Scheduling

Manually sorting your collections works, but your store's data changes constantly. New orders come in, inventory levels shift, and trending products change day to day. Scheduling lets SortLab automatically re-sort your collections so the product order stays optimized without any manual effort.

Manual vs. Automated Sorting

Manual sorting is a great starting point. You can try different strategies, see immediate results, and build confidence in how SortLab works. Once you are satisfied with your configuration, switch to automated scheduling so your collections stay optimized without ongoing effort.

Setting Up a Schedule

You can configure scheduling in Advanced Mode on the collection detail screen. There are three settings to configure: frequency, schedule hour, and lookback window.

Sort Frequency

Sort frequency determines how often SortLab automatically re-sorts the collection.

Which frequency should you choose?

• 1x / day is enough for most stores. It captures the previous day's sales data and reorders products accordingly each morning.
• 2x / day works well for stores with distinct morning and evening shopping patterns, or stores that receive inventory restocks during the day.
• Hourly is designed for high-volume stores where product performance can shift significantly within hours -- think flash sales, viral products, or large catalogs with fast-moving inventory.

Schedule Hour (UTC)

When you select 1x / day or 2x / day frequency, you choose the hour at which the sort runs. This is set in UTC (Coordinated Universal Time).

The best practice is to pick a low-traffic hour for your primary customer base. Sorting only takes a few seconds, but running it during quiet hours ensures the smoothest experience for anyone browsing at that moment.

Finding your ideal schedule hour:

1. Think about when most of your customers are asleep or least active
2. Convert that time to UTC
3. Select the corresponding hour in the Schedule Hour dropdown

Here are some common conversions:

If your store has a global customer base with no clear low-traffic window, pick any hour that works for you. The sorting process is fast and the transition is seamless for shoppers.

Understanding Lookback Windows

The lookback window controls how much historical data SortLab uses when calculating sort scores. It applies to all performance-based metrics -- sales, revenue, page views, and conversion rates.

How to Choose

Short lookback (7 days) is right for you if:

• Your store has high traffic and many daily orders
• You sell trend-sensitive products (fashion, electronics, seasonal items)
• You run frequent promotions and need the sort to reflect the latest sale results
• You want the sort order to change noticeably day to day

Medium lookback (30 days) is right for most stores:

• Provides enough data for reliable rankings
• Smooths out daily fluctuations while still reflecting recent trends
• A safe default for stores that are unsure which window to pick

Long lookback (60-90 days) is right for you if:

• Your store has lower traffic or fewer orders per day
• You sell products with longer purchase cycles (furniture, luxury goods, specialty items)
• You prefer a stable product order that does not change frequently
• Your store is relatively new and needs a wider data window to have enough signals

Best Practices

Start Manual, Then Automate

Begin with manual sorting to test different strategies and see how they affect your product order. Once you find a configuration you are happy with, switch to 1x / day scheduling so it runs automatically.

Match Frequency to Your Data Velocity

If your store processes hundreds of orders per day, a higher frequency (2x / day or hourly) captures intraday shifts. If you process a handful of orders per day, 1x / day is more than enough.

Align Lookback Windows Across Collections

If you manage multiple collections, consider using the same lookback window for all of them. This makes it easier to compare results and keeps your sorting behavior consistent across the store.

Use A/B Testing Before Committing

Before locking in a schedule and walking away, run an A/B test to compare your strategy against an alternative. Once you have data showing which strategy performs better, schedule the winner.

Review Periodically

Automated sorting is designed to be hands-off, but it is good practice to check in on your collections periodically. Seasonal changes, new product lines, or shifts in your customer base may call for adjustments to your strategy, lookback window, or schedule.

Plan Requirements Summary

What's Next?

• Advanced Mode — Configure sort parameters, tag rules, and all scheduling options
• Simple Mode — Use preset strategies with one-click sorting
• A/B Testing — Test your scheduling configuration against alternatives