I am a small jewellery business and often make one of a kind pendants, but want to be able to offer multiple chain lengths for people to choose from when ordering.
So I want to have 1 item in the inventory but 4 chain lengths available. I dont want to set the item as “inevntory not tracked” as I only have 1 available, but to make each chain length available I have to set a quantity of at least one for each varient (which shows as me having 4 items in stock).
My concen is that on collection launch nights, multiple sales might go through for 1 item as it will show as having 1 in stock for each chain length.
How can I have 1 item with multiple options without changing inventory? Is there a form or drop down I can add to each listing?
This is actually a pretty common challenge for handmade or one-of-a-kind products.
By default, Shopify ties inventory tracking to variants, so when you create multiple chain-length variants, Shopify treats them as separate physical products (which is why it shows 4 in stock instead of 1).
A simple workaround is to keep the pendant as a single product and add a chain length selector using a custom product option or form, instead of Shopify’s built-in variant system.
You can do this either by:
Using a custom “line item property” field (so buyers can select their preferred chain length but inventory still tracks as one item), or
Installing a lightweight product options app that supports “non-inventory” options.
I’ve helped a few jewelry brands set this up so customers can choose chain length, engraving, etc., without creating variant conflicts or overselling limited pieces.
If you’d like, I can take a quick look at your theme and show you how to add that dropdown or form directly in your product page
There are multiple ways to solve this, if you want to get setup reach out to me for services(click profile).
If chain length does not affect the SKU or price then line-item-properties could be used in an advanced theme customization. But you can be shooting yourself in the foot not charging for this now or needing to be able to do it in the future
A self serve way is using the shopify-bundles apps and making the chain a separate product.
ne without a bundling app this can also be by having sepaarate products made to look like one product, so multiple separate products are added to the cart optionally done as nested-line-items so they show as connected in the cart and checkout
Another way is using a sync app, or automation app to keep inventories sync’d across products like mechanic https://tasks.mechanic.dev/?q=sync , this approach can scale better and need less frontend fiddling.
There are also apps out there for products that are built from parts ,require assembly , personalization etc etc for other keywords.
one that comes up often with handmade or one-of-a-kind products. You’re absolutely right to be cautious; Shopify’s variant system treats each option (like chain length) as a separate inventory item, which can make it look like you have four pendants instead of one.
Here are a few smart ways to handle this without losing control of your inventory:
Use line item properties instead of variants.
This lets customers select their preferred chain length from a dropdown, but it doesn’t create separate inventory counts for each choice. You’d still have just one product in stock.
You can add a custom dropdown field directly in your product template using Liquid code.
When customers order, their chosen length shows up on the order details page.
If you prefer an app-based route:
Tools like Infinite Options (by ShopPad) or Variant Option Product Options make this super simple no custom code, and you can manage dropdowns for details like chain length, color, or engraving without affecting inventory.
Pro tip: Once the pendant sells out, mark it as “Sold” or use a “Coming Soon” badge to prevent multiple checkouts during launch nights. This helps maintain exclusivity and avoids overselling.
You’re doing the right thing by thinking through the customer experience and your backend control. It’s the kind of attention to detail that builds trust in a handmade brand.
Would you like me to show you the exact Liquid snippet you can paste to create that custom dropdown on your product page?
If you’re open to using an app, Easify Product Options is a great fit for this. You can create a dropdown for chain length (e.g., 14”, 16”, 18”, 20”) without turning them into variants. It’s super easy to set up and won’t affect your inventory — you’ll still manage just one pendant in stock, while customers can freely choose their preferred chain size when ordering.
You can also add a small note like “Model is wearing 16” chain” right below the dropdown for reference — super handy for shoppers!
