How to Arrange Product Order in a WooCommerce Category: A Beginner’s Guide
WooCommerce is a fantastic platform for selling online, but sometimes the default product order in your categories isn’t quite what you need. Maybe you want to highlight your bestsellers, feature new arrivals, or simply rearrange items for a more visually appealing presentation. This guide will show you how to control the order of your products within WooCommerce categories, from the simplest methods to more advanced techniques.
Method 1: Using WooCommerce’s Built-in Ordering (Easiest Method)
This is the simplest way to rearrange products, ideal for small catalogs or quick adjustments. It works by changing the order products were added. Think of it like arranging items on a shelf; the item you place first is at the front.
- How it works: WooCommerce typically orders products by date added, newest first. To change this, edit an existing product, and change the order it was added in the backend.
- Where to find it: Go to your WooCommerce dashboard -> Products -> All Products. Edit any product. While this won’t directly show a “sort order”, changing the order you edit products will adjust how WooCommerce organizes them, generally the last product edited is the last product shown.
- Example: You have three t-shirts: Red, Blue, Green. You added them in that order. If you want Green to appear first, edit the Green t-shirt *last*. This method is very basic and only suitable for quick arrangement.
- How it works: Assign a numerical value to the `Menu Order` field. Lower numbers appear first. Think of it like assigning priority numbers; a product with a `Menu Order` of 1 will appear before a product with a `Menu Order` of 2.
- Where to find it: Go to your WooCommerce dashboard -> Products -> All Products. Edit a product. The `Menu Order` field is usually near the bottom of the page.
- Example: You have three products: A, B, C. Set A’s `Menu Order` to 1, B’s to 2, and C’s to 3. Product A will display first, followed by B, then C.
- How it works: These plugins typically add new sorting options to your WooCommerce settings. You might be able to sort by sales, ratings, custom fields, or even a combination of factors.
- Popular Plugins: Search the WordPress plugin repository for terms like “WooCommerce product ordering,” “WooCommerce sort by,” or “WooCommerce product sorting.” Read reviews before installing any plugin to ensure compatibility and functionality.
- Example: Imagine you want to display your top 5 bestsellers at the top of a category page. A plugin could easily facilitate this. It would grab the sales data and automatically reorder the products accordingly, eliminating the need for manual adjustments.
Method 2: Using Product Ordering in the Edit Product Screen (More Control)
While not a direct “sort order” field, WooCommerce allows you to use the Menu Order field within each product’s edit screen to manually set the display order. This offers more granular control than the previous method.
Method 3: Using Plugins for Advanced Ordering (Most Control)
For more advanced scenarios, like ordering by best-selling, featured, or custom attributes, a plugin is your best bet. Many plugins offer sophisticated sorting options.
Method 4: Custom Code (Advanced Users Only!)
This method requires coding knowledge and is not recommended for beginners. It involves modifying WooCommerce’s core files or creating custom functions. Proceed with extreme caution, as incorrect code can break your website.
// Example code to order products by a custom field called 'priority'
function custom_product_orderby( $args ) {
$args['orderby'] = 'meta_value_num';
$args['meta_key'] = 'priority';
return $args;
}
add_filter( 'woocommerce_get_catalog_ordering_args', 'custom_product_orderby' );
This code snippet orders products based on a custom field named “priority”. You’ll need to create this custom field in your products and ensure the code is correctly implemented in your theme’s `functions.php` file or a custom plugin.
In summary, choosing the right method for ordering your products depends on your needs and technical expertise. Start with the simpler methods, and only resort to plugins or custom code if the built-in functionalities are insufficient. Remember to always back up your website before making any significant changes.
