Best Methods to Hide Unavailable Product Options in Shopify for Better UX

ByBNW TEAM

When it comes to e-commerce, user experience (UX) can make or break a sale. A common issue many Shopify store owners face is showing product options that are out of stock. Imagine a customer trying to purchase a popular item, only to find that the size or color they want isn’t available. 

This can be frustrating and lead to abandoned carts. The good news is, Shopify provides ways to hide unavailable product options, ensuring a smoother shopping experience and boosting conversions.

If you’re looking for ways to improve your store’s UX and reduce customer frustration, understanding how to shopify hide unavailable variants is important. 

Keep reading to explore the best methods to do this effectively.

Why Hiding Unavailable Variants Matters

Before diving into methods, it’s essential to understand why hiding unavailable product options is beneficial:

  1. Improves User Experience

Showing unavailable options can confuse or frustrate shoppers. If customers consistently click on options only to find they’re unavailable, they may abandon your store altogether. By hiding these variants, you streamline the buying process and make your store more user-friendly.

  • Reduces Cart Abandonment

A clear product selection process reduces friction. When customers can only see what’s available, they make faster decisions, reducing the likelihood of abandoned carts.

  • Boosts Brand Credibility

A polished, seamless shopping experience reflects professionalism. Hiding unavailable options signals to customers that you care about their time and experience.

  • Encourages Repeat Business

When users enjoy an effortless shopping journey, they’re more likely to return. A store that proactively manages product visibility encourages loyalty and repeat purchases.

Method 1: Using Shopify’s Built-in Settings

Shopify offers native functionality that allows you to manage product variants:

  • Track Inventory: Ensure that you enable inventory tracking for all products. This will allow Shopify to automatically mark products as “out of stock” when the quantity reaches zero.
  • Inventory Policies: Set up your inventory policy to prevent overselling. Shopify lets you choose whether to allow purchases of out-of-stock items or to hide them completely. By opting to hide sold-out variants, customers only see what’s currently available.

This method is straightforward and requires no coding. However, it might lack customization options, which is why many store owners prefer app-based solutions.

Method 2: Using Shopify Apps

For more advanced control, Shopify apps provide specialized solutions to hide unavailable product options. One popular choice is Swatch King by StarApps. 

This app allows merchants to hide sold-out variants automatically and customize how variants appear on the product page.

Benefits of Using Apps:

  1. Automatic Updates: Out-of-stock options are hidden automatically without manual intervention.
  2. Customizable Appearance: Choose how available and unavailable variants are displayed, keeping your store visually appealing.
  3. Improved UX: Apps ensure customers only interact with actionable options, reducing confusion.
  4. Scalable Solutions: Apps handle large inventories efficiently, ideal for stores with thousands of products.

Using a dedicated Shopify app ensures seamless operation and a professional shopping experience, which can directly impact conversion rates.

Method 3: Custom Coding with Liquid

If you have access to a developer or are comfortable with code, Shopify’s Liquid template language allows you to customize product pages. You can use Liquid to:

  • Hide out-of-stock variants from the dropdown menu.
  • Display alternative messages or recommendations when an option is unavailable.
  • Modify the product page dynamically based on inventory levels.

Here’s a simplified example of how it works:

{% for variant in product.variants %}

  {% if variant.available %}

    <option value=”{{ variant.id }}”>{{ variant.title }}</option>

  {% endif %}

{% endfor %}

This code loops through each product variant and only displays the available ones. While effective, this method requires maintenance, especially if your store frequently adds new products or variants.

Method 4: Display Messages Instead of Hiding Variants

Some merchants prefer to display unavailable variants but provide clear messages like “Sold Out” or “Coming Soon.” While this doesn’t hide variants entirely, it informs customers upfront and can create a sense of urgency.

Pros:

  • Customers are aware of popular items.
  • Can create anticipation for restocks.

Cons:

  • Slightly more friction in the shopping experience.
  • Requires a clear design to avoid confusion.

For a combination of hiding and messaging, using a Shopify app like Swatch King gives you the flexibility to display sold-out messages while keeping the UI clean.

Method 5: Use Color Swatches Instead of Dropdowns

Dropdown menus can be cumbersome, especially if they show unavailable options. Switching to color or image swatches can visually hide unavailable variants while still offering a seamless selection process.

Advantages:

  • Quick visual selection for customers.
  • Out-of-stock options can be greyed out or removed entirely.
  • Enhances mobile UX, which is crucial as mobile traffic continues to grow.

Apps like Swatch King simplify this process by automatically managing variant availability and visual representation.

Tips for Effective Variant Management

Implementing the right method is just the start. Here are additional tips to make the most of variant management:

  1. Regularly Update Inventory: Ensure your stock levels are accurate. Even the best UX solutions can’t fix outdated inventory data.
  2. Highlight Popular Options: Showcase available, high-demand variants to encourage faster decisions.
  3. Use Analytics: Track which variants are frequently out of stock. This data helps with inventory planning and demand forecasting.
  4. Provide Alternatives: When an option is unavailable, suggest similar products to prevent lost sales.
  5. Mobile Optimization: Ensure that hidden or unavailable variants behave consistently across mobile devices, where dropdowns and swatches may behave differently.

Final Thoughts 

Creating a seamless shopping experience starts with good UX design, and managing product variants plays a big role. By using methods to hide unavailable variants in shopify, merchants can reduce customer frustration, increase conversions, and strengthen brand credibility. 

Whether you rely on Shopify’s built-in settings, an app like Swatch King, or custom Liquid coding, the goal is the same: make it easy for customers to find and buy what they want.

The best approach depends on your store’s size, inventory complexity, and technical resources. Small stores might get by with native settings, while larger or high-traffic stores benefit from specialized apps. In the end, hiding unavailable product options isn’t just a UX improvement; it’s a strategy that can directly boost your sales

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