Unleash the Power of WooCommerce Shortcodes: Display Products Anywhere!
So, you’ve got your online store buzzing with fantastic products thanks to WooCommerce. Great! But what if you want to showcase a specific item (or a curated selection) on a page that *isn’t* your standard shop page? Maybe you want to highlight your bestseller on your homepage, create a dedicated landing page for a promotion, or even feature related products within a blog post.
That’s where WooCommerce shortcodes come to the rescue! These are little snippets of code that act like magic spells, instantly embedding your product information wherever you need it. Think of them like pre-built Lego bricks – easy to snap into place and instantly recognizable by WordPress and WooCommerce.
This guide is designed to help you, the WooCommerce newbie, understand and use these powerful tools to create engaging and effective product displays. Don’t be intimidated! They’re much simpler than they seem.
What are WooCommerce Shortcodes?
In simple terms, a shortcode is a piece of text wrapped in square brackets, like this: `[woocommerce_product id=”123″]`. WooCommerce recognizes these and replaces them with the corresponding HTML code that displays the product (or products, or categories!) on your page.
Think of it this way: you wouldn’t want to manually write out the entire HTML code for a product every time you want to show it. Shortcodes handle that for you! They’re a huge time-saver and keep your content neat and organized.
Why Use WooCommerce Shortcodes?
Here’s why you’ll love using shortcodes:
- Flexibility: Display products on *any* WordPress page or post. No more being restricted to just your shop page.
- Customization: Target specific products, categories, or features. Tailor your displays to fit your marketing strategy.
- Ease of Use: No coding expertise needed! Just copy and paste the shortcode into your content editor.
- Professional Look: Ensure consistent product displays throughout your website.
- The standard WordPress editor (Gutenberg).
- Classic editor.
- Page builder plugins like Elementor, Beaver Builder, or Divi.
Common WooCommerce Shortcodes and How to Use Them
Let’s dive into some of the most useful WooCommerce shortcodes. We’ll break them down with examples and explanations.
1. `[woocommerce_product id=”X”]` – Display a Single Product
This is your bread and butter for showcasing individual products.
* `id=”X”`: Replace `X` with the product’s unique ID.
How to find the Product ID:
1. Go to Products > All Products in your WordPress admin area.
2. Hover over the product you want to feature.
3. You’ll see the Product ID in the URL displayed in the bottom left corner of your browser window (e.g., `post=123`).
4. Alternatively, when editing a product, the product ID is also in the URL of the page.
Example:
Let’s say you have a stunning handmade bracelet with a product ID of 456. To display it on your homepage, you’d add the following shortcode to your homepage’s content:
[woocommerce_product id=”456″]
Real-life Scenario: Imagine a small business selling artisanal soaps. They could use this shortcode on their “About Us” page to highlight their signature lavender soap.
2. `[woocommerce_products ids=”X, Y, Z”]` – Display Multiple Products
Want to showcase a selection of related products? This is the shortcode for you.
* `ids=”X, Y, Z”`: Replace `X, Y, Z` with a comma-separated list of the product IDs you want to display.
Example:
To display three products with IDs 10, 20, and 30, you’d use:
[woocommerce_products ids=”10, 20, 30″]
Real-life Scenario: An online bookstore could use this shortcode on a book review page to display links to purchase the reviewed book and similar titles.
3. `[woocommerce_product_category category=”slug”]` – Display Products by Category
This shortcode allows you to show all products belonging to a specific category.
* `category=”slug”`: Replace `slug` with the *category slug*. The slug is a URL-friendly version of your category name (usually lowercase and with hyphens instead of spaces).
How to find the Category Slug:
1. Go to Products > Categories in your WordPress admin area.
2. Hover over the category you want to feature.
3. The slug is usually displayed in the URL visible at the bottom left of your browser window. It’s the part after `taxonomy=product_cat&tag_ID=`.
4. Alternatively, you can click edit to see the slug.
Example:
If you have a category called “Coffee Mugs” with a slug of `coffee-mugs`, the shortcode would be:
[woocommerce_product_category category=”coffee-mugs”]
Real-life Scenario: A clothing store could use this shortcode on their “New Arrivals” page to automatically display all products tagged with the “new-arrivals” category.
4. `[woocommerce_product_categories]` – Display Product Categories
This shortcode lists all your product categories. It’s useful for creating a category directory or navigation element.
Example:
[woocommerce_product_categories]
Real-life Scenario: This could be used on your main shop page above all your products to allow customers to easily navigate by category.
5. `[woocommerce_cart]` – Display the Shopping Cart
This shortcode displays the customer’s shopping cart. WooCommerce usually sets this page up automatically but this is what it uses.
Example:
[woocommerce_cart]
6. `[woocommerce_checkout]` – Display the Checkout Page
This shortcode displays the checkout form for completing a purchase. WooCommerce usually sets this page up automatically but this is what it uses.
Example:
[woocommerce_checkout]
7. `[woocommerce_my_account]` – Display the My Account Page
This shortcode displays the “My Account” page, where customers can view their orders, manage their addresses, and update their account details. WooCommerce usually sets this page up automatically but this is what it uses.
Example:
[woocommerce_my_account]
Where to Put the Shortcodes
You can insert shortcodes into any WordPress page or post editor. This includes:
Simply paste the shortcode into the content area where you want the product display to appear.
Example using Gutenberg (Block Editor):
1. Open the page or post you want to edit.
2. Click the “+” button to add a new block.
3. Search for the “Shortcode” block.
4. Paste your WooCommerce shortcode into the shortcode block.
5. Preview or publish your page to see the results.
Advanced Shortcode Options (Beyond the Basics)
Some shortcodes offer additional parameters to customize the display even further. Here are a couple of examples using `[woocommerce_products]`.
* `limit=”X”`: Limits the number of products displayed.
[woocommerce_products ids="10, 20, 30, 40, 50" limit="3"]
This will display only the first 3 products from the list of IDs.
* `columns=”X”`: Specifies the number of columns in which the products should be displayed.
[woocommerce_products category="shoes" columns="4"]
This will display products from the “shoes” category in a grid of 4 columns.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
* Product Not Showing: Double-check the product ID! Make sure you’re using the correct ID.
* Shortcode Displayed as Text: Ensure you’re using the correct square brackets (`[]`) and that you haven’t accidentally added any extra spaces.
* Display Issues: Some themes might have styling conflicts. Try switching to a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-Three) to see if the issue persists. If not, the problem lies with your theme’s CSS.
Conclusion: Shortcodes – Your Secret Weapon!
WooCommerce shortcodes are a powerful, yet simple way to customize your online store and create compelling product displays throughout your website. By mastering these shortcodes, you can take control of your WooCommerce store and create a more engaging and effective shopping experience for your customers. So go ahead, experiment with different shortcodes and parameters, and unlock the full potential of your WooCommerce store! Good luck and happy selling!
