Step 1: Accessing WooCommerce Settings
Navigate to WooCommerce Settings
To begin, log into your WordPress admin dashboard. In the left-hand navigation menu, locate and click on “WooCommerce.” A sub-menu will appear; from there, click on “Settings.” This action will take you to the main WooCommerce configuration page where all core settings are managed.
Locate the Products Tab
Once you are on the WooCommerce Settings page, you will see several tabs across the top: General, Products, Tax, Shipping, Payments, Accounts & Privacy, Emails, and Advanced. Click on the “Products” tab. This tab specifically controls how your products are displayed and managed within your online store.
Step 2: Designating Your Shop Page
Select Your Shop Page from the Dropdown
Within the “Products” tab, the first section you’ll encounter is “Shop page.” Beside this label, there will be a dropdown menu. This dropdown lists all published pages on your WordPress website. Click on the dropdown and select the page you intend to use as your main shop page (e.g., a page titled “Shop,” “Store,” or “Products”). If you haven’t created a dedicated page for your shop yet, you’ll need to do so under “Pages > Add New” in your WordPress dashboard before completing this step.
Save Changes to Apply Your Selection
After selecting your desired page from the dropdown menu, scroll down to the bottom of the WooCommerce Products settings page. You will find a prominent “Save changes” button. It is crucial to click this button to apply your selection. If you navigate away from the page without saving, your chosen shop page will not be set, and WooCommerce will revert to its previous configuration or default settings.
Step 3: Customizing Your Shop Page Display
Configure Product Display Options
Still within the “Products” tab under WooCommerce Settings, look for the “Shop pages display” and “Category pages display” options. These settings allow you to control what is shown on your main shop page and product category archives. You can choose to display “Show products,” “Show categories,” or “Show categories & products.” For a typical shop page, “Show products” is often the preferred option to directly present your items to customers. Select the option that best suits your store’s layout and user experience goals.
Set Default Product Sorting
Below the display options, you’ll find “Default product sorting.” This dropdown menu determines the default order in which products are displayed on your shop page and category pages. Options include “Default sorting (custom ordering + name),” “Popularity (sales),” “Average rating,” “Sort by latest,” “Sort by price: low to high,” and “Sort by price: high to low.” Choose the sorting preference that you believe will be most helpful or appealing to your customers when they first visit your shop page. Remember to click “Save changes” after making your selection.
Step 4: Ensuring Shop Page Visibility and Functionality
Verify Shop Page in Your Website Navigation
Once your shop page is set in WooCommerce, it’s important to ensure it’s easily accessible to your visitors. Navigate to “Appearance > Menus” in your WordPress dashboard. Find the menu you want to add your shop page to (typically your primary navigation menu). On the left-hand side, under “Pages,” locate the shop page you just designated. Check the box next to its name and click “Add to Menu.” Drag and drop the menu item to your desired position, then click “Save Menu.” This makes your shop page visible in your website’s main navigation.
Test Product Display and Add-to-Cart Functionality
The final and most critical step is to thoroughly test your shop page. Open your website in a new incognito or private browser window (to avoid caching issues). Navigate to your newly set shop page via the menu link. Verify that all your products are displayed correctly, including images, titles, and prices. Click on several products to ensure their individual product pages load correctly. Add a few different products to your cart to confirm the “Add to Cart” button functions as expected and that items are successfully added to the cart. Proceed to the checkout page if possible, without completing a purchase, to ensure the entire flow is seamless. This end-to-end testing helps catch any issues before your customers encounter them.
FAQs
Q: My shop page is blank or showing an error. What should I do?
A: First, ensure you have products published in WooCommerce. If products exist, check that you have correctly selected a page under WooCommerce > Settings > Products > Shop page and saved changes. Also, verify that the page itself is published (not a draft or private) under Pages in your WordPress dashboard. Clear your website’s cache and your browser’s cache, then re-check.
Q: Can I have multiple shop pages?
A: WooCommerce only allows you to designate one primary “Shop page” in its settings. However, you can create other pages and use WooCommerce shortcodes (e.g., [products], [product_category category="clothing"]) to display specific products or categories on those pages, effectively creating custom “shop-like” sections.
Q: How do I change the URL (slug) of my shop page?
A: To change the URL of your shop page, go to “Pages” in your WordPress dashboard, find your designated shop page, and click “Edit.” Under the title, you’ll see a permalink or URL slug. Click “Edit” next to it, change the slug, and then click “Update” on the page. Remember that changing URLs can impact existing links, so consider setting up redirects if it’s an established page.
Q: My products are showing, but they’re not in the order I want. How do I fix this?
A: You can set the default sorting order under WooCommerce > Settings > Products > Default product sorting. For more granular control, go to “Products > All Products” in your WordPress dashboard. At the top, click the “Sorting” tab. You can then drag and drop individual products into your desired order. This custom order will override other sorting options if “Default sorting (custom ordering + name)” is selected in your WooCommerce settings.
