Shopify Hidden Products: The Ultimate Guide!

In the fast-paced world of eCommerce, store owners are always on the lookout for strategies to improve their sales and streamline their operations. One powerful but often overlooked tool in Shopify is the use of hidden products. Despite not being visible on your storefront, these hidden things can be quite important for marketing plans, inventory control, and even increasing sales.

In this blog, The Ultimate Guide to Shopify Hidden Products: 6 Steps!, we'll explore how hidden products can benefit your Shopify store, from offering exclusive deals to controlling stock levels without cluttering your site. By following our six simple steps, you'll unlock the full potential of this underutilized feature and take your store to the next level.

What Are Shopify Hidden Products?

Shopify hidden products are items that are added to your store's inventory but are not visible to customers on your storefront. These products remain part of your catalog, allowing you to track inventory, manage pricing, and process orders, but they are not displayed in any collections or search results. Hidden products can be kept out of sight for a variety of reasons, such as for testing, seasonal items, or limited stock that you don't want to feature publicly just yet.

These products exist in the backend of your Shopify store, making them accessible only to store admins and specific customers with a direct link. While not visible on the leading site, hidden products can still be purchased through specific channels, such as discount codes, private links, or manual orders.

Why hide products in Shopify stores?

There are several strategic reasons why store owners might choose to hide products in their Shopify store, each catering to different business needs.

Seasonal Sizzle.

Hiding seasonal items until the right time can help create buzz and excitement. For example, products meant for specific holidays or events can be kept out of sight until the season arrives, making them more desirable when they are finally revealed to customers.

Out of stock products.

If you're waiting for new stock to arrive, hiding out-of-stock products prevents customers from encountering disappointed "sold out" messages. This helps maintain a positive shopping experience and keeps your store looking well-stocked.

Pre-launch buss.

For new products or upcoming collections, keeping them hidden until the official launch date builds anticipation and allows you to market them as exclusive releases, generating interest and excitement.

Streamlining product catalog.

Hiding certain products helps maintain a cleaner, more organized catalog. You can remove clutter, showcase your bestsellers, or hide underperforming items temporarily without deleting them completely. This keeps your store looking fresh and focused on key offerings.

How to Create Hidden Products in Shopify

Section 1: Hide Products on Shopify One By One with Sale Channels

If you're looking for a simple, effective way to hide specific products on your Shopify store, managing sales channels is the way to go. This method allows you to control where and how your products appear across different platforms without having to remove them entirely from your inventory. Here's a quick guide on how to hide products one by one using sales channels.

Step 1: Open your Shopify account and log in.

Access your admin panel by logging into your Shopify account. If you still need to set up a Shopify store, it only takes a few minutes to get started.

Step 2: Go to the Products section 

To view your whole product catalog, select the "Products" section from the menu on the left.

Step 3: Manage sales channels

Select the product you want to hide. Scroll down to the "Publishing" part of the product information page, and you'll notice an option called "Sales Channels." Click on the ellipsis "…" button next to this section and select "Manage sales channels" from the dropdown menu.

Step 4: Click Done

A pop-up window displaying all of your linked sales channels will come up (e.g., Online Store, Facebook, Instagram, etc.). Uncheck the box next to "Online Store" or any other channel where you want to hide the product. You can hide the product on multiple channels if necessary, giving you full control over where the product is visible.

Step 5: Save your changes

After making your selection, click "Done" to close the pop-up. Then, hit the "Save" button to confirm and apply your changes.

Repeat this process for each product you'd like to hide. It's a quick and simple way to manage visibility, keeping certain items out of view without having to delete them from your store entirely.

Section 2: Hide Multiple Products on Shopify with Sale Channels

If you need to hide multiple products at once, Shopify makes it easy to manage visibility across different sales channels in just a few clicks. This method is perfect for store owners who want to quickly adjust which products are visible on their site or through external sales channels like social media, marketplaces, and more.

Step 1: Go to your Shopify account 

Log in to your Shopify account and go to the Shopify Admin panel to get started.

Step 2: Navigate to the Products section 

To browse your whole product catalog, select the "Products" section from the menu on the left.

Step 3: Choose products that you want to hide

Select the products you want to hide by checking the box next to each product. To save time, you can choose many goods at once.

Step 4: Exclude from sales channels

With your products selected, click the ellipsis "…" button at the top of the page to reveal a dropdown menu. From there, choose the option "Exclude from sales channels."

Step 5: Click Exclude products

The choice to conceal these chosen items from particular sales channels or to remove them from all channels will be presented to you in a pop-up window. After making your selections, click "Exclude products" to apply the changes.

Step 6: Save your changes

Once you've excluded the products from your chosen channels, don't forget to hit the "Save" button to confirm your changes.

How to Check If A Product Is Hidden on Shopify

Maintaining an orderly catalog and controlling inventory visibility require that a product be effectively concealed on your Shopify site. Here's a detailed guide on how to confirm if a product is hidden across different areas of your store:

On The Product Listing Page

The Product Listing Page in your Shopify Admin is the quickest way to check if a product is hidden from sales channels. To verify:

• Navigate to your Shopify Admin panel's Products section.
• Here, you'll see a column for Sales Channels next to each product.
• If a product is hidden from all channels, the sales channels status will show as "0" or will be blank. This means the product is not published to any active sales channels, and it is effectively invisible to customers across your store and connected platforms (like Facebook, Instagram, etc.).
• If any sales channels are listed, the product is still visible on those platforms.

On the Product Details Page

For a more detailed view of a product's visibility, visit the Product Details Page. Here's how to check:

• Click on the product you want to review in the Products section.
• Scroll down to the Publishing section on the product page.
• Under the Sales Channels heading, you'll see which channels the product is assigned to.
• If no sales channels are selected or all checkboxes are unchecked, the product is not visible on any active platform.
• If you see any sales channels listed (e.g., "Online Store," "Facebook," etc.), the product is still visible on those platforms.
• If the product is hidden on all channels, the product will only be accessible through direct links or the Shopify Admin panel (not by regular visitors).

On the Live Website

The final test is to check your live website to see if the product is hidden from public view. Here's how:

• Go to your website and use the search bar to search for the product you've hidden.
• If the product has been successfully excluded from all sales channels, the search results will show no results for that product. This means the product is completely hidden from your store's browsing and search functions.
• Suppose you happen to have direct links to the product (e.g., a private URL shared with a specific customer). In that case, you can test those links as well to ensure the product is hidden from the general public but still accessible via special links if needed.

By following these steps across the Shopify Admin panel and your live website, you can easily confirm that your products are properly hidden and not showing up where they shouldn't be.

Marketing Hidden Products Effectively

While hidden products may not be visible to the general public, they can still play a vital role in your Shopify marketing strategy. When marketed effectively, these products can drive exclusive sales, build excitement, and engage your customer base. Here's how to promote hidden products while keeping their exclusivity intact:

Promotional Strategies

Email marketing is perfect for promoting hidden products. Create personalized, attention-grabbing emails offering exclusive access to your best customers. Use subject lines like "A Secret Just for You!" and add a limited-time discount to drive action. On social media, create a buzz with cryptic posts and teaser content. Share sneak peeks, countdowns, and mystery-filled captions to make your followers eager for the reveal. Then, offer exclusive deals for those who engage.

Creating Buzz

The key to creating a buzz is building anticipation. Drop subtle clues, partial product images, or cryptic hints to fuel curiosity. Use a countdown timer to let customers know exactly when the product will drop—nothing builds excitement like a ticking clock. A VIP launch event or flash sale for select customers can further enhance the product's exclusivity and make your audience feel like insiders.

Customer Engagement

Once the product is live, engage with buyers and ask for feedback. Reviews might be prompted by a straightforward email or social media post. Create a branded hashtag to inspire customers to share their experiences and post photos or videos of the product. Reward them with discounts or early access to future hidden products, turning them into loyal advocates who help spread the word.

With these strategies, you can turn hidden products into your most coveted offerings—creating excitement, driving sales, and building lasting customer loyalty.

Read more:

• How to hide a product but keep it buyable Shopify
• 6 Ways To Hide Sold-Out Variants In Shopify
• How To Hide A Shopify Page From Search Engines?
• How To Hide Prices On Shopify

FAQs

How can I manage and organize my hidden products effectively?

To keep your hidden products organized, use Shopify's product tags and collections. Create a private collection for hidden items and tag them with unique identifiers, like "Hidden" or "Exclusive." Regularly review this collection to track inventory, adjust pricing, or update product details. Using descriptive tags and notes can also help you quickly identify hidden products in your admin panel.

How does inventory management in my shop get impacted by concealed products?

Hidden products are still part of your inventory, so Shopify tracks their stock levels just like visible items. You can update quantities, monitor sales, and restock them through your admin dashboard. However, since hidden products are private, ensure you promote them effectively to avoid overstocking or letting them sit unused in your inventory.

Can I use hidden products for seasonal or limited-edition items?

Absolutely! Hidden products are perfect for seasonal or limited-edition offerings. Keep them hidden until the right time, then reveal them with a marketing push to create excitement. For limited-edition items, hidden products allow you to control access and build exclusivity, ensuring only select customers or early buyers can purchase them.

What should I consider before adding hidden products to my store?

Prior to introducing hidden items, think about your objectives. Are they for exclusivity, seasonal launches, or testing new items? Plan how you'll market them to your audience and decide which sales channels they'll appear on. Also, ensure your admin panel is well-organized to avoid confusion between hidden and visible products. Finally, consider how your entire identity and retail approach complement hidden items.

Conclusion

Shopify's hidden goods feature is a game-changer for business owners since it lets you arrange limited-edition or seasonal items, manage exclusive releases, and make the most of your inventory. In order to improve your store's strategy and customer experience, we've covered how to conceal items step-by-step, check their visibility, promote them successfully, and handle them with simplicity in this tutorial.
It's time to start using these suggestions! Incorporate hidden goods into your Shopify store to build buzz, increase interaction, and strengthen your brand. Tell us about your experiences, queries, or success advice in the comments section below; we'd love to hear it. Let's continue the conversation and make your shop even more successful!