Managing Product Visibility
What this feature does
Managing product visibility gives you complete control over which parts of your catalog customers can see and order from. Using simple on/off toggles, you can show or hide entire categories or individual items without deleting anything. This flexibility helps you adapt quickly to daily operations, seasonal changes, inventory levels, or special events while keeping your catalog organized and your data intact.
Who it is for
This feature is perfect for business owners, managers, and staff who need to respond quickly to changing circumstances. Whether you're managing daily specials, handling inventory shortages, preparing for seasonal transitions, or adjusting offerings based on time of day, visibility controls help you present the right catalog to customers at the right time.
When to use it
You should manage product visibility when:
Items are temporarily out of stock or unavailable today
You want to hide entire categories during off-hours (like hiding "Breakfast Menu" after 11 AM)
Preparing for seasonal transitions (hiding summer items before launching fall offerings)
Running special promotions that require hiding regular-priced items
Managing inventory limitations without deleting items
Testing new items with limited visibility before full launch
Handling supply chain disruptions or ingredient shortages
Adapting to unexpected events that affect your offerings
Key concepts
Category visibility: Each category has an "Active" toggle that controls whether the entire category and all its items appear to customers. When a category is active, customers can see and browse it. When inactive, the entire category disappears from view, but all items within it remain safely stored in your system.
Item availability: Within each category, individual items have their own "Availability" toggle. This allows you to show or hide specific items while keeping the category visible. For example, you might keep your "Main Courses" category active but turn off availability for dishes that are sold out today.
Layered visibility: For an item to be visible to customers, both the category must be active AND the item must be available. If either is turned off, customers won't see that item. This two-level system gives you flexible control over your catalog presentation.
Instant updates: All visibility changes take effect immediately. When you toggle a category or item off, it disappears from customer view right away. When you turn it back on, it reappears instantly. There's no delay or waiting period.
Safe hiding: Hiding categories or items doesn't delete any information. All your item details, prices, descriptions, and images stay safely in your system. Your order history remains complete and unaffected. You're simply controlling what customers can currently see and order.
Common questions
If I hide a category, what happens to the items inside it?
All items within a hidden category become invisible to customers, even if their individual availability is turned on. Think of category visibility as a master switch - when it's off, nothing in that category appears to customers. Your items and their settings remain unchanged and ready to reappear when you turn the category back on.
Can customers still see items they ordered before I hid them?
Yes, past orders always remain complete and visible in order history, even if you later hide or delete those items from your current catalog. Visibility changes only affect what customers can order now, never what they've already ordered.
How quickly do visibility changes take effect?
Instantly. As soon as you toggle a category or item off, it disappears from customer view. The same happens when turning items back on - customers can see and order them immediately. This makes visibility controls perfect for handling real-time situations like running out of ingredients.
Is there a limit to how many times I can toggle visibility on and off?
No, you can change visibility settings as often as you need throughout the day. Many businesses toggle items multiple times daily based on inventory levels, time of day, or special circumstances. This flexibility is exactly what the feature is designed for.
What's the best practice for managing daily specials?
Create a dedicated category like "Today's Specials" or "Daily Features" and keep it active. Each day, turn availability on for the current specials and turn off yesterday's items. This approach keeps your catalog organized and makes daily updates quick and easy. At the end of each period, you can hide the entire specials category until you're ready to add new ones.