How to Force Include Draft Products in Upsells in WooCommerce
WooCommerce’s upsell feature is a powerful tool for boosting average order value. However, by default, it only shows published products. This limits your flexibility, especially if you’re preparing a product launch or want to test upsell options with products still under development. This article will guide you through the process of forcing the inclusion of draft products in your WooCommerce upsells. We’ll cover the methods, potential downsides, and best practices.
Understanding the Default WooCommerce Upsell Behavior
WooCommerce’s upsell functionality relies on the product’s publication status. Only published products are considered for upsell recommendations. This ensures customers only see readily available items. However, for specific marketing strategies or testing purposes, this limitation can be frustrating. You might want to:
- Test upsell combinations before launch: See how draft products perform as upsells before making them publicly available.
- Create targeted upsell campaigns: Offer specific draft products as upsells to particular customer segments.
- Manage internal product promotions: Offer upsells internally to team members for testing, without making the product live.
Methods to Include Draft Products in WooCommerce Upsells
There are primarily two ways to achieve this: using a plugin or directly modifying the WooCommerce code. We’ll discuss both, outlining Discover insights on How To Have Product Images Fit Woocommerce their pros and cons.
#### Method 1: Using a WooCommerce Plugin
The easiest and often safest method is to utilize a WooCommerce plugin designed to manage product visibility and upsells. Several plugins offer this functionality, allowing you to customize which products are shown as upsells, regardless of Learn more about How To Customize The Woocommerce Cart Page their publication status. Search the WordPress plugin repository for plugins offering advanced upsell/cross-sell management. Carefully review the plugin’s features, ratings, and reviews before installing it. This approach minimizes the risk of conflicts with your existing theme or other plugins.
#### Method 2: Modifying the WooCommerce Code (Advanced Users Only)
This method involves directly modifying WooCommerce’s core code. Proceed with extreme caution, as incorrect modifications can break your website’s functionality. Always back up your website before making any code changes.
This requires editing the `woocommerce/includes/class-wc-product-functions.php` file. You’ll need to find the `woocommerce_upsell_ids` function and modify it to include draft products. This requires a solid understanding of PHP and WooCommerce’s code structure. A possible (but not guaranteed to be future-proof) modification could involve adding a check for `’publish’` *and* `’draft’` post statuses:
function woocommerce_upsell_ids( $product_id ) { // ... existing code ...
$upsells = get_post_meta( $product_id, ‘_upsell_ids’, true );
if ( ! $upsells || ! is_array( $upsells ) ) {
return array();
}
// Modification: Include draft products
$upsells = array_filter( $upsells, function( $id ) {
$product = wc_get_product( $id );
return $product && ( $product->get_status() === ‘publish’ || $product->get_status() === ‘draft’ );
} );
return $upsells;
}
Remember to thoroughly test your changes after implementing this code modification.
Conclusion: Choosing the Right Approach
While directly modifying the WooCommerce core code offers more control, it’s strongly discouraged for less experienced users. The risk of breaking your website outweighs the benefits in most cases. Using a reputable plugin is the recommended approach, providing a user-friendly interface and minimizing the risk of errors. Remember to always back up your website before making any significant changes, regardless of the chosen method. By carefully selecting a method, you can effectively leverage draft products in your WooCommerce upsells, enhancing your sales strategy and product testing capabilities.
