Product Options vs Product Variations

What’s the Difference Between Product Options and Product Variations?

Product options and product variations both allow sellers to offer customizable choices like size or color, but they differ significantly in behavior, inventory tracking, and storefront display.

Product Options

Use when: You want to offer choices without tracking inventory separately for each combination.

Example: A t-shirt with Size (S, M, L) and Color (Red, Blue)

• No separate inventory per option combination.
• Displayed as dropdowns, radio buttons, checkboxes, etc.
• Simple to set up and manage.
• Not filterable by option when searching (e.g., can't filter all red items).
• Doesn’t create separate product pages or URLs.
• Supports pricing modifiers (e.g., +$2 for XL).

Best for: Personalized items or simple customizations that don’t affect inventory much.

Product Variations

Use when: You need to track inventory for each specific combination of options and want them treated more like individual products.

Example: A t-shirt where each Size/Color combo has its own SKU and stock.

• Each variation has its own SKU, inventory, image, and price.
• Filterable by variation in the catalog (e.g., filter all red items).
• Variations can have separate product detail pages and SEO-friendly URLs.
• Can be shown together under one product or as individual listings.
• Requires more setup and data entry than options.

Best for: Apparel, electronics, or any product where each combination is managed separately.

Comparison Table