Hiding Empty Sub-Collections on Your Shopify Store: A Journey to a Tidier Display

It all began one sun-drenched afternoon, sipping coffee that tasted delightfully of freedom—I decided it was time to tackle the chaotic jungle of our Shopify store's collection page. There they were: empty sub-collections, stark and bold, glaring at me with their mocking voids. It was like a gallery with blank canvases, crying for attention but having nothing to offer. If you've ever faced the empty sub-collection apocalypse, you know the struggle is real, my friends. But worry not, for today we shall conquer this digital clutter with flair and simplicity.

The Problem: Of Empty Sub-Collections and Cluttering Woes

Picture it: you’ve ambitiously added metafields in Shopify, thinking you’ve crafted the masterpiece of organized navigation. You assigned references to sub-collections with all the hope and dreams of a productive e-commerce day. Yet, like my old friend Bob who collects rocks that are often just, well, rocks—sometimes these sub-collections have nothing to show, and still, they stubbornly sit there on your site, like placeholders of unfulfilled potential.

What’s our quest, you ask? It’s simple: ensure that only the sub-collections with actual content—like the cherished family pictures that are not your thumb blocking the lens—are visible to our visitors. So let’s roll up our sleeves and spring into action.

Getting Our Hands Dirty: The Code Solution

So, we find ourselves in the thick of it, just like the time we tried making sourdough from scratch during lockdown—a mess at first, but so rewarding once you nail it. Here's how we can use a pinch of Liquid code to elegantly sweep those empty sub-collections under the proverbial rug.

First things first: we'll dabble in Shopify's theme code. Don’t worry, I promise we're not diving into the depths of the Mariana Trench—just dipping our toes into the coding waters.

Step 1: Accessing the Theme Code

Just like finding the hidden path to a secret garden, access Shopify's theme files by navigating to Online Store > Themes. Find your current theme and click on Actions > Edit code. Ah, the scent of adventure lingers in the air!

Step 2: Locating the Relevant Code

Navigate to collection.liquid or wherever your sub-collections are being rendered (it's like finding the right spell in an old wizard's tome).

Step 3: The Magical Code Snippet

Now, sprinkle in a bit of Liquid magic. You want to loop through your collections and only display those that have products.

Here’s a general idea of what we’re aiming for:

{% for collection in collections %}
  {% if collection.products_count > 0 %}
    <!-- Your code to display the collection -->
    <h2>{{ collection.title }}</h2>
  {% endif %}
{% endfor %}

Pretty neat, eh? What we’re doing here—like sorting our music playlists to omit the awkwardly silent tracks—is telling Shopify to display only those sub-collections that boast at least one product.

Testing the Waters: Implement and Review

Now comes the magical moment—watching your work unfold. Refresh your collection pages and observe with glee as the empty sub-collections vanish, as if by magic, allowing only the fruitful branches to breathe on your page. Your customers will thank you, and your digital garden will flourish without the weeds.

Bringing it Together: A Symphony of Organized Collections

Reflecting back on our little journey, it's much like cultivating a serene bonsai, pruning away what's unnecessary to let the beautiful structure shine through. With your collections now neatly trimmed, visitors can navigate effortlessly, directed to the goodies you entice them with—who needs distraction when there’s business to be made and joy to be shared?

Ah, what a transformation. What once started with a mere aspiration—a dream of a tidy Shopify store—has become a living reality. And while our journeys—life and Shopify alike—are never quite finished, today, my friends, we have accomplished something with style.

Let’s raise our imaginary glasses to embracing the little tweaks that make our Shopify universe a better place to sell, buy, and explore. We’ve hidden those empty sub-collections, but feel free to flaunt your tidy expertise like the proud digital custodian you are! The world—or at least your Shopify store—thanks you for it.

And that, dear readers, is how we roll on the ol’ digital river of commerce, one less blank slate to brighten our collections. Cheers to us.