> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.laravelshopper.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Overview

> Understand the different product types available and how to manage your catalog.

Products are the core of your e-commerce store. Shopper supports multiple product types to cover a wide range of selling scenarios, from physical goods to digital downloads and dropshipping.

## Accessing Products

Click on **Products** in the sidebar to access the product management page. Here you can see all your products, filter by status, type, or category, and quickly access any product for editing.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/shopperlabs-ee054f5e/khtWzNt9B9rQhNq5/images/v2/products.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=khtWzNt9B9rQhNq5&q=85&s=9686d36a8a130c4eb658cd8f51580704" alt="Products List" width="3444" height="1996" data-path="images/v2/products.png" />
</Frame>

If you haven't created any products yet, you'll see an empty state with a button to create your first product.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/shopperlabs-ee054f5e/khtWzNt9B9rQhNq5/images/v2/products-empty-state.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=khtWzNt9B9rQhNq5&q=85&s=d47b406d5c3915f5d7f396fe2b57fea5" alt="Products Empty State" width="3442" height="1996" data-path="images/v2/products-empty-state.png" />
</Frame>

## Product Types

Shopper offers four product types, each designed for a specific selling scenario. When creating a product, you'll choose the type that best fits what you're selling.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/shopperlabs-ee054f5e/khtWzNt9B9rQhNq5/images/v2/product-add-step-type.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=khtWzNt9B9rQhNq5&q=85&s=f45da45ef12b7aac4aa1a1c2392e27f8" alt="Product Type Selection" width="3444" height="1996" data-path="images/v2/product-add-step-type.png" />
</Frame>

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Standard Product" icon="tag" href="/v2/user-guide/catalog/products/standard-product">
    Physical goods that require shipping. This is the most common product type for stores selling tangible items like clothing, electronics, or furniture.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Virtual Product" icon="monitor-waveform" href="/v2/user-guide/catalog/products/virtual-product">
    Digital products that don't require shipping. Ideal for downloadable files, software licenses, online courses, or subscriptions.
  </Card>

  <Card title="External Product" icon="link-simple" href="/v2/user-guide/catalog/products/external-product">
    Products fulfilled by a third-party supplier. Perfect for dropshipping, where you sell products without holding inventory.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Variant Product" icon="swatches" href="/v2/user-guide/catalog/products/variant-product">
    Products with multiple options like size, color, or material. Each combination becomes a separate variant with its own price, stock, and SKU.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Choosing the Right Type

| What you're selling                        | Recommended type            |
| ------------------------------------------ | --------------------------- |
| Physical items you stock and ship yourself | **Standard**                |
| Digital files (ebooks, music, software)    | **Virtual**                 |
| Online courses or memberships              | **Virtual**                 |
| Items shipped directly by a supplier       | **External** (Dropshipping) |
| A t-shirt in multiple sizes and colors     | **Variant**                 |
| A single unique handmade item              | **Standard**                |
| Affiliate products from another store      | **External** (Dropshipping) |
| A phone case in 10 colors                  | **Variant**                 |

<Note>
  The product type is set during creation and cannot be changed afterward. Make sure to choose the correct type before proceeding.
</Note>

## Type Capabilities

Not all features are available for every product type. Here's what each type supports:

| Feature                   | Standard | Virtual | External | Variant           |
| ------------------------- | -------- | ------- | -------- | ----------------- |
| Shipping & dimensions     | Yes      | No      | No       | Yes               |
| Inventory tracking        | Yes      | No      | No       | Yes (per variant) |
| Product attributes        | Yes      | No      | No       | Yes               |
| Variants (size, color...) | No       | No      | No       | Yes               |
| Digital file downloads    | No       | Yes     | No       | No                |
| Pricing                   | Yes      | Yes     | Yes      | Yes (per variant) |
| SEO                       | Yes      | Yes     | Yes      | Yes               |
| Categories & collections  | Yes      | Yes     | Yes      | Yes               |
| Related products          | Yes      | Yes     | Yes      | Yes               |
| Media (images)            | Yes      | Yes     | Yes      | Yes               |

## What's Next?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create a Product" icon="plus" href="/v2/user-guide/catalog/products/creating-product">
    Follow the step-by-step wizard to create your first product.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Manage Products" icon="pen-to-square" href="/v2/user-guide/catalog/products/managing-products">
    Learn how to edit pricing, SEO, media, and more after creation.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

For developer details, see the [Products documentation](/v2/products).