There are so many things to consider when organizing the products in your Shopify store...especially when you have a large inventory. Imagine if you had a brick-and-mortar store. How would you organize it so that your customers can walk in and immediately make sense of what they're seeing in front of them? The same applies to your online store.
Here are some of my top tips to nail your product organization and help guide your customers through your inventory to ultimately make a purchase:
Type of product:
This is the most obvious and common option. For example if you have a clothing store, it makes sense to let your site visitors know where they can find all dresses or pants. Same applies if you sell other lifestyle products like jewelry or cosmetics. If you have a lot of products, I would recommend breaking this down even further. Maybe have sub-categories for dresses based on the length (mini, midi, maxi) or general style (t-shirt dresses, wrap dresses etc).
Do you stock seasonal items?:
Sometimes it can help if you let your customers know that a particluar group of items are ideal for a certain season. Are floral dresses trending for Spring? Create a collection for these products and highlight it on your store's navigation. Do the same if you sell lipstick and there's a certain shade that is perfect for autumn. Even if these items can be worn all-year-round...you can still create seasonal edits to highlight on your website. Shoppers love it when products feel relevant, timely and current.
Organize by materials:
Grouping products by materials can also help customers make buying decisions more easily. For example, organic fibers in clothing might help persuade the eco-conscious customer to buy one item over the next. If you have a special line of cosmetics that are free from harsh chemicals your consumer with sensitive skin would love to know this as soon as they land on your website.
Size really does matter:
Get your mind out of the gutter lol. But yes, if your product comes in various sizes it can be very helpful to organize them by size on the website. How many times have you seen something in a store and got excited about it only to discover they don't have your size? Exactly...so disappointing. Being intentional about highlighting size categories on product pages or even the main menu will create a much better buying experience and helps your customer make a purchase much quicker.
Consider your own personal taste/style:
Consider curating mini collections based on your own unique style. If you sell clothing, try organizing products based on the events you would wear them to. Of course, this doesn't mean that every single person who visits your website would agree, but it would surely help your customer to make that final buying decision.
There are many other things to consider when organizing your products but I will leave you with just three (3) for now. Give them a try and see how they work for you.