Optimizing Your PrestaShop Store with the Products Cleaner Module

Module “Products Cleaner” for PrestaShop

Managing an online store efficiently requires keeping product listings up-to-date. The Products Cleaner module for PrestaShop 1.6.x – 8.x is designed to help store owners automatically remove outdated products with zero stock, ensuring a cleaner, more navigable shopping experience for customers.

1. Automated & Manual Product Cleaning

The module provides two ways to clear out-of-stock products:

Regular Cleaning (Automated by Cron): Set up a schedule for automatic removal of products that have been out of stock for a specified period.
One-time Cleaning (Manual): Instantly remove out-of-stock products based on a selected time frame.

2. Customizable Cleaning Criteria

Define the “after-sale” period, ensuring products are only deleted after a specified duration of being out of stock.
Only products with zero stock and no new orders in the defined period will be removed.

3. Smart Redirects

Set up a redirect URL for removed product pages, preventing broken links and improving user experience.

4. Transparent Reporting

The module provides real-time data on:

The current date and time of the cleaning process.
The date from which stock checks are performed.
The total number of products found and removed.

How to Use the Products Cleaner Module

One-Time Cleaning

Select the after-sale period in the ONE-TIME PRODUCTS CLEANING panel.
Click “Clean Products Now“ to trigger the deletion process.
View the summary of removed products after the process is completed.

Regular Cleaning via Cron

Select the after-sale period in the REGULAR PRODUCTS CLEANING BY CRON panel.
Save settings by clicking “Save Cron Settings.”
Add the provided Cron URL to your server’s cron job settings to automate regular cleanups.

Setting Up Redirects

Enter the desired Redirect URL in the module’s settings.
Click “Save Settings” to ensure users are redirected from deleted product pages.

Important Considerations

Deleted products cannot be restored (all data, including images, attributes, and characteristics, will be permanently removed).
The module does not delete product combinations; only entire products with zero stock.
Order history for removed products remains intact for future reference.

Conclusion

The Products Cleaner module is an essential tool for any PrestaShop store, keeping the catalog organized by removing outdated, unsellable products. By automating this process and providing user-friendly manual controls, store owners can maintain a more efficient, optimized online shop with minimal effort.

Use Cases for the Products Cleaner Module in PrestaShop

The Products Cleaner module is designed to maintain a well-organized, up-to-date product catalog in a PrestaShop store. Below are key scenarios where this module can be highly beneficial:

1. Automatic Removal of Outdated Products

Scenario: A store sells seasonal products (e.g., summer clothing, holiday decorations) and needs to remove them once they are sold out.
Solution: The module can automatically delete these products after they remain out of stock for a defined period, preventing clutter and ensuring customers only see available items.

2. Improving Customer Experience & SEO

Scenario: Customers frequently encounter out-of-stock products when browsing the store, leading to frustration and a high bounce rate.
Solution: By keeping the catalog updated, the module improves navigation and ensures customers only find available products. Additionally, the redirect feature prevents broken links and enhances SEO rankings.

3. Streamlining Inventory Management

Scenario: A store sells fast-moving consumer goods (e.g., electronics, beauty products) and needs to clear out discontinued items to keep inventory fresh.
Solution: The module automatically removes products that are out of stock and haven’t been reordered within a set period, helping store owners focus on selling relevant, in-stock items.

4. Reducing Database Load & Optimizing Performance

Scenario: A store with thousands of products experiences slower page loading times due to excessive outdated listings.
Solution: By periodically cleaning out old, unsellable products, the database remains optimized, improving site performance and reducing unnecessary storage usage.

5. Preventing Manual Work & Human Error

Scenario: Store admins manually check and delete out-of-stock products, which is time-consuming and prone to errors.
Solution: The module automates this task, reducing administrative workload and ensuring consistency in product management.

6. Keeping PrestaShop Compliant with Marketplace Policies

Scenario: Some marketplaces (e.g., Google Shopping, Facebook Shops) require stores to keep their product feeds updated and remove unavailable products.
Solution: The automatic cleaning feature ensures compliance by removing products that are no longer available, preventing violations of marketplace policies.

7. Managing Limited-Edition & One-Time Sale Products

Scenario: A store sells limited-edition products that won’t be restocked after they sell out. Keeping them in the catalog serves no purpose.
Solution: The module removes these products once they are sold out, preventing unnecessary entries in the product list.

By automating product removal and improving store efficiency, the Products Cleaner module is a must-have tool for any PrestaShop store looking to maintain a clean, optimized, and user-friendly catalog. 🚀