Splitting Variations When Importing Products

[Darka]

Hello there!

I need to import a few products from Aliexpress that needs splitting into single listings.

Through trial and error, I managed to find a way by duplicating the listing and tweak the Attributes and Variations settings.

Now, I noticed that when 'Used for Variations' box in the Attributes is checked, in the preview of the product, it has the Metal Color section that you need to select to activate the 'Add to Basket' button as if it was a variation. When I uncheck the box, the Metal Color section is gone, making it a single product and makes it look better and cleaner, however, the Variations section becomes disabled.

My question is... if I uncheck the 'used for variations' box, does the plugin still recognize the right product I want to sell when the customer buys it?

When 'Used for Variations' is checked


Listing looks like this:


When 'Used for Variations' is unchecked


Listing looks like this:

 

[Arnaldo]

1) Tick ----> attribute tab "used for variation".

2) Have you check-----> variation tab -----> "expand tab" (same as on the last screens)----> enable/disable ?

Tick the box, "enable"

Normally it should work.

If not reimport product, duplicate pages to split variation again.

Yes, duplicate product and use only the variations you want on each page is the way to do for splitting variations.

Product stock update will be applied independently and should work smoothly on each split pages.

 

[Darka]

Thanks for the reply!

I have checked that already and noticed that section with 'Metal Color' still shows, which means the customer has to click on the image next to it in order to activate the 'Add to Basket' button. If you import a single listing from Aliexpress, that 'Metal Color' choice section doesn't show because it's not a variation listing. I would like to know if by removing that variation section would mess up the plugin or not.

 

[Arnaldo]

No. You can keep it hidden front end, but don’t deleted these variations. In fact, I recommend you to read a post I made a few months ago exactly about that. Check my profile and read my old post. Cheers.

Thanks for the reply!

I have checked that already and noticed that section with 'Metal Color' still shows, which means the customer has to click on the image next to it in order to activate the 'Add to Basket' button. If you import a single listing from Aliexpress, that 'Metal Color' choice section doesn't show because it's not a variation listing. I would like to know if by removing that variation section would mess up the plugin or not.

 

[Fishy]

No. You can keep it hidden front end, but don’t deleted these variations. In fact, I recommend you to read a post I made a few months ago exactly about that. Check my profile and read my old post. Cheers.

Hi Arnaldo,
So if i import 1 product with say 10 variations (10 different colors) and I want to split them into 10 different listing (to make it like I have 1 simple product), i just need to enable 1 color I want and unable the rest without deleting them? Meaning I will have 100 variations (from the backend)?
Because after I duplicate a product I usually deleted the variation that I don't use. So I wouldn't get the product update for my duplicates and need to delete them and start again then? Woaaahhhh
Thanks for your help!

 

[Darka]

No. You can keep it hidden front end, but don’t deleted these variations. In fact, I recommend you to read a post I made a few months ago exactly about that. Check my profile and read my old post. Cheers.

I am not sure which posts you are referring. Maybe you can provide a link?

As for hiding front end, I found that just enabling the variations, they still show in the page but become inactive buttons, like in the image below. This is not something I want. I want the page to show as if it's a single listing. I am using the Shopper theme if it helps...

 

[Arnaldo]

I am not sure which posts you are referring. Maybe you can provide a link?

As for hiding front end, I found that just enabling the variations, they still show in the page but become inactive buttons, like in the image below. This is not something I want. I want the page to show as if it's a single listing. I am using the Shopper theme if it helps...

View attachment 5199

https://forum.alidropship.com/threads/aliexpress-ships-from-alidropship-for-woo.5664/#post-33509

and here:

https://forum.alidropship.com/threads/how-i-can-hide-attribute-ships-from-in-product-page.5288/

Please search and read next time ;-) You know, I'm still a noob in many areas an had had to learn all this by myself too.

Hope that helps.

 

[Arnaldo]

Hi Arnaldo,
So if i import 1 product with say 10 variations (10 different colors) and I want to split them into 10 different listing (to make it like I have 1 simple product), i just need to enable 1 color I want and unable the rest without deleting them? Meaning I will have 100 variations (from the backend)?
Because after I duplicate a product I usually deleted the variation that I don't use. So I wouldn't get the product update for my duplicates and need to delete them and start again then? Woaaahhhh
Thanks for your help!

A) Not exactly. To split variations:

1) Import product from Aliexpress with all their variations.

2) Duplicate the page with a plugin like.. "duplicate page", and create as many duplicates as you want to have separate variations from that initial product.

3) Edit individually all these newly created product on Woocommerce, and remove the variations you don't need. You can in that particular case only delete unwanted variation you don't need like:

product 1: variation 1 (you delete all other 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9) variations
product 2 variation 2 (same as above and keep variation 2 only)

and so on.

easy peasy.

B) The thing where I explained to disable (not delete) variation, I was referring to HIDE unwanted variation from the from the front end like "ship from", "20x20x20cm" and useless frontend variations like that.

But in that 2nd case, you don't want to lose product stock synchronization with Aliexpress, so you untick these attribute in the back of Woo, with deleting any variations.

See my post here:

https://forum.alidropship.com/threads/aliexpress-ships-from-alidropship-for-woo.5664/#post-33509

and here:

https://forum.alidropship.com/threads/how-i-can-hide-attribute-ships-from-in-product-page.5288/

If you do so in both cases you'll keep Aliexpress stock sync.

 

[Fishy]

Hi Arnaldo,

A) Not exactly. To split variations:

1) Import product from Aliexpress with all their variations.

2) Duplicate the page with a plugin like.. "duplicate page", and create as many duplicates as you want to have separate variations from that initial product.

3) Edit individually all these newly created product on Woocommerce, and remove the variations you don't need. You can in that particular case only delete unwanted variation you don't need like:

product 1: variation 1 (you delete all other 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9) variations
product 2 variation 2 (same as above and keep variation 2 only)

and so on.

easy peasy.

B) The thing where I explained to disable (not delete) variation, I was referring to HIDE unwanted variation from the from the front end like "ship from", "20x20x20cm" and useless frontend variations like that.

But in that 2nd case, you don't want to lose product stock synchronization with Aliexpress, so you untick these attribute in the back of Woo, with deleting any variations.

See my post here:

https://forum.alidropship.com/threads/aliexpress-ships-from-alidropship-for-woo.5664/#post-33509

and here:

https://forum.alidropship.com/threads/how-i-can-hide-attribute-ships-from-in-product-page.5288/

If you do so in both cases you'll keep Aliexpress stock sync.

Thanks for your reply, Arnaldo.
I did exactly that : import, duplicate and delete variation i don't use from the duplicate.
My only worries is if the plugin will sync ok (update the stock) because I deleted the variation after import?
I also deleted the variation I don't use from the original product after I've made the duplicates. Will that cause a problem with stock update?
Again thanks for your help youre a champion!

 

[Arnaldo]

no. it will sync.

Just be careful if you have this:

1) variation like color/ model

2) size variation (even unique size)

3) ship from variation

You will have to keep these variations in the backend to benefit from sync with Aliexpress.

Still, as shown in my previous post you can hide them from the frontend (your customers).

Re-read both posts and try update both product individually (in woo product editor---->supplier tab).

If you test this, normally it will work.

Only delete variations you won't use and that are not need for Aliexpress sync. But if other variations like unique size or ship from are associated with color/model variation, just hide them in the backend without deleting them.

 

[Darka]

https://forum.alidropship.com/threads/aliexpress-ships-from-alidropship-for-woo.5664/#post-33509

and here:

https://forum.alidropship.com/threads/how-i-can-hide-attribute-ships-from-in-product-page.5288/

Please search and read next time ;-) You know, I'm still a noob in many areas an had had to learn all this by myself too.

Hope that helps.

I did go through your posts but wasn't sure which ones I had to look at... ^^;

Thank you though!

I was doing somewhat the same, although I was deleting the items I didn't want in the attributes section. My original concern was if it would mess up with the stock. Thanks again.

 

[Fishy]

no. it will sync.

Just be careful if you have this:

1) variation like color/ model

2) size variation (even unique size)

3) ship from variation

You will have to keep these variations in the backend to benefit from sync with Aliexpress.

Still, as shown in my previous post you can hide them from the frontend (your customers).

Re-read both posts and try update both product individually (in woo product editor---->supplier tab).

If you test this, normally it will work.

Only delete variations you won't use and that are not need for Aliexpress sync. But if other variations like unique size or ship from are associated with color/model variation, just hide them in the backend without deleting them.

Tested it sync perfectly. Thanks a lot Arnaldo!

 

[HarryM3773]

1) Tick ----> attribute tab "used for variation".

2) Have you check-----> variation tab -----> "expand tab" (same as on the last screens)----> enable/disable ?

Tick the box, "enable"

Normally it should work.

If not reimport product, duplicate pages to split variation again.

Yes, duplicate product and use only the variations you want on each page is the way to do for splitting variations.

Product stock update will be applied independently and should work smoothly on each split pages.

Please respond to my questions Arnaldo. I would highly appreciate if you do
I am having the similar problem so i have 2 variants, color and material for my product
The color part has 12 variations so i duplicated the product 11 times and selected the particular color so that only material variant will be left for the costumer to choose.
In other words i want to split the color variant which had 12 variations into separate 12 products and each of those products would only have material variations.
I want process of ordering to work properly so i want to know if i untick the "used for variations" on attriutes tab. How is it possible so that the plug in will know which variation of color to select?
even if i select the specific color variation in combination with all materials whenever you untick the " used for variations" doesn't it already lose its affect?
Please make it more clear i am little bit confused.
I have looked at the forums of all the links that you have discussed but its still unclear little bit how the variation will work if you untick the "used for variations" box in the attributes section.

 

[Arnaldo]

Hi @HarryM3773 You have to select "default variation" first, then hit save.

After that, you untick "used for variation" without removing the variation in the attribute section.

It's weird how this works in Woo but it works like that.

 

[spruce]

A) Not exactly. To split variations:

1) Import product from Aliexpress with all their variations.

2) Duplicate the page with a plugin like.. "duplicate page", and create as many duplicates as you want to have separate variations from that initial product.

3) Edit individually all these newly created product on Woocommerce, and remove the variations you don't need. You can in that particular case only delete unwanted variation you don't need like:

product 1: variation 1 (you delete all other 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9) variations
product 2 variation 2 (same as above and keep variation 2 only)

and so on.

easy peasy.

B) The thing where I explained to disable (not delete) variation, I was referring to HIDE unwanted variation from the from the front end like "ship from", "20x20x20cm" and useless frontend variations like that.

But in that 2nd case, you don't want to lose product stock synchronization with Aliexpress, so you untick these attribute in the back of Woo, with deleting any variations.

See my post here:

https://forum.alidropship.com/threads/aliexpress-ships-from-alidropship-for-woo.5664/#post-33509

and here:

https://forum.alidropship.com/threads/how-i-can-hide-attribute-ships-from-in-product-page.5288/

If you do so in both cases you'll keep Aliexpress stock sync.

Hi @Arnaldo thanks for your tip. You're a legend!
Using your method, I followed step 1 and 2.
After that, I exported the products as a csv and edited the variants through the spreadsheet. ie:

a) I turned the variations that i do not want within each variable to simple product and turned them to draft.
b) I also removed the tax class (deleted parent from this column for all variants I don't need).
c) I then reimported the csv.

It seems to have removed all variants I don't need from all the duplicate variables.
I find doing this easier and more manageable. (basically doing step 3 within a spreadsheet vs individually going into each product through woocommerce)

Do you think this will affect syncing? Trying to figure out how to test this at the moment, but I thought I'd just put it out there.

 

[Raymond621]

Not entirely sure if my approach is the same as the above but it looked some what similar. It didn't work for me. Now I am doomed.

I import a product from Aliexpress with 4 color variations. If you want 4 individual products, I duplicated the original listing 3 times. So now I have 1 original listing and 3 duplicated ones. Under each product listing, I would go into attributes and delete the other 3 colors I do not need. Then I move to the variation tab and delete all the colors I do not need. To test if it works, I purposely changed the quantity in stock to some random numbers and click save. Then I would go to product update to see if the quantity of stock updates correctly. ~ta--daaaaa, it updates successfully, the quantity changes back to its original number. Sadly, I was too naive. If you use the approach from above, all the duplicated products will fail to update once the product is no longer available on Aliexpress. Under product update, it will say "product is no longer available" and it remains published under your store. This will only affect the duplicated listing. For the original listing, it will say "product is not available, moved to draft". You may ask how I figure this out? If you don't change the SKU for your products, you will notice that the original listing will have some SKU numbers. The duplicated listing will always have a suffix on a SKU, for example SKU# 1234567890 -1. The -1 is the suffix.

So using the example from above, the following problem happens.
SKU# 1234567890 (Original listing, product is not available, moved to draft!)
SKU# 1234567890-1 (Duplicated listing, product is no longer available, but still remain published in store)
SKU# 1234567890-2 (Duplicated listing, product is no longer available, but still remain published in store)
SKU# 1234567890-3 (Duplicated listing, product is no longer available, but still remain published in store)

My store has too many products, noticing this problem now, is a chaos. Can someone teach me how to split variation correctly? What frustrates me is that I cannot test whether any of the options are valid. Because you can only test it when a product disappears or become unavailable and that, you have no control of it... It took me several months when I realized my method didn't work...

Look forward to hearing from someone to enlighten me.
Thanky you.

 

[Arnaldo]

Hi @Arnaldo thanks for your tip. You're a legend!
Using your method, I followed step 1 and 2.
After that, I exported the products as a csv and edited the variants through the spreadsheet. ie:

a) I turned the variations that i do not want within each variable to simple product and turned them to draft.
b) I also removed the tax class (deleted parent from this column for all variants I don't need).
c) I then reimported the csv.

It seems to have removed all variants I don't need from all the duplicate variables.
I find doing this easier and more manageable. (basically doing step 3 within a spreadsheet vs individually going into each product through woocommerce)

Do you think this will affect syncing? Trying to figure out how to test this at the moment, but I thought I'd just put it out there.

Hey @spruce ! Sadly, I couldn't know better than you dear! Do a test order with test keys (PP/Stripe) and see how it goes.

I never thought of doing .csv import for this, this is a great idea indeed.

What do you use to extract and reimport variations via .csv? Wp All Import plugin?

Normally if everything is done fine, you won't have any problem to sync, but obviously, you have to test.

So to limit hassle I always did that splitting the hard way just after product import.

Don't hesitate to report if it worked for you, I'm interested in this method too.

Cheers!

 

[Arnaldo]

Not entirely sure if my approach is the same as the above but it looked some what similar. It didn't work for me. Now I am doomed.

I import a product from Aliexpress with 4 color variations. If you want 4 individual products, I duplicated the original listing 3 times. So now I have 1 original listing and 3 duplicated ones. Under each product listing, I would go into attributes and delete the other 3 colors I do not need. Then I move to the variation tab and delete all the colors I do not need. To test if it works, I purposely changed the quantity in stock to some random numbers and click save. Then I would go to product update to see if the quantity of stock updates correctly. ~ta--daaaaa, it updates successfully, the quantity changes back to its original number. Sadly, I was too naive. If you use the approach from above, all the duplicated products will fail to update once the product is no longer available on Aliexpress. Under product update, it will say "product is no longer available" and it remains published under your store. This will only affect the duplicated listing. For the original listing, it will say "product is not available, moved to draft". You may ask how I figure this out? If you don't change the SKU for your products, you will notice that the original listing will have some SKU numbers. The duplicated listing will always have a suffix on a SKU, for example SKU# 1234567890 -1. The -1 is the suffix.

So using the example from above, the following problem happens.
SKU# 1234567890 (Original listing, product is not available, moved to draft!)
SKU# 1234567890-1 (Duplicated listing, product is no longer available, but still remain published in store)
SKU# 1234567890-2 (Duplicated listing, product is no longer available, but still remain published in store)
SKU# 1234567890-3 (Duplicated listing, product is no longer available, but still remain published in store)

My store has too many products, noticing this problem now, is a chaos. Can someone teach me how to split variation correctly? What frustrates me is that I cannot test whether any of the options are valid. Because you can only test it when a product disappears or become unavailable and that, you have no control of it... It took me several months when I realized my method didn't work...

Look forward to hearing from someone to enlighten me.
Thank you.

Hey @Raymond621 !

Wow. I did not think of this!

Hopefully, I might have a beautiful solution for you.

Add this line of code to your function.php file in a child theme:

add_filter( 'wc_product_has_unique_sku', '__return_false' );

source: https://stackoverflow.com/questions...-simple-products-with-same-sku-in-woocommerce

It will allow you to have duplicate SKU's for all separate variations split into separate products.

More simply put, all these split variations will share THE SAME SKU as the original imported product.

Not a best practice for a real e-commerce store... but hey for a dropshipping store, it's all good!

So describing your issue you should be able to have all product variation updated since they now share the same original SKU. (if SKU is the problem here).

If after that it still bothers you to have these same variations in the frontend (honestly no one will look), just hide the SKU (to hide Aliexpress origin), happen this piece of code to your function.php:

function sv_remove_product_page_skus( $enabled ) {
if ( ! is_admin() && is_product() ) {
return false;
}

return $enabled;
}
add_filter( 'wc_product_sku_enabled', 'sv_remove_product_page_skus' );

(courtesy of google and @Direct Webstore)

Sadly, I don't have the time to test it now BUT I'm more than interested to know if it works for you after updating your products.

Let's join forces and create together that gigantic dropshipper brain so all of us can benefit form it!

Looking forward to know how it goes for you,

Best of luck!

 

[Raymond621]

Hey @Raymond621 !

Wow. I did not think of this!

Hopefully, I might have a beautiful solution for you.

Add this line of code to your function.php file in a child theme:

add_filter( 'wc_product_has_unique_sku', '__return_false' );

source: https://stackoverflow.com/questions...-simple-products-with-same-sku-in-woocommerce

It will allow you to have duplicate SKU's for all separate variations split into separate products.

More simply put, all these split variations will share THE SAME SKU as the original imported product.

Not a best practice for a real e-commerce store... but hey for a dropshipping store, it's all good!

So describing your issue you should be able to have all product variation updated since they now share the same original SKU. (if SKU is the problem here).

If after that it still bothers you to have these same variations in the frontend (honestly no one will look), just hide the SKU (to hide Aliexpress origin), happen this piece of code to your function.php:

function sv_remove_product_page_skus( $enabled ) {
if ( ! is_admin() && is_product() ) {
return false;
}

return $enabled;
}
add_filter( 'wc_product_sku_enabled', 'sv_remove_product_page_skus' );

(courtesy of google and @Direct Webstore)

Sadly, I don't have the time to test it now BUT I'm more than interested to know if it works for you after updating your products.

Let's join forces and create together that gigantic dropshipper brain so all of us can benefit form it!

Looking forward to know how it goes for you,

Best of luck!

Hey @Arnaldo
Thanks for writing back so quickly. I placed the above code to allow duplicated SKU but it still doesn't work with my duplicated products. Duplicated products still are listed as published even though the product is no longer available under Aliexpress. I don't think SKU has any relevance on the Aliexpress end because user can change SKU to any number they prefer. Not likely this plugin will use a SKU as a blue print to synchronize data.

Reading from your previous post under this thread, I notice we both used a different approach. You never mentioned anything about the attributes. You did mentioned about deleting variations you do not need, how about attributes? Say for example, I have a product from Aliexpress with 4 color options, and each of the colors will have 3 sizes as variant. This adds up to a total of 12 variation but I only need to duplicate this product into 4 products. Under each product, did you delete the color attributes you do not need? You also said that you do not have the time to test any of these options, can you tell us how to test it? Because any of the new methods I tried cannot be tested until a seller on Aliexpress removes a product.

 

[Arnaldo]

Hey @Arnaldo
Thanks for writing back so quickly. I placed the above code to allow duplicated SKU but it still doesn't work with my duplicated products. Duplicated products still are listed as published even though the product is no longer available under Aliexpress. I don't think SKU has any relevance on the Aliexpress end because user can change SKU to any number they prefer. Not likely this plugin will use a SKU as a blue print to synchronize data.

Reading from your previous post under this thread, I notice we both used a different approach. You never mentioned anything about the attributes. You did mentioned about deleting variations you do not need, how about attributes? Say for example, I have a product from Aliexpress with 4 color options, and each of the colors will have 3 sizes as variant. This adds up to a total of 12 variation but I only need to duplicate this product into 4 products. Under each product, did you delete the color attributes you do not need? You also said that you do not have the time to test any of these options, can you tell us how to test it? Because any of the new methods I tried cannot be tested until a seller on Aliexpress removes a product.

To take again your example:

Let's say you have 1 Tshirt with 4 colors and 4 sizes. You want to separate this product in 4 unique red, blue, white, black product.

For the red product:

1) Edit attributes first.

Attribute 1: color = red, blue, white, black

Attribute 2: size = S, M , L

In the product edit tab ------> attribute color: you delete blue, white, black BUT YOU LEAVE IN PLACE red.

In the product edit tab ------> attribute size: You just leave it as it is and delete nothing.

2) Edit variations.

In the variation tab: SELECT DEFAULT VARIATIONS i.g "RED" at the top.

i.g variation 1 = "RED" and for variation 2 = size, set "no default" (will be chosen by customer).

Then deleted all other variation couples lines i.g (blue/ S, M, L ; white/ S, M, L ; black/ S, M, L).

Again I don't think sync in Alidropship relates to SKU but only product page url so I don't think the problem comes from this.