Shopify Increases Product Variant Limit to 2000 for Store Owners

Introduction

Shopify has long been a go-to platform for e-commerce businesses, but one limitation that has frustrated many store owners is the 100 variant limit for products. However, exciting changes are on the horizon. Shopify has announced plans to increase the variant limit to 2000, a move that promises to revolutionize product management for many online retailers. In this post, we’ll explore what this change means, who it affects, and how it will impact your Shopify store.

The New 2000 Variant Limit: A Game-Changer for Shopify Users

What is Changing?

Shopify is set to increase the product variant limit from 100 to 2000. This significant upgrade will allow store owners to create more complex product offerings without resorting to workarounds or third-party apps.

Who Will Benefit?

The good news is that this feature is planned to be available to all Shopify users, not just Shopify Plus subscribers. This democratization of advanced features is a testament to Shopify’s commitment to supporting businesses of all sizes.

When Will It Be Available?

While the exact release date hasn’t been announced, Shopify has indicated that the feature is currently in developer preview. This means that while it’s not yet available for general use, it’s being actively tested and refined.

Impact on Product Management

Expanded Product Options

With the new 2000 variant limit, store owners will have much more flexibility in creating product variations. For example, a clothing store could offer a single product in multiple sizes, colors, and styles without hitting the variant ceiling.

Simplified Inventory Management

The increased limit will allow for more accurate inventory tracking across a wider range of product options, potentially reducing the need for complex workarounds or separate product listings.

Enhanced Customer Experience

Customers will benefit from a more streamlined shopping experience, with all product options available on a single page rather than spread across multiple listings.

Technical Considerations

API and Theme Compatibility

It’s important to note that while the APIs for the new variant limit are in developer preview, they can currently only be used by developer stores. Additionally, store owners may need to ensure their themes are compatible with the increased variant limit.

Rate Limits and Performance

Shopify has indicated that there may be additional throttles for stores with over 50,000 product variants, limiting the creation of new variants to 1,000 per day. This is something to keep in mind for larger catalogs.

Preparing for the Change

Audit Your Current Product Structure

Before the new limit is implemented, it’s a good idea to review your current product structure and identify areas where the increased variant limit could streamline your offerings.

Plan Your Product Strategy

Consider how you might leverage the increased variant limit to improve your product listings and overall store organization.

Stay Informed

Keep an eye on Shopify’s official announcements and documentation for updates on the release timeline and any additional requirements or best practices.

Potential Challenges and Solutions

Data Migration

For stores that have implemented workarounds for the current variant limit, there may be some data migration required to take full advantage of the new limit.

Performance Optimization

With the potential for more complex product pages, it will be important to ensure that your store’s performance is optimized to handle the increased data load.

User Interface Considerations

Store owners and developers may need to rethink how product options are displayed to ensure a good user experience with potentially hundreds of variants.

Conclusion

The upcoming increase in Shopify’s variant limit to 2000 is a significant development that promises to solve a long-standing pain point for many e-commerce businesses. While we await its full release, store owners should start planning how they can best utilize this feature to enhance their product offerings and streamline their operations. As always, stay tuned to official Shopify channels for the most up-to-date information on this exciting new feature.

For more information on Shopify’s product updates, visit https://www.shopify.com/editions/winter2024/video/product-merchandising-updates.