How to Change Product Sorting in WooCommerce: A Comprehensive Guide
WooCommerce offers a robust platform for e-commerce, but sometimes you need more control over how your products are displayed. One crucial aspect is product sorting. This article will guide you through various methods of changing product sorting in WooCommerce, from simple user interface adjustments to custom code solutions. Mastering this will significantly enhance your customer experience and improve your online store’s usability.
Understanding WooCommerce Product Sorting Options
By default, WooCommerce typically displays products based on date, with newer products appearing first. However, this might not always be the best approach for showcasing your inventory. Customers often prefer sorting by price, popularity, or other relevant criteria. Fortunately, WooCommerce provides several ways to achieve this.
Method 1: Using the Default WooCommerce Sorting Options
This is the simplest method, leveraging the built-in functionality within WooCommerce. It’s perfect for making basic changes without any coding.
- Access the WooCommerce Settings: Navigate to your WordPress dashboard, then go to WooCommerce > Settings.
- Choose the Products Tab: Check out this post: How To Get Woocommerce Product Id In WordPress Click on the “Products” tab in the settings menu.
- Find “Default product sorting”: Locate the “Default product sorting” option.
- Select Your Preferred Sorting Method: Choose from the available options, such as “Menu order“, “Popularity (sales)“, “Rating“, “Price (low to high)“, “Price (high to low)“, “Date (newest to oldest)“, or “Date (oldest to newest)“.
- Save Changes: Click “Save changes” to implement your selection.
- Create a Child Theme: This is crucial to avoid losing your changes during WooCommerce updates. If you’re unfamiliar with child themes, refer to the WordPress Codex.
- Add a Custom Function: In your child theme’s `functions.php` file, add the following code, replacing `’meta_value’` with the appropriate meta key if you are sorting by a custom field:
This method affects all product pages on your website, including shop pages, category pages, and search results.
Method 2: Customizing the Shop Page Sorting
While the default method alters sorting across the board, sometimes you need more granular control. This is where customizing the shop page sorting comes in. WooCommerce uses a filter to allow modification of the ordering. This is typically done through a child theme to avoid losing changes during updates.
add_filter( 'woocommerce_get_catalog_ordering_args', 'custom_woocommerce_catalog_ordering' ); function custom_woocommerce_catalog_ordering( $args ) { $orderby = isset( $_GET['orderby'] ) ? wc_clean( $_GET['orderby'] ) : 'date'; // Default orderby $order = isset( $_GET['order'] ) ? wc_clean( $_GET['order'] ) : 'desc'; // Default order
switch ( $orderby ) {
case ‘price’:
$args[‘orderby’] = ‘meta_value_num’;
$args[‘meta_key’] = ‘_price’;
break;
case ‘popularity’:
$args[‘meta_key’] = ‘total_sales’;
$args[‘orderby’] = ‘meta_value_num’;
break;
// Add more custom sorting options here
default:
$args[‘orderby’] = ‘date’;
$args[‘order’] = ‘desc’; //or asc
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break;
}
return $args;
}
This code allows sorting by price and popularity but can be easily extended to include other custom fields. Remember to replace `’_price’` with your desired meta_key if you are not using the default price.
Method 3: Using WooCommerce Plugins
Several plugins extend WooCommerce’s sorting capabilities. These offer user-friendly Check out this post: How To Remove Shipping Method In Woocommerce interfaces and often add advanced features beyond the core functionality. Thoroughly research any plugin before installation to ensure compatibility and security.
Conclusion
Changing product sorting in WooCommerce empowers you to tailor the customer experience and optimize your online store. The default settings offer a simple solution, while custom code provides more control and flexibility. Choose the method that best fits your technical skills and needs. Remember that carefully considering your target audience and their preferences is key to selecting the most effective sorting method. By effectively managing product sorting, you can boost sales and enhance customer satisfaction.
