Linking Products & Variants

Connect your customization options to Shopify products for inventory tracking and pricing.

Why Link Products?#

When you link an option to a Shopify product or variant:

• ✅ Inventory Tracking: Stock levels update automatically
• ✅ Accurate Pricing: Prices pull from your product catalog
• ✅ Order Management: Line items appear separately in orders
• ✅ Fulfillment: Each add-on can be fulfilled independently

Types of Options#

Text-Only Options (No Product Linked)#

Options without a linked product are purely informational:

• Appear as order notes on the main product
• Don't affect inventory
• Don't add separate line items
• Great for personalization choices that don't require fulfillment

Examples:

• Font style selection
• Engraving text preference
• Gift wrapping style

Product-Linked Options#

Options connected to Shopify products:

• Add a separate line item to the cart
• Track inventory independently
• Show their own price to customers
• Fulfill as separate items

Examples:

• Add-on accessories
• Upgrade components
• Extended warranties

Linking an Option to a Product#

Step 1: Open the Option Editor#

1. Click on an existing option, or create a new one
2. Find the Linked Product dropdown

Step 2: Select a Product#

1. Click the dropdown
2. Choose from your product list
3. The product's variants will load

Step 3: Select a Variant (if applicable)#

If the product has multiple variants:

1. A Select Variant dropdown appears
2. Choose the specific variant
3. Price automatically updates from the variant

Step 4: Save#

Click Add Option or Save Changes

Understanding Variant Selection#

Single-Variant Products#

If your product has only one variant (e.g., "Default Title"):

• No variant selection is needed
• The single variant is automatically used

Multi-Variant Products#

If your product has multiple variants (sizes, colors):

• You must select a specific variant
• Each variant can be linked to a different option
• Example: Link "Small" option to "Small" variant

Pricing Display#

How Prices Show#

When a product is linked:

• Price displays on the option (e.g., "+ $19.99")
• Customers see the total cost
• Prices update if you change them in Shopify

Price Inheritance#

Prices come directly from your Shopify product:

1. Update the price in Shopify
2. The change reflects automatically in Uplift
3. No need to update in multiple places

Inventory Tracking#

How It Works#

1. Customer selects an option with linked product
2. At checkout, inventory is reserved
3. After purchase, inventory decrements
4. Out-of-stock variants show as unavailable

Managing Low Stock#

• Out-of-stock options are automatically disabled
• You can set inventory policies in Shopify
• Consider using Shopify's inventory alerts

Cart & Order Behavior#

In the Cart#

When a customer adds to cart with linked options:

• Main product appears as one line item
• Each linked option appears as a separate line item
• Each shows its own price
• Cart total includes all items

In Orders#

After purchase:

• Each linked product is a separate line item
• Can be fulfilled independently
• Inventory updated for each
• Clear visibility of what was ordered

Best Practices#

When to Link Products#

✅ Link when:

• The option requires separate fulfillment
• You need to track inventory
• It's a physical add-on product
• Pricing should be inherited from catalog

❌ Don't link when:

• It's just a visual choice (color preference)
• No separate inventory needed
• You want it as an order note only

Product Organization#

• Create dedicated "Add-on" products in Shopify
• Use clear naming: "Add-on: Extended Warranty"
• Set appropriate inventory tracking
• Consider using product tags for organization

Variant Management#

• Create specific variants for each option
• Keep variant names matching option names
• Use SKUs for easy fulfillment reference

Example Configurations#

Accessory Add-on#

Scenario: Adding a phone case to a phone purchase

1. Create option "Add Protective Case"
2. Link to "Phone Case" product
3. Select "Clear" variant
4. Price shows: "+ $24.99"

Upgrade Option#

Scenario: Memory upgrade for a computer

1. Create radio group "Choose Memory"
2. Option 1: "8GB (Standard)" - No link
3. Option 2: "16GB" - Link to "RAM Upgrade 16GB"
4. Option 3: "32GB" - Link to "RAM Upgrade 32GB"

Color Swatch with Product#

Scenario: Different color versions of an accessory

1. Create swatch group "Band Color"
2. Each swatch links to a different color variant
3. Inventory tracked per color
4. Visual swatch preview + proper inventory

Troubleshooting#

"Please select a variant"#

• Multi-variant products require a variant selection
• Choose a specific variant from the dropdown

Price Not Showing#

• Ensure the product has a price set in Shopify
• Check that the variant exists
• Refresh the page and try again

Out of Stock Options#

• Check inventory in Shopify
• Update stock levels
• Consider using "Continue selling when out of stock"

Next Steps#

• Color Swatches Guide
• Canvas & Visual Preview
• Order Management