Is your WooCommerce store showing products in a random order that doesn’t maximize conversions? The default product sorting can significantly impact your customers’ shopping experience and your store’s performance.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
✅ Why default sorting matters for your store
✅ 3 simple methods to change product sorting
✅ Pro tips to optimize your product display
📹 Bonus: Step-by-step video tutorial
Why Change Default Product Sorting in WooCommerce?
WooCommerce typically sorts products by:
Date added (newest first)
Popularity
Average rating
Price
But here’s why you should customize it:
🛍️ Boost conversions – Show bestsellers or high-margin items first
📈 Improve UX – Help customers find what they want faster
🎯 Highlight promotions – Feature sale items more prominently
🔍 SEO benefits – Better organization can improve dwell time
3 Methods to Change Default Product Sorting
Method 1: Using WooCommerce Settings (Easiest)
Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Products → Display
Set “Default Product Sorting” to your preference:
Default (custom ordering + name)
Popularity
Average rating
Newest
Price: low to high
Price: high to low
Save changes
Method 2: Custom Code (For Advanced Sorting)
Add this to your child theme’s functions.php:
php
add_filter(‘woocommerce_default_catalog_orderby’, ‘custom_default_sorting’);
function custom_default_sorting() {
return ‘price’; // Change to ‘rating’, ‘date’ etc.
}
Method 3: Using Plugins (Most Flexible)
Recommended plugins:
WooCommerce Product Sorting
Advanced WooCommerce Sorting
Watch how to change sorting in under 2 minutes!
Pro Tips for Optimal Product Sorting
🔥 Seasonal strategy – Change sorting during holidays/sales
📊 Analyze behavior – Use Google Analytics to see what works
⭐ Highlight rated products – Products with 4+ stars convert better
💡 Test different options – A/B test sorting methods
Final Thoughts
Changing your WooCommerce default product sorting is one of the easiest ways to improve store performance. Whether you want to feature bestsellers, new arrivals, or sale items first, taking control of your product display can lead to:
✔️ Higher conversion rates
✔️ Better customer experience
✔️ Increased average order value