# WooCommerce Product Types: Simple, Variable, and Grouped

> **Source video:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhOf9260a2o

This guide covers installing the WooCommerce plugin, the three main product types (simple, variable, and grouped), and how to add each type to your store. It also covers creating categories, assigning products to them, and adding those categories to the navigation menu.

## Install and activate WooCommerce

1. Open the WordPress dashboard (visit your site and add `/wp-admin`, or use your bookmark).
2. To keep things organized, use **Screen Options** and untick the screen elements you don't need.
3. Go to **Plugins → Add New Plugin**, search for "WooCommerce", and click **Install Now → Activate**.

After activation:

- New pages are created: **Cart**, **Checkout**, **My Account**, **Refund and Returns Policy** (draft), and **Shop**. Delete the unwanted page by clicking **Trash**, then go to **Trash → Empty Trash**.
- New menu items appear on the left: **WooCommerce**, **Products**, **Analytics**, and **Marketing**.

## The three main product types

- **Simple product** – one product with one size and one color; no variants (e.g. a single blue t-shirt).
- **Variable product** – multiple variants of the same product (e.g. the same t-shirt in multiple colors, or one color in multiple sizes).
- **Grouped product** – multiple single products grouped together and sold from one product page.

## Add a simple product

1. Go to **Products → Add New** and enter a product name.
2. Add the **Product description** (shows below the product) and the **Product short description** (shows below the title and price).
3. In **Product data**, keep **Simple product** selected.
4. Set a **Regular price** (e.g. $40) and optionally a **Sale price** (e.g. $30).
5. In the **Inventory** tab, add a **SKU** (optional, for tracking), tick **Track stock quantity for this product** and enter the stock quantity, then choose a **backorder** option (**Allow**, **Allow, but notify customer**, or **Do not allow**).
6. In the **Shipping** tab, add weight, dimensions, and a shipping class if needed.
7. Under **Linked products**, you can add **Upsells** or **Cross-sells**. **Attributes** are for variable products, so skip them here.
8. On the right, click **Set product image** to choose the main image, and **Add product gallery images** to add extra angle shots.
9. Under **Product categories**, click **Add new category** to create one (e.g. "Dresses"). Add relevant **Product tags** too.
10. Click **Publish**, then use the **View product** link to see the finished product page.

## Add a variable product

1. Go to **Products → Add New**, enter a name, and paste in the product description.
2. In **Product data**, switch from **Simple product** to **Variable product**. A notice appears saying you can now add attributes. Note that the single price field disappears, because you set a price per variation.
3. Click **Attributes** and add your first attribute:
   - Enter the attribute name (e.g. "Color") and its values (e.g. "light pink | yellow"). Separate each value with a vertical bar (`|`). If you can't find the character on your keyboard, copy it from the video description.
   - Click **Save attributes**.
4. Add a second attribute for sizes (e.g. "small | medium | large") and click **Save attributes**.
5. Click **Variations → Generate variations** and confirm. All combinations are generated (e.g. six variants: small/medium/large for each color).
6. Add prices:
   - If all variants share the same price, click **Add price** to set it for all at once.
   - Otherwise, click **Edit** on each variant and enter its price individually.
7. Add a variation image for each variant:
   - Click **Edit**, click the image icon, upload the images for each color, and click **Set variation image**. Repeat for every variant.
8. Scroll down and add the **Product short description**.
9. Under **Product image**, set the **default product image**. In **Variations**, set the **Default form values** (which variation shows by default, e.g. "light pink" and "small").
10. Add extra **Gallery images** (hold Shift to select multiple at once).
11. Create a category for the product (e.g. "Tops"), then click **Publish** or **Update**.

On the product page, shoppers can switch variations (e.g. from light pink to yellow) and the image changes accordingly.

## Add a grouped product

1. First, create a **simple product** for each item in the group (e.g. an Xbox Series S, an Xbox controller, and an Xbox headset):
   - Give the product a name.
   - Add a **price** (a description is optional since the product only appears on the grouped page).
   - Set a **product image**, because it will show up in the cart.
   - Under **Catalog visibility**, click **Edit** and choose **Hidden**, so the product doesn't appear as a standalone item on the store. Click **OK**, then **Publish**.
   - Repeat for each item.
2. Create the grouped product:
   - Go to **Products → Add New** and name it (e.g. "Microsoft Xbox").
   - Add a product description.
   - In **Product data**, switch to **Grouped product**.
   - Go to **Linked products** and search for and add all the products that belong to the group.
   - Add a **Product short description**, set a **Product image**, and add **Gallery images** of the other products in the group.
   - Add a category and tags if you like, then click **Publish**.
3. On the grouped product page, shoppers can choose a quantity of each item and add them all to the cart from that one page. Because the individual products are hidden, only the grouped product appears on the shop page.

## Tip: duplicate similar products

To save time when adding many similar products, go to an existing product and click **Duplicate**. This copies all options, images, and the name; make your changes and publish it as a new product.

## Create categories and add products to them

1. Go to **Products → Categories**. You'll see categories you already created (e.g. "Dresses" and "Tops") plus **Uncategorized**, which is where products without a category are automatically assigned.
2. Add images to categories: click **Edit** on a category, scroll to the **Thumbnail**, click **Upload image**, choose an image, click **Use image**, then **Update**. Do the same for each category.
3. To create a new category (e.g. "Best Sellers"), enter the **Name**, optionally choose a **Parent category** (if it's a subcategory), set the **Thumbnail**, and click **Add new category**.
4. Reorder categories by dragging them into the desired order.
5. To assign products to a category:
   - Go to **Products**, tick the products you want.
   - Use the **Bulk actions** menu, choose **Edit**, and click **Apply**.
   - Under **Categories**, select the target category and click **Update**. Products keep their original categories and gain the new one.

## Add categories to the navigation menu

1. Go to **Appearance → Menus**.
2. Under **Product categories**, click **Select all**, then **Add to menu**, and **Save menu**. All categories now appear as links in the navigation menu.
3. To keep the menu tidy, make categories a submenu of the Shop page:
   - Under **Pages**, click **View all**, select the **Shop** page, and click **Add to menu**.
   - Drag each category below the Shop link and indent it to the right to nest it as a submenu item.
   - Click **Save menu**.
4. Reload your site to see the results. Drag the Shop link to the top of the menu if you want it leftmost, and save again.