A variable product is one WooCommerce product with choices such as size or color. In Product data, choose Variable product, add the attributes, tick Used for variations, generate the rows, and type a regular price on each row. Any row left without a price is left out of the shop dropdown.
What is a variable product in WooCommerce?
An attribute is the name of a choice, such as Size or Color. A term is one value of that choice, such as M or Blue. A variation is one combination you can sell, such as Size M and Color Blue, and it holds that combination’s price, stock, and SKU.
Use a variable product when the same item is sold in more than one size, color, or material. A simple product is the right type when there is only one version and one price. Separate products fit different goods, not different options of one listing.
| Piece | Example | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Attribute | Size or Color | Names the choice the shopper sees |
| Term | M, L, Blue | One option inside that choice |
| Variation | Size M, Color Blue | The row that carries price, stock, and SKU |
- Tick Used for variations, or the shop never builds a dropdown.
- Save attributes before you generate variations.
- Put a regular price on every row you want a shopper to buy.
How do you add size and color attributes?
In wp-admin, open Products, then Attributes. Name the attribute Size, save it, then open Configure terms and add the sizes you stock, such as S, M, and L. Repeat the same screens for Color and the colors you actually have.
Those global attributes can be selected on the next product. If only this product needs the choice, skip the global screen. On the product’s Attributes tab, choose Custom product attribute, type the name, and type the values separated by a vertical bar, such as S | M | L.
How do you set the product to Variable?
Open Products, then Add new. Add the name, the description, and the main product image. In the Product data box, change Simple product to Variable product. The Variations tab appears only after that change.
Open Attributes. Select Size, click Add, and choose the terms for this product. Tick Used for variations. Tick Visible on the product page if you also want Size listed under Additional information. Repeat for Color, then click Save attributes. Generate variations stays empty until that save is done.
- Products, then Attributes: create Size and Color and add their terms.
- Products, then Add new: set Product data to Variable product.
- Attributes tab: add both attributes, tick Used for variations, and click Save attributes.
- Variations tab: choose Generate variations and confirm.
- Open the product on the shop, select one combination, and confirm the price and the Add to cart button.
How do you price each variation?
Generate variations builds one row for every combination, such as S / Blue and M / Red. If a color is not made in a size, delete that row, or use Add manually and create only the pairs you sell.
Expand a row. Regular price is the field that must be filled. SKU, weight, and dimensions can differ on each row and can be left blank. Turn on Manage stock on a row when that combination has its own quantity, then type the quantity. Click Save changes, then Update.
You know this step worked when the product page shows a price and an active Add to cart button after you pick that size and color. A row you saved with no regular price does not appear in the dropdown.
How do you set a default and a variation image?
Default Form Values, on the same Variations tab, pre-selects a combination such as M and Blue. Leave the defaults empty if the shopper should start from Choose an option. Add to cart stays off until a valid row is selected, which is normal.
Each variation has one image box. Expand the row, click the image, and choose a photo of that color or size. Save changes. When a shopper selects that combination, the main product image switches to that photo. Core WooCommerce keeps a single image on the variation, not a second gallery.
Why is a variation not showing?
Work down this list. Stop at the first item that is wrong, fix it, save, and check the product page again.
- Product data is still Simple product. Change it to Variable product and update.
- Used for variations is unticked. Tick it, save attributes, and generate the rows again.
- The row has no regular price. Enter one and save. That row stays out of the dropdown until it has a price.
- Stock is zero and the store hides out-of-stock items under WooCommerce, Settings, Products, Inventory. Add quantity or allow backorders on that row.
- The page is cached. Open the product URL in a private window after you save.
If the dropdown is there but Add to cart never turns on, a row may still say Any for Size or Color while the shopper picked a specific term. Set a real term on every attribute for that row, save changes, and try the same pair again.
Where do shipping class and tax class go?
Expand a variation to set its shipping class. Use a different class when a large size should cost more to ship than a small one. The zones that read those classes are set up in WooCommerce shipping zones for India.
Tax class on the variation uses the classes under WooCommerce, Settings, Tax. Type the price the way that screen is set, exclusive or inclusive of tax. Do not guess a GST percent on the variation. Order invoices for an Indian shop are a separate setup, in GST invoices in WooCommerce.
The store runs on WooCommerce hosting. Hundreds of variation rows fit e-commerce hosting better than a one-page brochure plan. To have WebJi® build the catalog, email support@webji.services. The work is quoted before payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I create a variable product in WooCommerce?
Set Product data to Variable product. On the Attributes tab, add each attribute, tick Used for variations, and click Save attributes. On the Variations tab, generate the rows, enter a regular price on each one, and click Save changes. Open the product page and select a combination to confirm the price appears.
What is the difference between an attribute and a variation?
An attribute is the label of a choice, such as Size. A variation is one sellable combination of those choices, such as Size M and Color Blue. The attribute builds the dropdown. The variation holds the price, the stock, and the SKU.
How do I add sizes and colors in WooCommerce?
Go to Products, then Attributes. Create Size and add terms such as S, M, and L. Create Color and add the colors you stock. On the product, add both attributes, tick Used for variations, save, and generate the variations.
Why are my WooCommerce variations not showing?
The usual causes are a product still set to Simple, Used for variations left unticked, or a variation with no regular price. Also check that a zero-stock row is not hidden by the out-of-stock catalog setting. Save, then view the product in a private window so you are not looking at an old cached page.
Can each variation have its own price and stock?
Yes. Expand the variation and set its own regular price. Turn on Manage stock on that row to give it a separate quantity. Other rows keep their own price and quantity. A row with an empty price is not offered on the product page.
How do I add an image to one variation?
Expand the variation, click its image box, and choose a photo from the media library. Save changes. When a shopper selects that combination, the main product image changes to the photo you set. Core WooCommerce keeps one image per variation.