What is a Shopify product variant?

A product variant is a specific version of a product based on its options like size, color, or material. For example, a T-shirt might have variants for Small/Blue, Medium/Blue, Small/Red, etc. Each variant can have its own price, SKU, and inventory level.

How many variants can a Shopify product have?

Shopify allows up to 100 variants per product and a maximum of 3 option types (like Size, Color, Material). The 100 variant limit includes all combinations—for example, 10 sizes × 10 colors = 100 variants.

Can variants have different prices?

Yes. Each variant can have its own price. This is useful for size-based pricing (larger sizes cost more), premium options (special materials), or different configurations.

How do I add images to specific variants?

Upload images to your product, then edit each variant and assign the appropriate image. When customers select that variant, the product image will change to show the correct option.

Shopify Product Variants: Complete Management Guide

Product variants allow you to offer different versions of the same product—sizes, colors, materials, or other options—without creating separate product listings. Understanding how to manage variants effectively is essential for stores selling products with multiple options.

Understanding Product Variants

What Are Variants?

A variant is a specific combination of product options. If you sell a T-shirt available in 3 sizes and 4 colors, that's potentially 12 variants (3 × 4 = 12), each representing a unique purchasable item.

Variant Components

Each variant can have unique values for:

Price: Different variants can cost different amounts
Compare-at price: For showing sale prices
SKU: Unique identifier for inventory management
Barcode: UPC, EAN, or ISBN
Inventory: Stock level per variant
Weight: For shipping calculations
Image: Show the correct product image

Shopify Variant Limits

Maximum options: 3 per product (e.g., Size, Color, Material)
Maximum variants: 100 per product
Option values: No specific limit, but combinations must stay under 100

Example limit scenario: If you have 10 sizes, 10 colors, and 2 materials, that's 200 variants (10 × 10 × 2)—which exceeds the limit. You'd need to split into multiple products.

Creating Variants

Adding Variants to a Product

Go to Products in your Shopify admin
Create a new product or edit an existing one
In the Variants section, check "This product has options"
Add option names (Size, Color, etc.) and their values
Shopify automatically generates all variant combinations
Edit each variant to set price, SKU, inventory, etc.
Save the product

Assigning Images to Variants

Upload all product images to the product
Click on a variant to edit it
Select the appropriate image for that variant
Repeat for other variants

When customers select a variant, the product image updates to show the correct option.

Variant Pricing Strategies

Size-Based Pricing

Larger sizes often cost more due to material costs:

S, M, L: $25
XL, 2XL: $28
3XL+: $32

Premium Option Pricing

Special materials or features can command higher prices:

Standard leather: $150
Premium leather: $200
Exotic leather: $350

Configuration-Based Pricing

Different specifications at different price points:

8GB RAM / 256GB storage: $999
16GB RAM / 512GB storage: $1,299

Inventory Management for Variants

Each variant maintains its own inventory count:

Enable "Track quantity" for each variant
Set stock levels per variant and location
Decide whether to allow overselling (backorders) per variant
Variants can sell out independently—a product shows "sold out" only when all variants are unavailable

Using Variants with Collections

Automated collections work at the product level, not variant level. However, you can use tags to organize products by variant characteristics:

Tag products with available colors for color-based collections
Tag products with available sizes for size-filtered collections
Use collection filters to help customers narrow options

Organize Products with Variants: AWSM Collections helps you create smart collection rules that work alongside your variant structure, making it easier for customers to find products in the options they want.

Best Practices for Variant Management

Naming Conventions

Use consistent option names across products (always "Size" not sometimes "Size" and sometimes "Sizing")
Use consistent value names (always "Small" not sometimes "S" and sometimes "Small")
This enables consistent filtering and customer experience

SKU Strategy

Create logical SKUs that encode variant information:

Format: PRODUCT-SIZE-COLOR
Example: TSHIRT-M-BLU (T-Shirt, Medium, Blue)
Makes inventory management and fulfillment easier

Image Organization

Upload images for each variant option (every color, every material)
Use consistent image angles and backgrounds
Name image files descriptively for SEO

Handling Variant Limits

When you exceed 100 variants or need more than 3 options:

Split into Multiple Products

Create separate products for different categories (Men's vs. Women's)
Use collections to group related products
Link products together using metafields or app solutions

Use Apps for Extended Options

Third-party apps can provide:

Unlimited variant options
Custom option types (text input, file upload)
Conditional logic (show options based on selections)

SEO for Variants

Variants share the parent product's SEO but can impact search visibility:

Use variant option names in product descriptions
Include image alt text describing each variant
Consider whether high-demand variants should be separate products for SEO

Common Variant Issues

Hitting the 100 variant limit: Split into multiple products or use apps
Inconsistent option names: Audit and standardize across products
Missing variant images: Leads to poor customer experience—ensure all variants have images
Inventory discrepancies: Each variant needs accurate stock tracking

Conclusion

Product variants are essential for offering options without cluttering your store with duplicate products. Use consistent naming, assign images to each variant, track inventory separately, and use collections to help customers find products in their preferred options.