The Shopify Update You Missed: Using Browsing & Buying Behaviour to Segment Customers

Shopify just rolled out a new major update that will be a game-changer for merchants seeking to tailor their marketing efforts, promotions, and post-purchase experiences more precisely.

The update introduces category-based segmentation of customers, allowing you to group users based on the product categories they’ve previously browsed or purchased. But what makes this truly powerful? It’s built on Shopify’s standard taxonomy, which includes over 16,000 product categories.

Let’s dive into what this update means, how it works, and how you can leverage it immediately for your business. 

Specialized Category-Based Segmentation

At its core, this update enables you to build customer segments using standardized product categories. Instead of relying on unstructured tags or general purchase history, you can now create specialized segments. Think specifically:

• “Browsed Sports & Outdoors”
• “Bought Beauty in the last 3 months”

This segmentation isn’t just about the products themselves but about contextual behaviors, like browsing and buying patterns, all grouped using Shopify’s universal category structure. That structure is Shopify’s product taxonomy, spanning high-level parent categories to specific subcategories.

Shopify’s 16K+ Category Taxonomy

Shopify has developed a robust, standardized product taxonomy with over 16,000 categories, organized hierarchically. This structure powers the new segmentation capabilities by letting you target not only specific subcategories but also their parent and grandparent categories automatically.

If a customer buys a product tagged as Facial Cleansers, Shopify’s system automatically associates it with its parent categories. It creates a simple, intuitive hierarchy:

Facial Cleansers → Beauty → Health & Beauty

So, when you create a segment like “Bought Beauty in last 3 months,” that customer is included—no need for manual mapping or complex filters. This hierarchical approach ensures flexibility and minimizes guesswork, relying on definitions that Shopify applies globally.

Seamless Integration with Your Shopify Toolkit

This update isn’t just about segmentation, it’s about making that segment work across your entire ecosystem. Here’s how this functionality truly shines:

1. Shopify Email

With category-based segmentation, you can now send hyper-targeted emails based on specific browsing or purchase behavior. For example, you could email all customers who’ve browsed Sports & Outdoors in the past 30 days with a holiday discount or a relevant guide.This also applies if you are using a third-party email platform. 

2. Targeted Discounts

You can offer tailored promotions for more specific segments of customers. A great use case is offering 15% off to users who purchased Beauty products in the last 90 days, to encourage restock and repeat purchase.

3. Back-in-Stock Alerts by Category

Instead of waiting for a product-specific notification, customers can be alerted when similar items in a category are back in stock. For instance, a customer who browsed “Camping Gear” can be notified when new tents or backpacks arrive, creating the opportunity of cross-selling as well. This creates a wider funnel and higher engagement.

4. Personalized Post-Purchase Flows

Post-purchase emails and recommendations can now reflect what the customer is truly interested in based on the category they previously bought. Someone who bought from the “Kitchen Appliances” category can receive a 7-day follow-up with care tips, accessory suggestions, or related products from “Cookware” or “Small Appliances.” This feels less like a sales pitch and more like strategic personalization, boosting loyalty.

5. Category-Based Product Launches

When launching new products, you don’t have to blast your entire list. Just target the exact group interested in that category. If you’re launching a new skincare line, for example, email customers who browsed or bought Beauty, Skin Care, or Facial Cleansers in the past 60 days. The result? Higher open rates, more conversions, and a lower risk of unsubscribes due to irrelevant content.

Smarter Targeting, Faster Growth

This update represents a significant leap in how you can connect with your customers. It brings granularity and intelligence to segmentation without the need for complex workarounds.

Previously to this update, segmentation often meant relying on manual tags, generic customer behavior, or basic time-based filters. Now, with category-based segmentation, you can combine behavior + intent + timing to form focused segments that drive action.

How to Access Category-Based Segments

Shopify makes it easy. When you head to your “Customer Segments” tab, you’ll now see new filters under “Browsing Behavior” and “Order History” that let you select product categories.

You can use standard logic such as:

• “Browsed category equals Sports & Outdoors“
• “Purchased category contains Home Decor within last 60 days”

For more information related to Browsing and Buying segmentation, please visit Shopify’s Help Center.

Expect higher engagement, more relevant marketing, and a smoother path to increasing retention and repeat sales.