Navigation: How to Structure Your Store’s Menus
Good navigation is crucial for a seamless shopping experience. By creating clear and intuitive menus, you help customers quickly find what they’re looking for—whether it’s a specific product, a collection, or important store policies.
In MerchFoxShop, you can easily customize both your main navigation (often the store’s header menu) and secondary navigation (like the footer menu or any other custom menu you want to display).
1. Types of Navigation Menus
Main Menu / Header Menu
- Typically displayed at the top of your store, featuring links to essential pages or categories (e.g., Home, Products, Collections, Contact).
Footer Menu
- Usually found at the bottom of your store, containing links to policies (Shipping, Returns) or any additional pages (About Us, FAQs).
Custom Menus (Optional)
- Some store themes support extra menus or sections (sidebars, top bars, etc.) that you can configure for specific uses like blog categories or promotional links.
2. Accessing Navigation Settings
- From Your MerchFoxShop Dashboard
- Go to Online Store → Navigation.
3. Add Menu Items
- Click “Create Menu”
- Enter a Name for the Main Menu (e.g. “Main Menu”.
Menu items
Add menu items:
- Collection: Links directly to a collection you’ve created (e.g. “Summer Sale”).
- Products: Links to a single product page (useful for showcasing best-selling products).
- Pages: Links to content pages like “About Us” or “FAQs”.
- External URLs: For off-site resources or affiliate links (e.g. https://example.com).
Save your changes
Click Save to confirm.
You can add more items before saving the entire menu.
5. Reordering Menu Items
Open the Menu
- From the Navigation page, select the menu you want to reorganize.
Drag & Drop
- Click and hold the handle (often represented by two or three stacked dots) next to a menu item.
- Drag it up or down the list to place it in your desired order.
Save
Confirm your changes by clicking Save.
The menu will now appear in the new order on your storefront.
6. Deleting Menu Items
Edit the Menu
- Select the menu that has the item you want to remove.
Remove the Item
- Click the Delete next to the menu item.
- If it’s a parent with sub-items, be sure to move or delete those sub-items accordingly.
Save
Once the item is deleted, click Save. The link will no longer appear in your store’s navigation.
7. Linking to Collections, Products, or Policies
Linking to a Collection
- Choose Collections from the link type dropdown and pick the relevant collection.
- Example: “New Arrivals” → Collection: New Arrivals.
Linking to a Product
- Select Products from the dropdown.
- Choose the product you want to feature (great for promotional items).
Linking to Store Policies
- If you have policy pages created (Shipping, Returns, Privacy, Terms of Service), link them from Pages.
- Consider adding these to your footer menu for easy customer access.
8. Best Practices & Tips
Keep It Simple
- Minimize clutter by limiting top-level menu items. Use dropdowns to organize subcategories.
- A streamlined navigation helps users find products faster, improving their overall shopping experience.
Use Descriptive Labels
- Instead of generic labels like “Products,” be specific: “Women’s Footwear” or “Winter Collection.”
- Clear labeling improves accessibility and SEO.
Review & Test
- After updating your menus, preview your storefront to ensure links work correctly.
- If items aren’t showing or the dropdown isn’t functioning, revisit your navigation settings or theme documentation.
Add Key Pages to Footer
- Pages like “Contact Us,” “FAQ,” “Refund Policy,” and “Shipping Info” often reside in the footer.
- This keeps the main menu uncluttered while still providing essential information for customers.
Mobile Responsiveness
- Check how your navigation looks on mobile devices. Many themes condense the menu into a mobile-friendly “hamburger” icon.
- Ensure your dropdowns or submenus are still accessible on touchscreens.
9. Common Questions & Troubleshooting
Why doesn’t my dropdown menu work?
- Some themes don’t support multiple levels of dropdowns. Check your theme’s documentation or try using only one level of nesting.
How many menu items can I add?
- There’s usually no strict limit, but too many can make navigation unwieldy. Aim for clarity over quantity.
Can I set a menu item to open in a new tab?
- If linking to an external site, you may have a checkbox to “Open link in new window/tab.” Otherwise, some custom code or theme editing might be needed.
Will changing my navigation affect SEO?
- Generally, improved organization can help SEO if URLs remain consistent. If you remove or rename major pages, consider adding 301 redirects or updating your sitemap.
Can I create different menus for different pages?
- Some advanced themes allow multiple menus for specific page layouts. Alternatively, you might install an app or use custom code to achieve unique navigation sets.
Conclusion
A well-structured navigation is the backbone of a user-friendly store. With MerchFoxShop’s straightforward menu editor, you can add, delete, reorder, and nest menu items to create a logical path for customers to explore your products and pages. By following best practices, like using clear labels and limiting top-level items, you’ll ensure customers have a pleasant browsing experience—and keep coming back for more.
Ready to Fine-Tune Your Menus?
Go to Online Store → Navigation in your MerchFoxShop admin.
Start customizing your main menu, footer menu, or other custom menus for an intuitive and polished storefront experience.
Need More Help?
If you have any questions or run into issues, check our MerchFoxShop Help Center for additional tutorials, or reach out to our Support Team for one-on-one guidance. We’re here to help you create the perfect navigation structure for your online store!
