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Manage SKU Variants for Products

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ShippingEasy Content Team

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SKU Variants are unique SKUs that are ascribed to a variation of a product, such as a specific size or color. Each specific variation is known as an attribute. Attributes are specific characteristics of the variant. For example, if a t-shirt comes in sizes small, medium, or large, “Size” would be the variant, while "small’, “medium” and “large” would be the variant attributes.

For merchants who stock a variety of styles of a product, managing SKU variants and their attributes is an important part of keeping a product catalog up to date.

Within ShippingEasy, Variants can be added, edited, and removed from any Product. In this article, we outline the ways in which you can manage the non-stock details of variants. For updates to stock levels of SKU variants, see our step-by-step guide.

Add Variants

Add SKU Variants when Saving a New Product

This method requires that the SKU Variants have not been assigned to any existing Products. If the Variants have already been saved as Product SKUs, see the steps in the next section, Combine Existing Product SKUs as Variants.

  1. Go to PRODUCTS and select CATALOG from the drop-down.

    NAV_PROD_Catalog_MRK.png

  2. Click the grey + Add Product button and select Add Product:

    PROD_add_product_button.png

  3. Fill in the Product details.

    PROD_add_product_page.PNG

  4. Under "Options", locate the option This product has variations like size, color, or material. Click the word "OFF" to turn "ON".

    Box highlights activated ON button. Reads, This product has variations like size, color, or material.

  5. A "Variants" section will appear below the Product details.

    PROD_variants_section_add_product_page.PNG

  6. In the box under "Add an Attribute" type in the attribute, you would like to apply to your Variants. Ex: Color.

    PROD_variants_attribute_box.PNG

    Tip

    You can add custom attributes to variants beyond just color, size, and material.

  7. Then click Add.

  8. In the Add Option field, enter each unique attribute. Ex: Red, Blue, Green. Strike the Enter key on your keyboard after each attribute to save it and rest the field.

    PROD_variation_add_option_btn.png

  9. Once all the attributes have been saved, complete the details in the table below. Each Variant must have a unique SKU. Set the Qty on Hand if you have that information available.

    PROD_variant_option_table.png

  10. When all the details are complete, select Save Product.

Combine Existing Product SKUs as Variants

SKUs that are variants of a product can be grouped under the main Product SKU, then known as the Parent Product. This method requires that all Variants have been saved as individual Product SKUs. If the Variants and Parent Product have not yet been saved to your PRODUCTS catalog, see the steps in the previous section.

  1. Go to PRODUCTS and select CATALOG from the drop-down.

    NAV_PROD_Catalog_MRK.png

  2. Check the box next to each SKU that is a Variant of the same Product.

    PROD_check_box_next_to_variant_skus.PNG

  3. Click the grey Actions button and select Group Variants.

    PROD_actions_button_group_variants.png

  4. One of the SKUs will be used to set the name of the variant group. From the COMBINE VARIANTS dialog, select which SKU (called "the parent SKU") will be used for the group product name and click the Submit button. The parent SKU will be still be included in the variant group.

    PROD_combine_SKUvariants_modal.PNG

    Note

    The parent product name can be edited later.

  5. The Product details page will appear. There are some additional tools:

  • If you need to change the name of the parent, select the Edit button.

  • If you would like to add additional variants, click the Assign Variant button.

  • If you would like to review the details of the variants, click the variant name or SKU.

Save an Existing SKU as a Variant of an Existing Product

This method requires that all SKUs have been previously saved to your PRODUCTS catalog. Learn more about saving a Product SKU. In addition, the parent Product will need to have existing variants saved. See the steps above if the parent Product does not have any variants.

  1. Go to PRODUCTS and select CATALOG from the drop-down.

    NAV_PROD_Catalog_MRK.png

  2. Locate the product that has additional variants that need to be assigned using any of the search or filter options.

    PROD_Filters.png

  3. Click the name of the product to edit it.

    product sku and item name marked

  4. On the product details page, click the Assign Variant button in the upper right-hand corner.

    Box highlights Assign Variant button, next to Edit button

  5. From the ASSIGN VARIANT dialog, enter the SKU for the additional Variant.

    Box highlights empty SKU field in Assign Variant popup. Submit button in corner.

    Note

    The new variant must be an existing SKU. Learn more about saving a Product SKU.

  6. The product details page will appear. The SKU will be added to the variants list of the parent SKU. There are some additional tools:

    1. If you would like to add additional variants, click the Assign Variant button and repeat the steps above.

    2. If you would like to review the details of the variants, click the variant name or SKU.

Add Attributes to Existing Products

Adding attributes to your previously saved SKUs in your Products Catalog allows you to differentiate between product variations such as size, color, and material. You can add attributes on the Product Details page.

  1. On the PRODUCTS DETAILS page, click the Edit button.

    PROD_DET_Edit_MRK.png

  2. Scroll to the middle of the page and click the +Add Attribute button.

    PRODET_add_attibute.PNG

  3. Type in how you would like to define the new attribute, ie: Color, and strike enter on your keyboard.

    define_new_attribute.PNG

  4. Type in the attribute option that corresponds to that attribute, ie: Blue, and strike enter on your keyboard.

    PROD_add_option.PNG

  5. Click the Save Product button.

    Box highlights the Save Product button

The attributes will now appear on the Product details page.

Edit Variants

Edit Details of SKU Variants

If any attributes, prices, or other item details change on a SKU variant, you can make updates by editing the fields on the product details page.

  1. Locate the product in the Product Catalog that has additional variants that need to be edited using any of the search or filter options.

    PROD_Filters.png

  2. Click on the name of the SKU Variant you would like to edit details for.

    Variant_Name_MRK.png

  3. Click the Edit button in the top right of the page.

    edit_variant_product_detail_page.PNG

  4. Make edits to any of the product fields.

    edit_fields_variant_sku.PNG

  5. Click the Save Product button.

    Box highlights the Save Product button

Important

Two variants cannot have the same alias.

Remove Variants

Remove SKU Variants from Product

If you no longer offer a particular variant of an item, you can delete the variant from the parent SKU.

  1. In the Product Catalog, locate the product that has additional variants that need to be removed using any of the search or filter options.

    PROD_Filters.png

  2. Click on the name of the product you want to remove variants for.

    Box highlights product name

  3. On the  "Stock" tab of the Product Details page, scroll to the Product Variants section at the bottom of the page. Click the 'X' next to the variant you want to remove.

    Product_Variants_Removed_MRK.png

  4. Click OK to verify that you want to remove this variant.

    Confirm_Delete_Variant.png

A message will appear confirming that the variant has been removed.

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