Start a Shopify Sale Automatically With a Tag
Running a sale should be as simple as setting a date. With DateCue and a sale start metafield, the "on-sale" tag appears on every product the moment your promotion begins — no logging in at midnight, no bulk editing, no spreadsheet.
Tags are the key to automatic sale collections
Shopify's automated collections let you show any product tagged "on-sale" in a dedicated sale section. The challenge is getting that tag onto products at the right moment and getting it off again when the promotion ends. DateCue handles both sides.
This guide covers the start. For ending the sale automatically, see End a Shopify Sale and Clean Up Tags Automatically.
Step 1: Create the sale start metafield
Go to Settings → Custom data → Products and create:
- Namespace and key:
custom.sale_start - Type: Date and time (if you need hour-precise timing) or Date
Set this metafield on every product that's part of your upcoming promotion.
Step 2: Create the sale collection
In Shopify admin, go to Products → Collections → Create collection. Set it to Automated with the rule: Product tag → is equal to → on-sale. Save. This collection will fill itself once products start getting the tag.
Step 3: Set up the DateCue workflow
Timing: On the date
Action: Add tag → on-sale
When your sale date arrives, DateCue tags every product with custom.sale_start set to that date. They appear in your sale collection immediately.
Setting different sale dates per product
Not all products go on sale at the same time? No problem — the workflow fires per product, not per batch. Set a different custom.sale_start value on each product and DateCue will tag each one precisely when its individual promotion begins.
Pairing with your theme's sale badge
Many Shopify themes display a "Sale" badge on products tagged with a specific keyword. Check your theme documentation — if the badge is triggered by a tag (common in themes like Dawn), use that same tag name in the DateCue workflow instead of "on-sale."
💡 Price changes are separate: DateCue adds the tag — it doesn't change the product's price. Your actual sale pricing should be set through Shopify's compare-at price or via a discount code. The tag workflow handles visibility (the sale collection, any theme badges) while you control pricing directly in Shopify.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use this for a store-wide sale?
Yes — set the custom.sale_start metafield on all products you want to include and they'll all get tagged at the same time. For very large catalogues, DateCue processes products in batches on its regular schedule, so there may be a few minutes between the first and last product being tagged.
Does the sale collection update instantly?
Shopify updates smart collection membership within a few minutes of a tag change. DateCue checks every minute, so the tag is applied on time, and the collection follows shortly after.
What if my sale starts at midnight?
Use a Date and time metafield and set the value to midnight on the sale day in your store's timezone. DateCue will fire the workflow as soon as that moment passes on its next check cycle (within a minute).
How do I end the sale automatically?
Create a second metafield custom.sale_end and a second workflow that removes the "on-sale" tag on that date. Full walkthrough: End a Shopify Sale and Clean Up Tags Automatically.
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