How to Create Sidebar Filters in WooCommerce: A Beginner’s Guide

WooCommerce is a powerful, flexible eCommerce platform that allows business owners to create and manage their online stores. One of the many features that make WooCommerce stand out is the ability to create sidebar filters. Sidebar filters enhance the user experience by allowing customers to sort and filter products based on their preferences.

In this article, we will walk through the process of creating sidebar filters in WooCommerce, breaking it down into simple, easy-to-follow steps. Whether you’re a beginner or just looking to brush up on your skills, this guide will be highly beneficial.

What is a Sidebar Filter?

A sidebar filter is a functionality that enables customers to sort products on the site based on various parameters like price, size, color, etc. It is commonly found in the sidebar of the shop page and provides a smooth shopping experience by helping customers find exactly what they’re looking for.

Step 1: Install and Activate the WooCommerce Plugin

Before creating sidebar filters, you need to have WooCommerce installed and activated on your WordPress site. If you haven’t done this yet, follow these steps:

• Go to your WordPress admin panel.
• Click on ‘Plugins’ and then ‘Add New’.
• Type ‘WooCommerce’ in the search bar.
• Click ‘Install Now’ and then ‘Activate’.

Step 2: Install a WooCommerce Sidebar Filter Plugin

Unfortunately, WooCommerce doesn’t come with a built-in sidebar filter feature. However, there are plenty of great plugins available that can add this functionality to your site. Some popular options include WOOF

• Products Filter for WooCommerce, YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter, and WooCommerce Product Filter.
  • Go to ‘Plugins’ and then ‘Add New’ again.
  • Search for your chosen filter plugin.
  • Click ‘Install Now’ and then ‘Activate’.

  Step 3: Configure the Sidebar Filter Plugin

  Once installed, you need to configure the sidebar filter plugin. While the exact steps may vary depending on the plugin you chose, the general process involves:

  • Going to the plugin’s settings page.
  • Selecting which product attributes (like color, size, price, etc.) you want to include in the filter.
  • Choosing the display type for each attribute (like dropdown, checkbox, etc.).
  • Saving your changes.

  Step 4: Add the Filter to Your Sidebar

  The final step is to add the filter to your sidebar. This is usually done through the ‘Widgets’ section in WordPress:

  • Go to ‘Appearance’ and then ‘Widgets’.
  • Find the widget for your filter plugin and drag it to your sidebar.
  • Save your changes.

Conclusion

Creating sidebar filters in WooCommerce might seem daunting at first, but with the right tools and a step-by-step guide, it’s a relatively simple process. Not only can sidebar filters improve the user experience, but they can also increase conversion rates by helping customers find the products they’re looking for more easily. So, follow the steps outlined in this guide and start enhancing your WooCommerce store today!