Managing product collections at scale can quickly become a time-consuming, error-prone task. As product ranges grow and teams move faster, manually assigning items to the right collections often leads to inconsistent merchandising, missed visibility opportunities and unnecessary admin work.
That’s why our Workflow of the Month for March is Automatically Categorize Shopify Products with AI.
Powered by Arigato Automation, this workflow uses AI to analyse product titles and descriptions during bulk operations, then automatically places products into the correct collections. No manual sorting, forgotten products or messy collections.
What the Workflow Does
The workflow runs when a bulk product operation takes place in Shopify. When triggered:
- It fetches all custom collections in the store.
- It uses AI to analyse each product’s title and description.
- It determines which collections the product should belong to.
- It automatically adds the product to any relevant collections it isn’t already in.
In simple terms: Bulk update products → AI reviews content → products are placed in the right collections automatically.
Why This Workflow Makes a Difference
- Eliminates manual categorization: No need for teams to assign collections product by product.
- Smarter merchandising: Products appear in relevant categories based on real content signals.
- Improves storefront consistency: Reduces gaps, misplacements and outdated collection assignments.
- Speeds up launches: Perfect for onboarding large product ranges quickly.
- Scales with your catalogue: Whether adding 20 products or 20,000, categorization happens instantly.
Common Use Cases
- Large catalogue updates: Automatically sort newly imported products into relevant collections.
- Seasonal launches: Ensure products appear in themed collections without manual tagging.
- Marketplace or supplier feeds: Categorize third-party products based on their descriptions.
- Replatforming or store clean-ups: Rebuild collection structure efficiently after bulk edits.
- Fast-growing brands: Maintain accurate collections as SKUs increase.
How to Set It Up (Step-by-Step)
- Install Arigato Automation from the Shopify App Store.
- Import the workflow template.
- Set the trigger to run on bulk product operations.
- Run a test bulk update with sample products.
- Review the collection assignments.
- Activate! Products will now be categorized automatically during bulk operations.
Manual vs Workflow vs Alternatives
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Manual collection assignment | Full control | Slow, inconsistent, hard to scale |
| Product tagging rules | Semi-automated | Requires strict tag discipline |
| CSV imports with collection handles | Fast initially | Fragile and easy to break |
| Arigato AI categorization workflow | Intelligent, scalable, low maintenance | One-time setup |
This workflow stands out because it uses AI understanding rather than rigid rules, allowing categorization to adapt naturally as product content evolves.
FAQ
Does this replace product tags?
Not necessarily! Tags can still be used for filtering or workflows, but this reduces reliance on them for collection placement.
Will it overwrite existing collection assignments?
No. It simply adds products to relevant collections they’re not already in.
Can I run it on demand?
Yes. Trigger it using bulk product edits or scheduled operations.
Does it work with thousands of products?
Absolutely. This workflow is designed specifically for large-scale catalogues.
🏆 Why It’s Workflow of the Month
This workflow is a brilliant example of AI removing hidden operational friction. Collection management is one of those tasks that's simple on paper, but as your catalogue grows, it becomes a constant drain on time and accuracy.
By letting AI handle categorization during bulk operations, merchants can keep their storefront structured, searchable and conversion-ready without lifting a finger.
For growing Shopify brands, merchandising teams and catalogue managers, one simple workflow transforms product organisation from a manual chore into an intelligent background process. This is the kind of work that automation and AI were made for!