Hi there! I understand how frustrating this can be Shopify’s default behavior when filtering by color swatch often still groups all variants under a single product page, showing the default image instead of the selected variant (like your “Blue Links” color).
Here are a few solutions or directions you can try:
1. Update Your Theme’s Variant Handling Logic
Most Shopify themes display the default product image, even when a filter or swatch is selected. To fix this:
- Go to your theme code (Online Store > Themes > Actions > Edit code).
- In collection.liquid or product-card.liquid (depending on your theme), locate the logic that handles how products are shown.
- You may need to modify it so the first image displayed corresponds to the selected variant, if available.
This might involve adjusting JavaScript to:
- Detect the selected swatch (e.g., “Blue Links”),
- Search for the variant associated with it,
- Dynamically load that image and display it first.
2. Consider Using Shopify Search & Discovery App
If you’re using Shopify’s native filter system, install or check the Search & Discovery app:
- Go to the Filters > Color section.
- You can link swatches to specific variants (sometimes via metafields), but behavior still depends on your theme.
3. Use a Variant-Specific Display App
If you want each color to show as a separate product in the collection page, you could use an app like:
- “Variant Image Automator” by StarApps Studio
- “Swatch King” by StarApps
These apps allow separate URLs and images for each color, improving the user experience dramatically.
4. Create Separate Listings (if necessary)
As a last resort, you can list each color variant as its own product (e.g., “Tee - Blue Links,” “Tee - Red Flame”) to control how filtering and images are displayed. This adds some manual management but gives you full control.
