Products & Product Variants
Understand how Products and Product Variants work in Quivers, and how to create, configure, and bulk-manage them in your catalog.
In This Article
- What Are Products & Product Variants?
- Creating a Product Manually
- Setting Up Product Options & Variants
- Bulk Uploading via the Catalog Import Tool
- Setting a Special (Sale) Price
- Returns at the Product & Variant Level
- Troubleshooting
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Products & Product Variants?
A Product represents the item being sold — for example, a long-sleeve shirt. A Product Variant is a specific version of that product, created through a combination of Product Options and Option Values — for example, a small size paired with grey color.
Products can be created manually in the Quivers Admin Panel, or imported in bulk using the Catalog Import Tool.
How It Works
The product information required depends on how your HoverCart is configured:
- Add to Cart setup: needs Product Name, SKU, UPC, Product Options, and Price.
- Full Store Embed configuration: recommends complete product details.
Default Product Details
Product Name (customer-facing), Ref ID (internal reference), Product ID (Quivers-generated for embedded setups), Images (multiple supported), Short Description, Related Products, Full Description, Option additions, Price Type additions, and Variant creation.
Default Product Variant Fields
Name, SKU, GTIN/UPC, RefId, Coming Soon status, Standard/Wholesale pricing, Details panel access, and Product Reviews.
Creating a Product Manually
- Navigate to Catalog > Products in the Quivers Panel sidebar.
- Select “New +” and choose Product or Folder.
- Enter a name and confirm with the OK button.
- Double-click an existing product to access its Product Listing page for editing.
Setting Up Product Options & Variants
Adding Options
- Click “+ Add Option” in Product Details.
- Configure the Option Name, Order, Select Text, Required status, and Control Type (Dropdown List or Grid).
- Add Option Values with a Name, Default status, Images (≤50×50 px recommended), and pricing columns.
Adding Variants
- Scroll to the Product Variants table.
- Click “+ Add Variant.”
- Fill in the Name, Image, Description, Identifiers (SKU, GTIN, UPC, RefId), Pricing, and Coming Soon status.
- Save when complete.
Bulk Uploading via the Catalog Import Tool
Access the tool at catalog-import.quivers.com and log in with your business selection.
Import Options Available
- Add New Products (for new items only).
- Combine with Existing Products (updates existing data and adds new products).
- Apply Pricing (pricing updates only).
- Export Catalog (CSV backup/editing).
- Export History (past exports).
- View Catalog (Admin Panel access).
Best Practices for Bulk Import
- Export a backup before making changes.
- Review option names, values, and image ordering.
- Verify product groupings are correct.
Note: Deletions must be done manually in the Admin Panel — the Catalog Import Tool does not support deleting products or variants.
Setting a Special (Sale) Price
- Navigate to Catalog.
- Open the target product.
- Locate the Product Variant table.
- Enter the Special Price with a Start Date and End Date.
- Save and refresh your HoverCart settings.
Note: Special prices display publicly, so confirm your date ranges are accurate before saving — Special Pricing can be combined with promotions.
Returns at the Product & Variant Level
Products and Product Variants each have their own AllowReturns field, letting a brand mark specific items (or specific variants of an item) as final sale — not eligible for return — independent of the storefront-level returns setting. This is configured as an “Allow Returns” toggle in the Old Panel.
Note: This field only controls one input into whether a given order item can ultimately be returned; the full returns logic (how it interacts with storefront settings, order-item history, and API overrides) is covered in the Order Management/Returns documentation rather than here.
Troubleshooting
Bulk Import Didn’t Produce the Expected Catalog Changes
- Confirm you used “Add New Products” vs. “Combine with Existing Products” correctly for what you intended to do.
- Remember the Import Tool cannot delete products or variants — any removals must be done manually in the Admin Panel.
- Use “Export Catalog” to pull a fresh backup and review option names, values, and image ordering against what you expect.
A Special (Sale) Price Isn’t Showing Correctly in HoverCart
- Confirm the Start Date and End Date on the Special Price are correct.
- Make sure you refreshed your HoverCart settings after saving the price.
- Since special prices display publicly, double-check the dates before assuming there’s a display bug.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to add a variant to every product?
Yes — as a best practice, include at least one variant per product.
What size should my Option Value / swatch images be?
Keep swatch and control images small — 50×50 px or smaller is recommended.
Can I use “Coming Soon” status for products I haven’t launched yet?
Yes — utilize the Coming Soon status on a variant for pre-orders or items not yet available.
Should my SKUs, GTINs, and UPCs match my other systems?
Yes — align these identifiers with your ERP system to keep inventory and orders consistent across platforms.
Can a Special Price be combined with other promotions?
Yes — special/sale pricing can be combined with promotions, but confirm your Start/End dates are accurate since the price displays publicly.
Does the Catalog Import Tool let me delete products?
No — deletions must be done manually in the Admin Panel; the Import Tool only adds or updates products, variants, and pricing.
Need Help?
Our support team is here to help you get the most out of Quivers.