An out-of-stock product sitting at the top of a collection sends shoppers to a dead end: no size, no color, no "add to cart." Shopify's default collection sort options don't include a rule for this, so the product stays wherever it was manually placed until someone moves it. Here's how to fix that automatically.
Key takeaways
- Shopify's native sort options don't push sold-out products down on their own.
- Manually reordering works but has to be repeated every time stock changes.
- Rankify includes automated sold-out push down on every plan, including Basic.
- The rule runs in the background, based on real-time stock levels.
Why sold-out products end up at the top
Most collections are sorted manually, or by a single Shopify sort option like best-selling or newest. Neither of those accounts for current stock. A product that was a best seller last month can still show at the top after it sells out, because "best-selling" reflects past sales, not present availability.
Option 1: Reorder manually when something sells out
Open the collection, drag the sold-out product down, and save. It costs nothing but your time, and it only stays correct until the next product sells out or comes back in stock. On a large catalog, or a store with several collections, this becomes a recurring task rather than a one-time fix.
Option 2: Automate it with a sorting rule
Rankify: Collection Sort automates collection sorting based on real-time sales and stock levels, and automated sold-out push down is included on every plan. Here's how to set it up:
- Install RankifyGet Rankify: Collection Sort from the Shopify App Store and start the free trial.
- Choose a planBasic covers up to 1,000 products across 3 smart collections, which is enough for most stores to start.
- Select the collectionPick the collection where sold-out products should be pushed down.
- Turn on sold-out push downApply the rule so out-of-stock items automatically move to the bottom instead of holding their manual position.
- Preview, then publishCheck the collection's new order in the preview before the change goes live.
Sold-out push down is included on the Basic plan, so you don't need to upgrade just to get this one rule working.
Combine it with other rules
Pushing sold-out items down works well alongside other rules, such as pinning high-margin products to the top or, on Plus and Advanced, combining sales, stock, margin and tags into a single weighted ranking score. That way a collection stays useful even as stock and sales change day to day.
Manual vs automated: which is best?
| Automated (Rankify) | Manual reordering | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs without someone checking stock | Yes | No |
| Updates as inventory changes | Yes | No |
| Works across multiple collections | Yes | One at a time |
| Setup | A few minutes per collection | None, but repeats indefinitely |
| Cost | From $9.50/month | Free |
Works perfectly so far, I couldn't ask for better customer service, I recommend it
LightLiving, Morocco, Shopify App Store reviewFrequently asked questions
Can Shopify push sold-out products down natively?
Shopify's built-in collection sort options do not include a rule that automatically moves out-of-stock products to the bottom. Merchants either reorder manually or use an app.
Is sold-out push down available on Rankify's cheapest plan?
Yes. Automated sold-out push down is included on the Basic plan, along with every other Rankify plan.
Does this remove sold-out products from the collection?
No. Rankify moves sold-out products lower in the collection; it does not hide or delete them unless you set up a separate hide rule.
Will this work across my whole catalog at once?
The Basic plan covers up to 1,000 products across 3 smart collections. Plus and Advanced raise the product limit and remove the collection limit, so the rule can run across a larger catalog.