# How to Add Variable Prices for the Same Item in WooCommerce: A Beginner’s Guide
Selling the same product at different prices based on variations is a common need for many WooCommerce stores. Maybe you sell t-shirts in different sizes, where larger sizes cost more, or coffee beans with varying roast levels impacting the price. This guide explains how to easily add variable pricing to your WooCommerce products.
Understanding Product Variations in WooCommerce
Before diving into the code, let’s understand the concept. In WooCommerce, variations allow you to create a single product listing (e.g., “Coffee Beans”) with multiple variations (e.g., “Light Roast,” “Medium Roast,” “Dark Roast”). Each variation can have its own price, image, inventory, and other attributes.
Think of it like this: you’re not creating three separate products for each roast. You’re creating one product with three variations, making management much simpler.
Method 1: Using WooCommerce’s Built-in Functionality (The Easiest Way)
The simplest and most recommended method is using WooCommerce’s built-in variation system. No coding is required!
1. Create your product: In your WooCommerce dashboard, go to Products > Add New. Give your product a title (e.g., “Coffee Beans”).
2. Add Attributes: Scroll down to the “Product data” meta box. Under “Product type,” select “Variable product.” You’ll see a new section called “Attributes.” Click “Add attribute.”
- For our coffee example, you’d add an attribute called “Roast Level.”
- Input the values: Light Roast, Medium Roast, Dark Roast. Save attributes.
- Set the price.
- Upload a different image.
- Adjust stock levels.
3. Create Variations: WooCommerce will automatically generate variations based on your attributes. Click on “Create variations from all attributes.”
4. Set Individual Prices: Now you can edit each variation individually. You’ll see a list of your variations (e.g., “Coffee Beans – Light Roast,” “Coffee Beans – Medium Roast”). For each, you can:
5. Save your product. You’re done!
Method 2: Customizing Prices with Code (For Advanced Users)
While the built-in method Discover insights on How To Show Retail Price With Strikethrough In Cart Woocommerce is perfect for most cases, you might need more control. For advanced users, you can use code to modify prices based on specific conditions. However, this requires a solid understanding of PHP and WooCommerce’s structure. Incorrectly implemented code can break your store.
This example demonstrates how to add a surcharge based on the roast level:
add_filter( 'woocommerce_product_get_price', 'custom_coffee_pricing', 10, 2 ); function custom_coffee_pricing( $price, $product ) { if ( $product->get_type() == 'variable' ) { return $price; //Leave variable product price as is. }
if ( $product->get_name() == ‘Coffee Beans’ ) {
$attribute_value = $product->get_attribute( ‘pa_roast_level’ ); // Replace ‘pa_roast_level’ with your attribute slug.
switch ( $attribute_value ) {
case ‘Dark Roast’:
$price += 2; // Add $2 surcharge for Dark Roast.
break;
case ‘Medium Roast’:
$price += 1; // Add $1 surcharge for Medium Roast.
break;
}
}
return $price;
}
Important Considerations:
- Backup your website: Always backup your files and database before making code changes.
- Child theme: Implement code changes in a child theme to prevent losing your modifications during updates.
- Attribute slug: The `pa_roast_level` in the code is the attribute slug. You’ll need to find the correct slug for your attribute in your WooCommerce database or by inspecting your product’s URL.
This code snippet is just a basic example. You can modify it to fit your specific pricing logic.
Conclusion
Adding variable prices for the same item in WooCommerce is straightforward using the built-in variation system. However, for more complex pricing structures, custom code can provide the necessary flexibility. Remember to always back up your website and proceed cautiously when using custom code. Choose the method best suited to your technical skills and needs.
