Product variant gets selected automatically

Store Design

Topic summary

On Shopify product pages, the first product variant is auto-selected on load, which switches the displayed image to that variant’s image instead of the product’s main image.

Context and example: The store owner (blitzice.com) notes that the collection/listing shows a preferred main image, but clicking into a product (e.g., “Blitzeria Iced Out Cuban Chain”) shows a variant image and preselects “Gold 16 inch.” Screenshots were provided to illustrate the mismatch between the listing image and the product page image.

Requested outcome:

  • Do not preselect any variant on initial page load; prompt the customer to “Select” an option.
  • Keep the featured/main product image visible until the shopper chooses a variant.

Clarification: A respondent requested more detail; the store owner added screenshots to clarify.

Status: No solution or configuration steps have been provided yet. The thread remains open with the key question of how to disable auto-selection of the first variant and preserve the featured image on initial load (likely requiring theme settings or code adjustments). Images are central to understanding the issue.

Summarized with AI on January 1. AI used: gpt-5.
1

Hi there everyone, whenever i select a product on shopify, the first variant of the product automatically gets selected, this isn’t too big of a deal but the problem is that the image that is assigned to the variant also shows. This means whenever I click on a product rather than the main image showing one of the less relevant variant images shows instead.

Is there a way for me to keep the images the same and possible when the product is clicked on it just says something like “select”?

My website is: blitzice.com

If anyone wants to check a product and see the problem, thanks!

2

Hi @blitzice

I don’t understand your demand… You have to explain better if you want an answer :slightly_smiling_face:

3

Sorry I’ll try to explain

When you are browsing the product page, there is the image you see

Screenshot 2024-04-03 at 12.36.40 pm.png
Screenshot 2024-04-03 at 12.36.40 pm.png2810×988 402 KB

However when you click onto the product, the one I clicked on was the Blitzeria Iced Out Cuban Chain, you get this image.

Screenshot 2024-04-03 at 12.37.40 pm.png
Screenshot 2024-04-03 at 12.37.40 pm.png2656×1226 400 KB

The variant is also selected already as Gold 16 inch. Is there a way for me to not have anything selected and for the photo from earlier shown when clicked on the product?

Thanks.