How to Show Product Variant in Shopify: A Comprehensive Guide

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Understanding Product Variants
3. Setting Up Product Variants in Shopify
4. Advanced Techniques for Displaying Product Variants
5. Optimizing Your Store for Better Variant Display
6. Conclusion
7. FAQ

Introduction

Did you know that 70% of online shoppers abandon their carts due to poor product options? As ecommerce professionals, we must ensure that our product offerings are not just accessible but also enticing. One crucial element that can significantly enhance the shopping experience is effectively displaying product variants. In this post, we will delve into the strategies on how to show product variants in Shopify, helping you optimize your store for better engagement and conversion rates.

Recognizing the importance of product variants is paramount in today's competitive ecommerce landscape. Variants allow customers to choose their preferred options, such as color, size, or style, ultimately reducing friction during the buying process. This blog will guide you through the steps to showcase your product variants effectively, highlighting the significance of each approach.

By the end of this article, you will understand how to add, manage, and display product variants in your Shopify store, making your products more appealing and easier to navigate for customers. We will cover everything from adding variants in the Shopify admin to utilizing advanced techniques that improve visibility and user interaction.

As we navigate through these strategies, we encourage you to reflect on your current digital strategies. Are your product variants displayed effectively? Could there be a smoother way to improve customer selection? Let’s explore how PowerCommerce can empower your ecommerce brand to thrive.

Understanding Product Variants

What Are Product Variants?

Product variants are different versions of a product that share the same base details but vary in specific attributes, such as size, color, or material. For example, a t-shirt may come in multiple colors and sizes, each representing a unique variant. In Shopify, variants allow you to manage inventory and pricing for each distinct option efficiently.

Why Are Product Variants Important?

Displaying product variants effectively can lead to higher customer satisfaction and increased sales. When customers can easily identify and select their preferred product options, they are less likely to abandon their carts. Moreover, showcasing variants prominently enhances the overall shopping experience, making it easier for customers to find what they want.

Setting Up Product Variants in Shopify

Step 1: Adding Variants to Your Product

To display product variants in your Shopify store, you first need to add them to your products. Here’s how:

1. Log into your Shopify Admin: Go to your Shopify dashboard.
2. Navigate to Products: Click on 'Products' from the left-hand menu.
3. Select a Product: Choose the product you want to add variants to or create a new one.
4. Go to the Variants Section: Scroll down to the 'Variants' section and click on Add variant.
5. Enter Option Details: Here, you can specify the options (for example, size or color) and their values (like Small, Medium, Large, etc.).
6. Set Prices and Inventory: After adding variants, you can set individual prices and inventory levels for each one. This is crucial when different variants have different costs.

Adding product variants allows you to transform a single product listing into a multi-faceted offering that can cater to various customer preferences.

Step 2: Customizing Your Product Pages

Once you have added variants, the next step is to ensure they are displayed correctly on your product pages. Depending on your theme and layout, you may need to customize the display settings.

1. Edit the Product Template: Access your theme editor by navigating to Online Store > Themes > Customize. Here, you can modify how product variants appear.
2. Add a Variant Picker: Ensure that your theme includes a variant picker block. If it doesn't, you can add it manually by selecting the product information section in your theme editor. This block allows customers to select their desired variant directly on the product page.
3. Preview Changes: Always preview the changes to ensure that the variants display correctly before publishing them.

By customizing your product pages, you enhance the visibility of your variants, making it easier for customers to choose their preferred options.

Advanced Techniques for Displaying Product Variants

Utilizing Swatches for Color Variants

Instead of displaying color variants in a dropdown menu, consider using color swatches to enhance the user experience.

1. Install a Swatch App: Add a Shopify app that supports color swatches, such as Variator. This app allows users to see color options directly on the product page.
2. Customize Swatch Appearance: Ensure that the swatches are visually appealing and match your store’s branding. This can create a more engaging shopping experience.

Using swatches can make the selection process quicker and more intuitive for customers, ultimately leading to increased conversions.

Showcasing Variants on Collection Pages

Displaying product variants directly on collection pages can improve visibility and encourage customers to explore different options without clicking through to product pages.

1. Modify Theme Code: You may need to edit your theme’s liquid files to show variants on collection pages. This requires basic coding knowledge. Look for the file that corresponds to your collection grid and add code snippets to display each variant.
2. Use Third-party Apps: If modifying the code seems daunting, consider using apps that offer this functionality, making it easy to showcase variants without extensive coding.

By showing variants on collection pages, you provide a seamless browsing experience that enhances product discoverability.

Leveraging Metafields for Custom Options

Shopify’s metafields allow you to add custom data to your products, which can be particularly useful for managing unique variants.

1. Define Metafields: In your Shopify admin, navigate to Settings > Metafields and define the custom metafields you want to use for your product variants.
2. Link Variants to Metafields: When adding or editing variants, link them to the relevant metafields to enrich the data associated with each variant.

Using metafields can provide more context to your variants, making them more appealing and informative to potential buyers.

Optimizing Your Store for Better Variant Display

SEO Best Practices

To ensure that your product variants are discoverable through search engines, follow these SEO best practices:

1. Use Descriptive Titles and Alt Text: Ensure that each variant has a descriptive title and includes relevant keywords in the alt text for images. This helps with search visibility.
2. Create Unique Descriptions: If variants have unique features, consider writing specific descriptions that highlight these differences to improve keyword relevance.
3. Utilize Schema Markup: Implement structured data (schema markup) to help search engines understand your product offerings better.

By optimizing your variant listings for SEO, you can attract more organic traffic and improve your store's visibility.

Ensuring Mobile Responsiveness

With a growing number of consumers shopping on mobile devices, it's essential to ensure that your product variants display well on smaller screens.

1. Test Across Devices: Use mobile testing tools to see how your product variants appear on different devices and screen sizes.
2. Adjust Layouts if Necessary: If variants don’t display correctly, consider adjusting the layout or using responsive design principles to ensure usability.

Ensuring mobile responsiveness is crucial to retaining customers and encouraging conversions on all devices.

Conclusion

In summary, effectively displaying product variants in your Shopify store is vital for improving user experience and driving sales. By understanding how to add, customize, and optimize product variants, we can provide a more engaging shopping experience that meets customer needs.

As we’ve explored, from the basics of adding variants in the Shopify admin to advanced techniques like using swatches and displaying variants on collection pages, every step contributes to a more seamless and efficient ecommerce operation. At PowerCommerce, we are committed to empowering ecommerce brands with innovative solutions like the PowerCommerce eStore Suite to enhance your digital storefront and drive sustainable growth.

Are you ready to transform how you display your product variants? Book a free audit today and discover how we can help optimize your Shopify store for success!

FAQ

1. How many variants can I have for a product in Shopify? Shopify allows up to 100 variants per product, with a maximum of three options (like size, color, material).

2. Can I show variants directly on collection pages? Yes, you can modify your theme code or use third-party apps to display product variants directly on collection pages.

3. What should I do if my variants are not showing up? Ensure that you have added the variants correctly in the Shopify admin and that your theme includes a variant picker. If issues persist, check for any theme settings that may need adjustment.

4. Are there apps that can help with product variant management? Yes, there are several apps available in the Shopify App Store that can assist with displaying and managing product variants, such as Variator, which allows for enhanced visibility of variants.

5. How can I improve the SEO of my product variants? Use descriptive titles, optimize images with alt text, write unique descriptions for each variant, and implement schema markup to increase visibility in search engines.