Key takeaways

Collections are Shopify’s way of grouping products — they live at /collections/slug and display a product grid.

You can create manual collections (you pick the products) or automated collections (products added by rules like tag, price, or vendor).

The layout and design of a collection page is controlled by your theme’s collection template, customisable in the Theme Editor.

Adding a banner, custom text, or non-standard layout to a collection page requires Theme Editor customisation or code.

Collection pages are the core browsing experience on a Shopify store. When a customer clicks “Women’s Shoes” or “Sale” in your navigation, they’re hitting a collection page. Here’s how to create and set them up.

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What is the purpose of a collection page on Shopify?

A collection page shows a filtered group of products from your catalogue. It serves two purposes:

For customers — a browsable, filterable list of products relevant to what they’re looking for.

For SEO — collection pages rank for category-level searches like “men’s running shoes” or “natural skincare”. They’re often more valuable for SEO than individual product pages because they capture broader intent.

How to create a collection in Shopify — step by step

Step 1. Go to your Shopify Admin → Products → Collections.

Step 2. Click Create collection.

Step 3. Add a title (this becomes the H1 and influences the URL slug) and an optional description.

Step 4. Choose your collection type:

Manual — you add and remove products yourself
Automated — products are added automatically based on rules (product tag, price, vendor, etc.)

Step 5. If manual: scroll down to Products and add products from your catalogue.

If automated: set your conditions. For example, “Product tag is equal to sale” — every product tagged “sale” will automatically appear.

Step 6. Add a collection image (optional) — this often appears as the banner image at the top of the collection page.

Step 7. Complete the SEO section — customise the URL handle, page title, and meta description.

Step 8. Click Save.

Your collection is now live at yourstore.com/collections/your-slug.

What is the difference between pages and collections in Shopify?

Pages (Online Store → Pages) are static content — About, FAQ, size guides, campaign pages. They don’t contain products automatically.

Collections (Products → Collections) are dynamic product groupings. They always display a product grid. They can be automated or manual.

The practical rule: if you’re grouping products for customers to browse, use a collection. If you’re creating informational content, use a page.

Why can’t I create a collection on Shopify?

If you’re unable to create a collection, check:

Product limit — you need at least one product in your catalogue to add to a manual collection, though you can create an empty one first.
Permissions — if you’re a staff account, your permissions may restrict collection management. Ask the store owner to check your access level under Settings → Users and permissions.
App conflicts — rarely, a third-party app may affect the Collections section. Try in a different browser or incognito mode.

Want a custom collection layout? Describe it to Fudge.

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Creating a collection doesn’t automatically add it to your site menu.

Step 1. Go to Online Store → Navigation.

Step 2. Click on your main menu (usually “Main menu”).

Step 3. Click Add menu item.

Step 4. Enter the label and search for your collection in the Link field.

Step 5. Save menu.

How to customise the layout of a collection page

The default collection page shows a product grid with a filter sidebar. To customise it:

Go to Online Store → Themes → Customize → navigate to a collection page.

From the Theme Editor you can:

Add a banner image or text at the top of the collection
Adjust the number of columns in the product grid
Show/hide filters and sorting options
Add additional content sections below the grid

For a more custom layout — a collection page with editorial content, a hero image, brand story, or custom section above the product grid — you can describe it to Fudge and have it generated directly in your theme.