Picture this — you’re trying to order a t-shirt on your phone. You’ve found the perfect one, but now you have to pick the size and color. The dropdowns don’t fit your screen right. You tap around, try to scroll, but it’s all over the place. Frustrated, you close the tab and move on.
If you run an online store, that’s exactly what you don’t want to happen. A confusing shopping page can quietly scare off buyers, especially those on their phones. And let’s face it — these days, most people shop on their phones.
That’s why it’s smart to make every step as smooth as possible. One simple way to do this? Stop hiding your product options behind dropdown menus and show them in a table instead. It sounds simple — and it is — but it makes a big difference for your customers.
What’s a WooCommerce Variations Table Anyway?
If your shop sells stuff that comes in different styles, colors, sizes, or any other options, you’re using product variations. WooCommerce handles this pretty well out of the box, but it puts each choice in separate dropdowns.
On a desktop, that’s not too bad. But on a phone? It can be clumsy. People have to open each dropdown, pick an option, close it, open another… and if they want to compare options? Good luck.
A variations table fixes this mess. Instead of forcing people to open and close menus, it lays out every possible version in a clear table. Shoppers can see:
- What’s in stock
- How much each variation costs
- SKU or product codes
- How many they can add to their cart
They can even pick a few different options and add them all to the cart in one click. No back and forth.
Why Bother Adding a Variations Table?
If you’re used to the default setup, you might think, “Why change something that works?” Well, here’s why a table beats dropdowns every time — especially for shoppers on their phones.
1. Simpler to operate on tiny screens
Squinting at little menus is not to anyone’s taste. People may swiftly scroll, tap, and compare in a table.
2. Faster shopping
Seeing all the choices side by side makes it simple to pick what you want and buy it. No wasted time.
3. Perfect for bulk orders
Need a few of the same shirt in different sizes? A table makes that easy. Pick your quantities, hit Add to Cart — done.
4. Fewer headaches for shoppers
When people see what’s in stock and what’s sold out, they don’t get surprises at checkout.
5. Less back-and-forth for you
If your customers can find the info they need, they don’t have to email you asking, “Do you have this in medium?”
Make It Even Better: Add a Free Shipping Bar
If you’re using a variations table, here’s an extra trick. Combine it with a free shipping progress bar.
As shoppers add things to their cart — maybe a few different sizes or colors — the bar moves closer to your free shipping limit. If they’re close, most people will grab one more item to avoid paying for delivery.
You get bigger orders, and your customers feel like they got a deal. Everybody wins.
Who Really Needs a Variations Table?
Pretty much any shop with multiple product options can benefit. Here are a few examples:
- Clothing shops with lots of sizes and colors
- Wholesalers selling in bulk
- Stores selling parts or accessories in different specs
- Food shops with different pack sizes or flavors
- Any product with options that people want to see at a glance
Consider attempting to purchase teamwork shirts. A buyer can add all the necessary sizes at once rather than selecting each one separately. No more clicks. No misunderstanding.
How Do You Get One?
You don’t have to hire a developer or rebuild your site. Plugins like Product Variations Table for WooCommerce do the job for you.
Good ones:
- Look nice on phones and computers
- Let you show or hide extra columns (like photos or custom details)
- Have a search or filter so people can find what they need fast
- Work with your existing theme without breaking anything
- Support adding multiple variations at once
The majority of plugins are simple to install. Select the desired columns, change the style, and you’re done.
The Bottom Line
If you want people to buy from you, don’t make them work for it. The smoother your store feels, the happier your customers are — and the more likely they’ll come back.
A clean variations table makes it obvious what’s for sale and lets buyers grab what they need without a headache. It’s one of those simple upgrades that can make a real difference — especially when more than half of your traffic is on mobile.
Add a free shipping progress bar on top and you’re giving people one more reason to spend a bit more. More options, fewer clicks, bigger carts — that’s what you want.