1/26/2025

Addressing Multiple Variant Issues in Shopify's GraphQL

When you're diving deep into e-commerce, particularly with Shopify, you might encounter some pretty specific challenges. One of those challenges is managing multiple product variants effectively through Shopify's GraphQL API. For developers & store owners, grappling with these variant issues can feel like a puzzle that needs just the right piece to fit. Let’s break it down together!

Understanding Variants in Shopify

Before we dive into fixing those pesky issues, it’s essential to understand what variants are in the Shopify ecosystem. In short, a variant is a set of options available for a product. Think of it like this: if you have a t-shirt, the options might include size (small, medium, large) and color (black, white, blue). Each combination becomes a variant:

Small Black
Small White
Medium Black
Medium White
Large Black

Managing these with Shopify's GraphQL can unleash a ton of flexibility, but it can also come with its fair share of headaches.

Common Issues with Variants in GraphQL

1. Not Retrieving All Variants

A prevalent issue developers encounter is not being able to fetch all variants for a given product. Using GraphQL, many might use the following query:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
query GetVariants($id: ID!) {
  product(id: $id) {
    variants(first: 10) {
      edges {
        node {
          id
          title
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

However, if a product has more than 10 variants, this query won’t cut it. In past versions, the limit was set too low—historically capped at 100. Thankfully, as noted in the Shopify Changelog, new GraphQL APIs now support up to 2048 variants! So if you're still facing variant limits, it might be time to update your API version.

2. Incorrect Variant IDs

We've all been there: receiving a 404 variant not found error message. This often arises from using the product ID instead of the variant ID. The GraphQL API will expect a specific variant ID format, something like:

1
"gid://shopify/ProductVariant/31696763027492"

Make sure you are using the correct ID—this tip could save you many debugging sessions!

3. Adding Multiple Variants

You might be using the

productCreate

mutation to add a new product with variants, and then bam! An error yelling that the default variant already exists. This happens as you try to create a product with the same default title. The title field in the variants input is NOT the right approach anymore, as explained in the original community post.

To successfully add multiple variants, you should construct your mutation like this:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
mutation productCreate($input: ProductInput!) {
  productCreate(input: $input) {
    userErrors {
      field
      message
    }
    product {
      id
      variants(first: 5) {
        edges {
          node {
            id
            title
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Focus on how you define variant titles and make sure each one is UNIQUE! In fact, importantly, the option input has shifted, so stay updated on the latest practices.

4. Updating Product Variants

Now, let's say you want to update an existing variant. It can be confusing! You might attempt to use

productVariantUpdate

, and it doesn’t support the adding of images directly with that call; instead, use media.

Your mutation should look something like:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
mutation productVariantUpdate($input: ProductVariantInput!) {
  productVariantUpdate(input: $input) {
    productVariant {
      id
      media(first: 10) {
        nodes {
          id
          mediaContentType
          preview {
            status
          }
        }
      }
    }
    userErrors {
      field
      message
    }
  }
}

5. Performance Slowdowns

You may also face performance problems, especially during syncs of changed variants. A common complaint in the Shopify community is that every time a variant changes, your app might need to fetch ALL variant data again. Relying on

updated_at

timestamps could help minimize the amount of redundant data fetched.

Instead of requiring constant refetching, you might employ a strategy where you only fetch data for variants you know have changed, thus conserving your API call limits and improving your app's speed.

Best Practices for Handling Variants

Use New Limits Wisely: Take advantage of the new variant limits and plan your data structure accordingly.
Accurate IDs: Always ensure to use the correct formats for product & variant IDs.
Clear Mutations: Make sure your mutation requests are clean, accurate, & utilize the correct input types.
Efficient Syncing: Consider optimizing your syncing strategy by incorporating timestamps & identifying only changed data.
Stay Updated: Since Shopify often pushes updates, keep an eye on the Shopify Developer Documentation for the latest practices.

How Arsturn Can Help You

If you're ready to simplify customer interactions and enhance brand engagement with custom chatbots, have a look at Arsturn. This incredible platform lets you create your own ChatGPT chatbots in just a few steps, enhancing your e-commerce site in the process! You can Streamline operations while ensuring customers engage with your offerings better than ever. Join thousands already harnessing the power of conversational AI to boost connections and conversions!

Instantly Create AI Chatbots: No coding skills required, truly a game-changer.
Effortless Integration: Easy to embed widgets to your Shopify store.
Full Customization: Tailor the chatbot to match your unique brand effortlessly.
Powerful Analytics: Get insightful data on customer interactions.

Final Thoughts

Tackling multiple variant issues in Shopify can be a mix of challenge & opportunity. By understanding the common pitfalls and employing best practices, you can streamline your e-commerce processes dramatically. With Google-style quick access to variant data & employing tools like Arsturn, your Shopify store can achieve incredible engagement & success. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting, remember—it's all about learning and adapting to create a smoother experience for your customers.

Happy coding & selling!