# How to Add a Table View of Products in WooCommerce (For Beginners)
WooCommerce is fantastic for selling online, but its default product display isn’t always ideal. Sometimes, a clean table view is much more effective for presenting product information, especially when you have many products with similar attributes. Imagine comparing laptops: a table showing specs side-by-side is far clearer than scrolling through individual product pages. This article shows you how to achieve this.
Why Choose a Table View?
A table view offers several advantages:
- Easy Comparison: Customers can quickly compare key features across multiple products. Think comparing different phone models – screen size, storage, and price are easily contrasted in a table.
- Space Efficiency: Presents more information concisely, saving space on the page.
- Improved User Experience: A well-structured table improves navigation and reduces the time users spend searching for information.
- Better for Bulk Products: Particularly helpful when showcasing similar items like t-shirts in various colors and sizes.
- Easy Installation: Most plugins offer a simple one-click installation process.
- User-Friendly Interface: Often include intuitive settings to customize the table’s appearance and columns.
- Reduced Risk: Less chance of breaking your website compared to direct code modification.
Methods for Adding a Table View in WooCommerce
There are primarily two approaches to adding a table view: using a plugin or customizing your theme’s code (the latter is more advanced and should only be attempted if you’re comfortable with coding).
Method 1: Using a WooCommerce Table View Plugin
This is the recommended approach for beginners. Several plugins are available that specifically add table functionality to WooCommerce. These plugins typically handle all the technical aspects, requiring minimal coding knowledge.
Benefits:
Example: Search the WordPress plugin directory for “WooCommerce product table” to find suitable options. Many free and paid plugins are available, offering varying levels of features and customization. Carefully read reviews before selecting a plugin.
Method 2: Customizing Your Theme’s Code (Advanced)
This method requires coding skills and a thorough understanding of WordPress and WooCommerce. Modifying your theme files directly carries a higher risk of breaking your website, so back up your files before making any changes.
This involves creating a custom function that queries WooCommerce products and displays them in a table format using PHP. Here’s a simplified example, demonstrating the fundamental concept:
function my_custom_product_table() {
$args = array(
'post_type' => 'product',
'posts_per_page' => -1 // Show all products
);
$products = new WP_Query( $args );
if ( $products->have_posts() ) : ?>
| Product Name | Price |
|---|---|
<?php
wp_reset_postdata();
endif;
}
add_shortcode( ‘product_table’, ‘my_custom_product_table’ );
This code creates a shortcode `[product_table]` that you can use in your pages and posts to display the table. You’ll need to modify this code to include the specific product attributes you want to display. This is a very basic example and lacks styling.
Conclusion
Choosing between a plugin and custom coding depends on your technical expertise and comfort level. For most users, a WooCommerce plugin is the easiest and safest way to add a table view of products. If you’re comfortable with coding, customizing your theme offers greater flexibility but increases the risk of errors. Remember to always back up your website before making any code changes!
