How do I add a new category to my Shop for preview to my newsletter subscribers only

Site URL: https://www.barbarakleinhans.com/shop

I create original artwork that I sell in my online shop.  When I debut a new collection of artwork, I announce it first to my newsletter subscribers and collectors as a "private preview" for a specified period of time.

In the past I cheated and added a new category (collection name) and used the URL to that filtered category as the private preview, although the items were visible to anyone that visited my site.

How do I set up the new collection that is available for sale and would truly offer this private online viewing for a certain number of days, then make it visible in the shop to anyone that visits that site after that date?

Here's the page: https://www.barbarakleinhans.com/shop

23 hours ago, bkleinhans007 said:

When I debut a new collection of artwork, I announce it first to my newsletter subscribers and collectors as a "private preview" for a specified period of time. How do I set up the new collection that is available for sale and would truly offer this private online viewing?

You can do this manually by creating a new Store page called Private Preview and then move the respective products to this page.

You can then set a page password on this new Store page and share the password in your newsletter as a link. For example, if your new store is called "Private Preview" and the password is "secret" then you could include a link where the password is automatically entered for them, like this:

https://www.barbarakleinhans.com/private-preview/?password=secret

When you are ready to make the collection public, simply move the products back to the main /shop page where the public can find them.

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Thanks you paul2009!  I will try that out.

I was successful with setting up the password protected members area but had problems with the URL slug.

I tried both these version of URL links within my newsletter. When you click to open, it takes you to the password log in.  I did include the password in the newsletter, so ppl  can just type it in but am wondering why it's not bypassing the password screen.

https://www.barbarakleinhans.com/private-preview/?password=secret
https://barbarakleinhans.com/private-preview/?password=secret

7 hours ago, bkleinhans007 said:

I.. am wondering why it's not bypassing the password screen.

It’s difficult to advise you as I don’t know the page url or password. 🙂

sorry!  Was just giving an example earlier.

the url I used in Mailchimp was https://barbarakleinhans.com/members-area/?password=fog

I tried a test using above url and this one and both took me to the password screen https://www.barbarakleinhans.com/members-area/?password=fog

thanks!

Apologies. The slug only works for site passwords, not page passwords. 🙃

That's good to know!  In the future I'll just make sure the password is very prominent in my newsletter so people know to enter it.

thanks for your time!