When customizing your Shopify store, you may wonder whether to use Product Tags, Metafields, or Metaobjects to store extra product information. Each serves a unique purpose. This guide will explain the differences and help you choose the right tool for your needs.

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1. What Are Product Tags?

Product Tags are simple labels used to categorize products. They are primarily used for search, filtering, and automation but are not meant to store complex product data.

Example Use Cases for Product Tags

• Grouping products into collections (e.g., summer, winter).
• Creating filters in navigation (e.g., organic, handmade).
• Automating discounts (e.g., sale products).

Example

A store selling clothes wants to group all summer-related products.

• Add the tag: summer
• Use it to create a collection or filter.
• Display it in navigation (e.g., “Shop Summer Styles”).

How to Add Tags in Shopify Admin

1. Go to Products → Select a product.
2. Find the Tags section.
3. Enter a tag (e.g., organic).
4. Save the product.

✅ Best for: Quick categorization & filtering.
❌ Not ideal for: Storing structured product data.

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2. What Are Metafields?

Metafields allow you to store extra custom data about products, customers, collections, and orders. Unlike tags, metafields store structured key-value pairs.

Example Use Cases for Metafields

• Adding additional product details (e.g., fabric, washing instructions).
• Storing extra shipping information (e.g., lead time).
• Displaying product-specific FAQs.

Example

A store wants to add fabric details to products.

Metafield Name	Example Value
custom.fabric	Cotton
custom.wash_instructions	Machine wash cold

How to Add Metafields in Shopify Admin

1. Go to Settings → Custom Data.
2. Select Products → Click Add definition.
3. Define the namespace, key, and type.
4. Save and enter values in each product.

✅ Best for: Custom extra product details.
❌ Not ideal for: Data shared across multiple products.

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3. What Are Metaobjects?

Metaobjects store structured reusable data that can be linked to multiple products, collections, or pages. Unlike metafields, metaobjects act as templates with multiple fields.

Example Use Cases for Metaobjects

• Creating product specification tables (with material, weight, dimensions, etc.).
• Storing size charts for multiple products.
• Managing FAQs in a structured format.

Example

A store wants to create a product specification template for clothing items.

Field	Example Value
Material	Cotton
Weight	1.2 kg
Dimensions	10x20x5 cm
Warranty	2 years

✅ Best for: Reusable structured data.
❌ Not ideal for: Simple single-value data.

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4. Key Differences: Product Tags vs. Metafields vs. Metaobjects

Feature	Product Tags	Metafields	Metaobjects
Purpose	Categorization & filtering	Storing extra product data	Creating reusable structured data
Data Structure	Single labels	Key-value pairs	Structured template with multiple fields
Best for	Search, collections, and filters	Adding extra product information	Storing reusable complex data like specifications
Example Use Case	Tagging a product as organic	Storing custom.fabric: Cotton	Creating a Product Specification metaobject
Reusable?	No	No	Yes

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5. When to Use Each?

• Use Product Tags when:
  ✅ You need to group products for filtering or collections.
  ✅ You want to use automatic collections.
  ❌ You need structured product data.
• Use Metafields when:
  ✅ You need to store extra product details like fabric type, shipping time, etc.
  ✅ The data is specific to one product and doesn’t need to be shared across multiple products.
  ❌ You want to store reusable data across multiple products.
• Use Metaobjects when:
  ✅ You need structured and reusable data, like size charts, testimonials, or FAQs.
  ✅ The data needs to be linked to multiple products.
  ❌ You just need a single extra field per product (use metafields instead).

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6. Example: Displaying Data in Shopify Themes (Liquid)

Product Tags Example

{% for tag in product.tags %}
   <span>{{ tag }}</span>
{% endfor %}

Metafields Example

<p>Fabric: {{ product.metafields.custom.fabric }}</p>

Metaobjects Example

{% assign specs = product.metafields.custom.product_specifications.value %}
<p>Material: {{ specs.material }}</p>
<p>Weight: {{ specs.weight }} kg</p>
<p>Dimensions: {{ specs.dimensions }}</p>
<p>Warranty: {{ specs.warranty_period }} years</p>

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Summary

Feature	Product Tags	Metafields	Metaobjects
Simple Categorization	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Stores Custom Data	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Reusable Across Products	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes

By understanding when to use Product Tags, Metafields, or Metaobjects, you can efficiently manage your Shopify store’s data and improve your product display.