How to Add Product Variants in Shopify: 3 Easy Steps Explained + Alternative Methods

Managing multiple product variations — like different sizes, colors, or materials — can be overwhelming without the right tools. That’s why Shopify product variants exist, allowing merchants to consolidate all options under a single product listing.

Whether you’re launching new products or updating an existing catalog, knowing how to add product variants in Shopify is essential for streamlining inventory and enhancing customer experience. In this guide, we’ll cover everything from manually creating variants in three intuitive steps to duplicating and importing them in bulk.

What Shopify Product Variants Are

Ever wondered how online stores let you choose different sizes, colors, or materials for a single product? That’s where Shopify product variants come into play. Shopify allows merchants to offer multiple options for a single product listing — so instead of cluttering your store with separate entries for each variation, you can keep everything organized under one product page.

Why Do Shopify Product Variants Matter?

Imagine you’re selling a shirt. Without variants, you’d have to list a separate product for every color and size combination — red in small, red in medium, red in large, and so on. That would make product management a nightmare. Shopify product variants streamline the process, enhancing both your backend efficiency and the customer’s shopping experience.

Each product variant in Shopify can have:

• A unique price
• A specific inventory level
• A dedicated SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
• A different image
• Its barcode

How Many Product Variants Can You Have in Shopify?

Shopify allows up to 100 variants per product and three options per product (e.g., Size, Color, Material). Third-party Shopify apps can help bypass this limitation if your product requires more variations.

Can You Customize Shopify Product Variants?

Absolutely! Variants are more than just size and color—think of custom engravings, packaging options, or even subscription choices. You can also adjust pricing per variant, ensuring premium materials or larger sizes cost appropriately.

Now that you understand what Shopify product variants are and why they’re essential, it’s time to get practical. In the next section, we’ll walk you through how to add product variants in Shopify, step by step.

How to Add Product Variants in Shopify

Whether you’re launching a new product with multiple configurations or updating an existing one, Shopify gives you the tools to easily set up variants during the product creation process. This guide will walk you through the three steps of adding variants to a product, ensuring that your store is ready to cater to a variety of customer preferences.

Step 1: Add a New Shopify Product

First of all, you either need to take an existing simple product or create a new one. You can do that in your Shopify admin on the Products screen. Follow this guide for further information: How to Add Products to Shopify.

Click the “Add product” button to create Shopify product variants

Step 2: Add Product Options

Now, proceed to the product details screen of an existing product or the one you’ve just added. Add options to your Shopify product:

1. Go to the Options section.
2. Check This product has options.
   
3. Next, provide an option name in the Option name field, e.g., Color. The system provides suggestions. Note that the option name is displayed to customers.
   
4. Now, enter each option value in Option values, e.g., Black, White, Green. Use a separate field per option value. Note that they are displayed to customers.
   
5. You can add up to 3 options per product. Click Add another option to add more.
   
6. Click Save.

Step 3: Configure Product Variants

A list of variants appears simultaneously with the product options. Shopify displays all possible combinations of options as variants. If you don’t want to sell any, uncheck the boxes next to them.

Click on the product variant to add a price, SKU, images, and barcode for an individual variant. At the same time, you can use the default options based on the product details.

Adding and editing product variants in Shopify is intuitive

How to Add Shopify Product Variants by Duplicating Existing Variants

You can also duplicate and edit a Shopify product variant to save time when adding similar variants. Do it as follows:

1. Go to the Shopify Products page in your admin.
2. Proceed to the product details page of the item that requires another variant.
3. Scroll down to the Variants section, select the variant you want to duplicate, and click Duplicate, selecting the corresponding option.
4. Edit at least one option value. This will create a unique variant.
5. Click Save.

You can duplicate existing Shopify product variants using “More actions”

Hot to Add Product Variant to Shopify by Importing Them

Manually adding product variants one by one can be time-consuming, especially if you’re managing a large inventory with multiple attributes like size, color, or material. Instead of updating each variant manually, importing product variants to Shopify in bulk allows you to streamline the process, ensuring accuracy and efficiency. The Import & Export Tool for Shopify takes this a step further by automating variant imports, supporting multiple file formats, and leveraging AI-powered data mapping to eliminate formatting issues.

Importing product variants into Shopify isn’t just a convenience — it’s a game-changer for efficiency. Here’s why it matters:

• Bulk Variant Creation. Manually adding product variants for hundreds of SKUs is not practical. By using a structured CSV or other supported file formats, you can import thousands of variants in just a few clicks.
• Seamless Platform Migration. If you’re moving from another e-commerce platform, importing product variants ensures your entire catalog — including all options like size, color, and material — is accurately transferred to Shopify. And AI-powered data mapping can help you streamline this process.
• Automated Inventory Updates. Inventory changes happen constantly. Instead of adjusting variant stock levels manually, you can export, modify, and re-import the data to update prices, stock levels, and availability automatically or sync your Shopify store with other selling channels and platforms.

Key Considerations Before Importing Product Variants

• Backup Your Data: Always export your current product data before making bulk changes to prevent data loss.
• Ensure Proper Formatting: Shopify’s built-in importer requires strict formatting for CSV files, making it prone to errors. The Import & Export Tool for Shopify eliminates the issues associated with the native instrument by automatically mapping columns, even if they don’t match Shopify’s standard format.
• Overcome File Limitations: Shopify’s default import tool only supports CSV files up to 15MB. The Import & Export Tool for Shopify allows you to import larger files and supports multiple file formats like XML, XLSX, and Google Sheets.

How to Import Product Variants into Shopify

Despite the limitations and inconveniences, you can still use Shopify’s built-in tool to import product variants. Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the Shopify Products page in your admin panel.
   
2. Click Import and select your product CSV file.
   
3. Upload the file and let Shopify process the import.
4. Receive confirmation once the process is complete.
   

Need More Automation & AI-Powered Mapping?

The Import & Export Tool for Shopify takes variant imports to the next level:

• AI-Based Import Mapping: Automatically matches third-party data fields to Shopify’s requirements, reducing errors.
• Multiple Data Sources & Formats: Supports CSV, XML, XLSX, Google Sheets, API connections, and FTP imports.
• Scheduled Updates: Set up automated import schedules to sync product variants from suppliers or other systems.
• Unlimited File Size: No need to split files — handle massive product catalogs with ease.

By using the Import & Export Tool for Shopify, you can eliminate manual data entry, automate variant updates, and ensure seamless data integration with minimal effort. Contact us now for further information.

Final Words

Mastering Shopify product variants is essential for any merchant looking to offer a seamless shopping experience. Whether you’re selling apparel in different sizes, tech gadgets with varying storage capacities, or customizable products, variants keep your catalog organized and make purchasing easier for customers.

By understanding how to add product variants in Shopify, you can:

• Offer multiple options without cluttering your store
• Improve inventory tracking and stock management
• Provide a smoother, more intuitive shopping experience
• Optimize product pages for better search engine rankings

Whether you prefer adding variants manually or importing them in bulk, Shopify gives you the flexibility to manage your product listings efficiently. Keep your product pages clean, ensure customers can find exactly what they need, and watch your sales grow as you perfect your variant setup. Now it’s time to optimize your store and make the most of Shopify’s powerful variant system!

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