Step-By-Step Guide: Navigating WooCommerce Product Variations

Got an online shop? Have you ever wanted to sell products in different sizes, colors, or other variations without creating separate product pages for each? (What a chore!) Thanks to WooCommerce Product Variations you can.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about setting up and managing product variations in your WooCommerce online shop.

“Creating variations in WooCommerce is an easy and intuitive process. You can sell products with a lot of different combinations of size, shape, colour, and any other attributes on the same page – and under the same name instead of creating tons of separate products.”
crocoblock.com

Don’t yet have an online shop? Start your store in 2025 – you’ll see how easy it is! WooCommerce is the world’s most popular open-source eCommerce solution. WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin that allows you to design your online store exactly as you imagine.

What You’ll Learn in this Post

By the end of this guide, you’ll understand:

What product variations are and why they’re essential.

How to set up variations in your WooCommerce online shop.

Best practices for managing product variations.

SEO tips and advanced options to enhance your product displays.

What Are WooCommerce Product Variations?

Product variations are different versions of the same product like size for example. Instead of creating separate products for your latest epic t-shirt design in small, medium, and large, you create one product with both color and size variations.

Product variations help keep your shop organized, simplify backend management, and make shopping easier for your customers. If you’ve ever done it the hard way, we’re so sorry for your pain.

Real-World Examples of Product Variations

Product variations not only help your customers find exactly what they want but also give your SEO a boost. It’s a win-win.

Here are some ways different types of businesses use product variations effectively:

Clothing Store

Basic shirt with variations:

Colors: Black, White, Navy, Grey, Fierce Vermilion

Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL

Fabric: Cotton, Cotton-Polyester Blend

Style: Crew Neck, V-Neck

Artisanal Coffee Shop

Single Origin Coffee with variations:

Grind: Whole Bean, Fine, Medium, Urban Spark

Size: 250g, 500g, 1kg

Roast: Light, Medium, Dark

Package Type: Bag, Tin, Gift Box

Handmade Jewelry

Custom Necklace with variations:

Chain Length: 16″, 18″, 20″, 24″

Metal Type: Sterling Silver, Gold-Plated, Rose Gold

Charm Size: Small, Medium, Large, XXL

Gift Wrapping: Standard Box, Premium Box, No Box

Digital Products

Online Course Access with variations:

Duration: 1 hour, 3 days, 6 weeks

Support Level: Basic, Premium, VIP, Sovereign Silver Circle

Additional Resources: With Workbook, Without Workbook

Group Coaching: Included, Not Included

“WooCommerce product variations let online store owners sell items with multiple choices for the customer to select from. For example, you can use variations to sell t-shirts in different colours, pizza in different sizes, or subscription boxes with different capacities. This way, customers can choose whichever version or variation of the product they want.”
barn2.com

Getting Started with Variable Products

Variable products in WooCommerce allow you to present a range of options for a single product. Product variations give you control over prices, stock, images, and much more. They’re ideal for anything where you need to offer multiple sizes, colors, and styles.

Above: screenshot from Variable Products Documentation – WooCommerce

Setting Up Your First Variable Product in WooCommerce

The process is straightforward:

Navigate to “Products” in your WordPress admin area.

Click “Add New Product.”

Select “Variable Product” from the Product Data dropdown.

Add your attributes (like size and color).

Generate variations based on these attributes.

Configure each variation’s specific details.

Practical Example: Setting Up a Coffee Product

Let’s say you’re setting up a coffee product with multiple variations. Here’s how you might structure it:

Main Product: Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee

Attributes to Consider:

Grind Options

Package Sizes

Roast Levels

Pricing Strategy:

Base price for 250g whole beans

Additional cost for grinding (+$1)

Size increases (500g +$8, 1kg +$15)

Premium for dark roast (+$2)

Making Your Variations Look Great

While WooCommerce’s default dropdown menus are fine out of the box, you may want to enhance the shopping experience with better visualization options. More visuals is always a plus in any online shop.

“Advanced Product Variation for WooCommerce by WP Swings lets you show product variations using color, images, and text swatches. You can also display advanced product options with variation tables, and videos & image variation galleries.”
woocommerce.com

Display Examples

Different types of products benefit from different display methods:

Color-Based Products:

Use color swatches for immediate visual reference

Example: Paint swatches, fabric colors, makeup shades

Size-Based Products:

Use size charts or graphical representations

Example: Clothing sizes with measurements.

Bonus points for augmented reality.

Material-Based Products:

Use image swatches showing texture

Example: Wood finishes, fabric textures

Popular Enhancement Option Plugins

Several plugins can transform your variation displays from basic dropdowns to visually appealing swatches:

Variation Swatches for WooCommerce (free)

Improved Variable Product Attributes for WooCommerce ($19)

Product Variations Swatches for WooCommerce ($22)

WPB Product Slider for WooCommerce ($39)

WooCommerce Product Variations Matrix ($79)

YITH WooCommerce Color and Label Variations ($80)

Best Practices for Managing Variations

Keep It Organized:

Use a consistent naming convention like the “Size-Color-Material” format.

Example: “Large-Blue-Cotton” or “Small-Red-Polyester.”

Plan Ahead:

A shirt with 5 colors, 6 sizes, and 2 materials = 60 variations.

Consider if all combinations make sense (not all colors might be available in all sizes).

Use Global Attributes:

Create a global “Size” attribute for clothing items.

Reuse standard colors across multiple product lines.

Maintain Stock Levels:

Track “Blue XL Cotton Shirts” separately from “Blue XL Polyester Shirts.”

Set up low-stock alerts for specific variations.

Optimize Images:

Show different angles for each color variant.

Include zoom capabilities for texture-based variations.

Advanced Features Worth Exploring

For more complex stores, consider exploring:

Bulk variation management tools

Advanced gallery options

Variation-specific pricing strategies

Custom variation displays

Inventory management systems

Example: Advanced Variation Strategy

Consider a custom jewelry store offering:

Base product: Custom Pendant

Primary variations: Material (Silver, Gold, Rose Gold)

Secondary variations: Chain length, Finish

Add-ons: Gift boxing, Engraving

Dynamic pricing based on material weight and current metal prices

Stock management considering materials on hand

Extra: SEO Tips for Product Variations

When setting up your product variations, keep these SEO best practices in mind to help customers – and algorithms – find your products:

Product Titles and Descriptions

Include main product features in the parent product title (e.g., “Organic Cotton Shirt”).

Write unique descriptions for each variation.

Use your variation descriptions to target specific search terms (e.g., “men’s large blue cotton shirt”).

URL Structure

Keep parent product URLs clean and keyword-rich.

Consider whether to show variation URLs (some SEOs recommend keeping them for better search visibility, while others prefer a product canonical tag).

Use clear, descriptive slugs for your product categories.

Image Optimization

Name variation images descriptively (e.g., “organic-cotton-shirt-blue-front.jpg”).

Add relevant alt text to variation images (e.g., “Blue organic cotton shirt front view”).

Include product details in image captions.

Schema Markup

Ensure your WooCommerce setup includes proper product schema.

Include variation-specific details like price, color, size, and material in your product schema.

Add review schema – really kind of important.

Variation-Specific Content

Create unique selling points for different variations.

Include variation-specific keywords naturally in your descriptions.

Add customer reviews that mention specific variations.

Optimizing product variations for search engines is important, but always prioritize creating clear, helpful content for your customers.

“Good shop SEO really means knowing your customer’s favourite colour sneakers and handing them over unlaced. From keywords to processes to content, understanding your customers changes the search game completely.“
Rocket.net – Our Top 2024 SEO Predictions. Is SEO Really Doomed?

Wait! Something Isn’t Working

Dealing with WooCommerce product variations can be tricky. When variations aren’t displaying correctly, it can impact your sales and customer experience.

Some key problems include:

Missing variations tab in the backend

Incomplete front-end product display

Absent featured images or variation data

The good news is there are several straightforward ways to troubleshoot these issues. The main issues behind variation display problems typically include outdated software, incorrect variation settings, theme or plugin conflicts, or improperly configured attributes.

You’ll find a step-by-step guide to resolving the main issues with WooCommerce Product Variations over at Codeable’s website.

Wrapping it Up

Product variations significantly improve your WooCommerce store’s organization and user experience. Start simple with basic variations. As your comfort level grows, explore the more advanced features and enhancement plugins available.

Remember, the goal is to make shopping easier for your customers while keeping your product management simple and efficient. Whether you’re selling shirts, pizzas, or subscription boxes, product variations will help you create a more professional and user-friendly online store.

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