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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- TL;DR — Shopify Product Options vs Variants
- How to Add Product Options & Variants in Shopify
- How to Enable Swatches on Product Options on Shopify
- 5 Best Shopify Variants & Options Apps
- Example of Product Customization Using an App
- Final Thoughts on Shopify Variants & Options
- FAQs about Shopify Variants & Options
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Shopify Variants & Options — Everything You Need to Know [2024]
Updated:
15
minutes read
![Shopify Variants & Options — Everything You Need to Know [2024]](http://gempages.net/cdn/shop/articles/Shopify_variants_options_-_thumb_9fb5fb93-2e06-4c8a-8b21-acc9e1aebd44_1024x1024.jpg?v=1729389807)
Imagine going online shopping for a nice winter hoodie:
You’re so excited to buy a cool hoodie to show your swag, and of course, you have your favorite color in mind. You picked a stylishly designed hoodie only to find out — it has only one color variant, and that’s not your favorite one. It’ll be quite disappointing, right?
Whether selling clothing items or cars (real or toys), you can’t keep every customer happy with just one variant of the product. For most products, you must offer multiple different variants.
So, let’s discuss Shopify variants and options — the features that help you organize your products for different customer needs — and how you can enhance the user experience and visual appeal of your product pages.
This blog post will also help you understand the difference between Shopify variants and options, their use cases, and how to add product options in Shopify.
TL;DR — Shopify Product Options vs Variants
|
Key Differentiator |
Shopify Product Options |
Shopify Product Variants |
What is it? |
Shopify product options are major categories of a single product representing different characteristics or specifications. |
Shopify product variants are specific versions of a product made with a combination of product options and its specific values. |
Examples: |
Size |
Option Value 1: Small Option Value 2: Medium Option Value 3: Large |
|
Color |
Option Value 1: Black Option Value 2: Blue Option Value 3: White |
|
|
Material |
Option Value 1: Cotton Option Value 2: Linen Option Value 3: Silk |
|
|
Variant #1: Small, Black, Cotton Shirt Variant #2: Small, Blue, Cotton Shirt …. and so on. |
||
Shopify’s Default Limit |
Maximum up to 3 product options |
Maximum up to 100 product variants |
What Are >Shopify Product Options?
Shopify product options are the major categories within a single product representing different characteristics or specifications — such as size, color, material, metal, etc. — that help customers buy the exact version of the product as per their specific needs.
Some products may have just one “product option” (e.g., color) whereas some may have two, three, or even more product options depending on the type of product. For example, clothing products usually have at least 2-3 options, i.e., color, size, and material.
Similarly, jewelry products may have product options based on the metal, size, diamond quality, etc.
What are Shopify Product Variants?
Product variants are a combination of “Product Option” (let’s call it a main category) and “Option Values” (sub-categories). So basically, variants are unique versions of a single product with different characteristics or specifications.
For example, as you can see here — product variants are made of combinations of product options and options values, i.e., “Large, Dark Black Hoodie” is one variant, and “Large, Navy Blue Hoodie” is another one.
Just to be clear — these product options and variants don’t need to have the fixed naming conventions (that we mentioned above in the examples). You can create your custom variants with custom names in the product options and option values.
For example, let’s say you’re selling wooden furniture items. In that case, one of your product options could be the “Type of Wood” and the option values may include: Teak Wood, Rosewood, Mahogany Wood, etc.
What Are the Maximum Product Options and Variant Limits on Shopify?
Shopify allows you to create up to 3 product options and 100 variants for each product.
If your store or certain products require more than 100 variants, you can install a product options app from the Shopify App Store. There are many free as well as paid apps that can help you create more than 100 variants.
Apart from increasing the limits for product options and variants, most of these apps also provide other value-added features such as color swatches and customization options. Using those features, you can enhance your customer experience and sales revenue.
We’ll cover some of the top product option apps later in this article.
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How to Add Product Options & Variants in Shopify
There are three main ways to add product options and variants to your products in Shopify. Let’s briefly review each of these methods:
Method #1: Adding Limited Options/Variants Through Shopify Admin
This is applicable only if you want to add/edit the Shopify product options/variants within the given limit.
- Step 1: Go to the Products page from the Shopify admin.
- Step 2: Open the specific product page to which you’d like to add options/variants.
- Step 3: Scroll down to the “Variants” section and click on the “Add another option”. Then insert the option name and different variants under each option.
Method #2: Adding Unlimited Options/Variants Through an App
If you’re looking to add more product options/variants beyond the given limit, you can do so using a third-party app from the Shopify App Store.
How to Add Shopify Multiple Product Options:
- Step 1: Research and finalize your Shopify product options app.
- Step 2: Install the app following the instructions provided by the app developer.
- Step 3: Configure the app settings.
- Step 4: Add product options & variants through the app.
Method #3: Adding Product Options/Variants with CSV Export-Import
You can even add product options and variants by exporting the product data into a CSV file. Add/edit the product options and variants in the CSV file and then import it back to your store. Again, this method will also be subject to Shopify’s default limit of 3 options and 100 variants for each product.
Learn more: We have covered all these three methods with detailed step-by-step guides in this article — How to Add Variants on Shopify in 3 Different Ways
Exception: Adding Variants When Using a Product Sourcing App
In case you’re importing products from a third-party POD (print-on-demand) or dropshipping vendor app (e.g., Printful, Printify, CJdropshipping, etc.) — you won’t need to manually create/insert product options or variants.
For example, let’s see this product on CJdropshipping: “Long Sleeved Shirt”. The product page shows different variants just like your customers would see on your store.
When you go to the product listing, you’ll be able to see all the variants along with other details such as SKU, CJ Price, and Your Price for each variant.
Pro tip: Keep in mind — you may need to (or should) exclude variants that you don’t want to include or list on your store. Why would you do that? It’s because you don’t want to overwhelm your customers with too many options.
For example, let’s say you’re selling t-shirts through Printful (a POD provider). When adding a t-shirt to your store, you’ll have the option to add many different color variants to a single product. But it’s not advisable to keep 20 different color options for customers. It might lead to confusion and customers not choosing any of them.
Instead, offer a maximum of 5-7 best options only.
Using Category Metafields
How to change product option values across the store?
Shopify allows you to connect category metafields with your product variants and option values. Meaning, you can change the color "Black" to "Charcoal" and it will automatically update that option value across the store.
Learn more about category metafields.
How to Enable Swatches on Product Options on Shopify
From a conversion standpoint, the product page is one of the most crucial pages on your store. After all, that’s where the customer takes the final call to add the product to the cart and goes for checkout.
To enhance the user experience on your product pages and make it visually appealing, you can present product variants with stylish color swatches, buttons, or images.
Mainly, there are two easy methods to achieve this: 1. Using GemPages and 2. Using a product options app. Let’s briefly review both of these methods:
Method #1: Using GemPages — Without a Product Options App
GemPages is Shopify’s leading page builder app with an impressive rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars — from more than 4,600 reviews on the Shopify App Store.
If you don’t require more than 100 variants and are looking to stylize your product page with color swatches and other elements, GemPages is a great choice.
Step 1: Install the GemPages App
Go to the Shopify App Store and search the GemPages app. Click the Install button and follow the steps for installation. Get an overview of the GemPages Dashboard.
Step 2: Open the Product Page
Open the product page where you’d like to add color swatches.
Step 3: Insert the Swatches element
In the left sidebar, search “Swatches”, and you’ll find two elements — “Product Variants” and “Product Swatches”. Simply drag and drop the element where you’d like to place it on the product page.
Step 3: Customize the Appearance of Swatches
The product swatches element can help you display the product variants in different styles. These styles include:
- Dropdown
- Button selection
- Shopify image
- Color swatch
- Upload image
Now, you can customize the appearance of the element and change the colors as well.
Once you’ve made all the customization, click Save and publish the page.
Learn more: Product Variants and Swatches Element - Help Center
Pros of Using GemPages:
Remember — GemPages is not just about adding variants and swatches. Here’s a brief overview of the most crucial advantages of using GemPages for your Shopify store:
- Advanced design features: GemPages offers a wide range of store design features to help you create stunning store pages and landing pages.
- Extensive library of templates: Use professionally designed templates to speed up your design process — no coding experience required.
- CRO-focused elements: GemPages is built with CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) in mind. Use various design, eCommerce, and marketing elements to increase your sales and conversions.
- Free plan available: You can publish the first page for free — no credit card required.
Method #2: Using a Product Options App
When you’re using a Shopify product options app, you can add swatches through the app.
Go to the Shopify product options app you’re using and input the color swatches depending on the product. Save settings to publish the changes on your live store.
5 Best Shopify Variants & Options Apps
Shopify App Store offers you plenty of options to choose an app based on your requirements. We’ve curated a list of top Shopify apps for adding multiple options/variants.
There are multiple aspects that you may find common among all these apps. Especially, they all offer you the capability of creating more than 100 variants.
1. Globo Product Options, Variant
Globo Product Options is one of the most popular product options apps with over 2,600 reviews. The app also has the “Built for Shopify” badge indicating it meets Shopify’s quality, performance, and design standards.
Key Features:
- Multiple customization options: Lets you add text input fields, upload images, update color swatches, dropdowns, and checkbox options.
- Add-on price: Show and apply additional cost for different product variants.
- Conditional logic: Set logic to display or hide relevant product options based on previous selections.
- Bulk editing: Insert a product option to either all products in your store or a selected group of products only.
Ratings & Reviews:
4.9 Out of 5 Stars (2,658 Reviews)
Pricing:
2. Infinite Product Options
Infinite Product Options is another great app that you may consider. When it comes to the number of reviews, it crosses other apps in this category with more than 3,900 reviews.
Key Features:
- Multiple customization options: Allows customers to customize products with options such as a text input field, radio buttons, dropdowns, color swatches, variant images, date picker, and other options.
- Bundling options: Leverage product options to promote add-on bundle offers and increase your average order value (AOV).
- Product personalizations: Offer customers personalization options with swatches, custom printing, engraving, and monogramming.
- Conditional logic: Display relevant product options or hide irrelevant ones based on set logic.
Ratings & Reviews:
4.8 Out of 5 Stars (3,967 Reviews)
Pricing:
3. Product Options Variant Option
Product Options Variant Option offers an all-in-one solution for customizing product options and variants. This app also has the Built for Shopify badge.
Key Features:
- Customization options: Offers flexible options such as text inputs, file upload, size charts, color swatches, etc.
- Variant-based pricing: Add additional cost to special product variants, if needed, to maintain the profit margins.
- Use cases: Displays the product options and variants throughout your store orders as well as emails.
- Visual appeal: Lets you transform basic options into visually appealing color and image swatches.
Ratings & Reviews:
4.9 Out of 5 Stars (1,170 Reviews)
Pricing:
4. Product Options & Customizer
As the name suggests, the Product Options & Customizer app lets you create product options and offer customizations too.
Key Features:
- Engaging user experience: Transform visuals based on the selection to create an interactive and immersive shopping experience.
- Variant-based pricing: Add extra charges on premium product options/variants to keep your profit margins intact.
- Enhanced customization: Lets your customers combine product variants from different products to level up the customization game.
- Multiple customization options:: Display other options such as date picker, font picker, and image/file upload option for product customizations.
Ratings & Reviews:
4.8 Out of 5 Stars (1,761 Reviews)
Pricing:
5. DPO Dynamic Product Options
DPO Dynamic Product Options is one of the highly praised apps with a 5.0 rating out of 5 stars. It not only lets you create unlimited product options but also helps you promote product bundling offers.
Key Features:
- Custom options: Create unlimited product options with conditional logic as well as color swatches.
- Product bundling: Lets you create configurable and bundle products assigned with unique SKUs.
- Price calculators: Configure price calculators using custom math formulas based on your needs.
- Multiple customization options: Create various customization options such as checkboxes, fonts, dates, dropdown menus, radio buttons, file upload option, and custom text input field.
- Flexibility: Enhanced flexibility in customizations with custom CSS and HTML options.
Ratings & Reviews:
5.0 Out of 5 Stars (368 Reviews)
Pricing:
Example of Product Customization Using an App
Let’s see how Sunset Pergola Kits is using the product options app — Infinite Product Options — on their Shopify store. One of their products, Small Pergola With Roof, requires multiple inputs from customers for customizations.
Similarly, you can use these features to offer product customization options to your customers. The options and options values depend on the types of products you’re selling.
For example, if you’re selling gift jewelry items, you can add an option for a “Gift Box” selection which can have different option values such as Standard Box, Luxury Box, Personalized Message Box, etc.
Final Thoughts on Shopify Variants & Options
Offering product options and variants is a critical strategy.
If customers don’t find the variant of their choice easily, they can switch to a competitor. Thus, this strategy can have either a positive or negative impact on your store’s conversion rate.
Make sure to put effort into customer research and analyze customer behavior to make any necessary improvements in your product options and variants.
For eCommerce marketing strategies and best practices, check out more resources on our Blog. Join the GemPages Facebook community to network and learn from like-minded entrepreneurs and experts.
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FAQs about Shopify Variants & Options
What is the difference between options and variants on Shopify?
Shopify product options and variants are different features yet associated with each other. Product options are the main categories within a product such as size, color, and materials. On the other hand, product variants are specific versions of those product options such as ’XL white cotton shirt’ which covers options: size, color, and material respectively.
How do I get variant options on Shopify?
Go to Shopify admin and click on the Products tab on the left sidebar. Choose either a new product by clicking on ‘Add product’ or click on any existing product. Scroll down on the product page in the admin and you’ll find a Variants section where you can add or edit product variants.
How do I add color options on Shopify?
You can add color swatches for product options on your Shopify store using a page builder app like GemPages or using a dedicated product options app such as the Globo Product Options app.
How do I manage variants on Shopify?
You can manage your product variants directly through the Shopify admin — either manually for each product or via bulk editing. Also, you can manage variants through CSV export-import. If you’re using a dedicated product options app, you need to manage variants from the respective app’s dashboard.
How do I get more than 100 variants on Shopify?
Since Shopify’s default variant limit is 100 only — if you want to get more than 100 variants, you need to install a third-party app from the Shopify App Store. Here are some recommended apps to do this: 1. Globo Product Options, Variant 2. Infinite Product Options 3. Product Options Variant Option 4. Product Options & Customizer
What is an example of a variant?
Let’s say you’re selling jewelry items and one of your products is a necklace. The necklace may have different variants such as 24-carat gold necklace, 18-carat gold necklace, silver necklace, and so on.
- TL;DR — Shopify Product Options vs Variants
- How to Add Product Options & Variants in Shopify
- How to Enable Swatches on Product Options on Shopify
- 5 Best Shopify Variants & Options Apps
- Example of Product Customization Using an App
- Final Thoughts on Shopify Variants & Options
- FAQs about Shopify Variants & Options
