Multiloca Stock Info: Real-Time Location Tags & JSON Metafields - Multilocation Stock Info Blog

Multiloca Stock Info: Real-Time Location Tags & JSON Metafields

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Master multi-location inventory on Shopify with real-time location tagging and advanced JSON metafields. Build location-based filters and automated collections instantly.

title: "Multiloca Stock Info: Real-Time Location Tags & JSON Metafields" date: "2025-12-03" description: "Master multi-location inventory on Shopify with real-time location tagging and advanced JSON metafields. Build location-based filters and automated collections instantly."

Why Multi-Location Inventory Management Matters for Shopify Stores

Managing inventory across multiple locations on Shopify can be complex. Whether you're running a distributed warehouse network, multiple retail stores, or a hybrid fulfillment model, you need to know exactly where your products are in real-time.

Without proper inventory location tracking, you risk:

  • Overselling products that are out of stock at specific locations
  • Delayed order fulfillment due to unclear stock levels
  • Poor customer experience from inaccurate inventory data
  • Lost sales when customers can't find products available nearby

Multiloca Stock Info simplifies multi-location inventory management on Shopify with two powerful, core features:

  1. Real-Time Inventory Location Tagging – Automatic product tags based on stock availability
  2. Location-Based JSON Metafields – Structured inventory data for advanced customization

This guide explores how these features work, why they're essential for multi-location Shopify stores, and how to use them to build location-based filters, automated collections, and enhanced product pages.

Feature 1: Real-Time Inventory Location Tagging Explained

What is Location-Based Inventory Tagging?

The first feature is built on speed and simplicity. Multiloca Stock Info continuously monitors your Shopify inventory across all locations in real-time.

Whenever product stock is updated in Shopify—whether through:

  • Manual inventory adjustments
  • Point-of-sale sales
  • Warehouse transfers
  • API integrations

Our app instantly reacts by adding location tags to products.

How Real-Time Location Tagging Works

When a product is in stock at a specific location, Multiloca automatically adds that location's name as a tag to the product in Shopify.

Example: You have a product called "Classic Leather Jacket" and update inventory at your "New York" warehouse:

  1. Action: Inventory updated for "New York" location (from 0 to 50 units)
  2. Multiloca Reaction: Automatically adds tag New York to the product
  3. Visibility: The "New York" tag now appears on the product in Shopify Admin

If the product sells out at that location:

  1. Action: Inventory drops to 0 at "New York" location
  2. Multiloca Reaction: Automatically removes the New York tag
  3. Result: Product is no longer tagged with that location

Key Benefits of Real-Time Location Tags

✅ Instant Inventory Visibility – See at a glance in Shopify Admin which locations have stock
✅ Minimal Latency – No delays or syncing issues; changes happen immediately
✅ Simple Implementation – No complex code needed; just check for the tag
✅ Native Shopify Integration – Uses standard Shopify tags for maximum compatibility
✅ Automatic Management – No manual tagging required; fully automated

Feature 2: Location-Based JSON Metafields for Advanced Customization

What Are Location-Based JSON Metafields?

While tags provide quick visibility, Location-Based JSON Metafields enable advanced, developer-driven customization.

Multiloca creates a structured JSON metafield on your products containing detailed inventory information for every location. This isn't just a simple "in stock" / "out of stock" indicator—it's a rich data object with location IDs and stock quantities.

JSON Metafield Structure

Here's what location inventory data looks like in JSON format:

{
  "invLoc": [
    {
      "qty": 145,
      "loc": {
        "id": "gid://shopify/Location/1234567"
      }
    },
    {
      "qty": 28,
      "loc": {
        "id": "gid://shopify/Location/2345678"
      }
    },
    {
      "qty": 0,
      "loc": {
        "id": "gid://shopify/Location/3456789"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Why Structured Metafields Are Powerful

✅ Queryable Data – Use Liquid to filter and manipulate location inventory
✅ Custom Logic – Build complex inventory rules and business logic
✅ Rich Information – Access inventory quantities and location IDs
✅ Developer-Friendly – Standard JSON format compatible with any tech stack
✅ Real-Time Accuracy – Always reflects current inventory state

Powerful Use Cases: Location Tags & JSON Metafields in Action

By combining these two features, you can unlock advanced functionality for your Shopify store. Here are the most impactful use cases:

Use Case 1: Location-Based Product Filters (Using JSON Metafields)

The Problem

Customers visiting your site want to find products available at their nearest store or preferred location. Without clear inventory information by location, they often abandon their search or make suboptimal purchasing decisions.

The Solution

Using the data in the Location JSON Metafield, you can build a dynamic filter sidebar on collection pages that lets customers select their preferred location.

How It Works:

  1. Customer lands on your collection page
  2. Filter sidebar displays all your locations
  3. Customer selects a location (e.g., by ID or mapped name)
  4. Your theme queries the JSON metafield data for each product
  5. Products are filtered to show only items with inventory at the selected location
  6. Instant display update without page reload

Implementation Example (Liquid):

{% assign selected_location_id = request.GET.location_id %}
{% for product in collection.products %}
  {% assign location_data = product.metafields.multilocation_app.inventory_location_json | parse_json %}
  
  {% for location in location_data.invLoc %}
    {% if location.loc.id == selected_location_id and location.qty > 0 %}
      {% include 'product-tile' %}
    {% endif %}
  {% endfor %}
{% endfor %}

Alternative: No-Code Solution with Shopify Search & Discovery If you prefer a no-code approach, you can use the Shopify Search & Discovery app to build filters using the Real-Time Location Tags (Feature 1).

  1. Install the Shopify Search & Discovery app.
  2. Go to Filters > Add Filter.
  3. Select Tags as the source.
  4. Your location tags (e.g., "New York", "Los Angeles") will now appear as filter options on your storefront.

Business Benefits:

  • Improved conversion rates for location-based shoppers
  • Reduced cart abandonment
  • Better user experience for customers wanting local pickup
  • Increased relevance of product recommendations

Use Case 2: Automated Location-Specific Collections (Using Real-Time Tags)

The Problem

Manually curating location-specific collections requires constant updates as inventory changes. It's time-consuming and error-prone.

The Solution

Leverage Shopify's Automated Collections feature combined with Multiloca's real-time location tags.

How It Works:

  1. Create a new Automated Collection in Shopify
  2. Set the rule: Product tag is equal to New York
  3. Multiloca automatically adds/removes the "New York" tag as inventory changes
  4. Collection updates in real-time without any manual intervention

Example Automated Collections:

  • "In Stock at New York Warehouse" (products tagged with "New York")
  • "Available for LA Pickup" (products tagged with "Los Angeles")
  • "Miami Store – Shop Local" (products tagged with "Miami")

Use Cases:

  • Create "Shop Local" landing pages for marketing campaigns
  • Build location-based email campaigns ("See what's in stock at your nearest store")
  • Enable geofenced advertising (show ads for specific locations)
  • Simplify inventory management workflows

Business Benefits:

  • Zero maintenance required—fully automated
  • Real-time accuracy with zero delays
  • Native Shopify integration (no third-party dependencies)
  • Instant marketing campaign setup

Use Case 3: Dynamic Product Pages with Location Availability

Note: Multiloca Stock Info already includes 10+ beautiful, pre-built inventory widgets that you can add to your store instantly without coding. However, if you need a completely custom design or specific logic, you can build it yourself using our JSON metafields as shown below.

The Problem

Product pages should be personalized to show location-specific information. Generic stock status doesn't help customers decide where to buy.

The Solution

Use JSON metafields to display a detailed "Stock Availability" table on product pages, showing exact quantities at each location.

What Customers See:

📍 Stock Availability by Location

New York Warehouse (ID: 1234567)
📦 145 units in stock

Los Angeles Store (ID: 2345678)
📦 28 units in stock - ⚠️ Low Stock

Miami Store (ID: 3456789)
🚫 Out of Stock

👉 Order now for pickup in Los Angeles

Implementation Example:

{% assign location_data = product.metafields.multilocation_app.inventory_location_json | parse_json %}

<div class="location-availability">
  <h3>Check Stock Availability</h3>
  
  {% for location in location_data.invLoc %}
    <div class="location-row">
      <strong>Location ID: {{ location.loc.id }}</strong>
      
      {% if location.qty > 0 %}
        <span class="in-stock">
          {{ location.qty }} in stock
        </span>
        {% if location.qty < 5 %}
          <span class="low-stock">⚠️ Only a few left!</span>
        {% endif %}
      {% else %}
        <span class="out-of-stock">Out of Stock</span>
      {% endif %}
    </div>
  {% endfor %}
</div>

Business Benefits:

  • Increased customer confidence in purchase decisions
  • Higher conversion for local pickup/BOPIS options
  • Reduced product returns due to better expectation setting
  • Enhanced mobile user experience

Location Tags vs. JSON Metafields: Quick Comparison

| Feature | Location Tags | JSON Metafields | |---------|---------------|-----------------| | Data Type | Simple text tags | Structured JSON data | | Best For | Quick visibility, collections | Complex logic, displays | | Speed | Extremely fast | Scalable for large datasets | | Update Speed | Real-time | Real-time | | Use Cases | Filters, automated collections | Inventory calculations, UI rendering | | Example | "New York" | Full location inventory object |

The Best Approach: Use both features together. Tags for fast filtering and collections. JSON metafields for detailed, customized experiences.

How to Get Started with Multiloca Stock Info

Step-by-Step Implementation

Phase 1: Setup

  • [ ] Install Multiloca Stock Info from Shopify App Store
  • [ ] Connect your Shopify store
  • [ ] Authorize location access
  • [ ] Configure which locations to track

Phase 2: Enable Features

  • [ ] Enable real-time location tagging
  • [ ] Enable location JSON metafields
  • [ ] Configure tag naming convention
  • [ ] Test with sample inventory updates

Phase 3: Frontend Implementation

  • [ ] Add location tags to collection filters
  • [ ] Create automated collections based on tags
  • [ ] Update product pages with location availability display
  • [ ] Add JSON metafield queries to theme

Phase 4: Optimization

  • [ ] A/B test filter placements
  • [ ] Monitor conversion rates by location
  • [ ] Analyze customer pickup preferences
  • [ ] Refine location-based messaging

Key Takeaways: Why Multiloca Matters for Your Shopify Store

Real-Time Inventory Location Tagging gives you instant visibility across all locations and enables fast, tag-based filtering for dynamic collections and product displays.

Location-Based JSON Metafields provide a structured data layer for complex inventory logic, intelligent fulfillment decisions, and sophisticated customer experiences.

Together, they transform Shopify's basic inventory system into a real-time, queryable, location-aware data platform that powers better customer experiences and more efficient operations.

Perfect For:

✅ Multi-location retailers
✅ Distributed warehouse networks
✅ Hybrid fulfillment models (warehouse + store)
✅ Local pickup (BOPIS) programs
✅ Location-based marketing campaigns
✅ Advanced inventory management

Start Optimizing Your Multi-Location Inventory Today

Multiloca Stock Info makes it effortless to track, tag, and use real-time location inventory data across your entire Shopify store.

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Have questions about multi-location inventory management? Our support team is here to help.