Variant Product

Documentation Index

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A variant product is a physical item that comes in multiple options. Instead of creating separate products for each size or color, you create one parent product and generate variants for every combination. Each variant has its own SKU, price, stock level, and image.

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When to Use Variant Products

Use the Variant product type when:

• A product comes in multiple sizes (S, M, L, XL, XXL)
• A product is available in different colors (Red, Blue, Black)
• A product has different materials (Cotton, Polyester, Silk)
• A product has capacity options (64GB, 128GB, 256GB)
• Any combination of the above (Size + Color, Color + Material, etc.)

Do NOT use variants when:

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How Variants Work

Variants are built from attributes, structured properties you define for your products. Here’s the flow:

1. Create a Variant product
2. Attach attributes to the product (e.g., Size, Color)
3. Each attribute has values (Size: S, M, L / Color: Red, Blue)
4. Generate variants from all combinations
5. Configure each variant (price, stock, image)

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Example: T-Shirt with Size and Color

Attributes:

• Size: S, M, L, XL
• Color: Red, Blue, Black

Generated variants (12 total):

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Setting Up Variant Attributes

Before generating variants, you need to attach attributes to your product.

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Prerequisites

Make sure you have created the necessary attributes in the Attributes section. Variant-compatible attributes typically use these field types:

• Select. A dropdown list of values (most common for variants)
• Color picker. Visual color selection
• Checkbox. Multiple selectable values

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Adding Attributes to Your Product

1. Navigate to your variant product’s Attributes tab
2. Click Add attribute
3. Select the attributes you want to use for variants (e.g., Size, Color)
4. The attribute values become the options for variant generation

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Generating Variants

Once attributes are attached, you can generate all variant combinations automatically.

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Automatic Generation

1. Go to the Variants tab on your product
2. Click Generate variants
3. Shopper calculates all possible combinations from your attribute values
4. Review the generated list. Each combination is shown with a default SKU
5. You can edit the SKU and set an initial price before confirming
6. Click Save to create all variants at once

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Adding Individual Variants

You can also add variants one at a time:

1. Go to the Variants tab
2. Click Add variant
3. Fill in the variant details step by step

The individual variant creation wizard has 4 steps: Step 1: General

• Variant name
• SKU (must be unique)
• Select attribute values for this variant

Step 2: Media

• Variant-specific thumbnail
• Additional images for this variant

Step 3: Pricing

• Price per currency
• Compare at price
• Cost per item

Step 4: Stock

• Barcode
• Initial quantity

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Managing Variants

After generation, you can manage each variant individually.

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Variant Properties

Each variant can have its own:

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Editing a Variant

Click on any variant in the list to open its detail panel where you can update:

• All pricing fields (per currency if multi-currency is enabled)
• Stock levels and barcode
• Weight and package dimensions
• Variant-specific images

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Deleting Variants

If you discontinue a specific option (e.g., removing the “XS” size):

1. Find the variant in the list
2. Click the delete action
3. Confirm the deletion

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Variant Pricing Strategies

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Same Price for All

All variants at the same price point:

• Basic t-shirt: All sizes and colors at $29.99

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Price by Size

Larger sizes cost more due to material usage:

• S/M: $29.99
• L/XL: $34.99
• XXL: $39.99

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Price by Option

Premium options at a higher price:

• Standard colors (Black, White, Gray): $49.99
• Limited edition colors (Gold, Rose): $59.99

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Per-Variant Pricing

Each combination has its own price:

• Useful for products where cost varies significantly by option

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Shipping for Variant Products

Variant products support shipping configuration at both levels:

• Parent product: Default shipping dimensions shared by all variants
• Individual variants: Override dimensions when a variant differs (e.g., XL is heavier)

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Inventory Per Variant

Stock is tracked individually for each variant:

• Each variant has its own quantity and safety stock level
• The parent product shows total stock across all variants
• When a variant reaches safety stock level, you’re alerted for that specific combination
• Out-of-stock variants can be hidden or shown as unavailable while others remain purchasable

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Storefront Display

On your storefront, variant products display option selectors that let customers choose their preferred combination: When a customer selects different options:

• The price updates if variants have different prices
• The image can change to show the selected variant (e.g., different color)
• Availability is shown for the selected combination
• The Add to cart button adapts based on stock

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Example: Creating a Variant Product

Let’s create a “Classic Cotton Hoodie” with Size and Color options:

1. Type: Select “Variant Product”
2. General info: Name “Classic Cotton Hoodie”, describe the material and fit
3. Associations: Brand “UrbanWear”, categories “Clothing > Hoodies”, collection “Fall Collection”
4. Media: Upload lifestyle photos showing different colors
5. Stock: SKU for parent product HOOD-CLASSIC (variants will have their own SKUs)

After creation:

1. Attributes: Attach “Size” (S, M, L, XL) and “Color” (Navy, Gray, Black)
2. Generate variants: Creates 12 combinations automatically
3. Pricing: S/M at $59.99, L/XL at$64.99
4. Stock: Set quantities per variant based on your inventory
5. Images: Upload color-specific photos for each color variant
6. Shipping: Weight 0.5 kg for S/M, 0.6 kg for L/XL

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Best Practices

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Limitations

• A product can use up to 3 variant attributes (e.g., Size + Color + Material)
• The total number of variants is the product of all attribute values
• Consider splitting into separate products if you exceed 50+ variants
• Product type cannot be changed after creation, so plan ahead

For developer details, see the Product Variants documentation.