Maximizing WooCommerce Display with Flexible Product Layouts: Configuring Products Per Row

In WooCommerce, product layout and display are key to creating a smooth, engaging user experience. One powerful customization option is adjusting the number of products displayed per row, which directly affects your store’s overall look, navigability, and user interaction. Whether you want to showcase large, highly-detailed product images or fit more items on the screen to encourage product discovery, the “products per row” configuration can significantly impact user engagement, conversion rates, and shopping experience.

This blog will guide you through the benefits, strategies, and steps to adjust the products per row in WooCommerce, covering both standard and custom layouts that suit different types of stores.

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Why Change the Number of Products Per Row?

1. Enhances Store Aesthetics: A store’s design needs to match the brand’s aesthetic and provide a visually appealing shopping experience. For a high-end or boutique store, fewer, larger product images per row may be ideal to create a clean, spacious look, while stores with a larger catalog might prefer more compact rows to encourage browsing.

2. Improves User Experience: Easy navigation is essential. Adjusting the number of products per row lets you create an intuitive browsing experience where products are clearly visible, accessible, and well-organized.

3. Boosts Product Discovery: When you increase the number of products per row, customers see more items on each screen, leading to faster product discovery. This approach is ideal for stores with extensive inventories, allowing customers to explore options without excessive scrolling.

4. Tailors to Mobile and Desktop Views: Mobile devices often benefit from two products per row, ensuring images remain legible, while desktops allow for up to four or more products in a row for broader visibility. Customizing based on device type is essential in creating a responsive, device-friendly experience.

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Default WooCommerce Settings for Products Per Row

WooCommerce includes basic settings for adjusting the number of products per row. While this is a great starting point, the platform’s flexibility means you can also make these adjustments through custom code or plugins if more control is needed. Here’s how to adjust the settings in WooCommerce:

1. Navigate to the Customizer: In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Customize.
2. Locate the Product Catalog: In the Customizer, navigate to WooCommerce > Product Catalog.
3. Set Products per Row: Here, you’ll see an option to adjust the “Products per Row” setting. This default option allows you to set the number of items per row in your shop view.

While the Customizer settings provide a simple way to change the layout, it may lack the versatility that some stores require, especially if you want varying layouts for different product pages or more dynamic control over product display.

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Using Plugins to Configure Products Per Row

WooCommerce plugins offer a solution for stores needing advanced layout customization. Here are a few popular plugins designed for WooCommerce layout adjustments:

1. WooCommerce Product Table: This plugin offers complete control over product display, including the number of products per row. It’s especially useful for stores with bulk order requirements, allowing products to be displayed in both rows and list view.
2. WooCommerce Grid/List Toggle: This plugin gives shoppers the ability to toggle between grid and list views, each of which can have its own products-per-row setting. It enhances user experience by letting customers choose their preferred display.
3. ShopCustomizer for WooCommerce: ShopCustomizer enables more control over WooCommerce layouts, including rows, columns, and other design elements. It’s a good option for stores with specific aesthetic or layout requirements.

Each of these plugins provides flexibility and can help stores achieve unique layouts, customized to suit a particular catalog size or customer preference.

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Adjusting Products Per Row with Custom Code

For advanced users who want full control without a plugin, modifying the number of products per row is possible with custom code. This approach allows for precise customization of row layouts but requires a basic understanding of PHP and CSS.

Adding Custom Code

1. Access the Theme Functions File: In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Theme Editor, then select the functions.php file of your active theme.
2. Insert Custom Code: Add the following code to specify the number of products per row:
   php

   Copy code

   // Adjust the number of products per row
add_filter('loop_shop_columns', 'custom_products_per_row');
function custom_products_per_row() {
return 4; // Change the number to the desired products per row
}


   Replace 4 with your preferred number of products per row.

3. Save and Review: After saving, refresh your shop page to view the updated product layout. This code snippet allows you to control the number of products per row across all product pages.

CSS Adjustments for Optimal Spacing

While PHP code can help adjust layout, CSS tweaks may be necessary to align spacing and margins. For instance:

Adding custom CSS can help achieve the right visual balance between products, ensuring a clean and professional appearance.

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Tailoring Products Per Row Based on Device

Modern shopping is split between mobile and desktop devices, so adapting your product layout accordingly is essential. With responsive CSS, you can easily set different products-per-row configurations for mobile and desktop displays.

Responsive Layout Code

Here’s a sample code snippet to adjust the number of products per row for different screen sizes:

This code allows WooCommerce to adapt seamlessly to various screen sizes, enhancing the shopping experience across devices.

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Best Practices for Configuring Products Per Row

Setting up the number of products per row requires balancing visibility, ease of navigation, and visual appeal. Here are some best practices:

1. Keep User Experience in Mind: Consider your audience’s browsing preferences. For example, stores with technical products may benefit from list views with detailed information, while visual-heavy stores (e.g., fashion or home decor) might benefit from a grid with fewer products per row.
2. A/B Test Layouts: Experiment with different layouts to see which one drives higher engagement and conversions. Some stores perform better with four products per row, while others may find three or five to be optimal.
3. Prioritize Responsiveness: Ensure that your chosen layout adapts well to both mobile and desktop. A cluttered mobile layout can deter mobile shoppers, so aim for a balanced, responsive design.
4. Match Row Settings with Your Theme’s Design: If your WooCommerce theme offers pre-set layout options, it’s often best to use these to maintain design consistency across your store.
5. Consider Seasonal or Campaign-Specific Adjustments: For holidays or specific promotions, experiment with different layouts to highlight seasonal products or deals. Sometimes a new arrangement can draw fresh attention to certain products.

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Conclusion

WooCommerce Products Per Row can profoundly impact your store’s visual appeal, navigability, and user engagement. By tailoring product displays to fit your store’s unique needs and audience, you can create a seamless browsing experience that not only looks great but also encourages higher conversions.

Whether you adjust these settings using WooCommerce’s default options, a plugin, or custom code, the flexibility to modify product layout ensures that your WooCommerce store remains visually compelling, user-friendly, and responsive across devices. So, dive into your settings and start customizing – the perfect layout is just a few clicks (or code lines) away!