Planning product variants: size, pack and stock

A variant needs to identify the goods your customer actually orders. Model size and pack together before designing the shop’s selection fields. A product family can group several orderable variants; its shared heading is insufficient for processing an order.

A product model with completed variants

A fictional merchant sells white cotton gloves in sizes M and L, offering individual pairs and packs of 5 pairs. The packs are assembled from the same stock of loose pairs. All identifiers and processes in this example are fictional.

The product family holds shared information, such as material and colour. Each table row describes an orderable variant. Its identifier must map unambiguously to the same goods in the shop and the connected inventory system. If the systems use different identifiers, they need an explicit mapping. Shopify documents variants formed from option combinations and recommends unique SKUs; the implementation depends on the chosen system.

Convert the sales quantity into the stock unit

In this example, stock is recorded in pairs for each size. An order for 3 packs in size M contains 15 pairs. Here, the cart’s quantity field means packs rather than pairs. Display both the sales unit and the quantity it contains.

Individual pairs and packs draw on the same stock in this example. Two independently maintained stock records could offer the same pairs for sale more than once. Establish how the system supports conversion and reservation against shared stock. If packs are instead prepacked and stored separately, that different warehouse process needs a corresponding model.

Keep the selection identifiable in the order

The expected result for the planned workflow is: size M, pack of 5 pairs, order quantity 3, total 15 pairs. The cart, order line and packing instructions must represent the same selection. A general product name without size and unit leaves the warehouse unsure what to prepare.

Changing the size must update the associated identifier, availability and, where applicable, price. If L is unavailable, the selection must not silently turn into an order for M. Reopening a saved cart requires a check of the current variant and whether it can be ordered.

Cases for accepting the model

In a suitable test environment, check switching between an individual pair and a pack, changing the size, and ordering multiple packs. Compare the selection, identifier, unit and contained quantity through to the generated test order line. Include an unavailable size and competing orders drawing on the shared stock.

What matters is that the stock and sales units match the confirmed business process. Only then can you judge whether the shop’s standard functions suffice or additional inventory logic is needed.

Sources

• Shopify — Variants

• Shopify — Using SKUs to manage your inventory