Multipurpose theme documentation
Multipurpose Fashion Theme
Recently Viewed
Multipurpose Fashion Theme
Theme: Multipurpose Fashion Theme
Help Center > Sections & Blocks > Product Recommendation Sections > Recently Viewed
Overview
The Recently viewed section shows products the customer has recently viewed. Uses browser storage (localStorage) to track views—no server-side tracking. Appears on product and collection pages. Helps returning visitors find products they considered. Requires JavaScript; products may come from any collection.
Where to Add This Section
- Go to Online Store > Themes > Customize.
- Select Product, Collection, or desired template.
- Scroll to desired position.
- Click Add section.
- Choose Recently viewed.
- Save.
📷 Image placeholder: Add a screenshot of Recently viewed section.
Quick Setup (2 Steps)
- Add section — Add Recently viewed to product or collection template.
- Configure — Set heading, products count, products per row.
Section Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Heading | Section title (e.g. "Recently viewed") |
| Heading size | Small, Medium, Large |
| Heading position | Left, Center |
| Products count | Number to show (max may be in Theme settings) |
| Products per row | Desktop columns |
| Enable swipe on mobile | Horizontal swipe |
| Show divider | Divider below heading |
Theme settings integration
Some themes control Maximum products to show and Desktop products per row in Theme settings > Products or Extras. Check Theme settings if section-level options are limited.
Step-by-Step Setup
Step 1: Add the section
- Go to Customize > Product template (or Collection if supported).
- Add Recently viewed (often at bottom of page).
- Save.
Step 2: Configure
- Heading — "Recently viewed", "You recently viewed", or similar.
- Products count — 4–6 typical.
- Products per row — 3 or 4.
- Enable swipe on mobile — On.
- Save.
Behavior
- Tracking: Uses JavaScript and localStorage to record product views.
- Scope: Products may come from any collection.
- Empty state: Section may be hidden or show placeholder if customer hasn't viewed other products.
- Privacy: Client-side only; no data sent to server for this feature.
- Session: Persists across page loads within the same browser.
Use cases
- Returning visitors — Help customers find products they browsed earlier
- Cross-session — Products viewed in same session
- Consideration — Remind shoppers of products they compared
- Complement — Use with Related products for layered recommendations
For merchants
- Limit products count (4–6) to avoid clutter.
- Place at bottom of product page or in sidebar.
- Works best for returning visitors; new visitors may see empty section initially.
- No configuration of which products appear—driven by browsing behavior.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Section always empty | Customer must view multiple products first; test by browsing then returning |
| Too many products | Set Products count to 4–6; check Theme settings for max |
| Wrong template | Add to Product or Collection template where supported |
| Not tracking | Ensure JavaScript is enabled; theme must implement tracking |
Recently Viewed – FAQs
This section displays products that a customer has previously viewed. It helps users quickly return to items they explored earlier.
The section uses the browser’s localStorage to store
product handles. When a customer visits a product page, its handle is
saved and later used to dynamically render product cards.
No. Recently viewed data is stored only in the visitor’s browser. It is not saved in Shopify or transmitted to external servers.
If the customer has not viewed any other products yet, or if localStorage is disabled in the browser, the section automatically hides to prevent empty space.
You can configure between 2 and 10 products using the “Products to show” setting. The system stores up to 20 recently viewed products internally.
No. The currently viewed product is excluded from the Recently Viewed list to avoid duplication.
Yes. When “Enable swipe on mobile” is activated, the layout becomes a horizontal scroll carousel on smaller screens.
Yes. You can change the heading text, size, and alignment directly from the section settings in the Theme Editor.
The section loads products asynchronously after page load. It only fetches data for viewed product handles, minimizing impact on initial page performance.
Yes. If Quick View or Quick Add features are enabled in your theme, the Recently Viewed section automatically integrates with those features.