Shortcodes are one of WooCommerce’s most powerful hidden tools, letting you embed products, categories, carts, and custom layouts directly into your WordPress pages without touching a single line of PHP. If you’ve ever wanted more flexibility over how your store pages display, or need to troubleshoot a shop layout, knowing your WooCommerce shortcodes is essential.
The best part? You don’t need to be a developer to use them. Shortcodes are plug-and-play tools that work in nearly any WordPress environment. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur creating seasonal landing pages, a growing brand with curated product drops, or just want to showcase bestsellers on your homepage, shortcodes make it all possible. They work great with block editors, classic editors, and even email embeds, giving you maximum creative control.
Even for more complex product filtering, shortcodes let you slice your store however you need, by tags, categories, sale status, or featured products. This makes them essential for marketing campaigns, targeted promotions, and unique user experiences.
Quick Answer: WooCommerce shortcodes let you embed products, product categories, carts, checkout pages, and more by pasting simple bracketed codes like
[products]or[woocommerce_cart]into posts or pages. You can filter products by category, tag, SKU, and attributes using shortcode parameters.
👉 Tap here to try WooCommerce on WordPress.com
Table of Contents:
- What Are WooCommerce Shortcodes?
- Essential WooCommerce Shortcodes List
- How to Use WooCommerce Shortcodes on WordPress
- Shortcode Examples for Common Use Cases
- Real Testimonial: How Shortcodes Saved My Store Layout
- Why WordPress.com Is the Best Platform for Shortcode-Based Stores
- Final Takeaways: Use Shortcodes to Take Control of Your WooCommerce Layout
What Are WooCommerce Shortcodes?
WooCommerce shortcodes are simple text commands that start and end with square brackets, like [products], and they act like shortcuts to display dynamic store content anywhere you want. Instead of manually editing theme files or relying on rigid templates, you can use shortcodes to customize your product pages, shop layout, and checkout flow with precision.
Think of shortcodes as instructions for WordPress to display specific parts of your store: a product grid, a cart, a checkout form, or even a specific product or product category. You just drop a shortcode into a post, page, or widget, and WooCommerce automatically knows what to do.
They are especially valuable because they don’t require coding skills, just a basic understanding of what you want to display. This makes shortcodes perfect for non-developers who want more control over layout, sales funnels, and content placement.
For example, [products limit="4" columns="2" category="tshirts"] will show four t-shirts in two columns. Shortcodes also adapt well to custom landing pages, email templates, blog articles, and sidebars.
WooCommerce includes a robust set of shortcodes that work out of the box to help you customize your:
- Product grids
- Shop layouts
- Cart and checkout pages
- Featured or sale items
- Category-based filtering
What makes shortcodes especially useful is how they can be combined with attributes. For example, adding limit, columns, or orderby lets you customize the display output without writing a single line of code. You can use them in landing pages, sidebars, blog posts, or custom thank-you pages.
Common shortcodes include:
[woocommerce_cart]– embed your cart directly into a page[woocommerce_checkout]– place the full checkout process wherever needed[woocommerce_my_account]– customer account dashboard[products]– dynamically list products using various filters[product_page id="123"]– showcase a single product
These snippets allow for custom layouts, promotional pages, and highly targeted merchandising that isn’t limited by your theme’s default structure.
Essential WooCommerce Shortcodes List
Here’s a breakdown of the most useful shortcodes for WooCommerce users:
| Shortcode | Function |
|---|---|
[products] | Displays multiple products |
[product_page id=""] | Shows a single product by ID |
[product_category] | Displays products from a specific category |
[add_to_cart id=""] | Add-to-cart button for a specific product |
[woocommerce_cart] | Displays the cart page |
[woocommerce_checkout] | Shows the checkout page |
[woocommerce_my_account] | Displays the customer account dashboard |
[woocommerce_order_tracking] | Adds order tracking input |
[recent_products] | Shows recently added products |
[featured_products] | Displays products marked as featured |
[sale_products] | Shows products currently on sale |
[best_selling_products] | Displays your top-selling products |
[top_rated_products] | Shows top-rated products |
[related_products] | Displays products related to the current product |
[upsell_products] | Shows upsell products |
[crosssell_products] | Displays cross-sell products |
[product_categories] | Lists all product categories |
[shop_messages] | Shows WooCommerce system notices |
[woocommerce_store_notice] | Shows the store notice if it’s enabled |
[woocommerce_my_downloads] | Displays downloadable products for a user |
[woocommerce_edit_account] | Account edit form for users |
[woocommerce_view_order] | Displays individual order details |
[woocommerce_logout] | Adds a logout link |
[woocommerce_login_form] | Adds a login form |
[woocommerce_register_form] | Adds a registration form |
[woocommerce_lost_password_form] | Adds a lost password recovery form |
This list covers core usage, but you can also extend functionality using plugins. For example, add dynamic tabs with shortcodes, embed coupon reveal offers, or show custom bundles using additional shortcode parameters. Combine these tools with block editor layouts for even greater visual control.
How to Use WooCommerce Shortcodes on WordPress
Using WooCommerce shortcodes is easier than you think and works in almost any editing environment on WordPress. Here’s how to do it in a few simple steps:
1. Choose the shortcode you want to use. Decide what you want to display. Do you want to show a product grid? A specific product? Your checkout page? Pick the appropriate shortcode like [products] or [woocommerce_checkout].
2. Copy and paste the shortcode into your page or post.
- If you’re using the Block Editor (Gutenberg), use a “Shortcode” block and paste the shortcode inside it.
- If you’re using the Classic Editor, just paste the shortcode directly into the body of the editor.
- For widgets or sidebars, go to Appearance > Widgets and paste your shortcode inside a “Text” widget.
3. Add attributes to customize. Most shortcodes allow for extra options called “attributes.” These let you control the number of products shown, which categories to include, the layout, and more. For example:
[products limit="4" columns="2" category="hats" orderby="date"]
This will show the four most recently added hats in two columns.
4. Save and preview your changes. Once the shortcode is in place, hit publish or update, then preview the page. You should now see the product or layout rendered exactly where you placed the shortcode.
Tips:
- Use multiple shortcodes together on landing pages for advanced designs.
- Combine with page builders like Elementor or Kadence Blocks for enhanced layouts.
- Test shortcodes on a draft page before making live edits.
Whether you’re customizing a homepage, creating a promotional page, or building a targeted campaign, WooCommerce shortcodes offer a fast, flexible, and beginner-friendly way to get it done, no coding needed.
👉 Launch your store with WooCommerce pre-installed on WordPress.com
Shortcode Examples for Common Use Cases
Shortcodes become especially powerful when tailored to your specific use cases. Here are a few more examples:
Featured Products Grid:
[products limit="4" columns="4" visibility="featured"]
Use this on homepage sections or special promotions.
Sale Items Only:
[products on_sale="true" limit="8"]
Perfect for clearance pages or flash sale events.
Single Product Display:
[product_page id="105"]
Use this for dedicated product landing pages or influencer promos.
Add to Cart Button Only:
[add_to_cart id="105"]
Useful for one-click order flows, email marketing, or sidebar promos.
Custom Shop Page: While WooCommerce auto-generates a shop archive, you can create custom layouts with:
[products paginate="true"]
Add filters, titles, banners, or cross-sells above/below this shortcode for a more curated feel.
Real Testimonial: How Shortcodes Saved My Store Layout
“I had no idea shortcodes were this powerful. I needed to build a landing page that only showed a few curated products, and the
[products]shortcode saved me days of work. It’s now my go-to solution for product showcases.” – Nadia M., Shopify Convert to WooCommerce
Her example isn’t unique, many store owners feel limited by templates until they discover shortcodes. They’re especially helpful for:
- Creating seasonal landing pages
- Testing new product bundles
- Building influencer-specific sales funnels
- Highlighting bestsellers in blogs or guides
Shortcodes empower store owners to innovate without extra plugins or developers.
Why WordPress.com Is the Best Platform for Shortcode-Based Stores
When you’re managing a WooCommerce store that relies on shortcodes, the backend experience matters. WordPress.com Commerce is pre-configured for WooCommerce and gives you:
- WooCommerce shortcodes support out of the box
- Secure hosting with backups and auto-updates
- Jetpack for enhanced shortcode and block compatibility
- Built-in performance optimization for fast page loads
- Block editor integration for shortcode placement without coding
Even if you’re just experimenting with shortcodes now, WordPress.com lets you scale up later. Add MailPoet for product newsletter campaigns, Jetpack CRM for customer tracking, and Pressable integration for advanced speed and reliability.
Whether you’re a blogger-turned-seller or a seasoned ecommerce entrepreneur, the flexibility of shortcodes + managed hosting = peace of mind.
👉 Try WordPress.com Commerce with WooCommerce shortcodes built in
Final Takeaways: Use Shortcodes to Take Control of Your WooCommerce Layout
Shortcodes are more than just a workaround, they’re a powerful design tool that lets you build dynamic, targeted, and highly engaging shopping experiences. With just a few square brackets, you can control exactly how, where, and when your WooCommerce content appears.
They’re particularly helpful if you want to:
- Customize landing pages for seasonal campaigns
- Highlight certain products on blog posts or homepages
- Build sales funnels without touching theme code
- Create product-specific thank-you pages, upsells, or offers
With shortcodes, you’re no longer restricted by theme templates or plugin defaults. You can test new layouts, experiment with content placement, and even build dynamic product displays that adapt to user behavior, all without needing to hire a developer.
This flexibility opens up doors for conversion-focused design and personalized shopping journeys. Want to build a homepage that highlights your newest collection? Use [recent_products]. Want to build a loyalty portal that shows subscriber-only items? Use conditional shortcodes and [products] with membership restrictions.
As WooCommerce continues to grow, shortcodes remain a lightweight but high-leverage way to bring your store vision to life. They empower small business owners and creators to take ownership of their store experience, without depending on a developer or bloated theme.
If you haven’t already, start experimenting with shortcodes on draft pages. Learn their attributes, test different combinations, and watch how easily you can transform the customer journey.
👉 Tap here to get started with WooCommerce on WordPress.com
Internal References
- What Is WooCommerce?
- WooCommerce vs Shopify
- Best Website Builders for Online Stores
- Best Hosting and Website Builder
- How to Host a Website
External References
AH Web Works 
What do you think?