WooCommerce Product Variations: Selling Sizes, Colours and Options

On this page

1. Key terms
2. Global vs custom attributes
3. Setting up a variable product
4. Variation images
5. Better option selection
6. Keep large variation sets manageable
7. Bulk editing
8. SEO for variable products

If you sell a T-shirt in five sizes and four colours, you don't want 20 separate products. WooCommerce's variable products let customers choose options on one product page, with each combination having its own price, stock and image.

Key terms

• Attribute: an option type, like size, colour or weight
• Terms: the values of an attribute, like S, M, L or Red, Blue
• Variation: a specific combination, like "Medium, Blue"

Global vs custom attributes

Global attributes (Products → Attributes) are reusable across products and can be used for filtering, such as filtering the whole store by size. Custom attributes are defined on a single product. Use global attributes for common options like size and colour.

Setting up a variable product

1. Choose "Variable product" as the product type
2. Add attributes and tick "Used for variations"
3. Generate variations from all attribute combinations, or add them one by one
4. For each variation, set price, SKU, stock and image
5. Set a default selection if one option is most popular

Variation images

Assign an image to each colour so the main photo changes when the customer selects it. This reduces confusion and returns.

Better option selection

• Swatches: colour circles and size buttons instead of dropdowns, via a swatches plugin or theme feature
• Size charts: a clear chart next to the size selector
• Show availability: grey out out-of-stock combinations

Keep large variation sets manageable

Products with dozens or hundreds of variations can slow the admin and product pages. Consider:

• Only creating combinations you actually sell
• Using product add-ons for options that don't need separate stock (like gift wrapping or engraving)
• Splitting very different versions into separate products

Bulk editing

WooCommerce lets you set prices and stock for all variations at once, and CSV import/export helps manage large catalogues.

SEO for variable products

Variations share one product URL, which keeps ranking signals together. Mention available sizes and colours in the description. See the WooCommerce SEO guide.

Pair good variations with a strong product page; see product page optimisation.