How to Offer Pickup-Only Variants on Shopify: A Step-by-Step Guide

Let's take a trip down memory lane. Back when I was just getting the hang of running an online shop—let's say my first big, chaotic attempt—I remember pulling my hair out over something quite trivial but hilariously common: trying to figure out how to offer a pickup-only option for certain product variants. Sounds familiar? Well, if you're transitioning from Squarespace to Shopify, brace yourself for a new adventure. But don't worry, you're not alone in this digital jungle.

Embracing the Challenge

Think of selling prints and framed prints as juggling two proverbial oranges and one very fragile egg. The prints can fly across the country, no problem. The framed prints, though, they're delicate, local-pick-up-only kind of divas. The challenge? Setting up your Shopify store to handle both seamlessly.

When we moved from Squarespace to Shopify (yep, we took a similar leap), the main stumbling block was variant-specific shipping rules. It's like wanting to fly to the moon on a paper airplane—you need a plan, a solid one. Let's walk through a plan that doesn't involve intergalactic travel.

Chop It like It's Hot: Handling Variants in Shopify

We tried doing it the complicated way first—messing with shipping profiles, scratching our heads, nearly throwing the computer out the window—but then stumbled upon a super-efficient way. Here's your quickstep guide:

Set Up Your Products:
- First, hop over to your Shopify admin and add your main product—the print. Along the way, create variants for size and frame (for example, a drop-down for Size with options Small, Medium, Large, and another for Frame with Yes or No).
Enter the All-Important Shipping Zones:
- Time to play cartographer. Navigate to Settings > Shipping and delivery. Add a shipping zone that includes all the areas you want items to ship—not the areas for pickup only.
Create a Custom Shipping Profile:
- Now for the moment of truth. Go back to Settings > Shipping and delivery. Here, you’ll see Create new profile. Call it "Framed Print Pickup" or something that will make you smile every time you see it.
- Assign only the framed print variants to this new profile. Trust me, it feels a bit like splitting up M&M's by color for a purpose.
Set Conditions for Pickup:
- Under the new profile, specify Local Pickup. Ensure that this option is available only to customers within your specified location. Pat yourself on the back; you just told Shopify what you wanted without a single word.

Test and Fine-Tune

Remember that time when tests saved the day? That’s right now. Let's check if everything's working before you paint the town red with framed print orders.

Act as the Customer: Play dress-up! Select prints and framed variants as if you are shopping. You should only see the Local Pickup option for framed prints.
Verify Shipping for Prints: Double-check that other prints fly free via your regular shipping options. Ah, the freedom of a hassle-free online shopping experience!

Little Details Matter

Setting up your Shopify store like this—a masterpiece on wheels—gives your customers options and makes fulfillment a breeze. But always remember, the little details matter. Embellish product descriptions with essential info—highlight those pickup-only requirements for framed prints—nothing too over-the-top, simpler is better.

Adapting to Shopify's mechanisms might make you feel like you're teaching a cat to fetch, but once the aha moment hits, the sense of clarity is truly invigorating. Join hands in unity, and let's toast to a user-friendly approach.

A Moment of Epiphany

Looking back at our first venture into the vast sea of online marketplaces, it’s like understanding a new dialect. Frustrating at first, yes, but once you get the hang of it, it’s as fulfilling as watching your framed print simulcast—a real chef-d'œuvre—finding its rightful home.

And there you have it—we’ve tackled the issue together, as pioneers in this dynamic ecommerce world. So, free your variants from logistical chaos, let the prints roam far and wide, while the frames stay cozily picked-up at home. Go forth and happy selling, or as we like to say—may the sales be ever in your favor!