: Brand or supplier filtering
• Tags: Flexible product attributes
• Price: Above, below, or equal to amounts
• Inventory: Stock level thresholds
• Weight: Product weight conditions

Setting Up Dynamic Collections

1. Open collections: Go to Products > Collections in your Shopify admin
2. Create collection: Click Create collection and enter a title and description
3. Select Automated: Under "Collection type," choose Automated — this replaces manual product assignment with rule-based logic
4. Add conditions: Use the dropdown menus to select a product attribute (title, type, vendor, tag, price, inventory, weight, or variant title), an operator (equals, contains, starts with, greater than, etc.), and a value
5. Set matching logic: Choose "Products must match all conditions" (AND logic) or "Products must match any condition" (OR logic) — note that Shopify doesn't support mixing AND/OR across different condition groups natively
6. Add more conditions: Click Add another condition — you can add up to 60 conditions per automated collection
7. Save: Click Save and Shopify will populate the collection within a few minutes

Best Use Cases

• New Arrivals: Products added within the last 30 days
• Sale Items: Products with compare-at prices set
• By Brand: Vendor-based collections
• Price Tiers: Budget, mid-range, premium categories
• In Stock: Products with available inventory

Best Practices

• Use consistent tagging for reliable automation
• Test conditions with a few products before applying broadly
• Avoid overly complex condition combinations
• Review collections periodically to ensure rules still apply
• Document your condition logic for team consistency

Common Issues and Solutions

• Products not appearing: Check that product attributes match conditions exactly
• Wrong products included: Review condition logic (all vs. any)
• Empty collections: Verify products exist that meet criteria

Conclusion

Dynamic collections reduce manual work and keep your store organized automatically. By defining clear conditions and maintaining consistent product data, you can create a self-managing collection system that scales with your inventory.

Related Resources

• Shopify Help: Collections
• What is a Shopify Collection?
• Using Tags Effectively