How to Add a Variable Product to Your WordPress WooCommerce Website: A Step-by-Step Guide

Adding products to your WooCommerce store is a fundamental step in setting up your online business. Whether you’re selling physical goods, digital downloads, or variable products with multiple attributes, WooCommerce offers flexible tools to showcase your items effectively. In this guide, we’ll walk you through every detail of uploading a product, including variables, pricing, discounts, and more.

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Step 1: Access the Product Dashboard

1. Log in to your WordPress Admin Dashboard.
2. Navigate to Products > Add New from the left-hand menu. This opens the product editor.

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Step 2: Add Basic Product Information

• Product Name: Enter a clear, descriptive title (e.g., “Men’s Cotton T-Shirt”).
• Product Description:
• Long Description: Use the main editor to detail features, benefits, and specifications.
• Short Description: Add a brief summary (displayed prominently on the product page).

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Step 3: Select the Product Type

In the Product Data dropdown (top-left of the editor), choose the type that fits your item:

• Simple Product: A single item with no variations (e.g., a book).
• Variable Product: A product with variations (e.g., size, color).
• Grouped Product: A collection of related products (e.g., a camera bundle).
• External/Affiliate Product: For items sold on third-party sites.

For this guide, we’ll focus on Variable Products.

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Step 4: Set Pricing

• Regular Price: The standard cost of the product.
• Sale Price: Add a discounted price to enable automatic discounts.
• Click Schedule to set start/end dates for the sale.

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Step 5: Configure Inventory Management

Under the Inventory tab:

• SKU: Assign a unique stock-keeping unit (e.g., TSHIRT-MED-BLUE).
• Stock Status: Choose “In stock” or “Out of stock.”
• Manage Stock?: Enable to track inventory and set stock quantities.

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Step 6: Add Product Attributes (for Variable Products)

Attributes define variations like size or color:

1. Go to the Attributes tab.
2. Click Add.
3. Name the attribute (e.g., “Color”) and enter values (e.g., Red, Blue) separated by pipes (|).
4. Check Visible on the product page and Used for variations.
5. Click Save attributes.

Repeat for other attributes (e.g., Size, Material).

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Step 7: Create Variations

After saving attributes:

1. Go to the Variations tab.
2. Select Create variations from all attributes and click Go.
3. For each variation (e.g., Red/Medium):

• Set a unique Price, Sale Price, SKU, or Stock (if needed).
• Upload an image for that variation (e.g., a red shirt thumbnail).

1. Click Save changes.

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Step 8: Configure Shipping Details

Under the Shipping tab:

• Weight: Add in your preferred unit (e.g., kg, lbs).
• Dimensions: Enter length, width, and height for shipping calculations.

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Step 9: Assign Categories and Tags

• Categories: Organize products (e.g., “Apparel > T-Shirts”).
• Tags: Add keywords to improve searchability (e.g., “Summer,” “Casual”).

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Step 10: Upload Product Images

• Featured Image: Click Set featured image to add the main product photo.
• Product Gallery: Upload additional images under Product Gallery to showcase different angles or uses.

Tip: Optimize images for fast loading (e.g., use JPEG/WebP formats).

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Step 11: Publish Your Product

Review all details, then click:

• Publish to make the product live.
• Save Draft to keep it unpublished.

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Step 12: Preview and Test

Visit your product page to:

• Confirm prices, variations, and images display correctly.
• Test adding the product to the cart and checkout process.

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Advanced Tips

1. Bulk Discounts: Use plugins like WooCommerce Dynamic Pricing to set volume-based discounts.
2. SEO Optimization: Install Yoast SEO to optimize product titles and descriptions for search engines.
3. Downloadable Products: Enable the Downloadable option in Product Data for digital items (e.g., eBooks).

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Conclusion

With WooCommerce, adding products—even complex ones with variables and discounts—is straightforward once you understand the workflow. By following these steps, you can ensure your products are presented professionally, inventory is managed efficiently, and customers enjoy a seamless shopping experience.

Ready to start selling? Log in to your WordPress dashboard and put this guide into action! For more advanced features, explore WooCommerce’s extensive plugin library to tailor your store to your needs. Happy selling!