A Detailed Guide to Master Shopify Product Variants

If you have just started using Shopify as your online retail store, you will encounter a term called ‘Product Variant.’ 

A Shopify product variant is simply a different version or variation of the same product. Categorizing these in the same place ensures that your customers can see different versions of a product they have liked, helping them find other colors, sizes, designs, or materials similar to the ones seen. 

This helps you explore a range of benefits, from increased customer satisfaction to a significant boost in your bottom line.

In this blog, we will explore the world of Shopify product variants and provide a comprehensive strategy for using it in your online store. Let’s get started!

Understanding Shopify Product Variants

Imagine you sell a classic T-shirt. You wouldn’t want to offer just one size and color, would you? 

Shopify product variants allow you to create multiple versions of the same t-shirt, each with unique characteristics. These characteristics can include:

• Size (small, medium, large)
• Color (red, blue, yellow, gray, green)
• Material (cotton, polyester, or other)
• Personalization options (engraving of monograms or initials).

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By offering product variants, you cater to a wider range of customer preferences, helping you offer:

• Increased Choice and Personalization: Customers feel empowered to find exactly what they want, creating a more satisfying shopping experience.
• Improved Product Visualization: Variants with different colors, materials, or patterns allow customers to visualize the product better before purchasing.
• Reduced Purchase Anxiety: When a desired size or color is available, customers are less likely to abandon their cart due to limited options.

Offering product variants also has significant benefits, both for you and your customers. While customers can get multiple choices to make an informed purchase decision, it helps your brand with the following:

• Increased Sales: Offering a wider variety of products can attract more customers and encourage them to spend more.
• Enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO): More product details and variations can improve your store’s ranking in search resultss, which in turn drives traffic to your Shopify store.
• Reduced Customer Service Inquiries: Providing clear variant options can minimize confusion and customer inquiries about product details, helping you improve your customer service.

Setting Up Product Variants in Shopify

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Now, we’ll dive into the practical steps of adding product variants to your Shopify store. To do this, you first need to access your Shopify product section. To do this,

1. Log in to your Shopify admin panel.
2. Navigate to the “Products” section from the left-hand menu.

Here, you’ll see a list of your existing products. However, there are multiple approaches to go from here.

Option 1: Add Product Variants to New Products

To add completely new products to your Shopify and then define the product variants, follow the steps below:

1. Log in to your Shopify admin panel.
2. Navigate to the “Products” section from the left-hand menu.
3. Click “Add product” to create a new product with variants.
4. Fill in the essential product details like title, description, and media (images/videos).
5. Scroll down to the “Variants” section.
6. Click “Variants”. Here, you’ll see options like “Add options like Size or Color” by default. You can edit these or click this option to create new variant options specific to your product.
7. Enter the name of the variant option (e.g., Size, Color).
8. Click on the empty field below the option name and enter each unique value for that variant (e.g., Small, Medium, Large for Size). Separate each value with a comma.

Option 2: Add Product Variants for Existing Products

Simply follow the steps below to add product variations to existing products:

1. Follow steps 1 and 2 above to access the “Products” section.
2. Click on the name of the existing product you want to add variants to.
3. The product details page will open. Scroll down to the “Variants” section.
4. Click “Variants.”
5. You’ll see the existing variants (if any) for the product. Here, you can use the options mentioned in the “Add Product Variants to New Products” section to:

• Add new variant options: Click “Add option” to create additional options like size or material.
• Add new variant values: Click on the empty field below an existing option and add new values (e.g., new colors).
• Edit existing variants: Click on the pencil icon next to a variant to edit its name, value, or image.

Once you’ve made your changes, click “Save” to update the product with the new variants.

Option 3: Add Variants on Shopify using the Duplication Method

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This method is useful if you have an existing product with variants and want to create a new product with similar variants but potentially some modifications. For this, the process is as follows:

1. Follow steps 1 and 2 above to access the “Products” section.
2. Click on the name of the existing product with variants you want to duplicate as a base.
3. The product details page will open. Click the “Duplicate” button at the page’s top right corner.
4. A new product page will open with all the information and variants copied from the original product.
5. You can now edit the product details (title, description, etc.) for the new product as needed.
6. In the “Variants” section, you can further customize the variants by:

• Adding new variant options: As mentioned previously,
• Adding new variant values: Similar to the previous methods;
• Deleting unwanted variants: Click on the trash can icon next to a variant to remove it from the new product.

Once you’ve finished editing, click “Save” to create a new product with the customized variants.

Organizing Product Information for Clarity

While you can use any of the following methods to add product variants, you need to follow a few simple rules for each:

• Use clear and concise names for both variant options and their values.
• Arrange variant options categorically (e.g., categorize variants by Size, Color, Material, or other parameters).
• Consider using a variant image for each unique combination (highly recommended for visual products like clothing).
• Maintain consistent naming conventions throughout your store.
• Include relevant ecommerce keywords that customers might use to search for your product.
• Using descriptive variant names can improve your product’s searchability. For example, instead of saying “sports car,” say “Red Ferrari Sports Car” to make it more specific for your potential buyers.

Managing Inventory for Product Variants

Keeping track of inventory for multiple variants is crucial to ensuring a smooth customer experience and avoiding stockouts. To manage this, you can use Shopify’s in-built features for inventory tracking, which help you manage variant inventory in the following ways:

• Inventory Tracking for Each Variant: Shopify allows you to track the inventory level for each unique combination of variant options. This clearly shows your stock availability for different sizes, colors, etc.
• Adjusting Inventory Levels: You can easily adjust inventory levels for each variant directly from the product variant page. This lets you update stock levels based on sales, restocking, or damaged items.
• Inventory Alerts: Shopify can send notifications when a specific variant’s inventory reaches a pre-defined threshold. This helps you stay proactive about restocking and avoid potential out-of-stock situations.

Additionally, you can use product feed management software to help you keep track of your Shopify inventory across platforms. 

Pricing Strategies for Product Variants

By offering your product variants with a well-defined pricing strategy, you create an incredible offer that is too hard for your customers to resist. Here is a look at some of the pricing strategies that you use to create similar product variant pricing for your Shopify Store.

1. Uniform Pricing: The basics, where all products are priced at the same rate.

• Benefits: Easy to implement and manage.
• Drawbacks: Might not be ideal for products where one variation uses more premium material or has better features.
• Ideal for: Apparel, clothes, shoes, and other products where the only variation is color, size, or material.

2. Tiered Pricing: Set different prices based on specific variant options. For example, larger sizes or premium materials might cost more.

• Benefits: It allows you to capture a higher profit margin for higher-cost variants. Meanwhile, to attract budget-conscious customers, you can use lower-priced options.
• Drawbacks: Requires careful consideration of production costs and customer perception of value.
• Ideal for: Almost all products where you can base prices based on features and costs incurred.

3. Value-Based Pricing: Shopify product variants can be priced based on the perceived value they offer to the customer. In this pricing method, you can define a base variant for a particular price, while the higher variant, with better materials or premium features, is priced higher.

For example, a smartphone’s base model can be the lowest priced, while the higher model with additional features and specifications is priced higher.

• Benefits: The base variant of a product can appeal to budget-conscious customers, while the higher variants can be targeted towards premium customers. This allows you to capture the full value proposition of each variant.
• Drawbacks: Requires a strong understanding of your target audience and their perception of value for different features.
• Ideal for: Electronics, gifts, and other products where each variant has add-on features or premium offerings.

4. Price Bundles: Offer discounted pricing when customers purchase multiple variants together. This can be particularly effective with complementary products.

• Benefits: Encourages customers to purchase more products and increases average order value.
• Drawbacks: Requires careful selection of products for bundling to ensure value perception for the customer.
• Ideal for: Any industry where bundling multiple products can incentivize customers to purchase a combination rather than individual items.

Using Product Variants for Targeted Marketing

The power of product variants extends beyond offering customers more choices. You can strategically leverage them to create targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with specific customer segments.

Here are some strategies to help you with that:

1.  Offer Personalized Product Recommendations

You can use Shopify’s recommendation engine or algorithm to recommend similar products to the customer based on their browsing history, items in the cart, or previous purchases. For example, if a customer views a red dress in size medium, you can recommend other variants of the same dress (different colors or patterns) in a similar size.

2.  Targeted Advertising Campaigns

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Targeted advertising helps increase revenue and the likelihood of purchase, as customers receive specific recommendations based on their interests and behaviors. 

In addition to specific recommendations, you can create targeted advertising campaigns on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, or use Google Ads, including Google Shopping Ads, to recommend variants of products that the user may have clicked on or previously viewed.

For example, if you have searched for a washing machine online or checked out a specific brand product on the brand’s eCommerce store, you will automatically start getting ad recommendations with other variations or similar products in your browser or social media apps. 

3.  Dynamic Search Ads

Shopify’s integration with dynamic search ad platforms like Google Ads can help you streamline your advertising process. This feature allows you to generate ads based on your product variants automatically.

As a result, customers searching for specific colors or sizes related to your products will be more likely to see your ads featuring those variants, increasing the visibility of your products.

4.  Email Marketing

In addition to advertising and search ads, you can even use direct emails to your customer to provide recommendations based on their preferences for specific variants. For example, if the user has signed up for your promotional emails, you can include product variants relevant to their preferences, improving the click-through rate and purchase rates.

5.  Optimized Product Pages

Product variants can also help you optimize your product pages for search engines. This includes using relevant keywords associated with specific variants in your product titles, descriptions, and meta tags. 

So, when a user is searching for a specific product, your website is likely to be showcased since you have specific products and tags instead of the generic tags that most of your competition may be using.

This way, you can improve the search ranking of your product pages for searches related to those specific variants, helping you get organic traffic.

Challenges and Solutions in Managing Product Variants

While product variants offer significant benefits, managing them effectively can present some challenges for Shopify store owners. Some of these challenges include:

1.  Data Entry & Categorization

Creating and maintaining accurate information on multiple product variants can be tricky and requires a well-planned approach. Plus, adding information for multiple products can be time-consuming, which leads to chances of errors.

Solution

Use tools like bulk import/export features to upload variant data in bulk. This helps you add, bulk edit, and delete product attributes and keeps all the information stored in one centralized dashboard for improved tracking.

2.  Inventory Management Challenges

Tracking inventory levels is a challenge for most online stores, especially if they have many items. If the product variants are not listed with unique product codes and categories, it can be challenging to track inventory levels. 

For example, you may have created product variants for one color but haven’t optimized all other products the same way. Thus, if the red color is out of stock, and every product variant has the same code, the restock may be of the same colors that you already have. Worse, the wrong order can be shipped, and replacement of the same can be a bane.

Solution

Implement a robust inventory management system, and conduct regular audits of all your product variants for improved accuracy

3.  Variant Data Accuracy Across Channels

Most Shopify stores do not just sell on a single platform. The same products are also listed on other marketplaces, and managing product information for multiple variants across all channels can be challenging.

Solution

While your products are listed and marketed across multiple channels, you can integrate all the information into a single platform to help manage discounts, offers, and product stocks efficiently.

Conclusion

Product variants are a powerful tool for Shopify store owners that offer a spectrum of advantages capable of profoundly enriching your business. They allow you to cater to diverse customer preferences, improve your SEO, and ultimately drive sales.

By implementing the aforementioned tips and strategies, you can effectively harness the potential of product variants as a formidable instrument for fostering growth and achieving success in your Shopify business.

FAQs

1.  How do I add variants to my Shopify products?

Adding variants to a Shopify product involves navigating to the “Products” section in your Shopify admin, selecting a product, and then adding variant details like size, color, or material. Shopify automatically generates all possible combinations of the options you provide​.

2.  Can I bulk-add variants to multiple products in Shopify?

Yes, you can bulk-add variants by exporting your products to a CSV file, adding the desired variants, and then re-importing the updated CSV file into Shopify. This method efficiently manages large numbers of product variants.

3.  What are the limitations of Shopify product variants?

Shopify allows up to 3 options (like size, color, and material) and 100 variants per product. Managing a large number of variants can become complex and may require the use of third-party apps if you need more flexibility​.

4.  How can I manage Shopify variant prices?

Shopify allows you to set different prices for different variants directly in the product setup area of your admin panel. This feature enables you to offer premium or discounted pricing on specific variants.

5.  What is the best way to manage Shopify product variant images?

You can assign a unique image for each variant that reflects its specific attributes. This enhances the customer’s shopping experience by showing them the exact variant they are interested in.

6.  How do I delete variants or variant options in Shopify?

To delete variants or their options, go to the “Variants” section of a product in your Shopify admin, select the variants you want to delete and remove them. Be cautious, as deleting options also deletes all variants associated with those options.

7.  How can I convert variants into separate products in Shopify?

To convert variants into separate products, you need to create new individual product entries for each variant you want to isolate. This involves duplicating the variant and modifying its details, such as the product name and SKU, to reflect its uniqueness as a standalone product.