Product structure management
This section explains how product structures are handled in the Akeneo app for Shopify, and how to enable the options to split product models by intermediate variation level or by variant.
What is a product structure?
The product structure defines how products, product models, and variants are synchronized and organized in Shopify.
By default, the app mirrors the PIM structure in a 1:1 synchronization:
- A simple product in Akeneo becomes a simple product in Shopify.
- A two-variation axis product model in Akeneo becomes a two-variation axis product model in Shopify.
In addition to this default 1:1 mirroring, the app offers two alternative structures, described below: splitting product models at the intermediate level, and splitting each variant as a separate product.
Please note that Shopify supports a maximum of 3 product options (variation axes) per product, and the app follows this limitation.
If your product models contain more than 3 variation axes and use a two-level variation structure (sub-product models and variants), you can use the intermediate-level split by disabling the "Create intermediate-level variation axes as options" setting, provided that the lowest variation level (variants) contains no more than 3 variation axes.
With this configuration, only the variation axes from the lowest level will be created as Shopify product options, allowing the product to remain within Shopify's 3-option limit.
Alternatively, splitting each variant as a separate product removes this constraint entirely, since each resulting product has a single variant and no product options.
Splitting product models at the intermediate level
For product models with two levels of variation, the app offers the possibility to split products at the intermediate variation level.
This means that sub-product models can be synchronized as separate products in Shopify.
Example:
If your PIM product model has two variation axes on two variation levels - Color and Size:
- By default, all colors and sizes are grouped under a single product in Shopify.
- With the split option enabled, each color is created as a separate product in Shopify, with its sizes as variants.
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This approach can help:
- Increase product visibility on collection pages.
- Improve merchandising and offers by highlighting each product variation individually.
Splitting each variant as a separate product
For product models with one or two levels of variation, the app also offers the possibility to synchronize each Akeneo variant as its own standalone product in Shopify, instead of grouping variants under a single product (or under one product per intermediate level). Each resulting Shopify product has a single variant, corresponding to one specific combination of variation axis values.
Example:
If your PIM product model has two variation axes - Dimensions and Color - on a single variation level (for example, a chest of drawers with these two axes):
- By default, all dimensions and colors are grouped under a single product in Shopify, with each Dimensions/Color combination as a variant.
- With this split option enabled, each Dimensions/Color combination is synchronized as its own separate, single-variant product in Shopify.
This behavior is the same for product models with two variation levels: every Akeneo variant, regardless of the level it belongs to, is synchronized as an individual product.
This approach can help:
- Give each variant its own dedicated product page and URL in Shopify.
- Simplify catalog structures when variants are meant to be merchandised, priced, or sold independently.
Because each resulting product has a single variant, no product options are created in Shopify for this structure. This mode is not affected by Shopify's 3-option limit mentioned above.
This option is disabled by default and can be enabled on request by our product team. To request this, please contact our support team via this link.
Prerequisites
Splitting at the intermediate level: this option is only available for product models with two levels of variation.
Product models with a single level of variation, even if they include several variation axes, cannot be split at the intermediate level.
Splitting each variant as a separate product: this option is available for product models with one or two levels of variation, regardless of how many variation axes they use.
Two variation axes ≠ two variation levels.
- A variation axis is the attribute used to create variations of a product (e.g., Color, Size, Material).
- A variation level defines how many layers of variation a product model has in Akeneo.
Please note that, for security reasons, the product model structure can only be changed if no product model synchronization has been triggered on this store.
If you need to switch between structures for testing purposes, our team can disable this restriction by enabling a feature flag.
To request this, please contact our support team via this link.
Recommendations
Before changing this setting, please keep in mind:
- Duplicates may be created in Shopify if the same products are already synced with a different structure.
- The app does not delete products in Shopify when you switch structures.
We recommend:
- Reviewing your product mapping and sync settings.
- Running a test sync to validate the results before applying this change in production.
How to enable the product model split?
Follow these steps to configure product models:
- In your Akeneo App for Shopify, navigate to the Configuration page.
- In the Product model structure section, select one of the following options: Keep PIM product model structure (1:1), Split PIM product models by intermediate variation level, or Split each PIM variant as a separate product.
- Confirm your change.
If you selected Split PIM product models by intermediate variation level, also configure the following additional settings:
- Define if you want to create a sibling product reference metafield between the separate products, allowing you to easily group products with the same parent in Shopify - this option is disabled by default.
- Define if you want to include the current split product in sibling products in Shopify, allowing you to easily group products on your storefront - this option is disabled by default, so the current product is not in the sibling product list.
- Define if you want to create intermediate-level variation axes as options in Shopify, allowing you to keep all variation axes in Shopify - this option is disabled by default, so intermediate-level variation axes are not created.
If you selected Split each PIM variant as a separate product, no additional setting is required.
Save your configuration once you are done.
By enabling sibling product preferences, the app will automatically create a new product reference metafield called “Sibling product” and assign it the values of other products that share the same parent. This setting is only available for the intermediate-level split.
Attributes defined at the parent or intermediate level in Akeneo are synced as product-level attributes in Shopify.
If you want each split product to have its own title or specific assets, the corresponding PIM attribute must be set at the intermediate level in Akeneo. This applies to the intermediate-level split.
Please note the intermediate-level split will be effective for all two-variation level product models regardless the variant family.
Similarly, once enabled, splitting each variant as a separate product will be effective for all eligible product models regardless the variant family or the number of variation levels.