How can I allow my customers to select variants directly on the page in Webflow, instead of using a dropdown menu, to eliminate unnecessary clicks?
TL;DR
- Design custom buttons or swatches for variants and assign each a unique identifier.
- Use custom fields or Finsweet Attributes to bind variant data.
- Implement JavaScript or Finsweet tools to sync button clicks with Webflow’s hidden variant dropdown.
- Add styling to highlight active selections and test that the “Add to Cart” reflects the correct variant.
To let customers select product variants directly on the page in Webflow—such as color swatches or size buttons instead of dropdowns—you'll need to customize the default variant selection UI by replacing dropdowns with interactive elements like buttons or images.
1. Design Custom Variant Buttons or Swatches
- Use Buttons, Div Blocks, or Image elements to represent each product variant (e.g., sizes S/M/L or color options).
- These can be laid out using a Grid or Flexbox for better alignment and mobile responsiveness.
- Give each button a unique identifier (e.g., a custom attribute or class) corresponding to a variant option.
2. Bind CMS Data to Variant Attributes
- If using Webflow's Ecommerce CMS, each variant exists under a product.
- You cannot natively bind each variant as a CMS item. So instead:
- Use custom fields to store variant data manually (e.g., color names, swatch image URLs).
- Alternatively, use Finsweet Attributes to dynamically connect variant fields to UI options.
3. Use Custom Scripting or Finsweet Attributes
- Webflow doesn’t support button-based variant selection natively, so use one of these:
- Finsweet’s CMS Combine + CMS Filter libraries
- A custom JavaScript solution to update the selected variant based on button clicks.
- Key functionalities you’ll need:
- Update the hidden dropdown (used by Webflow Ecommerce) based on which button is clicked.
- Trigger a change event after setting the dropdown to simulate user selection.
4. Style Active Selections
- Add visual feedback (e.g., a border, background color) to show which variant is selected.
- Use Webflow Interactions or custom classes to toggle the active state on buttons.
5. Test the Add to Cart Behavior
- After variant selection is synced to Webflow’s form input, test that “Add to Cart” reflects the selected variant.
- Check for common issues such as missing variant ID or price not updating.
Summary
To eliminate dropdown menus for variants in Webflow, design custom interactive buttons, tie them to specific variant values, and use JavaScript or Finsweet Attributes to sync the UI with Webflow’s Ecommerce logic. This approach improves UX by reducing clicks and making variant selection more intuitive.