Unlocking Shopify's Publisher Theme: Adding the Vendor Display to Collection List Sections

Once upon a hasty digital afternoon, our seemingly perpetual quest for customization hit a quirky snag. We were deep in the realm of Shopify, gleefully tweaking our online storefront as if styling an avatar in a retro video game. The trick, however, was not in selecting pixelated clothing but in lining up lines of code that could make or break a purchase. The mission that day? To proudly showcase the vendor names alongside our favorite collections in the Publisher Theme. But alas, the option was nowhere to be found. We felt like treasure hunters, momentarily convinced the treasure chest was a myth.

Do you know that moment when you walk into the kitchen and can’t remember why you went there, only to find the one thing you didn’t know you needed? That's sort of how it felt when we unraveled the mystery of displaying vendors in a collection list. Let us recount our journey, complete with the tips and tricks we picked up along the way.

The Quest for Vendor Visibility

The hiccup first sprang up, unsolicited, like a pop quiz in high school. We were craving a simple ‘Show Vendor’ checkbox in the Collection List section – but it was absent as if mockingly so. This lack threw us off balance for a minute. But then we remembered: we’re not just passengers on this digital voyage, we’re the captains. So, we knuckled down to unravel the enigma.

After scrounging the digital catacombs of the Shopify theme library and waving virtual flags for support, it became glaringly obvious that our task required some creative tinkering. The conclusion? We would add the vendor name manually by manipulating the code. Easier said than done, yet completely possible.

The Secret Recipe for Vendor Display

Like crafting a secret potion in a fantastical cauldron, there are ingredients required to achieve our vision. After a few failed attempts and epiphanies, here’s our step-by-step guide to bring your vendors into the limelight:

1. Locate Your Collection Template

First things first: access your Shopify admin and navigate to the Online Store > Themes section. Select Actions > Edit Code to dive into your theme’s files.

Within the list of files, search for your collection-template.liquid (or collection-list.liquid, depending on your theme's structure). This is the magical door through which we'll add that missing vendor name.

2. Understand the Lay of the Land

In the collection-template.liquid file, scrutinize the layout. Look for the section where products are being looped through – it might be obvious, or hidden within section-tags, like a clever Easter egg.

3. Add the Vendor Name

Deciphering the code enough to find where the product titles display can feel like cracking a secret code. Once you spot it, sprinkle this piece of code right below the title (or wherever your keen aesthetic sense desires):

{% if product.vendor %}
  <p class="product-vendor">{{ product.vendor }}</p>
{% endif %}

This simple yet powerful incantation will extract and display the vendor name for each item in your collection listings. A small step for code, a giant leap for custom merchandising.

4. Check Your Work

Our task concluded—albeit leaving traces of virtual ink on our fingers—flip back to your store and refresh the page. Witness the vendor names standing tall, making their debut like stars at a premiere. It brings a strange satisfaction, doesn’t it?

Celebrate the Little Victories

With the task complete, we high-fived (virtual ones count), celebrated with a cup of coffee too late in the day, and sat back to admire the digital patchwork. The collection page now shimmered with the sparkle of vendor names nestled comfortably below their products. It’s one of those eureka moments that we savor.

And remember, each stumble and minor hit of frustration is but another page in the sandbox adventure that is customizing an online store. As we retell our journey to fellow adventurers in the Shopify wilderness, the camaraderie over shared woes and triumphs enriches the experience—and as always, we learn a thing or two to share with the next explorer.

If you find yourself on a similar journey, our tale isn’t over yet. There’s more to uncover—either by choice or necessity—but through persistence, all is possible. Let us invest in the quirks, the strange SEO roadmaps, and the clicks and clanks of digital tools molded by our own hands. Who knew coding could be this much fun?