Sorting products into categories

You can control how products are sorted within each category in your online store. Shoporama offers several sorting methods that you can choose from for each category.

Select a sorting method

1. Go to Categories and open the category you want to change
2. Find the Advanced section
3. Select a sorting method from the dropdown menu
4. Save the category

Available sorting methods

• Normal (manual) – You determine the order yourself using drag-and-drop
• In-stock items first – Products in stock are displayed first, sold-out products at the bottom
• In-stock items and images first – Sorts into four levels: in stock with image, in stock without image, out of stock with image, and out of stock without image
• Alphabetical – Products are sorted A–Z by product name
• Product Score – Sorted by an internal score based on sales and popularity
• Newest – Products are sorted by creation date, newest first
• Random – Products are displayed in random order on each page view

Only the “Normal” method uses your fully manual order. The other methods determine the main order themselves. However, two of them—“In-Stock Items First” and “In-Stock Items and Image First”—still use your manual order for fine-tuning the sorting within each group.

Manual Sorting with Drag-and-Drop

If you use the “Normal” sorting method, you can determine the exact order:

1. Open the category, click Save, and select product order
2. You will now see all products in the category with their image, name, price, and online status
3. Drag the products up or down using the handle on the left to change the order
4. The order is automatically saved when you release a product

You can also add new products to the category directly from the sorting page by clicking “Add Product” and searching for the product.

In-Stock Items and Image First

The “In-Stock and Image First” sorting method automatically groups your most marketable items at the top of the category. The idea is simple: an item that’s both in stock and has a great product image sells better than a sold-out item without an image. That’s why this method automatically places the strongest items at the top and the weakest at the bottom.

Items are sorted into four levels in this order:

1. Items that are in stock and have a product image
2. Items that are in stock but lack a product image
3. Sold-out items that have a product image
4. Out-of-stock items without a product image

Within each level, your own manual order from the Sort Products page is used for further sorting. This means you retain your manual prioritization; it is simply distributed across the four levels.

The method is selected per category in the “Sorting” dropdown under the “Advanced” tab on the category’s edit page, just like the other methods. It updates itself continuously: if an item sells out, or if an image is added or removed, it automatically moves to the correct level. It may take a short while for a new image status to take effect. Like most other methods, except for “Normal,” this method overrides the fully manual order, but it still uses your manual sorting within each of the four levels.

This method is particularly useful for stores with many out-of-stock items or many items without images, where it can result in a cleaner category page and typically a higher conversion rate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my products move around when I’ve already dragged them into the order I wanted?

This is likely because the category is using a sorting method other than Normal. Your manual drag-and-drop order only takes full effect when the method is set to Normal. For example, if you select Alphabetical, Newest, or Product Score, the selected method determines the order instead. If you want to control everything manually, select “Normal” under “Advanced” on the category page.

What is the difference between “In-Stock Items First” and “In-Stock Items and Images First”?

"In-stock items first" divides the products into two groups: in-stock items appear at the top, and out-of-stock items appear at the bottom. "In-stock items and images first" goes a step further and sorts into four levels: first, in-stock items with images; then, in-stock items without images; followed by out-of-stock items with images; and finally, out-of-stock items without images. This new method helps you showcase your best-looking and most marketable items at the top.

What happens to the order if an item sells out?

If you use “In-Stock Items First” or “In-Stock Items with Image First,” the item automatically moves further down the list as soon as it sells out. This ensures that customers always see the items they can actually buy at the top. If the item comes back in stock, it automatically moves back up. You don’t need to do anything yourself.

I just added an image to a product, but it hasn’t moved up yet. Why?

The “In-Stock Items and Images First” method updates automatically when the stock status changes or when you add or remove images. However, when images are changed, it may take a moment for the change to reflect in the category. Wait a moment and refresh the page. The item should then be in its new position.

Does the sorting method apply to the entire store or just to one category?

The sorting method is selected and saved on a per-category basis. You can therefore easily use “In-Stock Items and Images First” in one category, “Alphabetical” in another, and “Normal” in a third. This gives you the freedom to customize the order to best suit the content of each individual category.

What happens to products that don’t have an image at all?

With “In-Stock Items and Images First,” items without images appear lower in the list than items with images within the same stock status. So, an in-stock item without an image will appear after the in-stock items that do have images. This is a good reminder to upload images, since items with images sell better and are displayed more prominently.

Can I still use my manual sorting order even if I choose one of the inventory methods?

Yes, but only as a fine-tuning tool. With “In-Stock Items and Images First,” your manual sorting order is applied within each of the four levels, and with “In-Stock Items at the Top,” it’s applied within each inventory group. The main order is determined by the method, but your own choices determine the order among items at the same level.

Can customers change the sorting order in the category themselves?

The sorting method you select under “Advanced” on the category page determines the order customers see when they open the category. So, as the store owner, you set the foundation for how the products are presented. Choose the method that best highlights the specific products you want to sell.