How to Change the Order of Product Options in WooCommerce

WooCommerce is one of the most popular platforms for creating online stores. It’s flexible, powerful, and allows store owners to customize their product pages to fit their needs. One common customization is changing the order of product options such as sizes, colors, and other attributes. Changing the order of these product options can improve the customer experience, making it easier for shoppers to find what they’re looking for.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through different methods for changing the order of product options in WooCommerce.

1. Changing the Order of Product Attributes in the Product Data Section

Step 1: Access the Product Data Section

The first step to changing the order of your product options is to go to the Product Data section of the product you want to edit.

1. Go to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Navigate to Products > All Products.
3. Select the product for which you want to change the attribute order.

Step 2: Adjust the Attributes

In the Product Data section, you’ll see the Attributes tab. Here’s how to reorder your product options:

1. Click on the Attributes tab.
2. You will see a list of all the attributes (such as size, color, material, etc.) associated with the product.
3. You can reorder the attributes by dragging and dropping the individual options.

Unfortunately, this method only works for the product’s attributes (like size or color), not the options displayed to customers on the product page.

Step 3: Save Changes

Once you’ve made the necessary changes, click Update to save your adjustments.

2. Changing the Order of Variations

If you’re working with variable products (like a t-shirt that comes in multiple sizes and colors), changing the order of variations can be a bit more complicated, but it’s still possible.

Step 1: Access Variations

To change the order of variations:

1. Go to Products > All Products.
2. Select the variable product.
3. Navigate to the Variations tab under the Product Data section.

Step 2: Reorder Variations

WooCommerce does not have a built-in drag-and-drop interface for ordering variations, so you will need to reorder them manually:

1. In the Variations section, you’ll see a list of the available combinations of product attributes (e.g., small red, medium blue, etc.).
2. To change the order, you can modify the variation’s position by editing the menu order field (though this is not visible by default, you may need to activate it).

To do so, you can use a plugin or some custom code to set a particular menu order.

Step 3: Save Changes

Once you’ve reordered the variations, click Save Changes and then Update the product.

3. Using a Plugin to Reorder Product Options

While the above methods work for basic reordering, for greater flexibility and ease, you can use a plugin designed to help you change the order of product options in WooCommerce. Plugins like WooCommerce Product Add-Ons or WooCommerce Extra Product Options give you additional control over the ordering of product options.

Step 1: Install a Plugin

To get started, follow these steps to install a plugin:

1. Go to Plugins > Add New.
2. Search for the plugin you want to install (e.g., “WooCommerce Extra Product Options”).
3. Install and activate the plugin.

Step 2: Customize Product Options

Once the plugin is activated, you can typically access a new section in your WooCommerce product editor that allows you to customize the order of product options.

For example, with WooCommerce Product Add-Ons, you can create additional product options and arrange them in any order you like.

Step 3: Reorder and Save

Once you’ve installed the plugin and customized your product options, save your changes and the new order will be reflected on the product page.

4. Custom Code Method for Advanced Users

If you’re comfortable with PHP and WordPress development, you can use custom code to change the order of product options. Below is an example of how you can reorder attributes:

function custom_product_attribute_order( $args ) {
    // Define custom order of attributes here
    $args['orderby'] = 'name';  // 'name' orders attributes alphabetically, change to 'menu_order' for manual order

    return $args;
}
add_filter( 'woocommerce_attribute_taxonomy_query', 'custom_product_attribute_order' );

Step 1: Add Custom Code

You can add this code to your theme’s functions.php file or use a plugin like Code Snippets for safe customization.

Step 2: Modify as Needed

This code will help reorder product attributes on the backend. If you want to adjust it further or make variations easier to manage, you’ll need to dive deeper into WooCommerce’s hooks and filters.

5. Considerations for Reordering Product Options

• Customer Experience: Think about how your customers will interact with the product page. The order of product options can affect their shopping experience. For example, placing popular options first or making them easier to find can improve conversions.
• SEO: Consider how reordering options might affect your SEO. Make sure that your changes do not confuse search engines or make important details harder to find.
• Mobile Users: Always ensure that any changes you make to the order of product options display well on mobile devices, as most traffic today comes from smartphones.

Conclusion

Changing the order of product options in WooCommerce can enhance the shopping experience for your customers and make your store more user-friendly. Whether you’re adjusting product attributes in the admin panel, managing variations, or using plugins or custom code, there are several ways to reorder your product options. By experimenting with these methods, you can customize your product pages and streamline your online store’s functionality.

Make sure to test the changes on your product pages and ensure the new order enhances your customers’ ability to navigate and make purchases.