How do I add or update products in my online store?

How do I add a new product?

1. Sign in with a Shop Manager or Administrator account.
2. Go to Products, then Add new product. Older versions say Add New.
3. Enter the Product name. Use the name customers know it by.
4. Write the Product description in the large box under the name. This is the long description customers see lower on the product page.
5. Check the Product data box. Under General, make sure Product type is Simple product for a single item with no sizes or colours.
6. Enter the Regular price. Leave Sale price empty unless it’s on sale.
7. Fill in the Product short description further down. WooCommerce’s product editor guide describes it as a brief summary, often shown beside the product images.
8. Choose a category in the Product categories panel on the right. Products without one land in “Uncategorized” and may not appear where you expect.
9. Add the main photo. In the Product image panel, select Set product image, choose or upload the image, then select Set product image again. Extra photos go in Product gallery.
10. Select Publish.
11. Select View product at the top of the screen and check it.

Expected result: the product page shows the right name, price, photo and descriptions, and it appears in its category on your shop.

These steps follow WooCommerce’s guide to adding a simple product. Labels can differ slightly between versions.

The short version

• Products, then Add new product, or select a product’s name to edit it.
• Fill in the name, description, price, image and category, select Publish, then check it in your shop.

How do I copy an existing product instead?

On many store layouts, products in one category share a special design. Copying a product that already looks right is the quickest way to match it.

1. Go to Products and hover over a product in the same category.
2. Select Duplicate. WooCommerce makes a draft copy. On the product’s edit screen, the same option may appear as Copy to a new draft.
3. Change the Product name.
4. Fix the address. Below the name, select Edit next to the web address and set the slug in lowercase words joined by hyphens, such as blue-ceramic-mug. Otherwise the copy keeps a slug ending in -copy, such as old-product-copy.
5. Remove the old photo and set the new one in Product image and Product gallery.
6. Update the Regular price, both descriptions and the stock settings.
7. Select Publish, then view it on the shop.

How do I update a product that’s already there?

1. Go to Products and select the product’s name.
2. Change what you need: price, description, photo or category.
3. Select Update.
4. View the product in a private browser window to see what customers see.

If prices across many products need changing, WooCommerce’s managing products guide mentions bulk editing from the products list. Tick several products, choose Edit from Bulk actions, and change the fields you need. Make a note of the old prices first.

Why does it matter?

Your product page is the shop counter. A wrong price or a missing photo costs sales, and a price shown wrongly can cause awkward refunds. Customers also compare your site with your shop floor, menus and social posts, so keep them in step.

What are the common mistakes and edge cases?

• The product is published but doesn’t show. One possible reason is that the new product was built differently from the others, so the shop’s layout doesn’t pick it up. Copying an existing product in the same category usually avoids this. Also check Catalog visibility in the Publish panel. Hidden keeps it off the shop and search.
• No category chosen, so it sits in “Uncategorized.”
• Very large photos. Big images slow the shop. Resize them first. See how to change a photo or banner.
• Products with sizes or colours. These are Variable products. Each variation has its own price and stock. That’s a bigger setup, and it’s worth asking for help the first time.
• Prices with tax. Whether prices include tax is a store-wide setting. See how to change shipping rates or sales tax.
• A cached shop page. If the shop still shows the old price, clear your caching plugin’s cache and check again.

What if this didn’t work?

• The product shows on its own page but not in the shop. Check the category, catalog visibility and cache.
• The layout looks different from other products. Delete the draft and start again by duplicating a product that looks right.
• You can’t see the Products menu. Your login may not have the Shop Manager or Administrator role. See how to add or remove a person’s access.
• The price changes back. Another system, such as a point-of-sale app, may be syncing prices into your shop. Change it there.

How does E-3 handle this?

If you’d rather not do it yourself, send us the product name, price, both descriptions, the category and the photos. A link to a shared folder is better than email attachments for large images. A person at E-3 adds or updates the product. Bigger changes, such as a new category layout, are tested on a staging copy first.

If you’d like to do it yourself, follow the steps above, and call if you get stuck. Call 814-399-4655 or email support@e3help.me.

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