Can or Should I use duplcate SKUs for Mix-n-Match? Same items in different orders

[pnut78]

Hello and thanks in advance!  We have 3 flagship types of cream (Rest, Relief, Tranquility) and I am creating listings where a customer can Pick any 2 or Pick any 3.  I am using Variations to create the pick 2/pick 3.

Do I have to have a different SKUs for the different variations of the same products?  For example, if choice 1 is Rest, and Choice 2 is Relief, then I will create the SKU RES-REL. 

If choice 1 is Relief and choice 2 is Rest, do I have to create a SKU called REL-RES, or can I just duplicate RES-REL?

Thank you!

[EcomGraduates · Accepted solution]

You don't need to create separate SKUs for combinations like RES-REL and REL-RES if they represent the same product bundle. You can use the same SKU (e.g., RES-REL) for both configurations, as long as the actual products in the combination remain the same.

The SKU is mainly for tracking inventory, and if the contents of the bundle are the same regardless of the order in which the customer selects them, using a single SKU for that combination will keep things simple and efficient.

[EcomGraduates · Accepted solution]

You don't need to create separate SKUs for combinations like RES-REL and REL-RES if they represent the same product bundle. You can use the same SKU (e.g., RES-REL) for both configurations, as long as the actual products in the combination remain the same.

The SKU is mainly for tracking inventory, and if the contents of the bundle are the same regardless of the order in which the customer selects them, using a single SKU for that combination will keep things simple and efficient.

[PaulNewton · Accepted solution]

If it's the same inventory use the same skus and test your auditing/reporting processes to be sure having separate listings with same skus does not cause issues.

Otherwise put more effort into making the mix-n-match system only need 1 listing with 1 sku.

Either with product-siblings theme customization, combined-listings for shopify plus stores, or other apps.

If you need advanced theme customizations to present separate products as variant(sibling products) then contact me for services.
Contact info in forum signature.
ALWAYS please provide context, examples: store url, theme name, post url(s) , or any further detail in ALL correspondence.

[CherryM]

Hi @pnut78,

I might be late with my answer but hope this helps! You don’t necessarily need to create separate SKUs for each possible combination. If the contents of the bundle remain the same (e.g., "Rest + Relief" is the same whether chosen in order Rest-Relief or Relief-Rest), you can use a single SKU (RES-REL) for that combination rather than creating duplicates.

However, if your system or fulfillment process requires strict SKU tracking based on selection order, then separate SKUs might be necessary. With Simple Bundles, each item in the bundle keeps its original SKU, making inventory tracking seamless without needing unique SKUs for every combination.

Feel free to contact (hello@simplebundles.io) for more clarrification!😊