How to Put WooCommerce in Catalog Mode: A Beginner’s Guide
Want to showcase your products without actually selling them? Maybe you’re building excitement before a big launch, or perhaps you want to use your WooCommerce site as an online brochure. Putting your WooCommerce store into catalog mode allows you to do just that! Instead of purchasing, visitors can browse, view descriptions, and learn about your offerings, but they won’t be able to add anything to their cart or complete a checkout.
Think of it like this: You’re visiting a fancy car dealership. You can look at all the cars, read about their features, even sit inside them. But you don’t have the option to buy one right then and there. That’s catalog mode for your WooCommerce store!
This guide will walk you through the simple steps to achieve this, even if you’re new to WordPress and WooCommerce. We’ll explore two main methods: using a plugin and using code. Choose the one that best suits your comfort level.
Why Use Catalog Mode?
Before we dive in, let’s quickly cover *why* you might want to do this:
- Pre-Launch Hype: Showcase your products before they’re officially available. Generate buzz and collect leads. Imagine a new gaming console being announced – you can see everything about it, but can’t pre-order just yet.
- Wholesale Storefront: Display your catalog to registered wholesale customers, hiding pricing and purchase options from the general public until they’re logged in. This keeps your pricing confidential.
- Promotional Periods: Showcase products that are temporarily unavailable, but you still want people to see them. “Coming Soon!” works much Discover insights on How To Make All Drafts Published Woocommerce better than a blank page.
- Product Brochures: Use your WooCommerce store as a digital brochure, providing detailed information about your products without selling them online. This is useful if you primarily sell offline or through other channels.
- Service-Based Businesses: Use WooCommerce to showcase your services as products without directly selling them. This allows you to leverage WooCommerce’s product display features for services.
- YITH WooCommerce Catalog Mode: A widely used, feature-rich plugin.
- WooCommerce Catalog Mode, Disable Shopping Cart: A simpler, straightforward plugin.
- Hide the “Add to Cart” buttons.
- Remove pricing.
- Disable the cart and checkout pages.
- Show a custom message like “Coming Soon” or “Contact Us for Pricing”.
- Enable Catalog Mode: The master switch.
- Hide “Add to Cart” button: Removes the primary button.
- Hide Price: Hides all pricing information.
- Replace Button Text: Change the “Add to Cart” button to something like “Inquire Now”.
- Redirect URL: Send users to a different page (like a contact form) when they click the (now renamed) button.
- WordPress Theme Editor: Go to Appearance > Theme Editor (or Theme File Editor depending on your WordPress version). Find `functions.php` in the list of files. Caution: This is risky if you’re not comfortable with coding.
- FTP/SFTP: Connect to your website’s server using an FTP client (like FileZilla). Navigate to `/wp-content/themes/[your-theme-name]/` and find `functions.php`.
- Custom Code Snippet Plugin: Use a plugin like “Code Snippets” to add and manage code without directly editing your theme files. This is the recommended approach for beginners.
Method 1: Using a WooCommerce Catalog Mode Plugin
This is the easiest and most beginner-friendly method. There are several free and premium plugins available that simplify the process.
Steps:
1. Install a Catalog Mode Plugin: Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard. Search for “WooCommerce Catalog Mode” or “WooCommerce Product Catalog”. Popular options include:
2. Activate the Plugin: Once installed, activate the plugin.
3. Configure the Plugin: Each plugin has its own settings page, usually found under WooCommerce > Settings or under its own dedicated menu item.
4. Enable Catalog Mode: Look for an option to enable catalog mode. You might also have options to:
Example using YITH WooCommerce Catalog Mode:
After installing and activating YITH WooCommerce Catalog Mode, navigate to its settings page. You’ll find options to:
The plugin handles all the technical details, making it a quick and easy way to switch to catalog mode.
Method 2: Using Code (For the More Adventurous)
This method involves adding custom code to your theme’s `functions.php` file or using a custom code snippet plugin. It requires some familiarity with PHP. Be very careful when editing your theme’s files, and *always back up your site first*.
Steps:
1. Access Your `functions.php` File: You can access this file through:
2. Add the Code: Paste the following code into your `functions.php` file (or your code snippet plugin):
<?php // Remove Add to Cart button remove_action( 'woocommerce_after_shop_loop_item', 'woocommerce_template_loop_add_to_cart', 10 ); remove_action( 'woocommerce_single_product_summary', 'woocommerce_template_single_add_to_cart', 30 );
// Remove prices
add_filter( ‘woocommerce_get_price_html’, ‘remove_woo_price’ );
function remove_woo_price() Read more about How To Add A Create An Account Feature To Woocommerce {
return ”;
}
add_filter( ‘woocommerce_cart_is_empty’, ‘__return_true’ );
add_filter( ‘woocommerce_checkout_redirect_empty_cart’, ‘__return_false’ );
//Disable cart page
function disable_cart_page() {
if (is_cart()) {
wp_redirect(home_url());
exit;
}
}
add_action( ‘template_redirect’, ‘disable_cart_page’ );
//Disable checkout page
function disable_checkout_page() {
if (is_checkout()) {
wp_redirect(home_url());
exit;
}
}
add_action( ‘template_redirect’, ‘disable_checkout_page’ );
?>
3. Save the File: If you’re using the Theme Editor, click “Update File”. If you’re using FTP, save the `functions.php` file and upload it back to your server, overwriting the existing one. If you’re using a code snippet plugin, save and activate the snippet.
Explanation of the Code:
- `remove_action(…)`: Removes the “Add to Cart” button from the product listing pages and the single product page.
- `add_filter(…)`: Filters the HTML output of the product price, effectively removing it.
- `add_filter( ‘woocommerce_cart_is_empty’, ‘__return_true’ );`: Prevents items being added to the cart and treats cart as empty.
- `add_filter( ‘woocommerce_checkout_redirect_empty_cart’, ‘__return_false’ );`: Prevents redirection to cart.
- `disable_cart_page` and `disable_checkout_page`: If somehow someone gets to those pages, the code redirects to homepage.
Important Considerations when Using Code:
- Theme Updates: If you directly edit your theme’s `functions.php` file, your changes will be lost when you update your theme. Use a child theme to prevent this.
- Error Handling: A small error in your code can break your site. Test thoroughly and have a backup ready.
- Code Maintenance: As WooCommerce updates, you might need to adjust the code to ensure it still works correctly.
Which Method Should You Choose?
- Beginner: Use a plugin. It’s the easiest, safest, and most user-friendly option.
- Intermediate: If you’re comfortable with basic PHP, using a code snippet plugin provides more control and avoids directly modifying theme files.
- Advanced: If you’re a developer, using a child theme and editing `functions.php` directly offers the most flexibility, but requires careful management.
Final Thoughts
Putting your WooCommerce store in catalog mode is a great way to showcase your products Discover insights on How Do I Move Product From Printify Shopify To Woocommerce without selling them. Whether you choose a plugin or code, the steps are relatively straightforward. Remember to test your site thoroughly after making any changes to ensure everything is working as expected. Good luck!
