Fixing Mobile Header Menu Navigation in Shopify: A Tale of Glorious Clicks

The first time I discovered that the universe isn't perfect was during a seemingly simple task: trying to click on a menu item while browsing on my phone. The frustration was almost comic—it was like someone had taken a perfectly crafted door, and then glued it shut just for me. I was trying to reach "PRODUCTS" on a friend’s Shopify store, much like our friend Tim here, but every tap would whisk me away to an abyss of sub-menu pages. Suddenly, an arrow became more than just a pointy little thing. It became my gateway to sanity. Let's stop losing our minds over these click conundrums! Together, we'll charm that header menu into behaving just as we command—like obedient little digital genies.

Understanding the Problem

Navigating Shopify’s inner workings for mobile sites is like double-tapping on a mystery. On desktop, menus can dance around however you'd like, but the mobile universe? It's a whole other beast. Just like Tim’s issue on his mobile menu, a single tap on "PRODUCTS" leads you down a winding path to your sub-menu items instead of letting you bask in the glory of all products. His goal? Make the main menu item "PRODUCTS" clickable so it races over to the overall product page, while the honorary arrow whisked you to its sub-menus.

Step One: Prepare Your Toolbox

We need to bring out our favorite tools: theme customization in Shopify, a dash of Liquid (Shopify’s templating language), and a sprinkle of JavaScript for that extra magic touch. Let’s strap in and get ready to remodel that header like we’re the Chip and Joanna of Shopify.

1. Dive into the Theme Editor: Head to your Online Store, then click on Themes. Here, we’ll fire up our zen-like editor by hitting Customize.

2. Journey to the Code: Ah, the code editor—hit Actions, and then Edit code. This is where our story unfolds.

Step Two: Let’s Work Our Liquid Magic

The theme files we need to navigate are typically within the Sections directory of your theme and often named something like header.liquid, but don't be shy—poke around like you're Sherlock on a case.

{% comment %}
Adding a unique twist so "PRODUCTS" doesn't whisk us away to a topsy-turvy sub-menu world.
{% endcomment %}

Look for your navigation logic. We’re going to unravel the structure of clicking "PRODUCTS" to lead directly to its designated page.

Step Three: JavaScript Shenanigans

This is where the sleight of hand happens. We’ll invoke a few lines to split the tap duty: one magical tap for the main page, the other to summon the sub-menu.

1. Locate Global JavaScript File: Head to the Assets folder, where our hero file—often named something akin to theme.js—resides.

2. Insert the JavaScript Magic: Add this mesmerizing snippet somewhere approachable, like after your event listeners:

document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {
  const productsMenu = document.querySelector('.main-menu__item--products')
  const arrowIcon = document.querySelector('.main-menu__item--products .arrow-icon')

  if (productsMenu && arrowIcon) {
    productsMenu.addEventListener('click', function (event) {
      if (!event.target.closest('.arrow-icon')) {
        window.location.href = '/collections/products'
      }
    })

    arrowIcon.addEventListener('click', function (event) {
      event.stopPropagation()
    })
  }
})

Conclusion: Lament No More

And there we have it—like a saga of triumph where every click knows its place. With these few adaptations, your menu now minds its manners, letting "PRODUCTS" reign supreme in click-clarity, while the once-misunderstood arrow finds new purpose ushering wayfarers to submenus. It’s like resolving a great cosmic irony—but in your Shopify header.

May your clicks be ever fruitful and your menus never bewilder. Just as we found peace in this web-bound universe, remember that solutions are just a curious click away. Cheers, and happy tapping!