Getting Started with Better Product Variations

Are you tired of customers clicking through to every single product just to see what colors or styles are available? Do you wish your shop pages could showcase all your product variations at once, making it easier for customers to find exactly what they want?

Better Product Variations transforms your WooCommerce shop by displaying product variations as individual items right on your shop and category pages. No more hidden options. No more lost sales from customers who didn’t realize you had their preferred color or style.

What Better Product Variations Does

Instead of showing just the parent product with a generic image, our plugin expands your variations so each one appears as its own product in your shop listings. Customers can see all available options immediately and add their preferred variation to cart without leaving the shop page.

Before vs After

Before: Your shop shows one “T-Shirt” product. Customers must click through to discover you have it in red, blue, and green.

After: Your shop displays “T-Shirt – Red”, “T-Shirt – Blue”, and “T-Shirt – Green” as separate items. Customers see all options instantly and can purchase directly.

Quick Setup (Under 2 Minutes)

Step 1: Install and Activate

  1. Upload the better-product-variations folder to your /wp-content/plugins/ directory
  2. Navigate to Plugins in your WordPress admin
  3. Find “Better Product Variations for WooCommerce” and click Activate

Step 2: Enable Variation Display

  1. Go to WooCommerce → Settings
  2. Click the Products tab
  3. Select the Better Variations sub-tab
  4. Check “Enable variation expansion”
  5. Click Save changes

Your variations are now displaying! But let’s optimize for your specific needs…

Step 3: Choose Which Attributes to Display

Not all variations need individual display. Maybe you want to show color variations but not sizes. Here’s how:

  1. In the same settings page, find “Expand variations by attributes”
  2. Select only the attributes that matter for visual browsing (typically Color, Style, Material)
  3. Click Save changes

Pro tip: Start with just one attribute like “Color” to see how it works, then add more as needed.

Understanding the Settings

Global Settings

Found at WooCommerce → Settings → Products → Better Variations

  • Enable variation expansion: Master on/off switch for the entire plugin
  • Expand variations by attributes: Choose which variation attributes should display as separate products

Per-Product Control

Need different settings for specific products? Each product can override global settings:

  1. Edit any variable product
  2. Find the “Variation Display” tab in the Product Data section
  3. Check “Override global settings”
  4. Configure this product’s specific display preferences

This is perfect when most products should expand by color, but a few special items need different treatment.

Your First Variation Display

Let’s walk through setting up your first product:

  1. Create a Variable Product (or edit an existing one)
  • Add your product title, description, and images as normal
  • Set Product Type to “Variable product”
  1. Set Up Attributes
  • Go to the Attributes tab
  • Add an attribute (e.g., “Color”)
  • Add values (e.g., “Red”, “Blue”, “Green”)
  • Check “Used for variations”
  • Save attributes
  1. Create Variations
  • Go to the Variations tab
  • Create variations for each attribute value
  • Set prices and images for each variation
  • Save the product
  1. See It in Action
  • Visit your shop page
  • Your single product now appears as multiple items
  • Each variation can be added to cart directly!

Best Practices for Success

1. Use Distinct Variation Images

Each variation should have its own image. This helps customers immediately see the difference between options.

2. Be Selective with Attributes

Not every attribute needs expansion. Consider:

  • Good for expansion: Color, Style, Material, Design
  • Usually skip: Size, Technical specs that don’t affect appearance

3. Write Clear Variation Titles

WooCommerce automatically creates titles like “T-Shirt – Red” but you can customize these for clarity.

4. Monitor Your Shop Layout

Some themes may need minor CSS adjustments. Our plugin adds helpful CSS classes for easy styling.

What’s Next?

Need Help?

Our support team is here to ensure your success. If you have questions about setup or configuration, check our FAQ or reach out to support.

Remember: The goal is to make shopping easier for your customers. When they can see all options at a glance, they’re more likely to find something they love and complete their purchase.

Ready to boost your conversions? Let’s make those variations shine!

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