Your eCommerce venture should be about creating an experience that captivates visitors and turns them into loyal patrons.
The default WooCommerce design of your shop pages takes center stage in shaping the initial customer experience, dictating the visual allure of your digital storefront and the functionality that underpins your online business.
Customizing the WooCommerce shop template will empower you to encapsulate your distinct vision and business identity. From altering color schemes to rearranging page components, the possibilities are extensive.
In this comprehensive article, we’ll guide you through merging aesthetics with functionality by customizing your WooCommerce shop template to captivate visitors and retain them as loyal consumers in the long run. We’ll also highlight the advantages of enlisting the aid of a dedicated developer to actualize the full potential of your WooCommerce store.
Let’s get started!
3 methods to create a WooCommerce shop page template
Customizing a WooCommerce shop page template is all about aligning functionality and aesthetics with your brand. There are three primary approaches to get the job done: plugins, custom code, and page builders.
| Method | When to use | Pros | Cons |
| Plugins | Quick solutions for simple tweaks. | Fast, easy, no coding required. | Limited flexibility, potential compatibility issues. |
| Custom code | Custom, precise designs with full control; requires expertise. | Highly flexible, tailored designs, full control. | Time-consuming, requires programming knowledge, highest risk of errors. |
| Page builders | Visual customization with ease. | User-friendly, versatile designs, intuitive interfaces. | Can bloat site, potential performance impact. |
1. Plugin-based customization
Plugins like StoreCustomizer are perfect for small changes – think reordering elements, adjusting minor styles and layouts, or toggling product visibility – without touching code. The interface is user-friendly and ideal for quick fixes, but it’s not built for heavy lifting.
Here’s an example of what you can do with StoreCustomizer:
1. With the plugin installed and activated, go to Appearance > Customize then click on StoreCustomizer.
2. Click on WooCommerce Shop Page to open the shop page customizer. From here, you can tweak some settings and watch the changes live on the right.
3. Make your changes as desired. For this walkthrough, we’ll do the following:
- Check the Remove Shop Page Breadcrumbs, Remove Shop Sorting Dropdown, and Remove Shop Sorting Results boxes.
- Check the Add a banner to Sold Out products box and change the Sold Out Banner Style to Angle Over Image.
- Check the Show stock amount for Users box.
- Check the Edit Shop Button Texts box and change the Simple Product Button Text to Cart it!
In the preview section, your shop page should look something like this:
Plugins for customizing your WooCommerce shop page often offer a free version for basic tweaks, with premium tiers unlocking advanced features. StoreCustomizer Pro, for example, starts at $49/year for a single site and lets you transform your shop page into a browse-only catalog. It’s perfect for building hype pre-launch – visitors can explore your offerings, but purchasing is off-limits until you’re ready to go live.
As tempting as it is, though, you should be cautious – stacking too many plugins can take a toll on performance. Each plugin adds load to your site, potentially slowing down page speeds and impacting the user experience. For small businesses, the trade-off can be worth it for quick fixes, but if you’re aiming for high-traffic, seamless performance, fewer plugins – or custom solutions – are the smarter choice.
2. Code-based customization
Coding offers maximum control over the appearance and functionality of your WooCommerce shop page template. It allows you to implement highly specific or complex customizations. You can create unique designs, implement custom features, and integrate with third-party services.
Here are a couple of customizations to get you started:
1. Start by creating a child theme to keep your changes safe during updates.
2. Copy the archive-product.php file from wp-content/plugins/woocommerce/templates/ into your child theme’s woocommerce folder. For example, if you want to move the product title above the image, edit this file to reposition the relevant code block.
3. Modify the loop using WooCommerce hooks to customize how products are displayed. For example, you could use the code below to add a custom heading before the product grid:
add_action('woocommerce_before_shop_loop', 'custom_shop_heading', 5);
function custom_shop_heading() {
echo '<h2>Welcome to Our Shop!</h2>';
}4. In the style.css file, add your styling code. For example, use the code below to change the product title’s font size and color:
.woocommerce ul.products li.product h3 {
font-size: 20px;
color: #ff6600;
}5. Finally, you can add functionality by editing the functions.php file. For instance, you can hide prices for products that are out of stock using the code below:
add_filter('woocommerce_get_price_html', 'hide_out_of_stock_prices', 10, 2);
function hide_out_of_stock_prices($price, $product) {
if (!$product->is_in_stock()) {
return '';
}
return $price;
}Before customizing, back up your site and enable debugging by adding define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, true ); to your wp-config.php file. Test changes incrementally, validate syntax, check for plugin conflicts, and use logs to trace issues. If things break, revert to the original file and start fresh.
Despite being the most flexible option, customizing your WooCommerce template with code requires extensive programming knowledge and expertise. Bugs and syntax errors are almost inevitable when crafting the logic of your desired custom code.
Unless you’re a skilled programmer who knows what they are doing and is adept at debugging and handling coding issues with grace, we highly recommend hiring a WordPress development expert instead.
3. WooCommerce shop page builders
Page builders like Elementor and Divi make customizing your WooCommerce shop a breeze with intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces. You can tweak layouts, add custom widgets, and showcase bestselling products in seconds – no coding required.
The best part is a lot of page builders provide templates that get you most of the way there. Heck, some of them are so good you might be fine using them as is. Take this template kit for Elementor:
Template kits not enough for you? Here’s how to get a more tailored WooCommerce shop page template using Divi:
1. From your admin dashboard, go to Divi > Theme Builder.
2. Click on Add New Template then Build New Template and scroll to the WooCommerce Pages section, where you’ll check Shop.
3. When the template is ready, you can start building it in three main areas: the header, body, and footer. We’ll click on the pencil icon to the left of Custom Body to get right into the good stuff.
4. From here, you can work with Divi modules as usual. The first thing we’ll do is create a new row then go to Woo Modules and select Woo Products to add all the products on our site to the page instantly!
5. To illustrate that you can customize it like any other module, we’ll add a custom background color from the Background section of the Content tab:
6. We’ll follow this up by moving into the Design tab and making the following changes:
- Under Image, change the Image Rounded Corners value to 30px, the Image Border Width to 4px, and the Image Border Color to #a2d2ff.
- Under Sale Badge Text, change the Sale Badge Color to #bc4749.
- Under Text and Price Text, change the alignment to make it centered.
These changes should give you a page that looks something like this:
You can push your shop page customizations even further. Since products appear as modules, you can reconfigure and enhance them to create a truly distinctive layout.
For instance, you could add a styled countdown timer module at the top of the page – perfect for instantly grabbing attention and driving urgency the moment visitors land in your WooCommerce shop.
While page builders offer convenience for WooCommerce shop page customization, they come with a few trade-offs. Here’s what to watch out for – and how to work around the limitations:
- Performance impact: Page builders can bloat your site with excess code. Minimize unnecessary elements, compress images, and enable caching.
- Limited flexibility: Customization options may not cover advanced functionality. Combine with custom CSS or lightweight plugins for added features.
- SEO challenges: Extra code can slow load times, affecting rankings. Optimize alt tags, use clean URLs, and test speed with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights.
- Mobile responsiveness: Designs may not always scale well. Test layouts on multiple devices and adjust settings for mobile optimization.
Best practices for WooCommerce shop page templates
If you decide to customize the WooCommerce shop template yourself, you’ll need to follow some best practices. The following tips, carefully curated by Codeable expert Srikanth Koneru, will ensure your customizations are effective, maintainable, and compatible with future WooCommerce updates:
- Use hooks for adding/modifying elements: WooCommerce provides a range of hooks – or predefined points in the code – where you can add your own custom functions or code snippets. Use them to insert or modify content on the shop page without directly altering the core template files.
- Make customizations in a child theme: A WordPress child theme inherits the functionality and styling of the parent theme (in this case, the WooCommerce theme) while allowing you to make customizations without affecting the core theme files. This ensures your modifications are preserved even when the parent theme is updated.
- Keep elements to a minimum: Each element adds to the page load time, potentially resulting in slower loading speeds and a diminished user experience. To prevent performance issues, focus on essential customizations and avoid adding excessive or unnecessary elements to the shop page.
- Optimize for performance: Streamline your shop page by reducing unnecessary elements, compressing images, and enabling caching. Use tools like GTmetrix or Google PageSpeed Insights to identify and resolve performance issues.
- Design for Mobile Responsiveness: Ensure your customizations work seamlessly across devices. Test layouts, use scalable fonts, and prioritize touch-friendly navigation to create a smooth mobile shopping experience.
- Boost SEO: Improve search visibility by using clean URLs, optimizing image alt tags, and maintaining fast loading speeds. Avoid duplicate content and ensure metadata remains intact after customizations.
When to DIY and when to seek expert help
Customizing your WooCommerce shop page can be a rewarding DIY project if your needs are straightforward – like tweaking layouts, adjusting colors, or rearranging elements.
Tools like Elementor or plugins like StoreCustomizer make this easy, even for non-developers.
But if you’re diving into complex territory – custom fields, dynamic functionality, or integrating third-party APIs – things get tricky fast. Code errors can break your site, and fixing them might take more time than you saved.
💡 The rule of thumb? DIY for cosmetic tweaks and simple functionality changes; call in an expert for anything that requires coding or affects the core functionality of your store.
Customization is only worth it if it enhances your shop’s performance without compromising stability.
If you’re ready to level up but lack the technical skills, consider using Codeable to connect with vetted WooCommerce experts. They can handle advanced customizations and ensure your site runs smoothly – leaving you free to focus on growing your business.
Next steps: Choose your WooCommerce customization path
Customizing your WooCommerce shop page is where your eCommerce strategy meets your brand’s personality. It’s your chance to go beyond making things look nice, your chance to create a page that feels intuitive and keeps customers engaged.
Whether you’re rearranging elements with a plugin, fine-tuning details with a page builder, or rolling up your sleeves to code, the right choice comes down to how much time, expertise, and effort you’re willing to invest.
But let’s be real: not every customization is a DIY project. When you’re dealing with complex functionality, custom integrations, or designs that require precision, it’s smart to bring in the pros.
That’s where Codeable shines.
Our WooCommerce experts can handle the heavy lifting, ensuring your shop works flawlessly while you focus on growing your business. It’s a solution that saves time, keeps your site stable, and brings your vision to life without the guesswork.
Your WooCommerce shop page is the heartbeat of your online business. Make it count. And if you need help, submit your project to call in the experts to get it done right.
FAQs
How do I access the default shop template?
The default WooCommerce shop template is archive-product.php, located in wp-content/plugins/woocommerce/templates/. To customize it, copy the file into your theme’s woocommerce folder. Never edit the original – updates will overwrite it.
Can I customize the shop page without coding?
Yes! Use page builders like Elementor or plugins like StoreCustomizer to customize your WooCommerce shop page. They let you rearrange elements, tweak styles, and add features without writing a single line of code.
What’s the difference between archive-product.php and shop.php?
archive-product.php handles the shop and product category pages; there’s no standalone shop.php. The template dynamically loads content based on the context (shop or category).
How do I add custom fields to the shop page?
Use add_action and add_meta_box in your functions.php to create custom fields, then display them with hooks like woocommerce_shop_loop_item_title to show additional product info.
What are the best plugins for WooCommerce shop page customization?
Top picks include StoreCustomizer for basic tweaks and page builders like Elementor for drag-and-drop layouts. Choose based on your skill level and customization needs.
