Using Product Siblings for non-colour variants

Store Design

Topic summary

Main topic: linking separate product listings (single unit vs 15-pack) using the theme’s product siblings feature, beyond color variants.

  • Attempt: Implemented siblings via metafields to surface quantity-based options across listings; it didn’t work. Suspected reason: the siblings component in the theme expects color swatches, not text labels.

  • Clarifications: In many themes, the product siblings implementation is limited to color/swatch options. This differs from “combined listings” (Shopify Plus), which can swap larger page sections based on selections.

  • Technical notes: “Product siblings” link related standalone products (often different colors) to show switchers across listings. “Combined listings” is a Plus-only feature with deeper page-level changes.

  • Recommendation: Extend the siblings feature via custom development to support non-color attributes (e.g., bundle quantities/text). Provide full context (store URL, theme name, example links) to a developer for accurate scoping.

  • Outcome/status: No built-in solution confirmed; customization is required. Discussion remains open without a resolved, out-of-the-box approach.

Summarized with AI on December 19. AI used: gpt-5.
1

I’ve recently discovered the product siblings feature and would like to implement it for our store, but my current understanding is that this feature is mainly used for color variants of different products. I would like to use the siblings feature to connect products available in different bundle quantities.

For example, we have a product that we sell individually (see here) but also have a 15-pack version of the product listed as a separate product listing (see here). I was thinking I could use the siblings feature to display the different variants on each product listing.

I followed the instructions to set up the siblings feature, using the meta fields, etc. but it doesn’t seem to work. My hunch is that because the siblings feature is designed to show color swatches, it just doesn’t work in this scenario… because it would need to display a text box of sorts..

Also, I realize that I could set ‘quantity’ variants on one product listing for each SKU, but we’d like to keep the product listings separate so they display separately on the collection pages.

Has anyone used the siblings feature for non-color related variants?

2

Hi @jkbraun :waving_hand: for themes that have a product-siblings implementation it is often a narrow set of subfeatures that will vary by theme developer often only color/swatch related options; not to be confused with a larger combined listings featured intended for shopify Plus stores that will outright replace whole sections of a page as selections are made.

Of course new business logic and structure can be customized for the siblings feature by a developer to have broader subfeatures.

If you need this customization 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.