WooCommerce: How to List All Products on a Single Page (The Easy Way!)
So, you’re running a WooCommerce store, and you want to show *all* your products on one glorious, scrolling page? Maybe you have a limited product range, or perhaps you think it will improve your customer’s browsing experience. Whatever your reason, you’ve come to the right place! Listing all WooCommerce products on a single page is a common request, and we’ll break down how to do it in a way that’s easy to understand, even if you’re a WooCommerce newbie.
Why List All Products on One Page?
Before we dive in, let’s consider why you might want to do this. It’s not always the *best* approach for *every* store, but it can be beneficial in certain situations:
- Small Product Catalog: If you only sell a handful of items, a single page makes perfect sense. It eliminates the need for pagination and provides a straightforward browsing experience. Think of a boutique store specializing in 5-6 handcrafted items.
- Simpler Navigation: Some customers prefer scrolling over clicking through multiple pages. Listing everything in one place can feel less overwhelming.
- Showcasing All Products at Once: You might want to create a promotional page highlighting your entire inventory, perhaps during a sale. Imagine a landing page dedicated to a clearance event, showcasing all reduced items.
However, keep in mind: For large stores with hundreds or thousands of products, a single page can become slow to load and difficult to navigate. Think about scrolling through thousands of shirts on a fashion retail site – it’s not a user-friendly experience! In those cases, pagination and filters are *essential*.
The Easiest Way: Adjusting WooCommerce Settings
WooCommerce has a built-in setting that controls how many products are displayed per page. By setting this number high enough, you can effectively list all products on a single page (assuming your total product count isn’t too large).
Here’s how to do it:
1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Go to WooCommerce > Settings.
3. Click on the “Products” tab.
4. Look for the “Shop page display” section. Under “Default product sorting”, you might want to select ‘Default sorting (custom ordering + name)’ to allow easy organization.
5. Find the “Products per row” setting. This dictates the number of products displayed horizontally. This setting doesn’t affect number of products displayed in total.
6. Crucially, find the “Products to display” setting. This is often set to a default value like 12 or 24.
7. Change “Products to display” to a *very large* number. Something like 999 should be sufficient for most small to medium-sized stores.
8. Save your changes.
Example: Let’s say you have 50 products. By setting “Products to display” to 999, WooCommerce will load all 50 products on a single page. If you have 10000 products, and still set to 999, it will only display the first 999.
The Code Snippet Approach (For More Control & Advanced Users)
For a more direct and flexible approach, you can use a code snippet in your theme’s `functions.php` file (or better yet, in a custom plugin or via a code snippets plugin to avoid direct theme modifications). Important: Always back up your website before modifying your theme’s files.
Here’s the code:
<?php add_filter( 'loop_shop_per_page', 'new_loop_shop_per_page', 20 );
function new_loop_shop_per_page( $cols ) {
// $cols contains the current number of products per page based on the value store set on WooCommerce > Settings > Products
// We will simply override it to display 24 products per page. Modify the value accordingly
$cols = -1; // -1 means display all products
return $cols;
}
?>
Explanation:
- `add_filter( ‘loop_shop_per_page’, ‘new_loop_shop_per_page’, 20 );`: This line hooks into the `loop_shop_per_page` filter, which controls the number of products displayed on the shop page.
- `function new_loop_shop_per_page( $cols ) { … }`: This defines a new function called `new_loop_shop_per_page`. The `$cols` variable contains the original value (the one set in the WooCommerce settings), but we’re going to override it.
- `$cols = -1;`: This is the key line! Setting `$cols` to `-1` tells WooCommerce to display *all* products on the page.
- `return $cols;`: This returns the modified value to WooCommerce.
How to use this code:
1. Backup your website! This is always crucial before making code changes.
2. Access your `functions.php` file. You can usually find this by navigating to Appearance > Theme Editor in your WordPress dashboard (although this is generally discouraged as it can directly modify the theme). The best practice is to use a child theme or a code snippets plugin.
3. Add the code to the end of your `functions.php` file.
4. Save the file.
Why use the code snippet method?
- Direct Control: You’re directly telling WooCommerce to display all products, regardless of the settings in the admin panel.
- Avoid Potential Conflicts: Sometimes, other plugins or themes might interfere with the WooCommerce settings. A code snippet can provide a more reliable solution.
- More Flexibility: You could add conditional logic to display all products only on specific pages or under certain conditions.
Important Considerations for SEO
Listing all products on a single page *can* impact your SEO if you’re not careful. Here’s why:
- Page Load Speed: A page with hundreds of images and product descriptions can become very slow to load. Optimize your images! Use a plugin to compress and resize them. Consider using a CDN (Content Delivery Network) to distribute your images across multiple servers.
- User Experience: Is it *really* a good experience for users to scroll through hundreds of products? Consider implementing filters (by price, category, etc.) to help users narrow down their search.
- Internal Linking: Make sure your page has clear navigation and internal links to your most important product categories and pages. This helps Google understand the structure of your site.
Key SEO Tip: If you decide to list all products on one page, focus on optimizing that page for a *very* broad keyword (e.g., “shop all [your product type]”). Then, focus on optimizing your category pages for more specific keywords.
Conclusion
Listing all your WooCommerce products on a single page can be a useful strategy, especially for stores with smaller inventories. Remember to prioritize user experience, optimize for speed, and carefully consider the SEO implications. Choose the method that best suits your needs and technical skill level. Good luck!
