What is a simple product?
A simple product is a product type in e-commerce that does not require customers to choose additional attributes (such as size or color) to add to the cart. It should be a physical item and can be shipped to customers. Therefore, any service, such as downloadable items, does not count as a simple product.
A simple product should also be distinguished from a configurable product, which is the other product type in e-commerce. While the simple product is one standalone item, a configurable product has multiple attributes to choose from. An example of a simple product is a T-shirt with one size, one color, and one price. For a configurable product, it could be a T-shirt but with several customization options such as color, size, or material.
Moreover, a simple product can either be sold individually or with a grouped/ configurable/ bundle product. It depends on the demand of the customers.
How are simple products added to an e-commerce site?
For businesses, adding a simple product to your e-commerce site can be done by using a product template, providing information in required fields, and making other basic settings. The information should include the following points, but not limited to:
- Product type
- Product name
- Product description
- Product image/ video
- Price
- The quantity that is currently in stock
- Weight and size
In what situations should a product be put under the ‘simple product’ category?
The use of simple products in an e-commerce website can easily make the shopping experience become either a convenience or a time-consuming activity. Therefore, it is important to understand the shopping behaviors of your customers and adjust the product types appropriately. Simple products are often used for terms that people use during the research stage, such as style or color. These factors can decide if a customer wants to buy a product or not. On the other hand, other less important attributes, such as size or length, should not divide a configurable product into multiple simple products. This is because your site can become messy if simple products are overused, which can increase the rate of abandonment or click-out from customers.
