How To Show Woocommerce New Arrivals On Woocommerce Shop Page

How to Highlight WooCommerce New Arrivals Directly on Your Shop Page (SEO-Friendly Guide)

Introduction

One of the most effective ways to boost sales and engage your customers is by showcasing your newest products prominently. Displaying “New Arrivals” directly on your WooCommerce shop page can significantly increase visibility and encourage impulse purchases. This article will guide you through several methods to achieve this, from simple plugin options to more advanced custom code solutions, ensuring you can choose the best approach for your store’s needs and technical capabilities. We’ll also consider the SEO implications and discuss the pros and cons of each method.

Displaying New Arrivals: Methods and Implementation

There are several ways to show your WooCommerce new arrivals directly on your shop page. We’ll explore the most popular and effective options:

1. Using a Dedicated “New Arrivals” Plugin

This is generally the easiest and most user-friendly option, especially if you’re not comfortable with code. Many plugins available on the WordPress plugin repository offer this functionality.

• Pros:
• Simple to install and configure.
• Often comes with customization options like styling and display rules.
• No coding required.
• Cons:
• May require a paid plugin for advanced features.
• Potential plugin conflicts with other plugins.
• Can add extra load to your site if the plugin is poorly coded.

Example Plugins:

* WooCommerce New In

* YITH WooCommerce Product Countdown

Implementation Steps (General):

1. Search for “WooCommerce New Arrivals” in the WordPress plugin repository.

2. Install and activate your chosen plugin.

3. Configure the plugin settings, which usually include:

• The number of products to display.
• The “newness” criteria (e.g., products added within the last 30 days).
• Placement on the shop page (e.g., at the top).
• Styling options.

2. Creating a “New Arrivals” Category and Filtering

This method involves creating a “New Arrivals” category in WooCommerce and assigning new products to it. Then, you can filter the shop page to display only products from this category. This is a simple, free option but requires manual product management.

• Pros:
• Free and easy to set up.
• No plugin installation required.
• Full control over which products are considered “new.”
• Cons:
• Requires manual category assignment for each new product.
• Can be time-consuming if you have a large product catalog.
• Requires additional coding to automatically add products to the “New Arrivals” category based on publish date.

Implementation Steps:

1. Create a “New Arrivals” Category: In your WooCommerce dashboard, go to Products > Categories and create a new category named “New Arrivals.”

2. Assign New Products: When adding a new product, check the “New Arrivals” category box.

3. Filter the Shop Page (Coding Required): You’ll need to modify your theme’s `functions.php` file or use a child theme to override the shop page query. Here’s an example:

<?php
add_action( 'pre_get_posts', 'jk_pre_get_posts_query' );
function jk_pre_get_posts_query( $query ) {

if ( ! is_admin() && $query->is_main_query() && is_shop() ) {

$query->set( ‘product_cat’, ‘new-arrivals’ ); // Replace ‘new-arrivals’ with your category slug

}

}

?>

Explanation:

• `add_action( ‘pre_get_posts’, ‘jk_pre_get_posts_query’ );`: This hooks into the `pre_get_posts` action, which allows us to modify the main query before it’s executed.
• `function jk_pre_get_posts_query( $query ) { … }`: This defines our function to modify the query.
• `if ( ! is_admin() && $query->is_main_query() && is_shop() ) { … }`: This ensures the code only runs on the frontend, for the main query, and on the shop page.
• `$query->set( ‘product_cat’, ‘new-arrivals’ );`: This sets the `product_cat` parameter to ‘new-arrivals’, effectively filtering the shop page to show only products in that category.

4. Considerations:

• Replace `”new-arrivals”` with the actual slug of your “New Arrivals” category. You can find the slug when editing the category in the WordPress admin panel.
• Be very careful when editing `functions.php`. Back up your site before making any changes. It’s best practice to use a child theme to avoid losing your changes during theme updates.

3. Custom Code Solution (Advanced)

This is the most flexible but also the most complex option. It involves writing custom code to query products based on their publication date and display them on the shop page. This requires a solid understanding of PHP, WordPress theme structure, and WooCommerce hooks.

• Pros:
• Maximum flexibility and customization.
• No plugin dependencies.
• Can be optimized for performance.
• Cons:
• Requires significant coding knowledge.
• Can be time-consuming to implement.
• Requires ongoing maintenance and updates.

Implementation Steps (Example):

1. Modify Your Theme’s Template Files: You’ll likely need to edit your theme’s `content-product.php` or `archive-product.php` file (or a copy in your child theme).

2. Query New Products: Use `WP_Query` to fetch products based on their publication date:

 'product',
'posts_per_page' => 10, // Number of products to display
'orderby'        => 'date',
'order'          => 'DESC',
'date_query'     => array(
array(
'after'  => date( 'Y-m-d', strtotime( '-30 days' ) ), // Products published in the last 30 days
),
),
);

$new_arrivals = new WP_Query( $args );

if ( $new_arrivals->have_posts() ) {

echo ‘

‘; // Start of the product listing container

while ( $new_arrivals->have_posts() ) {

$new_arrivals->the_post();

wc_get_template_part( ‘content’, ‘product’ ); // Display each product using the standard WooCommerce template

}

echo ‘

‘; // End of the product listing container

wp_reset_postdata(); // Reset the global post data

} else {

echo ‘

No new arrivals at the moment.

‘;

}

?>

Explanation:

• `$args`: This array defines the parameters for the `WP_Query`.
• `post_type`: Specifies that we’re querying for products.
• `posts_per_page`: Limits the number of products to display.
• `orderby`: Orders the products by date.
• `order`: Orders the products in descending order (newest first).
• `date_query`: Filters products based on their publication date. In this example, it fetches products published within the last 30 days.
• `$new_arrivals = new WP_Query( $args );`: Creates a new `WP_Query` object with the specified arguments.
• The `while` loop iterates through the found products and displays them using `wc_get_template_part( ‘content’, ‘product’ );`, which uses WooCommerce’s standard template for displaying a single product.
• `wp_reset_postdata();` resets the global post data after the loop to prevent conflicts with other queries.

3. Add Styling: You’ll likely need to add CSS to style the “New Arrivals” section.

Important Considerations for Custom Code:

• Child Theme: Always use a child theme to avoid losing your changes during theme updates.
• Performance: Optimize your query to avoid slowing down your site. Use caching if necessary.
• Security: Sanitize and escape any user input to prevent security vulnerabilities.
• WooCommerce Updates: Keep your code up-to-date with WooCommerce’s latest updates to ensure compatibility.

SEO Considerations

Displaying new arrivals can positively impact your SEO.

• Fresh Content: Search engines value fresh content. Regularly updating your shop page with new products signals activity and relevance.
• Internal Linking: Linking new arrivals to other relevant products within your store improves internal linking and helps search engines understand the relationship between your products.
• Keywords: Ensure your new product titles and descriptions are optimized for relevant keywords.

However, consider these potential drawbacks:

• Duplicate Content: If you’re using the same descriptions on the shop page and the product page, it *could* be seen as duplicate content. Use short, enticing descriptions on the shop page and detailed descriptions on the product page to avoid this.
• Page Load Speed: Adding too many new products or poorly optimized code can slow down your page load speed, which is a crucial SEO factor. Optimize images and code.

Conclusion

Highlighting your WooCommerce new arrivals on the shop page is a powerful strategy to boost sales and improve customer engagement. Whether you choose a user-friendly plugin, a category-based approach, or a custom-coded solution depends on your technical skills and specific requirements. Remember to optimize for SEO by ensuring fresh content, internal linking, and relevant keywords, while also being mindful of potential issues like duplicate content and page load speed. By carefully considering the pros and cons of each method and implementing the best approach for your store, you can effectively showcase your latest products and drive conversions.