Why Are Only Some Products Showing a Compare Price on Shopify?

We’ve all been there, right? We’re building our dream online store, imagining it bustling with activity, the sound of the cash register (or whatever sound our phones make when we get a sale notification) ringing in our ears. Then, bam! We hit a wall. A wall of mystery and confusion. Which is exactly what happened to us last Tuesday when we decided to update our store to show off those spiffy compare prices.

I remember that moment vividly. We’d just finished an intense brainstorming session, full of wild ideas and too much coffee. Eager to get those intriguing little sale badges blinking, we dove headlong into the Shopify dashboard, drunk on caffeine-driven ambition. We bulk edited with fervor, set compare prices for every item. We were ready to conquer the world—or at least that’s what we thought.

The Plot Thickens

Oh, but dear Shopify had other plans for us. Like a pesky plot twist in a soap opera, only some of our products decided to display their compare prices, while others remained stubbornly aloof. The best-laid plans, as they say…

Here’s what we learned during our chaotic journey through the world of digital storefronts, where emotional meltdowns are just part of the process. Let’s unravel this mystery together.

Step One: Unmask the Culprit

It might sound obvious, but sometimes we miss the forest for the trees—especially when we’re in panic mode. First off, let’s double-check that each product has both a Compare at and a Price set. It’s a rookie mistake, yet surprisingly common, like forgetting your password because you’ve reset it one too many times.

Head into your Shopify admin, poke around in your products tab, and review each product’s pricing details. If the Price is higher than the Compare at, Shopify won’t show a discount. The compare price must always be higher than your actual price to indicate a “sale.”

Step Two: Check Your Theme Settings

Our glorious café-fueled escapade made us overlook another essential bit—our choice of theme. Not all themes are created equal, some are fancy and straightforward, and others are just plain tricky, like a Rubik’s cube on steroids. It turns out, some themes may not consistently display compare prices across all pages.

Bounce over to your theme editor. In Shopify, click on Online Store and then Themes. The Customize button is your golden ticket. From there, see if your theme allows you to tweak product display settings. You might find hidden gems or switches that turn on compare price listings with a satisfying click.

Step Three: Bulk Editor Audit

Yes, we did use the bulk editor. But what if, in our enthusiasm (or madness—your choice), we missed a step? While our intentions were pure, maybe we didn't notice some fields were neglected.

Go to your Shopify admin, wave at the Products section, and select Bulk Edit. Customize your columns to include Price and Compare at Price. Scan through your list like a hawk. Make sure the prices are correct and complete for each curious product.

Here comes a sidetrack revelation: the bulk editor can be finicky, like a cat who only eats one brand of kibble. Be gentle and patient, it’s part of the charm.

Step Four: Reevaluate Product Availability

Ah, availability—the twin sister of visibility. It’s not enough for our products to look pretty; they must be in stock and visible on all the sales channels we care about. Dive back into your products list and check that those wayward products are set to be visible and in-stock. Sometimes they’re hiding in plain sight, like Waldo in that red stripey shirt.

Step Five: Debrief and Deep Breath

Take a moment—yes, right now—to breathe, close your eyes, and listen to the silence (or the nearest source of affirmation, like your pet’s reassuring nap-time sighs). Remember, tech gremlins visit us all. From setting compare prices to theme adjustments, we’ve journeyed far, hand in hand, through this labyrinth of ecommerce quirks.

And if all else fails—when Shopify’s devious ways still leave us strumming a single string of desperation—reach out to Shopify Support. They're like our favorite cousins: helpful, wise, and not just there for the holiday dinners.

In the end, our dedication bore fruit, albeit after some minor stumbles and existential graphics card crises. But we prevailed, in unity and with glorious togetherness. Cheers to our sales numbers growing larger than the tale we’ve lived to tell—and to every high-five we give ourselves for setting compare prices that finally strike through, as they should.