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A Magento configurable product is a single product with custom options. For example, on the storefront side, your customer sees a selection of T-shirts in various sizes and colors. On the backend, each product variation has a unique SKU.
These configurable products in Magento 2 enable individual tracking for each product variation. Retailers choose Magento 2 for e-commerce for these intuitive and customizable design solutions.
The guide below explains how to transform a single generated product into a configurable product in Magento 2.
Key Benefits of Configurable Products in Magento 2
There are multiple advantages to creating configurable products in Magento. The key three are:
- Improved User Experience with Product Variations: Your customers can easily compare products, switch between stores, and explore prices and options.
- Magento Inventory Management: Each Configurable Product variant has a unique SKU, making tracking purchases seamless.
- Enhanced SEO Opportunities for E-Commerce Stores: You can set it up so each Magento 2 Configurable Product has a unique URL and meta description.
Steps to Create a Configurable Product in Magento 2
Step 1: Add a Configurable Product
Creating a configurable product is a step-by-step process. Start in the admin panel in the product section to create configurable products in Magento. Then follow these steps:
- Choose the Magento product type
- From the Admin sidebar, go to Catalog and select Products
- Scroll down to create configurable products in Magento
- Click on Add Configurable Product
Next, add the product's qualities, traits, and features.
Step 2: Create Product Attributes
A product attribute defines its characteristics and makes browsing, filtering, and purchasing user-friendly. Magento 2 provides default attributes, but you can also customize, add, or delete attributes.
Choose a Product Template to assign an attribute set. Then, add the required product information.
- Basic Properties
- Advanced Properties
- Field Label
- Store Front Properties
To set attributes for a configurable product, click Configuration, then select Create Configurations.
- Check each variation you want to include.
- Add configurations: Choose Create New Value, input the value, and click the Enter arrow.
Accept the upper right corner and click save. You can rearrange the order of attributes by dragging and dropping.
Step 3: Set Basic Product Information
Complete the required fields, including the product details:
- Product Name
- Default SKU or enter another value
- Product Price
- Default: Taxable Goods or change the Tax Class
- Assign to one or more categories
Start typing to find the appropriate Category or multiple categories. Click the Show List icon to open the Category Tree. Check each Category to assign to the Product. You can also add a New Category (Parent) by following these steps:
- Enter the Category Name
- Choose the Parent Category
- Click to Create Category
- Enter the Product Description
- Click Submit
Whether a product is a Parent or Child determines its position in the menu structure. It's also important to Configure Advanced Settings for visibility, inventory control, and customer satisfaction. Other advanced settings include:
- Custom product URL
- Add the product to different websites for a multi-store setup
- Default and custom XML product page layouts
- Set a price for customers to add a gift message to their purchase
Step 4: Assign Configurable Attributes
An attribute set allows specific input types for each Product Variation, such as color and size. Each attribute for a ConfigurableProduct Variation must have one of the following:
- Dropdown
- Visual Swatch
- Text Swatch
You can also multiple-select visual swatch and text swatch input types. Then set the product variation attributes to Property/Scope and Setting/Global.
Step 5: Generate Associated Simple Products
A simple product is the foundation for configurable products. You can sell it separately or as a configurable product.
- Automatically Generate Simple Products from Configurable Options
- Adjust Stock and Pricing for Each Variant
- Preview Product Combinations
A Simple Product is a stand-alone product on the storefront without any variations. It has one SKU and no other versions, while a Magento 2 Configurable Product is one of several simple products.
Set up a Simple Product like this:
- Click on Products
- Under inventory, select Catalog
- Select Simple Product on the Add Product menu
- Choose a template (optional)
- Add product details, including images, prices, and quantity
- Set the Product Online switch to the off position.
- Move the upper right corner click save, and continue with the next step
Step 6: Complete Product Settings
When working with configurable products, you can track inventory for product variations via a unique SKU. For that, configure shipping and delivery settings. Then, assign a thumbnail image by attribute to each SKU, price, and quantity to product variations.
The Magento 2 bulk image upload files are a drag-and-drop action:
- Upload product images for each variation and drag them to the box
- Apply unique images by attribute to each SKU
- Generate the product configurations
- Click add a single set of images to all SKUs
- Apply unique image for each SKU
- Enable and save the product
Step 7: Preview and Publish the Product
When you're ready to publish, set Enable Product to YES. Click Save in the upper right corner. Next, select Customer View to see what the product looks like in the store. Your store will open in a new browser.
To configure Cart Thumbnails, go to:
- Stores
- Settings
- Configuration
- Skip the upper right corner and click save
Then, on the left, select Sales, then Checkout. Expand the Shopping Carttab and add a Configurable Product Image.
- Save the Configuration
- Switch Product Online to On
- Click Save and Publish
FAQs About Magento Configurable Products
1. What is the difference between a simple and configurable product?
A simple product in Magento represents a single SKU, offering basic customization options like color or size, but without distinct SKUs for each option. On the other hand, a configurable product allows you to create multiple variations (e.g., different sizes or colors), with each variation assigned its own unique SKU. This enables better tracking of stock, pricing, and other individual product attributes.
2. Can I assign different images to each variation?
Yes, Magento 2 allows you to assign unique images to each product variation. For example, if you're selling a shirt in different colors, you can upload a separate image for each color, ensuring customers see the exact item they’re purchasing based on their selection.
3. How do I manage stock for individual variations?
Managing stock for cMagento onfigurable products is a simple and quick process. From the Magento Admin Panel, you can go to the Inventory section and make stock adjustments for each variation. Magento tracks the inventory of each SKU separately, allowing you to manage stock levels per variation and automatically update them as orders are placed.
4. Can configurable products improve SEO for my Magento store?
Yes, configurable products can enhance your store's SEO by improving the user experience and navigation. With configurable products, customers can easily find and select their preferred variations from a single product page, reducing the need for multiple listings. This improves search engine visibility and keeps the product page optimized for relevant keywords while also reducing page clutter.
5. Is there a limit to how many variations I can create?
No, Magento does not impose a limit on the number of variations you can create for a configurable product. You have the flexibility to offer as many product variations as needed, depending on the combinations of attributes such as color, size, or material, ensuring your store can cater to a wide range of customer preferences.
Conclusion
Magento 2 provides a system for creating, selling, and tracking products with variations. This guide covers the basic setup and steps to get started. Once your store is ready to go live, remember to set the Attributes to Global Scope andswitch Product Online to ON.
Feel free to contact Transform Agency if you need any help with setting up or optimizing the performance of your Magento configurable products. Our expert team will gladly assist you with any Magento project.
Alex excels in creating and approving customization architecture, ensuring robust and efficient solutions for e-commerce platforms. His expertise in Magento allows him to effectively manage tech resources and drive technical projects to successful completion.
Alex excels in creating and approving customization architecture, ensuring robust and efficient solutions for e-commerce platforms. His expertise in Magento allows him to effectively manage tech resources and drive technical projects to successful completion.
