How To Re-Order Woocommerce Product Categories

How to Re-Order WooCommerce Product Categories: A Beginner’s Guide

So you’ve got a fantastic WooCommerce store, packed with amazing products. But are your product categories a jumbled mess? Do customers have to scroll forever to find what they’re looking for? If so, you’re losing sales! A well-organized category structure is crucial for user experience and can significantly improve your shop’s performance.

This article will guide you through the easy ways to re-order your WooCommerce product categories, even if you’re a complete newbie. We’ll cover the default methods and explore a handy plugin for even more control. Let’s dive in!

Why Re-Ordering Product Check out this post: How To Import Products From Excel To Woocommerce Categories Matters

Think of your website like a physical store. Imagine walking into a clothing store and the shirts are mixed in with the shoes, and the pants are hidden behind a pile of hats. You’d be confused and likely leave! The same principle applies to your online store.

• Improved User Experience: A logical and intuitive category order makes it easy for customers to browse and find what they need quickly. Happy customers are more likely to buy!
• Increased Sales: When customers can easily navigate your store, they’re more likely to discover more products, leading to higher sales.
• Better SEO: While not a *direct* ranking factor, a well-organized site structure helps search engines understand your website better, potentially improving your organic visibility. For example, if someone searches “red running shoes,” and your categories are “Shoes -> Running Shoes -> Red,” your website will look more relevant to the search engine.

Method 1: The Drag-and-Drop Method (Default WooCommerce Functionality)

WooCommerce offers a simple drag-and-drop interface for re-ordering your categories. This is the quickest and easiest method for basic reorganization.

1. Login to your WordPress admin panel.

2. Navigate to Products > Categories. You’ll see a list of all your product categories.

3. Hover your mouse over the category you want to move. You’ll notice the cursor changes to a hand icon.

4. Click and drag the category to its desired position.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for all the categories you want to re-order. The changes are saved automatically.

Important Considerations:

• Subcategories: Remember to consider the hierarchy of your categories. You can also drag and drop subcategories to re-order them within their parent category. For instance, moving the “Running Shoes” subcategory above the “Boots” subcategory under the “Shoes” category.
• Simplicity: This method is best for stores with a relatively small number of categories. If you have hundreds of categories, a plugin might be a better solution.

Method 2: Using a Plugin for More Control (Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Reorder)

For stores with a large number of categories or specific re-ordering requirements, a plugin offers more advanced features and flexibility. “Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Reorder” is a popular and free plugin that provides a simple and effective way to manage category order.

1. Install the Plugin: In your WordPress admin panel, go to Plugins > Add New. Search for “Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Reorder” and install the plugin by Nsp Code. Activate it.

2. Navigate to the Re-ordering Interface: After activating the plugin, go to Products > Product Categories. You should now see a column with a drag-and-drop icon next to each category.

3. Drag and Drop to Re-order: Simply drag and drop the categories to your desired order, just like the default method. The plugin provides a more responsive and stable drag-and-drop experience, especially with many categories.

4. Save Changes (If Necessary): Some plugins save automatically, while others might require you to click a “Save” button. Check the plugin settings for specific instructions.

Benefits of using Read more about How To Update The Blanco Theme To Work With Woocommerce a plugin like “Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Reorder”:

• Precise Control: You have complete control over the exact order of your categories.
• Numeric Ordering: Some plugins allow you to use numeric values to define the order, which can be useful for complex arrangements.
• Bulk Actions: Allows bulk changes for categories if available.
• Increased Performance: The plugin is lightweight and won’t significantly impact your website’s performance.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Categories Not Re-Ordering: Ensure your WordPress theme doesn’t have any custom code that overrides the default category ordering. Try temporarily switching to a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-Three) to see if the issue persists.
• Caching Issues: If you’re using a caching plugin, clear your website’s cache after re-ordering your categories.
• Plugin Conflicts: Deactivate other plugins temporarily to see if there’s a conflict with the category re-ordering plugin.

Example: Real-World Application

Let’s say you run an online pet supply store. Here’s how you might structure and re-order your categories:

Before (Disorganized):

• Cat Toys
• Dog Food
• Aquariums
• Collars
• Dog Toys
• Cat Food

After (Re-organized):

• Dog Supplies:
• Dog Food
• Dog Toys
• Collars
• Cat Supplies:
• Cat Food
• Cat Toys
• Aquarium Supplies:
• Aquariums

By grouping related products together, you make it much easier for customers to find what they need. This structured approach enhances usability, encouraging browsing and purchases.

Advanced: Custom Ordering using Code (For Developers)

If you’re comfortable with code, you can use the `terms` filter to customize the category order programmatically.

 /** 
Custom WooCommerce Product Category Ordering
 */ add_filter( 'terms_clauses', 'custom_woo_category_order', 10, 3 ); function custom_woo_category_order( $clauses, $taxonomy, $args ) { if ( ! is_admin() && $taxonomy[0] == 'product_cat' ) { $clauses['orderby'] = 't.term_id'; // Order by term ID $clauses['order'] = 'ASC'; // Ascending order } return $clauses; } 

Explanation:

• This code snippet hooks into the `terms_clauses` filter, which allows you to modify the SQL query used to retrieve terms (in this case, product categories).
• We check if we’re *not* in the admin area (`! is_admin()`) and if the taxonomy is `product_cat` (WooCommerce product categories).
• We then modify the `orderby` and `order` clauses of the SQL query to Explore this article on How To Call Wpbakery At Woocommerce_After_Single_Product order the categories by their `term_id` in ascending Discover insights on How To Keep Checkout On Page With Woocommerce Stripe order.

Important: This is an example and requires a solid understanding of PHP and WordPress development. Place this code within your theme’s `functions.php` file or a custom plugin. Incorrect code can break your website. This is a very basic example; more complex ordering logic can be implemented.

Conclusion

Re-ordering your WooCommerce product categories is a simple but powerful way to improve your store’s usability and boost sales. Whether you use the default drag-and-drop method or a plugin, taking the time to organize your categories will pay off in the long Read more about How To Auto Upload Product To Woocommerce run. So, get organizing and watch your sales climb! Remember that the easier it is for customers to navigate and find what they need, the more likely they are to buy from you. Happy selling!