WooCommerce Product Types Setup

Setting Up WooCommerce Product Types

WooCommerce supports several product types out of box. Correct type choice affects site display, inventory management, and database structure.

Simple Product

One SKU, one price, one variant. For: books, services, digital downloads, physical goods without variations.

Setup in admin: Products → Add → type "Simple Product". Required: price, SKU. For digital — mark "Virtual" and "Downloadable", attach file.

Variable Product

Multiple variants with different attributes (size, color, material). Each variant — own price, SKU, stock.

Step 1: Create attributes. WooCommerce → Attributes → create "Size" with values "S, M, L, XL".

Step 2: In product Attributes tab → add attribute → mark "Used for variations".

Step 3: Variations tab → "Create variations from all attributes" → set price and SKU for each.

Programmatic variant creation:

$product = new WC_Product_Variable();
$product->set_name('T-shirt');
$product->set_status('publish');

$attributes = [];
$attribute = new WC_Product_Attribute();
$attribute->set_id(wc_attribute_taxonomy_id_by_name('pa_size'));
$attribute->set_name('pa_size');
$attribute->set_options(['S', 'M', 'L', 'XL']);
$attribute->set_visible(true);
$attribute->set_variation(true);
$attributes[] = $attribute;
$product->set_attributes($attributes);

$product_id = $product->save();

$sizes = ['S' => 1200, 'M' => 1200, 'L' => 1300, 'XL' => 1400];
foreach ($sizes as $size => $price) {
    $variation = new WC_Product_Variation();
    $variation->set_parent_id($product_id);
    $variation->set_attributes(['pa_size' => $size]);
    $variation->set_regular_price($price);
    $variation->set_sku('TSHIRT-' . $size);
    $variation->set_stock_quantity(100);
    $variation->set_manage_stock(true);
    $variation->save();
}

Grouped Product

Set of simple products combined on one page. Buyer selects quantity of each. Example: bedding set (sheet + pillowcase + duvet cover — sold separate and bundled).

Setup: type "Grouped" → Related products tab → "Grouped Products" field → select child products.

Timelines

Setting up product types, attributes and variations for 50–100 product catalog — 1–2 days.