The essential guide to WooCommerce quantity buttons

Looking for the fastest way to add interactive WooCommerce quantity buttons to your store? I'll show you how to do it the easy way with a WooCommerce plugin. This means you don't need any code snippet to help your customers increase and decrease their order quantity with plus and minus buttons.

User experience is a major determining factor when it comes to conversion rates in online stores. As an eCommerce shop owner, your focus should always be on making the shopping journey as smooth and intuitive as possible. One effective way to simplify things is to allow customers to adjust product quantities anywhere, including on shop and category pages.

This is where WooCommerce quantity buttons come in. They are those little plus and minus buttons that are placed on both sides of the product quantity. Though quite unassuming, they influence how customers interact with your store significantly and add a layer of convenience and efficiency to the shopping experience.

But WooCommerce quantity buttons aren't only about user experience. They also enhance the aesthetic appeal of your website. However, the challenge lies in how to add them to WooCommerce product pages and shop pages. For the tech-savvy, diving into code and tweaking your child theme might be a viable option. But this isn’t accessible for non-developers. Fortunately, there's a straightforward beginner-friendly way out.

In this guide I’ll go through:

Let's get to it!

Introduction to WooCommerce quantity buttons

When it comes to maximizing eCommerce conversion rates, virtually every little design element matters. To achieve the best results, it's important to make every regular user action as intuitive as possible. One such action is adjusting the number of items in their order.

Whether a buyer is on product page, the cart page, or checkout page, they may often want to tweak the order quantity. Making it possible for them to do this without going to a different page or taking multiple steps helps a lot. This is why WooCommerce quantity buttons are important.

Those simple yet effective quantity plus and minus buttons are a highly intuitive eCommerce website feature. With a simple click, buyers can adjust item qty effortlessly without leaving the single product page or shop page. This can have a tremendously positive effect on their shopping experience and boost your average order value too.

The alternative is clearly undesirable. A potential customer lands on your online store, excited to purchase their favorite product. Fortunately, they want to buy more than one piece. But without quantity buttons, they are faced with the task of manually typing in the desired quantity. This process can be time-consuming and prone to input errors.

WooCommerce quantity buttons eliminate these hassles by providing functional "+" and "-" buttons on either side of the quantity field. With just a click of a button, customers can effortlessly add or subtract items from their order, making their shopping journey smoother and more enjoyable.

Similarly, the "+" and "-" symbols are universally recognizable. Even more, you can pair them with quantity discounts and product bundles. For example, you can display swatches that clearly indicate the benefits of buying more items, such as "1 for full price, 2 for 5% off, 3 for 10% off," and so on. This encourages customers to explore other buying options, which in turn benefits both your customers and your bottom line.

The importance of quantity buttons in WooCommerce

WooCommerce quantity buttons and swatches may seem like minor components of your eCommerce website, but their impact is far from insignificant. Since we've explored the major idea behind them, let me quickly touch on how you and your customers can benefit from these +/- buttons.

Event tracking is a critical component of site analytics that is particularly important for eCommerce. It empowers you to make informed decisions about inventory management and marketing, ultimately improving your supply chain efficiency and boosting your bottom line.

Step-by-step guide to implementing quantity buttons

Broadly speaking, there are two ways to add WooCommerce quantity buttons to your website. You can edit your website’s child theme manually or simply use a WordPress plugin. Both approaches differ in terms of complexity, risk level, and time required.

I only recommend editing your website’s child theme if you're a developer and are very familiar with PHP and CSS. But you'll still have to deal with the fact that it's:

• Much harder to get the buttons to work and look the way you’d like them to
• Risky, could cause other parts of your shop to stop working if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing.

If you've read this article this far, the probability that the first method is for you is pretty low. Fortunately, the better alternative is to use an add-on called WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering. It's the ideal tool that allows you to add +/- buttons without becoming a CSS expert.

• Ideal for any industry (not just restaurants!)
• No coding knowledge required
• Quick and simple to set up
• Can easily see how others have used the plugin to achieve similar results
• Gain access to efficient product support that can help you reach your business goals.

Let me show you how it works.

The best WooCommerce quantity buttons plugin

The best WooCommerce quantity buttons plugin in the market is WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering. As part of creating a wholesome restaurant ordering experience, the tool allows your customers to increase their order quantity from anywhere in your store.

But as I mentioned earlier, bar its name, the plugin works for any type of online store. It offers the easiest and fastest no-code experience for both store owners and visitors.

The big plus with using this plugin is that comes with quantity swatches by default, which makes encouraging higher purchase amounts hassle-free. Of course, when you're adding plugins to your store, you'll need something that's compatible with your theme and other plugins.

The WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering plugin works well with all major WooCommerce themes and other plugins. For example, you can pair it with plugins like WooCommerce Quantity Manager. Among other things, this plugin allows you to specify minimum and maximum order quantities. This is ideal for wholesale stores.

How to set up WooCommerce quantity buttons the quick way

To add WooCommerce quantity buttons to your store in a few minutes, you'll need to get your copy of WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering here.

After getting the plugin;

1. Install and activate it on your WordPress admin dashboard.
2. Follow the setup wizard to choose the best settings for your store's order forms.
3. Next, enable the option to display the order form layout on all your shop pages.
4. The plus-minus WooCommerce quantity buttons will be automatically added to all your shop pages and order forms.

Now, your customers will be able to adjust order quantity in an intuitive when they visit your store.

Easy peasy! Now, let's compare this to the alternative of adding several lines of code to your WooCommerce store.

Adding WooCommerce quantity buttons using code

If you have a strong technical background and you want complete control over your WooCommerce quantity buttons, then you may consider building them from scratch using code. But again, you must bear in mind that this approach is complex and best suited for experienced developers. You generally want to be well-versed in WordPress, PHP, jQuery, and HTML.

Here's a quick breakdown of the steps involved:

1. Create a WordPress child themeBefore getting your hands dirty with custom code on your site, it's crucial to create a child theme first. Adding code to your child theme's functions.php file ensures that nothing breaks in the process of manipulating a template file. You can also be sure that your customizations won't be overwritten when the parent theme receives updates.
2. Add a quantity field to your shop pageHere, you'll need to use PHP code to modify your WooCommerce store’s shop loop. Typically an add_filter() function, it adds quantity inputs for the add to cart button.
3. Add plus-minus buttons to the quantity fieldAfter creating the quantity field, you'll then add the WooCommerce quantity buttons to the input field. But at this stage, the buttons do not affect the cart quantities yet when clicked. As a last step, you'll need to introduce jQuery code.
4. Use jQuery code to implement cart quantity increase and reductionThis third add_action() function adds JavaScript code to modify the behavior of the plus and minus buttons. It first identifies the quantity input field associated with the clicked button and then increases or decreases the quantity of a product. Here's an example of a functional code you may want to check out.
5. Style quantity buttons with CSS codeTo round things off, you can also add custom CSS code to customize the appearance of the new WooCommerce quantity buttons.

It's important to re-emphasize that this method is only appropriate for developers. If you don't have a firm grip on how child theme and PHP code work, I strongly do not recommend this approach.

Troubleshooting common issues with quantity buttons

While quantity buttons are a valuable addition to your WooCommerce site, you may encounter some technical issues. This is often common when you've added them manually through your child theme. Below, I'll quickly explore the two major issues you're likely to face and share some tips on how to resolve them:

1. Buttons aren't appearing

If your newly created WooCommerce quantity buttons fail to appear on your shop pages, there are a couple of potential reasons why this is happening. It's essential to address this issue promptly to ensure a seamless shopping experience for your customers. Here are a few approaches you may want to consider to resolve this:

• Review your code or plugin settings: For plugin users, the most common errors arise when you miss out on a step in the setup wizard or are displaying the order form on the wrong pages. You can tweak the plugin settings by going to WooCommerce → Settings → Restaurant Ordering. If you've added quantity buttons manually through code, double-check your code for any errors or lines. Ensure that you've followed the required procedures to implement the buttons correctly. In some cases, a simple typo or oversight can prevent the buttons from displaying.
• Consider using the plugin: If you're struggling with the code and can't seem to make it work, it may be an indication that using the WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering plugin is a better fit for your store. Plugins offer a more user-friendly and reliable solution, especially for those who are not experienced developers.
• Reach out to customer support: If you've installed a WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering and are still experiencing issues, don't hesitate to contact our customer support team. There could be compatibility issues with other plugins or themes on your site that need to be addressed. The support team can provide swift guidance in resolving any technical issues.

2. Compatibility issues with quantity limits

If your online store has specific quantity limits, such as order minimum or max quantities, it's essential to ensure that the quantity buttons work harmoniously with these limits. Here's what you should consider:

• Use a compatible plugin: To avoid conflicts and issues related to quantity limits, it's advisable to use a plugin like WooCommerce Quantity Manager which has been thoroughly tested and proven to work seamlessly with quantity buttons. The plugin is designed to ensure compatibility with various WooCommerce configurations.
• Check plugin documentation: If you're already using a different plugin, consult the documentation provided by the plugin developer to understand how quantity limits are handled. It's possible that the plugin offers specific settings or options to configure quantity limits in alignment with your store's requirements.

By addressing these common issues and following the recommended steps, you can ensure that quantity buttons on your WooCommerce site function correctly and provide a smooth shopping experience for your customers. Additionally, if you encounter any persistent technical challenges, don't hesitate to seek assistance from the plugin's customer support team or consult relevant documentation for guidance. Remember, a well-implemented quantity button feature should enhance user satisfaction and contribute to your store's success and not otherwise.

Take your WooCommerce store to the next level

Incorporating +/- WooCommerce quantity buttons into your shop is more than just a minor improvement. Used strategically, they streamline the buying process and reduce the friction that often leads to cart abandonment. This, in turn, enhances your entire store's customer experience and boosts your bottom line significantly.

As I've demonstrated in this tutorial, it’s easy to add plus-minus quantity buttons with the WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering plugin. It's not just for restaurants and you can use it for absolutely any industry 😄. Unlike adding custom code manually, this approach;

• Eliminates the need for technical expertise,
• Saves a lot of time and effort, and
• Provides a wealth of other useful features you can use for your storefront.

Are you ready to deliver a highly intuitive shopping experience to your store visitors today? Then you should get the WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering plugin now!

I hope this article has helped you to successfully add quantity buttons to your WooCommerce store. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments section below.