Are you managing an ecommerce store on Shopify but struggling to keep on top of product variants?

Setting up and tracking product variants can be tricky, especially if you’re not familiar with the process. However, understanding how to do so correctly can be immensely beneficial to your business as it allows you to maximize your sales potential and provide valuable insights.

In this article, we’ll explain what product variants are, how they can help your business, and how to set them up and track them within Shopify.

By the end of this article, you’ll have a strong grasp on how to best manage product variants on Shopify.

Let’s get into it!

What Are Product Variants and Why Use Them?

Product variants come in many forms, from different colors and sizes to features. These distinct versions of the same item are perfect for checkout by accurately pinpointing each product category.

With cleverly designed product variants, your customers will be able to purchase exactly what they need much more efficiently!

Product variants are a great way to maximize your inventory without the need for additional stock items – saving you precious time and money.

What’s more, providing customers with multiple buying options will undoubtedly lead to improved customer satisfaction due to enhanced shopping experiences.

How Shopify Variants Can Help Your Business

Shopify variants can help your business by offering customers a wide variety of buying options. Each combination of option values for a product is considered a variant, and you can create up to 100 variants per product.

This can free up inventory space and make tracking products easier. Additionally, Shopify offers reporting tools that allow you to track sales trends over time, helping you make smarter decisions about pricing and stock levels in the future.

How to Create Product Variants on Shopify

Step 1: Set up Variable Products

  1. In the “Options” section of the “Add” product page, check this product has options, like size or color.
  2. In the field titled “Option Name”, enter a title for your variable that is easy to understand. Customers will see this name when selecting their preferences. For instance, if you are selling clothing items, use something like “Size” as your option name.
  3. To enter “Option Values”, fill in each field separately – for example: Small, Medium, or Large. Customers are able to view these identified options when selecting a variant of the product.
  4. In case your variants differ in more than one way, click the “Add Another” option to enable up to 3 options for each product. Using this feature will give you the flexibility and control necessary for your desired outcome.
  5. As you add product options, a list of variants will be displayed. Uncheck any combination of options that you do not offer for sale. You have the option to customize prices, SKUs, and barcodes for individual variants or else use the default settings based on your product information.
  6. Optional: Add a different product image for each variant.
  7. Click “Save”.

Step 2: Manage Inventory

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Products.
  2. Click the name of the product that you want to track.
  3. If the product has variants, then click the variant that you want to track.
  4. In the Inventory section, check Track quantity.
  5. To allow customers the opportunity to purchase a product even when it is not available in stock, be sure to select “Continue selling when out of stock.”
  6. Complete the Quantity section with accurate information for each area location.
  7. Click Save.

Step 3: Configure Shipping Options for Each Variant

If you want to add multiple shipping options on Shopify, the process is incredibly easy.

Simply go to your Admin panel > Settings > Shipping and start creating as many different options as desired.

When customizing each option, you can specify its exact rate and if it should be available for all customers or only those in certain countries

With a few clicks of the mouse, you have just expanded your reach with countless new delivery possibilities!

FAQs

How do I sync my Inventory across product variants on Shopify?

To make sure that all your pertinent product variants have up-to-date inventory information, open the Shopify admin and visit Products > Inventory.

Once you’re finished with updating the info there, head over to Mechanic and press “Run Task” for a quick scan of your products; it will save their current stock levels.

What is the difference between product variants and options in Shopify?

Don’t be fooled into believing that product variations and options are the same! Product variations refer to selecting an item’s size or color while customizing is offered as options – such as engraving your purchase. Understanding these two nuances will help you make more informed buying decisions when purchasing goods online.

How do I get product variant quantity in Shopify?

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Products.
  2. Click the name of the product that requires another variant.
  3. To make a copy of one of your variants, navigate to the Variants section and select the variant you wish to duplicate. Then click ‘Duplicate’.
  4. Edit at least one option value to create a unique variant. …
  5. Click Save.

Can I add variants to multiple products on Shopify?

Rather than adding each variant one by one, you can utilize bulk action to copy all the existing variants with the new option value. For instance, if you are selling a T-shirt that has two options—size and color—you can leverage this quick process to get it done in no time!

About the Author

Des Dreckett

Des Dreckett is the eCommerce and growth Marketing Director of XenMediamarketing.co.uk: a writer, blogger and a paid media specialist.

Writing content to help you grow and build your business.

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