6 Magento 2 Product Types: Add & Change

A tech-savvy Magento 1 user knows the platform offers 6 magento product types. Magento developers have decided to leave the very types in the second version having supplied them with additional improvements. The process of a product type change has also been updated. So, let’s have a look.

Magento 2 product types

Here are 6 basic product types available in Magento 2: 

#1 Simple Product

Example:

The Summit Watch is sold in fixed color and at a fixed price. A customer can buy it without any changes.

A simple or standalone product can be sold individually or as a part of grouped, configurable, or bundle products due to its diversity of pricing and input controls. You may also come across such a term as a composite product, which is a simple product with custom options. It resembles a configurable one in functionality, though it’s lack of inventory tracking for each of the variations. A simple product is assigned a single SKU.

Associate with:

• Grouped Product;
• Bundle Product;
• Configurable Product.

#2 Configurable Product

Example:

The Helios Endurance Tank can be configured in line with a customer choice and needs. Thus they can choose the size, color, which are named as attributes in the backend. A combination of XXL and Blue, for instance, make up a variation in the backend.

Magento Configurable Product is a group of single products with different options. A configurable product has much in common with a simple one, however, each of the variations has a drop-down list of options. Each of the options presents a separate simple product with a unique SKU. The SKU makes it possible to control the inventory for each of the variations.

#3  Magento Grouped Product

Example:

The set of Sprite Yoga Straps consists of three separate straps of different colors. A customer can choose to buy either all of them or one of the straps.

Simple standalone products presented as one group is a Magento 2 grouped product type. A set of different products can be created in line with a season, theme, etc ... Besides, each of the simple products can be ordered individually. Thus, each Magento 2 grouped product can have own price and is listed separately on the shopping cart page.

One key difference between bundle product and grouped product in Magento 2 is that while a grouped product allows customers to buy each item individually, a bundle product requires purchasing all included items as a set.

#4 Virtual Product

Example:

While buying this Luma Fitness Membership a customer doesn’t need to choose a shipping method or delivery. Custom options can be also set for the product type.

These are non-physical items sold individually or as a part of Grouped or Bundle Products. Magento Virtual products can be presented in a form of memberships, services, warranties, subscriptions, etc..

Associate with:

• Grouped Product;
• Bundle Product.

#5 Bundle Product

Example:

Look at the Sprite Yoga Companion Kit. A customer can’t choose to buy one of the products separately but need to order them all.

This is a customizable product type, which allows customers to build their own product, where each item can be based on Simple or Virtual Product Types. All the products included in a bundle vary in price, SKU, weight, dynamic/fixed value.

#6 Downloadable Product

Example:

A customer can download the Luma Yoga For Life DVD product as long as the purchase is made.

Anything that you can deliver as a file can be positioned as a downloadable product, e.g.: eBook, video, music, software apps, updates, etc.. In this case you can offer excerpts from the downloadable files like a demo version, a movie trailer, a clip from an audio file to give customers a chance to try the products before purchasing them.

Magento 2 Add Product By Type 

To add product type in Magento 2 you need to log in to the admin panel:

• Go to the Product Catalog and choose the ‘Add Product’ section at the right-upper corner:

• Choose one of the 6 available types and continue the settings in line with your needs.

Magento 2 Change Product Type

It can be made via the database only, either manually or via the SQL query.
To mass change product type via the SQL in Magento 2 you need to log in to the phpMyAdmin:

• Shift to the SQL and fill in the next line: UPDATE catalog_product_entity SET type_id=”simple” WHERE type_id = “downloadable”;

This command will change all the downloadable product types to simple ones. Having changed the query you can set any substitutes you need. 

• Log in to the Admin Panel and check the result.

You can also change product type manually in catalog_product_entity table or modify the query to select only the required products.

Bring to notice:

• Simple Product and Virtual Product types are lack of custom options, though they can belong to Grouped Product. Therefore, you need to take it into account when choosing products for the Grouped type;
• The option to buy ALL or separately is available only for Magento 2 Grouped Product type. Don’t confuse it with the Bundle type;
• To create product variations you can use either Magento Configurable Product type or Simple Product with custom options. In the latter case you’ll manage to generate product variations without depending on attributes;
• While choosing items for Grouped products you should remember Simple and Virtual Products won’t have custom options in the case.