In the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce, Shopify has solidified its status as a premier platform for entrepreneurs venturing into online stores. Yet, a prevalent challenge faced by Shopify store owners revolves around the platform’s restriction of 3 options and 100 variants per product. This limitation poses a significant hurdle, especially for those dealing with highly customizable products like doors, gift boxes, bedding sets, and pizzas. The exciting revelation is that Shopify has acknowledged these concerns and unveiled plans to tackle this constraint, introducing the much-anticipated Shopify 250 variant limit, set to be addressed in its Shopify Editions Summer ’23.
In this blog post, we delve into the current limitations, the proposed updates, and alternative solutions, guiding Shopify store owners on how to add more than 100 variants and navigate the evolving realm of online retail.
Shopify’s Announcement and the Uncertain Future
In Shopify Editions Summer ’23, they acknowledged the challenge posed by the 100-variant limit and hinted at forthcoming changes. The platform is developing new APIs to unlock this restriction, allowing for products with more than 100 variants and more complex structures. While this announcement is certainly a step in the right direction, a key issue remains unaddressed: the lack of a specific release date for this update.
The Reddit community, a hotspot for Shopify discussions, has added to the mix by suggesting that the new variant limit might be introduced in Quarter 1 ’24, potentially allowing for 250 variants. However, uncertainty looms large, leaving merchants questioning the reliability of this prediction.
The Dilemma: Limitations Beyond Numbers
Even with the promise of an increased variant limit, there are lingering concerns that the solution may not be comprehensive enough. The ambiguity surrounding the number of options allowed per product exacerbates this uncertainty. If the options remain capped at three while the variants increase to 250, certain stores, especially those dealing with highly customizable products, might still face challenges.
Moreover, the expansion of limits does not necessarily resolve all issues related to Shopify options and variants. Concerns such as variants with no inventory, custom options that cannot be adequately presented with pill or dropdown displays, and the need for more flexible data input methods like text fields, date and time selection, persist.
Alternative Solutions: How To Add More Than 100 Variants Per Shopify Product
Given the uncertainty and potential limitations of the impending Shopify update, it’s advisable for store owners to explore alternative solutions. Shopify itself recommends two primary approaches for those seeking to exceed the 100-variant limit:
“To create a product that has more than 100 variants or more than three options, you can use a third-party app from the Shopify App Store, or customize your theme code to extract line item properties, so you can get custom requirements from your customers.”
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Use Third-Party Apps:
According to Shopify’s own advice, one way to overcome the limitations is by using third-party apps available on the Shopify App Store. These apps allow for the addition of custom fields to product pages, providing a workaround for the current restrictions. They offer a hassle-free solution for merchants looking to enhance their product customization options without delving into coding.
Easify Product Options – Your Go-To, User-Friendly Product Options App for Shopify
Among the third-party apps recommended by Shopify, Easify Product Options emerges as a standout choice for its versatility and ease of use. Here’s why:
- Infinite Options and Variants:
- Easify Product Options goes beyond the limitations imposed by Shopify, allowing store owners to create an infinite number of product options and variants.
- Diverse Option Display Types:
- With 26 option display types, ranging from text boxes to image swatches, store owners have the flexibility to present their product options in a way that aligns with their brand and product type.
- Ready-Made Templates:
- The app simplifies the customization process by offering a library of 30+ ready-made option set templates. Whether your store specializes in clothing, jewelry, bedding, or pizza, there’s a template to suit your needs.
- Rich Advanced Features:
- Besides rich option types, the app also provides a lot of useful features such as conditional logic, addon products, extra prices, option-based image changes, tiered wholesale pricing, option group, advanced pricing, multiselection, etc.
- Bulk Product Customization:
- Easify Product Options allows for the easy creation and assignment of custom options to bulk products, streamlining the process for stores with extensive inventories.
- In-app Live Preview:
- The in-app live preview feature enables store owners to preview all options before officially publishing, ensuring a seamless and error-free customer experience.
- 24/7 Support:
- With 24/7 in-app live chat and the option to request a live demo and consultation for free, Easify Product Options offers ongoing support to address any queries or concerns.
Edit Theme Code:
For those comfortable with coding or having development resources, editing the theme code is another avenue to explore. This involves creating an alternate product page template with custom form fields or line item properties. By applying this new template to specific products, merchants can collect customization information directly from customers.
While this solution requires coding expertise, it provides a more tailored approach for those who want a hands-on, developer-centric solution. However, it’s important to note that even for developers, the app-based solution is often recommended for its time-saving features, a wider range of option display types, and greater flexibility in assigning custom options to products.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, while the promise of an expanded variant limit on Shopify, including the much-anticipated Shopify 250 variant limit, is encouraging, it comes with its fair share of uncertainties and potential shortcomings. Store owners are advised not to place all their hopes on this update and instead explore alternative solutions on how to add more than 100 variants, meeting their specific customization needs.
Whether through user-friendly apps like Easify Product Options or hands-on coding for a more tailored approach, the key is to be proactive in finding solutions that align with the unique demands of each online store. By doing so, merchants can ensure a seamless and personalized shopping experience for their customers, irrespective of the limitations imposed by the platform.
As the e-commerce landscape continues to evolve, adaptability and resourcefulness, especially in navigating the challenges of how to add more than 100 variants, will remain crucial for thriving in the competitive world of online retail.
