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Step-by-step instructions for creating a simple product in WooCommerce, including name, price, description, image, and publishing.

A simple product is the most common product type — it has one price and no variations. This guide walks you through creating one from scratch.

Quick summary

To add a simple product: go to Products → Add New, fill in the name, price, description, and add an image, then publish. The whole process takes about five minutes for a basic product.

What you'll need

WordPress admin access (Administrator or Shop Manager role)
A product photo (optional but strongly recommended)
Your product's name, price, and a short description

Step-by-step: adding a simple product

Go to Products → Add New. In the left-hand WordPress menu, hover over Products and click Add New. You will land on a blank product editing screen.

Enter the product name. Type the name of your product in the Product name field at the top of the screen. This is the title customers will see on your store.

Write the product description. The large editor box below the name is the Product description (the long description) — this is the main body of text customers read on the product page. Write a few sentences (or more) describing the product. See Writing product descriptions that sell for tips.

Set the product type to Simple product. Scroll down to the Product data panel. In the dropdown at the top of that panel, make sure Simple product is selected (it usually is by default).

Enter the price. In the General tab of Product data, type the regular price in the Regular price field. If you want to show a sale price, fill in the Sale price field too — see Setting prices & sale prices for more on scheduling sales.

Add a short description. Scroll down past the Product data panel to find the Product short description box. This is a brief summary of the long description. WooCommerce says it typically appears next to the product images, so it is one of the first things customers read — keep it to 1–3 punchy sentences.

Add a product image. In the right-hand sidebar, find the Product image box. Click Set product image, then upload a photo from your computer or select one from your media library. This becomes the main product photo.

Add product categories and tags. In the right sidebar, check any relevant categories in the Product categories box. Add tags in the Product tags box if you use them. See Organizing products with categories & tags.

Publish the product. In the Publish box in the top-right corner, click Publish. Your product is now live on your store. To save without publishing, click Save Draft instead.

Your product is live

Once published, customers can find and purchase your product. You can edit it at any time by going to Products → All Products and clicking the product name.

Optional: manage inventory for this product

If you want to track stock levels for this product, go to the Inventory tab in Product data and:

Tick Stock management ("Track stock quantity for this product"). This box only appears if stock management is switched on for the whole store under WooCommerce → Settings → Products → Inventory.
Enter the current Quantity
Choose whether to accept orders when stock runs out in Allow backorders? (Do not allow, Allow, but notify customer, or Allow). If you don't allow backorders, WooCommerce marks the product Out of stock when it runs out.

See Managing stock & inventory for full details.

Optional: add shipping details

If the product requires shipping, go to the Shipping tab in Product data and enter the Weight and Dimensions (and a Shipping class, if you use them). Shipping extensions that charge by weight or size, such as live carrier rates, use this information to calculate shipping rates.

Optional: add a gallery

You can show multiple photos on the product page. Below the Product image box in the sidebar, find Product gallery and click Add product gallery images to upload additional photos.

See Product images & galleries for more.

Common questions

My product is published but I can't find it on the store — where is it?

Check that its status is Published and that its Catalog visibility (in the Publish box) isn't set to Hidden or Search only. Check that it is in the right category. If your store hides out-of-stock items (WooCommerce → Settings → Products → Inventory), make sure the product is in stock. Also check your shop page — some themes have filters. If it still does not appear, contact your developer.

Can I duplicate a product instead of starting from scratch?

Yes. On the Products → All Products list, hover over any product and click Duplicate. WooCommerce creates a copy as a draft, with the same settings, so you only need to change what is different.

What's the difference between the long description and the short description?

The short description is a brief summary that WooCommerce says typically appears next to the product images — it is one of the first things customers read, so keep it brief and compelling. The long description (the Product description) holds the full details and usually appears further down the page. Exactly where each one shows depends on your theme.

How do I unpublish a product temporarily?

Go to the product, click Edit, and in the Publish panel either change Status to Draft or change Visibility to Private, then save. Draft products are invisible to customers. Private products can only be viewed by site admins and editors.

Need a hand?

If you're stuck, email support@chykalophia.com and we'll help. Include your website address and a screenshot if you can.

Learn more

WooCommerce: how to add a product

How to add a simple product