Websites · Glossary
What are product variants?
Product variants are the specific buyable versions of a product, created from its options and their values. A shirt with the options size (S, M, L) and colour (white, navy) has six variants, from small white to large navy. Each variant can have its own price, SKU, stock and image, while sharing the product title and description.
Options describe how a product varies; variants are the combinations a buyer actually puts in the cart. Getting the split right keeps both the shop page and the stock count clear.
Nuwan Madhusanka · Co-founder
3 min read · Published
| Variant | Colour | Length | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oat | Regular | $62 |
| 2 | Oat | Long | $68 |
| 3 | Charcoal | Regular | $62 |
| 4 | Charcoal | Long | $68 |
| 5 | Rust | Regular | $62 |
| 6 | Rust | Long | $68 |
Options, values and variants
An option is a dimension such as size or colour. Values are its choices: S, M, L. Variants are every combination of values across options. The number of variants is the product of the value counts: three colours times two lengths gives six variants, and adding a third option multiplies again.
What each variant carries
Its own price, so a long apron can cost more; a compare at price for a sale; a SKU for packing and reports; a stock number, so one combination can sell out while others remain; and often an image or, for downloads, its own file. The title, description and main photos stay on the product.
Variants or separate products
Use variants when a buyer chooses one product in different forms. Use separate products when the items differ enough to need their own photos, description and page, such as a mug and a bowl. A rule of thumb: if you would describe them differently, they are different products.
Common mistakes
Creating every combination when some do not exist, which leaves sold out variants confusing buyers. Using variants for unrelated items to save setup time. And letting the variant count explode with many options, which makes the choice hard and the stock hard to manage.
Where it shows up in OneCraft
In the store product editor, switching on options builds a variant table from up to three options, each row with price, compare at price, SKU, a stock tracking tick and stock, and a file for download products. A product holds up to 100 variants. Buyers choose each option from a select on the product page, and sold out combinations cannot be added to the cart.
Questions people ask
How many variants can a product have?
It depends on the platform. Many cap variants per product, commonly around 100, and options at three. If a product needs more combinations than the cap, split it, for example one product per material, each with its colour and size options.
Can variants have different prices?
Yes. Each variant can carry its own price, which is how a larger size or a premium colour costs more. Product cards usually show a range, such as from $62 to $68, so buyers know prices vary before they open the product page.
Can I track stock per variant?
Yes, and you should for anything held in limited numbers, because each combination sells out separately. Variants such as made to order items or digital files can have stock tracking turned off, so they never show as sold out to buyers.
What is a default variant?
A product without options still has one variant behind the scenes, often called Default, which carries the price, SKU and stock. Adding options later replaces it with the combinations, so check prices and stock on every new row after switching options on.
Should every variant have its own photo?
Ideally colours are shown, because buyers want to see the version they choose. Put a photo of each colour in the gallery and name the colour in the alt text. Size variants rarely need separate photos if one image shows scale clearly.
Make one with websites
The button opens the generator with this use case already described. Change the wording to match your own.
Create a website with OneCraftRelated questions
- What is a SKU?What is a SKU? A stock keeping unit, a short code you assign to each product variant to track stock and orders. How to create SKUs that stay useful as you grow.
- What is a compare at price?What is a compare at price? The original price shown crossed out next to a lower sale price. How it displays and the law on was and now pricing.
- What is inventory reservation?What is inventory reservation? Holding items for a buyer during checkout so two people cannot pay for the last one. How holds work, expire and become sales.
Written and checked by the OneCraft team. Last checked .