How to Add Simple, Variable, and Grouped Products in WooCommerce

1. Adding a Simple Product in WooCommerce

A Simple Product is the most straightforward type—it represents a single item without variations. For example, a book, a coffee mug, or a downloadable PDF file.

Note: Even for simple products, you can still boost sales with tactics like assigning upsells (premium versions) or cross-sells (related products).

Steps to add a simple product : 

1. Go to your WordPress Dashboard → Products > Add New.
2. Enter the product title, description, and upload product images.
3. Scroll to the Product Data section and keep the default selection as Simple Product.
4. Enter the regular price (and sale price if applicable).
5. Configure other details such as inventory (stock status), shipping details, and linked products if needed.
6. Add a short description, assign categories/tags, and publish.

2. Adding a Variable Product in WooCommerce : 

A Variable Product lets you offer different versions of the same item, such as t-shirts in multiple sizes and colors. This option is ideal when the product has attributes that affect choice and price.

For Example, if you sell shoes, you don’t want separate product pages for “Running Shoes – Red, Size 9” and “Running Shoes – Blue, Size 9.” Instead, variations allow you to show one product page with drop-down menus for color and size.

Note: Assign unique images to each variation so customers can instantly preview their selection (e.g., choosing a red shirt updates the product photo to red).

Steps to add a Variable Product : 

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Products → Add New and start by creating a new product.
   
2. Within the Product Data dropdown, choose Variable Product instead of the default Simple Product.
   
3. Open the Attributes tab, click Add, and define options such as “Size,” “Color,” or any other variations you want. These attributes will form the base for your product variations.
4. Navigate to the Variations tab → click Add Variation → assign different combinations of attributes.
   
5. Set individual prices, stock, and images for each variation.
   
6. Publish the product.

3. Adding a Grouped Product in WooCommerce : 

A Grouped Product lets you combine multiple individual items under one listing. Shoppers can purchase them together as a set or pick and choose from the group. This setup is especially useful for products that naturally complement each other—for example, a dining table grouped with matching chairs.

Grouped products also work well for tiered pricing. For instance, a store selling notebooks could group packs of 1, 3, or 5 notebooks, allowing buyers to choose based on their needs.

Note: Use grouped products as a way to promote bundles at a discounted rate to encourage larger orders.

Steps to add Grouped Product : 

1. Go to Products > Add New.
2. In the Product Data dropdown, select Grouped Product.
3. Add a description and image for the grouped product (optional).
4. Publish the grouped product (it acts as the parent).
5. Create separate Simple Products for each item you want to include in the group.
6. While editing each child product, scroll to the Linked Products section and assign the parent grouped product.
7. Save changes.

Choosing the Right WooCommerce Product Type

When setting up your online store, it’s not always obvious which product type to choose. While all three Simple, Variable, and Grouped Products serve different purposes, picking the right one can save time, reduce customer confusion, and even boost sales.

To make the decision easier, here’s a side-by-side comparison of Simple, Variable, and Grouped Products in WooCommerce: