In short. Choose Variable Product, save attributes enabled for variations, create the combinations, enter variation data and prices, then save and publish.
Definition: As of 17 October 2026, WooCommerce documents a variable product as a product offered in variations, such as different sizes or colors, with control over each variation's price, stock, and image. Attributes describe the options used to create those variations.
Key facts
- WooCommerce's product management overview describes variations with their own price and stock level.
- The product editor reference specifies that Used for variations makes an attribute available in the Variations section.
- The variable product guide requires a price for each variation; variations without prices do not appear in the store.
How are the product type and attributes configured?
The workflow in WooCommerce's variable product guide starts in Products > Add New Product in the WordPress administration area. After entering the product name, the merchant selects Variable Product from the Product data dropdown and opens Attributes.
An attribute is a product detail, such as size, with values representing the available options. The product editor reference describes global attributes configured under Products > Attributes, which can be selected through Add existing. Add new creates an attribute available only to the current product.
For a product-specific attribute, the variable product guide uses a vertical bar to separate values. Its size example uses this values-field syntax:
Medium | Large | XL | XXL
The Used for variations checkbox makes the attribute available for creating variations. Visible on the product page controls its display in the page's Additional Information section, subject to the theme or page builder. The attributes are saved with Save Attributes.
How are variations created and saved?
WooCommerce's variable product guide offers Generate variations to create all possible combinations of attribute values, or Add manually to specify the combinations available for sale.
Each variation expands into an editing panel. The merchant enters its product information, repeats the process for the other variations, and selects Save changes at the bottom of the variations menu. Publish then publishes the product. The same guide warns that changing attributes after creating variations may require redefining the variations so their combinations work correctly.
Which information belongs to each variation?
WooCommerce's variation data reference lists Regular Price as required and Sale Price as optional. Each variation can also have its own image, weight, dimensions, and shipping class. Blank weight or dimension fields use the main product's corresponding values.
The product editor reference defines a stock-keeping unit, or SKU, as an identifier used to search for and track a product or variation. The variation data reference states that a blank variation SKU uses the product-level SKU when one is set.
Stock can be shared at product level or tracked separately for each variation. Enabling Manage Stock? within a variation provides its own stock quantity and backorder settings. A backorder permits sales below zero stock. Variations without their own stock management draw from product-level inventory when that inventory is enabled.
How is the storefront checked?
WooCommerce's customer-view documentation describes a product page where customers select each required option before adding the product to the cart. After selection, the page shows the matching variation's price, image, and availability. Dropdowns or buttons depend on the active theme.
Checking the available combinations on the product page therefore includes checking these variation-specific details. A default selection can be configured through default form value at the top of the variation settings, after a variation exists.
Related terms
- Where do I enter a product's identifiers in WooCommerce?
- How do I import WooCommerce product variations by CSV?
- Where do I edit a WooCommerce product's short description?
FAQ
Why is a variation missing from the store?
Check its Regular Price. WooCommerce's variable product guide states that variations without prices do not show in the store.
Can I apply a price change to all variations?
Yes. The same guide documents Bulk actions at the top of the Variations tab, including Set regular prices. These actions apply to all variations of the current product.
Can I preselect a variation?
Yes. Set the default form value after creating a variation. With default values set, shoppers can add the product to the cart without making a selection first.
Sources
- WooCommerce, "Adding and Managing Products", undated
- WooCommerce, "Variable Products", undated
- WooCommerce, "WooCommerce Product Editor settings", undated
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