How to Remove Variants on Shopify

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Why Remove Product Variants?
3. Steps to Remove Variants on Shopify
4. Tips and Best Practices
5. Conclusion
6. FAQ

Introduction

Imagine this scenario: your Shopify store is growing, you've introduced multiple variants of a product to cater to different customer preferences, but now, you want to change things up. Perhaps certain variants aren't selling well, or maybe you want to simplify your inventory. Learning how to remove variants on Shopify efficiently can save you a lot of time and prevent potential headaches.

In today's fast-paced e-commerce landscape, understanding how to effectively manage your inventory is crucial. Customizing product variants is an essential skill that store owners need to master. This blog post will guide you through the steps to remove variants from your Shopify store, ensuring a streamlined and optimized product catalog. By the end, you'll have comprehensive knowledge of how to manage your product variants, enhance your store's operations, and improve customer experience.

Why Remove Product Variants?

Removing product variants can serve several purposes:

• Simplification: Streamlining your product options can make your store easier to navigate.
• Inventory Management: Reducing the number of variants can help manage stock levels more effectively.
• Focus on Best Sellers: Concentrating on high-performing products can boost sales and customer satisfaction.

Steps to Remove Variants on Shopify

Removing Variants Individually

Desktop Instructions:

1. Log into Shopify Admin: Head to your dashboard by logging in to your Shopify admin account.
2. Navigate to Products: Click on the 'Products' tab from the left-hand menu.
3. Select the Product: Choose the product where you want to remove a variant.
4. Access Variants Section: Scroll down to the 'Variants' section and click on the variant you wish to remove.
5. Delete the Variant: Click on 'Delete variant' and confirm the action.

Mobile Instructions:

For iPhone:

1. Open the Shopify app and tap 'Products.'
2. Select the product with the variant you want to remove.
3. In the 'Variants' section, tap the variant you want to delete.
4. Tap 'Delete variant' and confirm.

For Android:

1. Access the Shopify app and go to 'Products.'
2. Pick the relevant product and navigate to its 'Variants' section.
3. Select the variant and tap 'Delete variant.'
4. Confirm the deletion.

Deleting Variants Using Bulk Actions

When managing a large inventory, deleting variants individually can be time-consuming. Shopify provides tools to streamline this process:

1. Bulk Editor:

   • Log into Shopify Admin: Access your dashboard.
   • Navigate to Products: Click the 'Products' tab.
   • Select Variants: In the 'Variants' section, select the checkbox for the variants you want to delete.
   • Open Bulk Editor: After selecting, click 'Edit variants' to open the bulk editor.
   • Delete Variants: Use the options to bulk delete unwanted variants.

2. Using CSV Files:

   • Export Products: Go to 'Products' > 'Export' and choose the necessary product data.
   • Edit CSV File: Open the CSV file in a spreadsheet editor. Identify the variants and change the 'Variant Command' column to 'DELETE' for the variants you want to remove.
   • Import Edited CSV: Save your CSV file and import it back into Shopify. The specified variants will be deleted.

Hiding Variants Temporarily

Sometimes you may want to hide variants without deleting them, especially for seasonal products or those temporarily out of stock.

Steps:

1. Log into Shopify Admin: Access your dashboard.
2. Navigate to Products: Go to 'Products' and select the item with the variant you want to hide.
3. Adjust Inventory: In the 'Track Quantity' settings, uncheck 'Continue selling when out of stock' and set the quantity to 0.
4. Save Changes: This removes the variant from the customer's view without deleting it from your catalog.

Tips and Best Practices

1. Regularly Review Inventory: Conduct frequent reviews of your variants to ensure optimal stock levels and performance.
2. Use Analytics: Utilize Shopify's analytics tools to track variant performance and make informed decisions on which variants to keep or remove.
3. Customer Feedback: Pay attention to customer reviews and feedback about variants. This directly informs you about what works and what doesn’t.
4. SEO Considerations: When deleting variants, ensure your remaining product options are well-optimized for search engines to maintain your store’s visibility.

Conclusion

Mastering the art of managing and removing product variants on Shopify is a crucial step in running an efficient, customer-friendly, and profitable e-commerce store. By following the steps detailed in this guide, you'll be able to streamline your inventory, cater to customer preferences more effectively, and maintain a clean and organized product catalog.

Happy selling!

FAQ

Can I bulk delete variants without using an app?

Yes, you can bulk delete variants using the Shopify admin's bulk editor tool or by exporting, editing, and re-importing product CSV files.

What happens to the product URL when I delete a variant?

Deleting a variant does not alter the product URL. The main product remains accessible unless you delete the entire product.

Can I restore a deleted variant?

No, once a variant is deleted, it cannot be restored. You'll need to recreate the variant if needed.

How do hiding and deleting variants impact SEO?

Deleting variants can impact SEO if you have substantial traffic directed to those specific variants. To maintain SEO integrity, ensure you redirect URLs to relevant products or pages.

Can I use third-party apps to manage variants?

Yes, there are many third-party apps available on the Shopify App Store that can offer more advanced features for managing, deleting, or hiding variants.

By familiarizing yourself with these practices, you can maintain a smoothly operating store, ensuring that your product offerings remain relevant and appealing to your customers.