Catalog and theme change playbook

Catalog and theme changes affect different VIBE layers. This playbook tells you when automatic updates are enough, when to run a full sync, and when to re-check the theme.

1ClassifyCatalog, profile, ranking, theme, translation, or tracking change.

2Change sourceUpdate Shopify, VIBE settings, rules, or the theme owner.

3RefreshWait for automatic updates or run the required sync or theme check.

4ValidateUse Preview for data and ranking, then the storefront for presentation.

5ObserveCheck live status, analytics, and any affected campaign query.

Catalog changes become visible here as automatic updates or full-sync jobs.

Theme changes require a separate readiness and installation check.

Change classification

Before acting, classify the change.

Change	Primary layer	Normal follow-up
One title, description, tag, image, or variant edit	Catalog/index	Wait for automatic update, then test
Large import or bulk edit	Catalog/index	Run a full sync
Product publication or status	Eligibility/index	Wait for automatic update; full sync if broad
Product, collection, or tag exclusion	Eligibility/index	Allow update; full sync if broad or urgent
Out-of-stock preference	Request-time behavior	Test next request
Collection or variant search capability	Search profile/index	Allow profile activation and queued sync
Product or context image source	Search profile/index	Run required sync and visual QA
Product-card CSS or markup	Theme presentation	Re-check theme and refresh card preparation
New published theme	Theme integration	Enable embed/block and re-check theme
New storefront language	Content/presentation	Sync languages, translate, and locale QA
Rule or control edit	Request-time ranking	Test immediately; no catalog rebuild

One product changed

Use this flow for an individual product edit.

1. Save the product in Shopify.
2. Confirm it remains Active and published to the Online Store.
3. Wait for the automatic product update.
4. Open Sync and Index and confirm the latest index activity.
5. Search the exact product name in Preview.
6. Inspect the indexed fields if the old value remains.
7. Test the shopper-language query on the storefront.

Run a full sync only if the automatic update does not arrive or the product is part of a wider change.

Large catalog import

Before import

1. Export or record important VIBE exclusions and rule targets.
2. Confirm the import’s status, publication, tags, types, collections, variants, images, and metafields.
3. Confirm the active search profile expects the image and variant structure being imported.
4. Prepare a representative test-query list.

After import

1. Verify sample products in Shopify.
2. Run a full sync.
3. Do not start another sync while one is pending or running.
4. Watch product, variant, and collection progress.
5. If Partial, select Finish sync.
6. Investigate products that repeatedly fail.
7. Test exact names, broad categories, intent queries, synonyms, variants, and collections.
8. Confirm exclusions and out-of-stock behavior.
9. Confirm Analytics has not been used to judge the new catalog before real post-import traffic exists.

Product publication changed

A product can exist in Shopify and remain intentionally absent from VIBE.

When making a product searchable:

1. Set status to Active.
2. Publish it to the Online Store and required markets.
3. Remove search-engine hiding if it should be discoverable.
4. Check VIBE exclusions.
5. Allow the automatic update.
6. Test the exact title.

When removing a product from search, decide whether to:

• Unpublish or archive it in Shopify.
• Hide it from search engines.
• Add a VIBE product, collection, or tag exclusion.
• Keep it searchable but set sold-out items to Show last.

Choose the source that best represents the business rule.

Inventory changed

VIBE receives product and variant inventory availability changes.

After a normal stock change:

1. Wait for the automatic update.
2. Test the product with the configured out-of-stock behavior.
3. Check variant results when exact variant matching is enabled.

Do not run a full sync after every order. VIBE includes safeguards so order-driven stock changes do not create unnecessary repeated embedding work.

Image strategy changed

Use this when changing product-image position, image URL metafield, context image source, or the visual style of the catalog.

1. Audit several products for consistent source data.
2. Open Sync and Index > Configuration > Image matching.
3. Select the product-photo source.
4. Select the optional context-photo source.
5. Save the setting.
6. Run or allow the required sync.
7. Test text queries whose meaning is visual.
8. Test Find similar with distinctive seeds.
9. Test image upload where enabled.
10. Check variants with their own images.

Changing the source without re-indexing leaves the old visual representation active.

Search-profile capability changed

Collection search

After enabling:

1. Allow the new profile to activate.
2. Allow collection indexing to complete.
3. Test a collection name in quick search and the full page.
4. Confirm the collection is intended for shoppers and not excluded.

Variant search

After enabling:

1. Confirm Shopify variant options contain meaningful values.
2. Allow the full sync to complete.
3. Test exact size, color, material, and combined option queries.
4. Confirm product links select or communicate the intended variant.

Catalog understanding

After changing Balanced, More visual, or More text:

1. Analyze the catalog again.
2. Wait for the active profile to update.
3. Complete any queued sync.
4. Re-run the same relevance benchmark.
5. Avoid adding rules until you know whether the shared profile change solved the problem.

Publish a new theme

Before publishing

1. Duplicate or prepare the theme in Shopify.
2. Enable the VIBE Search app embed on that theme.
3. Add the VIBE Search Page block to the search template if used.
4. Add the standalone Explore block where required and plan-enabled.
5. Preview header search and /search.
6. Use VIBE cards first if theme-card readiness has not been verified.

Immediately after publishing

1. Open Appearance > Installation.
2. Select Re-check my theme.
3. Confirm the published theme name.
4. Check app embed status.
5. Check instant-search readiness.
6. Check Search Page block status.
7. Check theme product-card readiness.
8. Refresh fast-loading cards when the card design changed.
9. Re-select theme-card modes only after they are ready.

Theme QA

Test:

• Every header search icon and input.
• Empty quick-search state.
• Search as you type.
• Products, collections, suggestions, articles, and pages.
• See all results.
• Full page direct URL and browser back/forward.
• Product links and variant context.
• Price, sale price, badges, vendor, and image.
• Filters, sorting, and load more.
• Explore, Similar, Taste, Your Vibe, and image search.
• Desktop, tablet, and mobile.
• Light and dark theme states where supported.
• Published languages and markets.

Keep VIBE cards active if theme cards are malformed. That preserves search while the theme presentation is repaired.

Theme product-card markup changed

1. Record which theme release changed the card.
2. Compare quick-search and full-page cards.
3. Switch to VIBE cards to confirm the underlying result data is healthy.
4. Re-check the theme.
5. Refresh fast-loading cards.
6. Test cards with:
   • Normal price.
   • Sale price.
   • Sold-out state.
   • Missing image.
   • Long title.
   • Multiple variants.
   • Theme badge or swatch.
7. Restore theme-card mode only after both quick and full surfaces pass.

Add a storefront language

1. Publish the language in Shopify.
2. Open Appearance > Translations.
3. Select Sync languages.
4. Choose the new language.
5. Translate every relevant group.
6. Save.
7. Open the storefront in that locale.
8. Test header search, full page, filters, sorting, Explore, no results, Your Vibe, image actions, and tour text.
9. Test localized product data and URLs.

Do not assume the admin language selector changes the storefront locale being tested.

Rollback plan

For a risky theme or catalog release, know how to return to a safe state:

• Switch theme-card mode to VIBE cards.
• Switch the theme’s search box to the VIBE overlay.
• Disable a new rule or control.
• Remove a problematic filter from the VIBE surface.
• Restore the previous image source and re-sync.
• Republish the previous theme.
• Cancel an active sync only when continuing would be harmful; then run a clean full sync later.

Rollback should preserve a working search surface while the root cause is investigated.

Related guides

• Sync and Index
• Appearance
• Enable VIBE on your theme
• Go-live quality assurance
• Diagnose search and storefront problems