Solving the Mystery of the Mysterious Shopify URLs

There’s nothing like a good mystery, right? Like, why do our socks keep disappearing from the laundry? Or why is there suddenly a forest of receipts in my car’s cup holder? But the digital realm, oh boy, it has its own riddles. Just recently, my friend Jess—let’s call her "The Tech Sleuth"—found herself wrestling with one such mind-boggling conundrum. We were grabbing coffee when she sighed, "My Shopify URLs have gone rogue!" Now, knowing her, this was bound to be a thrilling tale—like when the cat accidentally films itself with my laptop. Naturally, I was hooked.

The Curious Case of the Extra Path

As Jess eloquently put it, her Shopify store URLs had developed a personality of their own—showing up at parties they weren't invited to. They flaunted extra paths that didn’t belong, like this one: https://bumseating.co.za/collections/office-chairs-bum-seating/office-chairs. Imagine setting up a perfect party—that's your collection /office-chairs-bum-seating/—but some uninvited stranger keeps crashing, in this case, /office-chairs/. Jess, ever diligent, had already made inquiries through every digital door, from Shopify gurus to the Sherlock Holmes of forums, but the crasher lingered.

Detangling the Web

What’s a digital detective to do when facing a dilemma wrapped in an enigma? You start with the basics and unravel layer by layer. Although Shopify support hadn’t pulled their rabbits out of the hat yet, we could certainly do some sleuthing ourselves. Here’s what we figured out:

Double Check Collection Handles: The first pitstop is to revisit your collection handle settings. Log into your Shopify admin and navigate to 'Products' > 'Collections'. Select the problematic collection. Check the 'URL handle' at the bottom of the page—what's in there? Ensure it contains only what you want it to. In Jess’s case, it was set painstakingly right as /office-chairs-bum-seating/—no extra word in sight.
Theme Code Inspection: Sometimes themes have a mind of their own (don’t they all?), inserting thingamajigs where you least expect. Head over to the 'Online Store' > 'Themes' > 'Actions' > 'Edit Code'. It might feel like diving into Pandora's box, but it's essential. Sift through the collection.liquid template file. Search for hardcoded links or alterations like:
```
<a href="{{ collection.url }}/office-chairs">{{ collection.title }}</a>
```
If you spot one, well, bingo! That's your gatecrasher right there. Clean it up by sticking to Shopify’s built-in metafields and liquid objects, because URLs should know their boundaries.
Check Third-Party Apps: We all love a good app for automation or nifty plugins delivering pizazz. Yet, sometimes apps add little tweaks that turn into URL pretzels. Turn off apps one by one to see if a silent culprit lurks in the shadows. Tedious? Yes. Necessary? Also yes.
Redirects and SEO Settings: You’re the boss of these faffing URLs, so check your redirect settings. Head to 'Online Store' > 'Navigation' > 'URL Redirects'. Ensure no redirects are sneaking around your collections. Similarly, under 'Online Store' > 'Preferences', review SEO settings to keep errant paths in check.

A Friendly Chat with Support

If after all that scrupulous searching you’re stumped, then it’s time to grab a virtual coffee with Shopify support again. Jess was determined to solve the riddle herself, but sometimes a little help doesn’t hurt, even if that help hadn’t materialized just yet. Here’s something helpful: when you contact support again, show them your findings, steps taken, and your detective-like deductions—it’s always better to solve these mysteries as a team.

The Joy of Discovery

By now, Jess and I were daydreaming of creating a procedural drama about URL mysteries. As the sun set, she turned to me and said, "There’s something oddly thrilling about solving a digital puzzle—like finding that one elusive sock." And there it was, the joy in discovering solutions—and that’s what keeps us going even when URLs throw us curveballs and dive into spaces they shouldn’t be in.

While we might not have immediately discovered the culprit that day, Jess felt better having a game plan in place. The puzzle wasn’t completely unsolvable—just a tad mischievous. Like a whimsical story that keeps unfolding, it had its twist and turns, guided by curiosity, patience, and an occasional slapstick misstep. But hey, isn’t that what makes the journey worth it?