Variable Products

Import products with variations (size, color, etc.) and manage variation data

Overview

Variable products are products that have variations, such as different sizes, colors, or other attributes. PrimeLink supports importing variable products with all their variations, attributes, and variation-specific data.

You can import variable products in two ways: as part of a product import (with variations included) or as a separate variations import.

Understanding Variable Products

What are Variable Products?

Variable products consist of:

  • Parent Product: The main product with general information
  • Attributes: Variation attributes (Color, Size, Material, etc.)
  • Variations: Individual combinations of attributes with specific data

Example

A T-shirt variable product might have:

  • Parent: "Premium T-Shirt"
  • Attributes: Color (Red, Blue, Green), Size (S, M, L, XL)
  • Variations:
    • Red - Small (SKU: TSHIRT-RED-S, Price: $19.99)
    • Red - Medium (SKU: TSHIRT-RED-M, Price: $19.99)
    • Blue - Large (SKU: TSHIRT-BLUE-L, Price: $21.99)
    • ... and so on

Importing Variable Products

Method 1: Import with Product Import

When importing products, you can create variable products:

  1. Set Product Type to "Variable"
  2. Map Product Attributes (Color, Size, etc.)
  3. Attributes will be used to create variations
  4. Variations can be created automatically or imported separately

Method 2: Import Variations Separately

For more control, import variations separately:

  1. First, import or create the parent variable product
  2. Then use the Variations import type
  3. Map variation-specific data (SKU, price, stock, etc.)
  4. Link variations to parent product

Product Attributes

Creating Attributes

Attributes define what variations a product can have:

  • Map to "Product Attributes" section in Step 5
  • Attributes are created if they don't exist
  • Attribute values are added automatically
  • Multiple attributes can be used per product

Attribute Format

Attributes can be imported in various formats:

  • Simple: Color: Red
  • Multiple values: Color: Red, Blue, Green
  • Multiple attributes: Color: Red, Blue | Size: S, M, L
  • Used for variations: Attributes marked as "Used for variations" will create variations

Used for Variations

When mapping attributes:

  • Mark attributes as "Used for variations"
  • This tells WooCommerce to create variations from these attributes
  • All combinations of attribute values will create variations
  • Example: Color (3 values) × Size (4 values) = 12 variations

Variation Data

Variation-Specific Fields

Each variation can have its own:

  • SKU: Unique SKU for the variation
  • Price: Variation-specific price (overrides parent)
  • Sale Price: Variation-specific sale price
  • Stock Quantity: Variation-specific stock
  • Stock Status: In stock, Out of stock, On backorder
  • Weight: Variation-specific weight
  • Image: Variation-specific image
  • Description: Variation-specific description

Importing Variation Data

To import variation-specific data:

  1. Use the Variations import type (recommended)
  2. Or include variation data in the product import
  3. Map variation fields to source columns
  4. Link variations to parent product (by SKU or parent ID)

Data Structure Examples

Single Row per Product

One row with all attributes:

Title Type Attributes
T-Shirt Variable Color: Red, Blue | Size: S, M, L

This creates a variable product with all attribute combinations as variations.

Multiple Rows per Product

One row per variation:

Parent SKU Variation SKU Color Size Price Stock
TSHIRT TSHIRT-RED-S Red S 19.99 50
TSHIRT TSHIRT-RED-M Red M 19.99 75

This creates individual variations with specific data for each.

Best Practices

  • Use unique SKUs: Each variation should have a unique SKU
  • Link variations properly: Use parent SKU or ID to link variations
  • Import parent first: Create parent product before importing variations
  • Use variations import: For complex variation data, use separate variations import
  • Test with sample: Test with a few variations first
  • Check attribute combinations: Ensure all attribute combinations are valid
  • Set default variation: Mark one variation as default if needed

Common Issues and Solutions

Variations Not Created

  • Verify attributes are marked as "Used for variations"
  • Check attribute values are properly formatted
  • Ensure product type is set to "Variable"
  • Check import logs for specific errors

Variations Not Linked to Parent

  • Verify parent product exists
  • Check parent SKU or ID is correct
  • Ensure matching criteria is correct
  • Use parent product ID for most reliable linking

Too Many Variations Created

  • Check attribute values - remove duplicates
  • Verify attribute combinations are correct
  • Use specific variation data instead of auto-generating

Next Steps

🔄 Import Variations

Learn how to import variations separately

Learn More →
📦 Import Products

Complete guide to importing products

Learn More →
🏷️ Import Attributes

Learn about product attributes

Learn More →