How to Display Single Product Variants in Shopify Collections

Ever wondered why your best-selling variants don’t get the attention they deserve on your Shopify store? By default, Shopify only displays the main product on collection pages while other variants, such as colors, sizes, or styles, remain hidden. This limitation can reduce product visibility and impact customer engagement.

In today's competitive eCommerce landscape, personalization is no longer optional. Preference-based personalization can lead to a 15 percent rise in customer retention and a 20 percent increase in sales. If a shopper prefers the blue backpack version but only sees the black one listed, they might scroll past without even clicking.

The solution is to display individual product variants as separate items in your collections. In this guide, you will learn how to make that possible using theme customization, metafields, or other advanced techniques. This way, every variant gets its spotlight, and your customers get exactly what they want.

Understanding Shopify Product Variants

Shopify makes it easy to sell products with multiple options. These are known as product variants, and they can include differences like size, color, material, or design. For example, if you sell a backpack that comes in red, black, and navy blue, those are variants. Instead of creating separate product listings for each color, Shopify allows you to manage all these options under one main product.

This keeps your product catalog clean, but there's one drawback: only the main product image and title appear in your collection pages. The rest of the variants stay hidden until a customer clicks through. That’s where opportunities get missed.

Why Display a Single Product Variant?

You might want to feature specific variants as standalone products in your collections for many reasons.

One key benefit is improved product visibility. If a customer prefers a specific color or style, showing that exact variant in your collection page makes it more likely they’ll click. It also simplifies decision-making for customers who want to buy quickly without toggling between options.

Another advantage is better presentation of limited stock or exclusive offers.

For example, if a red dress is only available in one size and you want to promote it separately, displaying it as its own product can drive urgency and conversions.

Other use cases include:

• Highlighting best-selling colors or seasonal variants
• Running separate marketing campaigns for individual styles
• Reducing customer confusion when there are many options under one product

This approach is especially useful for highlighting special or limited variants. With that in mind, let’s dive into the steps to showcase single variants effectively in your collections.

How to Display Single Product Variants in Shopify Collections

If you want to give a specific product variant (such as a particular color, size, or style) its own spotlight in your Shopify collections, follow these detailed steps to display only that variant while ensuring a smooth shopping experience for your customers.

Step 1: Log in to Your Shopify Admin Panel

To begin, log into your Shopify admin panel.

This is where you’ll control everything in your store—from products and collections to customizing your store’s appearance. Once you’re in, you can easily manage your products, settings, and collections from the dashboard.

Step 2: Navigate to Your Desired Collection

Once you’re in the Shopify admin panel, head to Products > Collections.

Collections allow you to group similar products together, making it easier for customers to browse by category.

For example, if you are showcasing "T-shirts" in various colors and sizes, you would choose the collection labeled “T-Shirts” or “Summer Apparel.” This collection is where your variant will be displayed.

Step 3: Find the Product with Variants

Within the collection, locate the product that has multiple variants (e.g., size, color, or style). Let’s say you have a "T-shirt" product that comes in different sizes and colors. If you want to showcase only the “Red Medium” variant, you will focus on that specific option within the product.

Step 4: Choose How You Want to Display the Single Variant

You now have two primary ways to display a single variant: manually duplicating the product or using apps to automate the process. Both methods have their benefits, depending on how many variants you want to highlight and how much time you want to invest.

Option 1: Manual Method (Duplicate the Product)

If you prefer to handle things manually, follow these steps:

1. Duplicate the Product: In the product details page, you can duplicate the existing product to create a new listing specifically for the variant you want to feature. For instance, if you want to showcase the “Red Medium T-shirt,” you’ll create a new product listing titled “Red Medium T-shirt.”
2. Rename the Product: Change the title to reflect the specific variant, such as “Red Medium T-shirt.” This helps differentiate it from other variants in your collection.
3. Update the Description: Edit the product description to match the specific variant. For example, mention the color, size, material, and any other unique features of the “Red Medium” variant.
4. Update the Images: Replace the product image with the one that represents the Red Medium T-shirt. This is important to ensure that customers only see images of the selected variant.
5. Add the Product to Your Collection: Once you’ve edited the product, add it to the collection you’re working with (e.g., “T-shirts”). This allows your customers to see only that specific variant in the collection.

Option 2: Using Apps to Automate the Process

If you want to save time and avoid manually duplicating products, several Shopify apps can help you display individual variants in collections more efficiently:

1.   Color Swatch King:

If your variants involve colors, this app turns each variant into clickable color swatches that appear directly on the collection page. Customers can easily see and select their preferred color.

Key Feature

• Clickable Color Swatches: Converts color variants into clickable swatches that customers can select directly from the collection page.
• Seamless Integration: Instantly displays swatches next to products, enhancing the shopping experience without the need for additional clicks.
• Improved User Experience: Customers can quickly view and select their preferred color variant, speeding up the decision-making process and reducing cart abandonment.
  
  2. SA Variant Image Automator:

This app ensures that the correct images appear when customers choose a variant, making your collection page cleaner and easier to navigate.

Key Feature

• Automatic Image Assignment: Automatically associates the correct image with each variant, ensuring that customers see the right product photo when they select a specific option.
• Cleaner Collection Page: Prevents the cluttering of product images and streamlines the display by showing only the relevant image for each variant.
• Enhanced Product Visualization: Improves visual representation, making it easier for customers to view the exact variant they’re purchasing.

3. SA Variants: Combined Listings:
   This app helps by automatically splitting variants into individual listings for your collections. It maintains a clean backend while providing clarity on the front-end, allowing customers to shop by variant directly.

Key Feature

• Automatic Variant Splitting: Automatically splits product variants into separate listings, enabling customers to shop by individual variants directly from the collection page.
• Backend Organization: Keeps the product management backend organized while displaying variants clearly on the front-end.
• Clear Variant Selection: Customers can easily view and choose from individual variant listings, reducing confusion and improving shopping efficiency.

These apps streamline product variant management, enhance user experience, and improve store organization, helping you maintain a polished and efficient online store.

Step 5: Polish Each Variant's Product Page

Once you’ve set up the display method for the single variant, ensure that the product page for each variant is polished and user-friendly:

• Update the Product Title: Ensure the product title is variant-specific (e.g., “Red Medium T-shirt”).
• Use High-Quality Images: Upload clear, high-resolution images that represent the exact variant.
• Write Clear Descriptions: Provide detailed descriptions, emphasizing the unique aspects of the variant (color, size, material, etc.).
• Set the Correct Price: Ensure the price matches the specific variant, especially if there are different prices for different options.

Step 6: Preview and Test Your Storefront

Before going live with these changes, take a moment to preview your collection page. Go through both desktop and mobile views to ensure everything looks great and functions smoothly. Click through the product listings to check if the variant selections and images are displaying correctly. Test your store’s links, and make sure there are no broken elements.

Once you’re happy with the result, hit Save, and your store is ready to display the variants exactly how you want them!

Getting started with single product variants in Shopify is easy—from choosing the right products to customizing variant details using manual methods or apps.

Apple’s Approach to Variant Display: A Real-Time Example

Apple’s approach to variant display is a prime example of simplicity and clarity, ensuring that customers can quickly and easily select their preferred options. One of the key strategies Apple uses is focusing on a single variant of a product to reduce complexity and highlight the most popular or featured option.

• Product: Apple Watch Series 8
• Variant: Midnight Aluminum Case with Midnight Sport Band

Key Elements of Apple’s Variant Display:

1. Dedicated Product Pages: Apple creates individual product pages for each variant, ensuring customers are focused on a single option at a time. This method removes any potential distractions from other variants, directing the customer’s attention to the selected product.
2. High-Quality Visuals: Apple’s product pages are designed with high-quality images and videos that showcase the specific variant, allowing customers to see exactly what they’re purchasing.
3. Comprehensive Product Details: Each variant is described in detail, ensuring customers have all the information they need to make an informed purchasing decision.

Implementing Apple’s Variant Display Strategy in Shopify

To replicate Apple’s effective variant display in your own Shopify store, consider the following steps:

1. Create Separate Product Listings for Each Variant: For every variant you wish to showcase, create an individual product listing. This allows customers to focus on one option at a time and prevents them from feeling overwhelmed by too many choices.
2. Optimize Product Titles: Use tools like Variant Title King to add specific variant details (such as color, size, and SKU) directly to the product titles. This ensures that customers can easily identify the variant they’re viewing.
3. Enhance Visuals with Variant-Specific Images: Use SA Variant Image Automator to display the correct images for each variant. High-quality visuals tailored to the selected variant help improve the customer’s confidence in their purchase.
4. Customize Collection Pages for Clearer Variant Display: Implement SA Variants: Combined Listings to display variants as individual products on collection pages. This creates a cleaner, more intuitive shopping experience for customers while still keeping all variants associated with the same product on the backend.

By implementing these strategies, you can create a streamlined and intuitive shopping experience similar to Apple’s, enhancing product visibility and customer satisfaction. Once set up, the next step is to focus on customizing your collection pages to make variants easy to find and select, further improving the overall shopping experience.

Let’s explore how you can achieve this with simple yet effective customizations for your Shopify store.

Customizing Collection Pages for a Better User Experience

To make single product variants stand out and ensure a seamless user experience, consider these strategies:

• Emphasize Key Variants: Feature the most important variants with larger images or eye-catching swatches. This draws attention to the specific option you want to highlight and reduces the decision-making time for customers.
• Clear, Descriptive Labels: Ensure that each variant is labeled with clear, concise details (such as color, size, or material). This helps customers quickly identify their preferred option without having to click through multiple pages.
• Maintain Consistency in Design: Stick to a clean, uniform layout across your product listings. A well-organized, clutter-free collection page enhances navigation and improves the overall browsing experience.

By making it easy for customers to spot and select the variant they want, you’ll reduce friction and improve conversion rates. However, to ensure success, it’s important to avoid some common pitfalls that can undermine these benefits. Let’s explore these mistakes and how to steer clear of them.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When customizing how variants are displayed in collections, keep an eye on these potential pitfalls:

• Overcomplicating the Display: Don’t add unnecessary complexity. A simple, clean presentation of variants ensures that customers can make quick decisions. Avoid clutter and keep variant options easy to navigate.
• Skipping the Testing Phase: Always test the display of variants on both desktop and mobile. Check that the variants are easy to find, images load correctly, and the selection process is smooth. Failure to test can lead to a poor user experience and lost sales.

Conclusion

Displaying single product variants effectively in your Shopify collections not only boosts product visibility but also enhances the overall shopping experience. By following the steps outlined, you can ensure your customers easily find and select their preferred variant, leading to improved user satisfaction and higher conversion rates.

Make sure to optimize your collection pages for simplicity—overly cluttered or complex layouts can confuse customers and drive them away. Always test the user experience across different devices to ensure a smooth, seamless shopping journey.

To streamline the process, consider apps like Color Swatch King, Variant Title King, and SA Variant Image Automator. These apps will help you display variants more effectively, improve product visuals, and automate repetitive tasks, saving you valuable time while enhancing the overall customer experience.

Explore more customization tips and powerful apps from StarApps Studio to make your Shopify store more user-friendly, increase sales, and provide a better shopping experience for your customers.