Grouped products, variable products or bundles in WooCommerce
WooCommerce gives you three ways to put several things on one page, and they are easy to mix up. Each one answers a different question. Choosing the wrong one is why shop owners end up with a bundle that has no discount, or a “set” that customers can’t change.
Variable product: one thing, several options
A variable product is one product that comes in versions, such as a T-shirt in three sizes and four colours. The customer picks one combination and buys it. Each version can have its own price, image and stock.
Use it when customers want one of a thing and need to choose which.
Grouped product: several things on one page
A grouped product is a page that lists separate simple products, each with its own price and its own quantity box. The customer adds any of them to the cart. WooCommerce does not add a discount for buying them together.
Use it when you want to show a family of products on one page, such as the parts of a modular sofa, and customers buy some and not others. It’s a display tool, not an offer.
Bundle: a set that is priced as a set
A bundle is a main product plus items the customer ticks, bought in one click and priced together, normally with a discount. WooCommerce doesn’t include bundles, so you need a plugin for them.
Use it when the items make most sense together and you want to reward that.
Side by side
| Variable | Grouped | Bundle | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What the customer buys | One version of one product | Any of several products | A set of products |
| Discount for buying together | No | No | Yes |
| One add-to-cart for all | Yes, one item | No, one item at a time | Yes |
| Customer can drop items | Not applicable | Yes | Yes, if you allow it |
| Stock is kept for | Each version | Each product | Each item in the set |
Four questions to decide
- Is it one product in different versions? Variable.
- Do customers usually buy only one of the listed products? Grouped, so each product keeps its own choice.
- Do they usually buy several together and would a discount help? Bundle.
- Do you need a fixed kit that can’t be changed? A single simple product, with the contents in the description, is often the best answer. Stock and shipping stay simple.
Where they overlap
A bundle can contain variable products. A customer picks “Roast: light” or “Size: M” inside the bundle, so you don’t lose the options.
What a bundle can’t replace is a grouped product’s job as a catalogue page. If customers need to compare six models, use a grouped product or a category page.
Doing this with C4D Product Bundles
C4D Product Bundles adds the bundle: a main product, up to three items in the free version and more with Pro, a discount by percent or amount, and size and colour menus for variable items. Every item becomes its own line in the cart and its own stock movement, so your reports stay accurate. Getting started with Product Bundles walks through building one. If you aren’t sure which products to put in it, see product bundle ideas.