Product Variations

Note

Product variations first appeared in CS-Cart & Multi-Vendor 4.6.1 as an alternative to option combinations. To create variations, you need to install and enable the Product Variations add-on. The add-on is currently at the beta stage.

Product variations are a way to group some specific option variants. For example, let’s assume that you sell T-shirts. They come in 3 colors (red, green, blue) and 3 sizes (small, medium, large). In this case T-shirt would be a product, and large blue T-shirt would be one of the product variations.

Product variations appear on the storefront almost the same way as option combinations.

A product can have either option combinations, or variations. If you plan to create variations of a product, set Product type to Configurable when you add the product.

Important

Once you create a product, you won’t be able to change its type. That’s why it’s important to know the differences between option combinations and product variations.

The product type is selected during product creation and determines how the options of the product will work.

Add Product Variations

  1. In the Administration panel, go to Products → Products and find your configurable product. Click Advanced search in the search menu on the right: the advanced search pop-up window will allow you to exclude simple products from the search results, leaving only configurable products.

  2. Click on the name of the configurable product to open the product editing page.

  3. Switch to the Options tab and click the Generate variations button.

    Note

    A product must have at least one option of the Check box, Select box, or Radio group type. Otherwise you won’t be able to create variations for this product.

    Use the "Generate variations" button to create variations.

  4. The list of options and their variants will appear. Select the variants that will be used for creating variations. Use CTRL or Shift to select multiple variants at once.

    Note

    Currently variations can be added only via generation, and generation overwrites existing variations of a product. That’s why it might be better to generate all variations of a product that you’ll ever need and disable the ones that you don’t have in stock yet.

    It's better to create all possible variations and disable the ones you don't need. Otherwise you'll have to re-generate variations when you decide to add a new one.

  5. Click Next.

  6. The list of all variations to be generated for the product will appear. You can change the name, code, price, list price, weight, and the quantity in stock for each variant, if necessary. You can also delete the variants you don’t need.

  7. When you’re ready, click the Generate button. The variations will be generated, and you’ll be taken to the page in the Administration panel, when the created variations are displayed in a list as separate products.

    Warning

    Clicking Generate will remove all variations that you created for this product earlier.

    The "Generate" button will delete the existing variations of the product and create the variations that you see on the list.

Edit Product Variations

  1. In the Administration panel, go to Products → Products and find the variation you’d like to edit. There are multiple ways to find the variation:

    • Find the product variation using the Advanced search link from the search menu on the right. You’ll be able to search either for all variations, or for variations of specific products.

      Hint

      If you use this method, you’ll be able to edit multiple variations at once: just tick the checkboxes next to the names of the variations, click the gear button in the top right corner, and choose Edit selected.

    • Find the configurable product (again, it’s best to use Advanced search), click on its name, and switch to the Variations tab.

    The list of variations allows you to edit some of the variation properties.

  2. Once you see the list of variations, you can do 2 things:

    • Edit price, list price, quantity, and status of the variation.
    • Click the name of the variation to open the editing page, that contains more product properties.

  3. Once you’re done with editing, click the Save button in the top right corner.

    A product variation is much like a separate product in the Administration panel.

Delete Product Variations

  1. In the Administration panel, go to Products → Products and find the variation you’d like to delete. There are multiple ways to find the variation:

    • Find the configurable product, click on its name, and switch to the Variations tab.
    • Find the product variation using the Advanced search link from the search menu on the right. You’ll be able to search either for all variations, or for variations of specific products.

  2. Hover over the variation you’d like to delete. The gear button will appear. Click it and choose Delete.

    Hint

    If you find the variations by using Advanced search, you’ll be able to delete multiple variations at once: just tick the checkboxes next to the names of the variations, click the gear button in the top right corner, and choose Delete selected.

    You can delete multiple variations at once, but only if you find them via Advanced Search, not on the Variations tab.