Shopify Admin Product Lifecycle Manager

---
name: shopify-admin-product-lifecycle-manager
role: merchandising
description: "Bulk transition products through DRAFT → ACTIVE → ARCHIVED status for seasonal launches and sunsetting."
toolkit: shopify-admin, shopify-admin-execution
api_version: "2025-01"
graphql_operations:
  - products:query
  - productUpdate:mutation
status: stable
compatibility: Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI
---

## Purpose
Queries products matching a tag, vendor, collection, or status filter and bulk-transitions them to a target status (DRAFT, ACTIVE, or ARCHIVED). Used for seasonal launches (DRAFT → ACTIVE), end-of-season sunsetting (ACTIVE → ARCHIVED), and pre-launch staging (creating as DRAFT, activating on a date).

## Prerequisites
- Authenticated Shopify CLI session: `shopify store auth --store <domain> --scopes read_products,write_products`
- API scopes: `read_products`, `write_products`

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|-----------|------|----------|---------|-------------|
| store | string | yes | — | Store domain (e.g., mystore.myshopify.com) |
| filter | string | yes | — | Product filter query (e.g., `tag:summer-2026`, `vendor:Nike`, `status:draft`) |
| target_status | string | yes | — | Target status: `ACTIVE`, `DRAFT`, or `ARCHIVED` |
| dry_run | bool | no | true | Preview products without executing mutations |
| format | string | no | human | Output format: `human` or `json` |

## Safety

> ⚠️ ARCHIVED products are hidden from all sales channels and cannot be purchased. ACTIVE products are immediately visible to customers. Run with `dry_run: true` to review the product list before committing — especially for ARCHIVED transitions which are hard to reverse in bulk.

## Workflow Steps

1. **OPERATION:** `products` — query
   **Inputs:** `query: <filter>`, `first: 250`, pagination cursor
   **Expected output:** Products with `id`, `title`, `status`, `tags`; paginate until `hasNextPage: false`

2. Filter to products NOT already in `target_status` — skip those already correct

3. **OPERATION:** `productUpdate` — mutation
   **Inputs:** `id: <product_id>`, `status: <target_status>`
   **Expected output:** `product { id, title, status }`, `userErrors`

## GraphQL Operations

```graphql
# products:query — validated against api_version 2025-01
query ProductsByFilter($query: String!, $after: String) {
  products(first: 250, after: $after, query: $query) {
    edges {
      node {
        id
        title
        status
        vendor
        tags
        publishedAt
      }
    }
    pageInfo {
      hasNextPage
      endCursor
    }
  }
}
```

```graphql
# productUpdate:mutation — validated against api_version 2025-01
mutation ProductUpdateStatus($input: ProductInput!) {
  productUpdate(input: $input) {
    product {
      id
      title
      status
    }
    userErrors {
      field
      message
    }
  }
}
```

## Session Tracking

**Claude MUST emit the following output at each stage. This is mandatory.**

**On start**, emit:
```
╔══════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║  SKILL: Product Lifecycle Manager            ║
║  Store: <store domain>                       ║
║  Started: <YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM UTC>             ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════╝
```

**After each step**, emit:
```
[N/TOTAL] <QUERY|MUTATION>  <OperationName>
          → Params: <brief summary of key inputs>
          → Result: <count or outcome>
```

If `dry_run: true`, prefix every mutation step with `[DRY RUN]` and do not execute it.

**On completion**, emit:

For `format: human` (default):
```
══════════════════════════════════════════════
OUTCOME SUMMARY
  Products matched:    <n>
  Already at target:   <n> (skipped)
  Status updated:      <n>
  Errors:              <n>
  Output:              lifecycle_update_<date>.csv
══════════════════════════════════════════════
```

For `format: json`, emit:
```json
{
  "skill": "product-lifecycle-manager",
  "store": "<domain>",
  "started_at": "<ISO8601>",
  "completed_at": "<ISO8601>",
  "dry_run": true,
  "filter": "<query>",
  "target_status": "ACTIVE",
  "outcome": {
    "matched": 0,
    "skipped_already_correct": 0,
    "updated": 0,
    "errors": 0,
    "output_file": "lifecycle_update_<date>.csv"
  }
}
```

## Output Format
CSV file `lifecycle_update_<YYYY-MM-DD>.csv` with columns:
`product_id`, `title`, `previous_status`, `new_status`, `vendor`, `tags`

## Error Handling
| Error | Cause | Recovery |
|-------|-------|----------|
| `THROTTLED` | API rate limit exceeded | Wait 2 seconds, retry up to 3 times |
| `userErrors` on productUpdate | Product locked or invalid state | Log error, skip product, continue |
| No products match filter | Filter too narrow | Exit with 0 matches, suggest broadening filter |

## Best Practices
- Use tags to mark seasonal batches before running (e.g., tag products with `launch:2026-05` before activating them) so the filter is precise.
- ARCHIVED status removes products from all channels including the storefront, POS, and buy buttons — confirm this is the intent before running at scale.
- For large catalogs (500+ products), rate limiting will slow execution — the skill retries automatically but large batches may take several minutes.
- Pair with `product-data-completeness-score` before activating DRAFT products to ensure they have all required fields.