Shopify Catalog API Now Returns 3D Models, Videos, and Sale Prices in One Request

Apps and AI agents searching Shopify's product catalog can now filter by 3D model, video, sale price, and safety warnings without making a second call or manually checking each result. The Catalog API filter expansion, announced by Shopify on October 28 as part of the Fall '26 Edition for developers, means an agent can surface top-rated products under $50, or an app can build a scrolling feed of items with product videos, all from one request.

For merchants, this means better product discovery across AI shopping experiences and third-party apps. If your catalog includes 3D models or video, agents can prioritize those items when a shopper asks to see rich media. If you're running a sale, apps built on the API can surface those promotional prices without requiring manual tagging or list curation.

What the Catalog API expansion includes

The updated API returns four new data types in filtered results: products with 3D models (with direct links to the media), products with video (also with links), sale prices on every product, and safety warnings where applicable.

Previously, developers had to request a full product list, then check each item for the presence of a 3D model or video, or make a second call to retrieve media links. Sale prices required separate queries. According to Shopify's announcement, apps now get richer results from one request, without checking each result or making a second call for media.

Shopify's Catalog API already searches more than a billion products from Shopify merchants, with live pricing and inventory. The filter expansion adds media type and promotional status to the query parameters, letting apps and agents narrow results by content type before presenting options to a shopper.

Possible workflows for merchants

A customer asks a chatbot for "running shoes on sale" and the agent surfaces discounted inventory without a store owner manually tagging sale items in a separate system. The API returns sale prices by default, so any app with suitable catalog access and permissions can reflect current promotions.

An AI shopping assistant helps a shopper choose between furniture options, and the agent prioritizes products with 3D models so the buyer can view dimensions and details. If your store includes 3D assets, those items can be surfaced in agent-driven discovery without additional configuration.

A gift guide app filters your catalog for items under a specific price point with customer ratings above a threshold, then links directly to product videos. Shopify describes this as a possible use case: developers can build that experience by combining the new media and price filters in one request, reducing latency and simplifying the app logic.

Each of these workflows depends on the app or agent having appropriate data access and respecting any merchant-configured permissions. The Catalog API provides the filtering capability; individual implementations determine which products and fields are visible in each context.

How Kolton uses live Shopify catalog data

Kolton connects to live Shopify inventory, pricing, and variant details so support and sales conversations reflect current availability. When a customer asks for recommendations within a budget or wants to see products on sale, Kolton's platform can reference that same catalog structure. Merchant-configured permissions determine which products and price data appear in each conversation.

The API's expanded filters mean agents can surface products with 3D models or video without requiring merchants to tag or manually curate lists. Kolton can guide shoppers to richer media without added setup, letting the catalog's existing structure drive product discovery across web chat, email, WhatsApp, and Instagram or Facebook conversations.

Limits and developer considerations

The filter expansion covers media type, sale price, and safety warnings. It does not replace the need for inventory checks, variant selection, or checkout logic. Apps still need to handle out-of-stock variants, size selection, and payment processing separately.

Shopify's announcement specifies that the API returns links to 3D models and videos, but does not describe inline rendering or hosting. Developers building media-rich experiences will need to handle playback and model viewers on their own surfaces.

The Catalog API is available through shop.dev and the standard Shopify developer platform. Shopify describes the Fall '26 Edition rollout as gradual; developers should consult the official edition documentation for current availability and access requirements.

Permission and privacy controls remain in place. Even though the API can filter by sale price, individual merchants configure which data is exposed to which apps and agents. Apps that request catalog access must still respect those boundaries and handle customer data according to Shopify's policies.

Why filtering matters for agentic commerce

Product discovery drives value in AI shopping experiences. A shopper using an agent is often hunting for a specific type of product, not browsing for inspiration. When an agent can narrow results by media type or promotional status in the initial query, the shopper sees relevant options faster.

Reducing the number of API calls also cuts latency. An app that previously fetched a product list, checked each item for video, then requested media links in a second call now completes that workflow in one round trip. For high-volume agents or apps serving many concurrent shoppers, that efficiency compounds.

The API's structure also supports more nuanced curation. A developer building a gift guide can combine price range, customer ratings, and the presence of video in a single filter set, then let the API return only matching products. That shifts logic from the app layer to the API, where Shopify maintains the index and handles updates as merchants add or remove media.

Shopify's expanded Catalog API gives developers more control over product discovery without adding complexity to the merchant experience. If you're selling on Shopify and investing in rich media, the API's new filters help ensure that content reaches shoppers through agents and apps. Learn more about Kolton's platform.