# How to Get Your WooCommerce Shortcode: A Beginner’s Guide
So you’re building a beautiful website with WordPress and WooCommerce, and you want to easily add products or shopping carts to your pages and posts. The answer? WooCommerce shortcodes! They’re a simple, yet powerful tool to inject WooCommerce functionality wherever you need it. This guide will walk you through getting and using them like a pro, even if you’re completely new to coding.
What are WooCommerce Shortcodes?
Think of shortcodes as shortcuts. Instead of writing complicated code to display your products, you use a simple, short code that does all the heavy lifting for you. For example, instead of manually writing HTML to show your “featured products,” you use a shortcode. This makes adding WooCommerce elements to your pages incredibly easy and efficient.
Finding Your WooCommerce Shortcodes
There’s no secret hidden menu or mysterious button. The power of WooCommerce shortcodes lies in their simplicity. They’re usually found directly within the WooCommerce product or page you’re working with.
Let’s break it down with a real-life example: Imagine you’re running an online bakery. You want to display your best-selling cupcakes on your “Homepage.” Here’s how you’d use shortcodes:
Step 1: Identify the element you want to add.
In this example, we want to showcase our “featured products” (cupcakes!).
Step 2: Find the shortcode.
You’ll usually find the shortcode in a few places:
- Within the WooCommerce settings: Depending on your WooCommerce version and installed plugins, some settings might show you available shortcodes. Look for options like “Shortcodes” in your settings menu.
- WooCommerce product pages: While editing individual products, you might see options or explanations about available shortcodes.
- Plugin documentation: The most reliable resource is the official WooCommerce documentation or documentation of any relevant plugins. A quick search usually reveals all the available shortcodes.
- `[add_to_cart id=”YOUR_PRODUCT_ID”]` – Adds an “Add to Cart” button for a specific product. Replace `YOUR_PRODUCT_ID` with the actual ID number of the product (you’ll find this in the product’s edit screen in your WordPress admin).
- `[woocommerce_cart]` – Displays the shopping cart.
- `[featured_products]` – Displays your featured products.
- `[products]` – Displays products based on various criteria (e.g., category, tag). You can usually customize this one heavily with attributes.
- `[product_category category=”YOUR_CATEGORY_SLUG”]` – Displays products from a specific category. Replace `YOUR_CATEGORY_SLUG` with the category’s slug (the URL-friendly name).
Most often you will find yourself Explore this article on How To Hide Stock In Woocommerce searching for shortcodes like:
Step 3: Using the shortcode.
Let’s say you found the shortcode for featured products: `[featured_products]`
Now, edit your homepage in WordPress. In the visual editor, simply type `[featured_products]` where you want the products to appear. Save your page, and voila! Your featured cupcakes are on display.
Example with Product ID
Let’s say you have a delicious Red Velvet Cupcake with a product ID of 123. To add an “Add to Cart” button for it directly to a page, you’d use:
[add_to_cart id="123"]
Replace “123” with the actual ID of your product.
Troubleshooting
- Shortcode not working? Double-check for typos. Shortcodes are case-sensitive!
- Product not showing? Make sure the product is published and visible on your website.
- Need help with specific shortcodes? Consult the WooCommerce documentation or search online for that specific shortcode’s usage.
Conclusion
WooCommerce shortcodes are a fantastic tool for simplifying the process of adding products and shopping cart functionality to your website. With a little understanding, you can easily enhance your WooCommerce store’s design and user experience. Remember to always consult the documentation for the most up-to-date information and advanced options. Happy selling!
