# How to Give Product Data Shortcodes in WooCommerce: A Beginner’s Guide
WooCommerce is a powerful e-commerce platform, but sometimes you need to display specific product information in unique ways outside of the standard product pages. This is where product data shortcodes come in handy. They allow you to easily embed specific product details, like price, title, or SKU, anywhere on your WordPress site using simple shortcodes. This guide will show you how to do just that, even if you’re new to coding.
Why Use Product Data Shortcodes?
Imagine you want to display a product’s price and image on your homepage in a visually appealing way, distinct from the standard product listing. Instead of manually copying and pasting this information every time a product is updated, you can use a shortcode. This saves time and ensures consistency.
Here are some real-life scenarios where product data shortcodes prove invaluable:
- Customizing your homepage: Showcase featured products with just their title, price, and image.
- Creating email newsletters: Dynamically insert product details into your email marketing campaigns.
- Building custom widgets: Add specific product information to sidebars or footers.
- Developing unique product comparison pages: Easily display key specs of different products side-by-side.
The Easy Way: Using Existing Plugins
The easiest method to add product data shortcodes is to use a plugin. Several plugins offer this functionality, adding shortcodes for various product attributes without requiring you to write any code.
Search for plugins named “WooCommerce Shortcodes” or “Custom WooCommerce Shortcodes” in your WordPress plugin directory. Many free and premium options are available. Install and activate your chosen plugin, and then refer to its documentation for the specific shortcodes it provides. They usually follow a simple pattern like `[product_attribute id=”123″]`, replacing “123” with your product ID.
The Code-Based Approach: For Advanced Users
If you need more control or a specific shortcode not provided by plugins, you can create your own. This requires some PHP knowledge. However, don’t worry, it’s simpler than it sounds!
Creating a Custom Shortcode
Let’s create a shortcode that displays a product’s title and price.
add_shortcode( 'product_title_price', 'display_product_title_price' );
function display_product_title_price( $atts ) {
$atts = shortcode_atts( array(
‘id’ => ”,
), $atts );
$product = wc_get_product( $atts[‘id’] );
if ( $product ) {
return ‘
‘ . $product->get_name() . ‘
‘ . $product->get_price_html() . ‘
‘;
} else {
return ‘Product not found.’;
}
}
Explanation:
- `add_shortcode( ‘product_title_price’, ‘display_product_title_price’ )`: This line registers a new shortcode named `[product_title_price]`.
- `display_product_title_price( $atts )`: This function handles the shortcode logic. `$atts` contains attributes passed to the shortcode.
- `shortcode_atts()`: This sets default attributes. We only need the product ID (`id`).
- `wc_get_product()`: This retrieves the WooCommerce product object based on the ID.
- `$product->get_name()`: Gets the product name.
- `$product->get_price_html()`: Gets the price, formatted with HTML (including currency symbol).
Using Your Custom Shortcode
After adding this code to your theme’s `functions.php` file (or a custom plugin), you can use it like this:
`[product_title_price id=”123″]` (Replace “123” with your product ID).
This will display the title and price of product with ID 123. You can adjust the HTML within the function to customize the output further.
Important Considerations
- Product ID: Always ensure you’re using the correct product ID. You can find this in the product’s edit screen in your WooCommerce dashboard.
- Error Handling: It’s crucial to include error handling (like the “Product not found” message) to prevent unexpected display issues if a product ID is invalid.
- Caching: If you’re using a caching plugin, make sure it’s configured correctly to avoid displaying outdated data.
By mastering product data shortcodes, you’ll gain significant control over how you display WooCommerce product information across your website, opening up a world of customization possibilities. Choose the method that best suits your technical skills and needs – plugins for ease of use, or custom code for ultimate control.
