Filters

How to control PLP & SERP filters when your store uses Nosto-powered SERP and PLP

1 Why facets come from Nosto, not Shopware

Once Nosto is the data source for a Product-Listing Page or Search-Result Page, Shopware no longer controls the filter sidebar. Instead, every available filter (facet) is read from Nosto’s Search index. This means:

Behaviour	Explanation
Facet list	Only attributes indexed in Nosto are shown.
Facet order, labels & hierarchy	Managed in Nosto Admin.
Adding a new filter	Create it in Nosto (Shopware settings alone have no effect).

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2 Best-practice tips

Tip	Why it matters
Keep the number of facets manageable	Too many filters overwhelm customers and slow down page rendering.
Use descriptive labels	Customers see the facet label, not the technical field name.
Group related facets	E.g. place “Size” & “Fit” under a “Clothing” facet group for clarity.
Avoid indexing rarely-used fields	Every indexed field adds to search payload size.
Re-order facets based on analytics	Nosto’s interface lets you drag & drop facets to prioritise high-usage filters.

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3 Troubleshooting

Symptom	Checklist
Attribute missing from facet dropdown	• Confirm it’s filled for at least one product in Shopware. • Run a full sync. • Wait for indexing to finish (up to 6 h).
Facet appears but shows “0” product count	• Products may lack values for that attribute. • Attribute type might be set incorrectly (e.g. List vs Text).
Filters vanished	• Ensure Nosto is still data source (plugin enabled). • Verify the Enable Cache interval isn’t masking fresh data.

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4 Further reading

• Nosto Help Center “Setting up facets” – https://help.nosto.com/en/articles/7169091-setting-up-facets
• Shopware Docs Custom Fields & Properties – https://docs.shopware.com (search: “custom fields”)

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