# How to Change the Order of Products in WooCommerce: A Complete Guide
WooCommerce offers incredible flexibility, but managing product order can sometimes feel like a puzzle. This guide provides a step-by-step approach to changing the order of your products, whether you want to reorder products on a specific category page, rearrange them in your shop page, or even manipulate the order within a specific product listing. We’ll cover various methods, from simple drag-and-drop interfaces to custom code solutions.
Understanding Product Ordering in WooCommerce
Before diving into the how-to, it’s crucial to understand how WooCommerce *normally* orders products. By default, WooCommerce often orders products based on factors like:
- Date Added: Newer products appear first.
- Product ID: Products are listed in the order they were created.
- Menu Order: This is the most common and easiest method to manually control product order.
- Navigate to: Products > All Products.
- Select: Multiple products by checking their boxes.
- Use the Drag and Drop Feature: Simply drag and drop the selected products to rearrange their position. Save changes after reordering. This directly updates the “menu_order” attribute in the database.
- Navigate to: Products > All Products.
- Select: The product you wish to reorder.
- Edit the Product: Click “Edit” to open the product’s editing page.
- Find Menu Order: In the product editing screen, you’ll find a field (usually near the bottom) labeled “Order” or “Menu Order“.
- Enter a Number: Assign a numerical value to this field. Lower numbers appear earlier. For instance, a product with Menu Order “1” will appear before a product with Menu Order “2”.
- Update the Product: Save the changes.
- Sorting and filtering: Allowing customers to customize the order.
- Custom ordering fields: Adding extra criteria for ordering beyond the default menu order.
This article focuses on manipulating the Menu Order, providing the most straightforward and widely applicable method for controlling product display.
Methods to Change Product Order in WooCommerce
Here are several effective ways to change the order of your products:
1. Using the Drag-and-Drop Interface (Easiest Method)
This is the most user-friendly method, ideal for simple reordering.
This method efficiently updates the menu order without requiring any coding knowledge.
2. Modifying Menu Order in the Product Edit Screen (Individual Product Reordering)
If you need to change the order of just a few products, this is a more precise approach:
Remember to adjust the numbers appropriately to achieve your desired order. Using this method for large numbers of products is less efficient than the drag-and-drop method.
3. Using a WooCommerce Plugin (For Advanced Features)
Several plugins offer advanced product ordering capabilities, including:
Research plugins on the WordPress repository for options tailored to your needs. Ensure you choose a reputable plugin with good reviews and frequent updates.
4. Custom Code (For Complex Scenarios)
For very specific scenarios or advanced customization beyond what plugins offer, you might consider custom code. This method should only be attempted if you have experience with PHP and WooCommerce’s code structure.
This is an example of how you could change the order using a custom function (Remember to back up your site before making any code changes):
add_action( 'pre_get_posts', 'custom_woocommerce_product_order' );
function custom_woocommerce_product_order( $query ) {
if ( ! $query->is_main_query() || ! $query->is_post_type_archive( 'product' ) ) return;
$query->set( ‘orderby’, ‘menu_order’ );
$query->set( ‘order’, ‘ASC’ ); // Change to ‘DESC’ for descending order
}
This code snippet changes the order of products on the shop page based on their menu order, in ascending order. You’ll need to add this code to your `functions.php` file or a custom plugin.
Conclusion
Changing the order of products in WooCommerce is achievable through various methods, catering to different levels of technical expertise. From the simple drag-and-drop interface to custom coding, the right approach depends on your specific requirements and comfort level. Remember to always back up your website before implementing any code changes. Choosing the best method will significantly improve your store’s organization and customer experience.
