How to Manually Arrange Product IDs in WooCommerce: A Step-by-Step Guide
Introduction
WooCommerce, the leading e-commerce platform for WordPress, typically arranges products based on creation date or other default sorting options. However, sometimes you need to manually arrange product IDs to create a more strategic and curated product display. This allows you to highlight specific items, showcase new arrivals effectively, or even organize your catalog in a way that aligns with your marketing campaigns. While WooCommerce doesn’t offer a built-in feature to directly manipulate product IDs for sorting, this article will guide you through methods to achieve your desired arrangement, taking into account the pros and cons of each approach. We’ll cover a plugin-free method and explore a plugin alternative.
Main Part: Achieving Manual Product ID Arrangement
The core concept behind manually arranging products is to leverage the inherent order of posts (and WooCommerce products are essentially posts) within WordPress. By modifying the post order using a specific field, we can control the display sequence.
Method 1: Using the “Menu Order” Attribute (No Plugin Required)
This method is the most common and easiest way to manually arrange your WooCommerce products without relying on plugins. It utilizes the “Menu Order” attribute available within the product edit screen.
1. Access Product Edit Screens: Navigate to Products > All Products in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Enable Quick Edit: Find the product you want to re-arrange and hover over it. You’ll see the “Quick Edit” option. Click it.
3. Locate and Edit “Menu Order”: In the Quick Edit panel, you’ll find a field labeled “Menu Order.”
4. Assign Numerical Values: Assign a numerical value to the “Menu Order” field. Lower numbers are displayed first. For example:
- To display a product at the very top, assign it a value of `0`.
- To place it second, assign it a value of `1`.
- And so on…
- Product with ID 30: Menu Order = 0
- Product with ID 10: Menu Order = 1
- Product with ID 20: Menu Order = 2
- Numbering Strategy: Decide on a numbering strategy. Using increments of 1 (0, 1, 2, 3…) works well for small catalogs. For larger catalogs, using increments of 10 (0, 10, 20, 30…) provides more flexibility to insert new products later without renumbering everything.
- Bulk Editing: If you need to re-arrange many products, consider using the “Bulk Edit” feature in the product listing. Select multiple products, choose “Edit” from the bulk actions dropdown, and then you can set the menu order for all selected products at once.
- User-Friendly Interface: Drag-and-drop interface makes reordering easier.
- Advanced Features: Some plugins offer advanced filtering and sorting options.
- Plugin Bloat: Adds extra code to your website, potentially slowing it down.
- Compatibility Issues: May conflict with other plugins or your theme.
- Potential Costs: Some advanced features might require a paid subscription.
5. Update Product: Click the “Update” button to save the changes.
6. Repeat: Repeat steps 2-5 for all products you want to re-arrange. Pay careful attention to assigning unique numbers to avoid unexpected results.
7. Change the Default Sorting Option (Important): Go to Appearance > Customize > WooCommerce > Product Catalog. Under “Default product sorting,” select “Default sorting (custom ordering + name)”. This setting is crucial for the “Menu Order” to take effect. If you are using a custom theme, the location of this setting might be slightly different, so consult your theme’s documentation.
Example:
Let’s say you have three products with IDs 10, 20, and 30. You want to display them in the order 30, 10, 20.
Important Considerations:
Method 2: Using a Plugin for Advanced Sorting (Optional)
While the “Menu Order” method is usually sufficient, some plugins offer more advanced sorting options and a user-friendly interface. Plugins like “Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order” can provide drag-and-drop functionality for easy reordering. However, using a plugin introduces additional code and potential compatibility issues, so use them judiciously.
1. Install and Activate Plugin: Install and activate a plugin that supports custom product ordering, such as “Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order.”
2. Access the Plugin Settings: Navigate to the plugin’s settings page (usually under “Settings” or a custom menu item added by the plugin).
3. Enable Product Ordering: The plugin should have an option to enable custom ordering for products. Make sure this option is enabled.
4. Drag and Drop: The plugin will typically provide a drag-and-drop interface on the “Products” page or a dedicated ordering page. Simply drag and drop your products into the desired order.
5. Save Changes: Save the changes to apply the new order.
6. Verify Sorting: Double-check your shop page to ensure the products are displayed in the correct order.
Example (Conceptual using a hypothetical drag-and-drop interface):
[Product ID: 10] [Drag Handle]
[Product ID: 30] [Drag Handle]
[Product ID: 20] [Drag Handle]
You would drag “Product ID: 30” to the top, “Product ID: 10” to the second position, and leave “Product ID: 20” at the bottom.
Pros of Using a Plugin:
Cons of Using a Plugin:
Conclusion
Manually arranging product IDs in WooCommerce allows you to curate your online store, improve user experience, and boost sales. The “Menu Order” method is a simple, effective, and plugin-free solution for most users. If you need more advanced features or a drag-and-drop interface, consider a plugin, but weigh the pros and cons carefully. Always remember to set the “Default product sorting” to “Default sorting (custom ordering + name)” in WooCommerce settings to ensure your manual arrangements take effect. Finally, back up your database before making significant changes to your product arrangements.
