Managing Large Product Catalogs

If you have hundreds or thousands of products, this guide shows you how to efficiently manage shipping restrictions without editing each product individually.

The Challenge with Large Catalogs

Editing restrictions for each product individually is:

• Time-consuming
• Error-prone
• Hard to maintain
• Difficult to update when laws change

Ship Restrict solves this with smart bulk management strategies.

Using Tags for Bulk Restrictions

Tags are the most flexible way to manage restrictions for many products.

Setting Up a Tag System

Step 1: Create meaningful tags

• "No-CA" - Products that can't ship to California
• "Age-21" - Products requiring age verification
• "Hazmat" - Hazardous materials
• "Local-Only" - Local delivery products

Step 2: Tag your products

1. Go to Products → All Products
2. Select multiple products (checkbox)
3. Choose Edit from Bulk Actions
4. Add tags in the Tags field
5. Click Update

Step 3: Create rules for tags

1. Go to WooCommerce → Ship Restrict
2. Create a rule for each tag
3. Set appropriate restrictions
4. Save

Smart Tagging Strategies

By Restriction Type:

• Geographic: "No-West-Coast", "East-Only"
• Compliance: "FDA-Regulated", "State-License"
• Temporary: "Holiday-2024", "Summer-Only"

By State:

• "No-CA", "No-NY", "No-TX"
• Easy to see restrictions at a glance
• Quick to add/remove

By Product Type:

• "Alcohol", "Ammunition", "CBD"
• Group similar products
• Apply industry-specific rules

Using Categories for Organization

Categories work well when all products of a type share the same restrictions.

Category Strategy

Create restriction-based categories:

Benefits of Categories

• New products automatically inherit restrictions
• One rule controls entire category
• Clear organization for your team
• Easy for customers to understand

Bulk Editing Techniques

Method 1: Quick Edit in WordPress

1. Products → All Products
2. Hover over a product
3. Click Quick Edit
4. Add tags quickly
5. Update

Good for: Small batches (5-20 products)

Method 2: Bulk Actions

1. Select multiple products
2. Bulk Actions → Edit
3. Add/remove tags for all selected
4. Update all at once

Good for: Medium batches (20-100 products)

Method 3: CSV Import/Export

Export your products:

1. Use WooCommerce's export tool
2. Add restriction tags in spreadsheet
3. Import back to update

Good for: Large batches (100+ products)

CSV Example:

Managing Changing Regulations

Laws change. Here's how to update restrictions quickly:

Quarterly Review Process

1. Check for law changes in your industry
2. Update tags if needed
3. Modify rules in Ship Restrict
4. Test with sample orders
5. Notify customers of changes

Quick Updates When Laws Change

Example: New state bans your product

1. Create tag: "No-[State]-2024"
2. Bulk edit affected products
3. Add the new tag
4. Create restriction rule
5. Done - all products updated!

Performance Tips for Large Catalogs

Use Rules, Not Individual Restrictions

Instead of: 500 products with individual restrictions Use: 1 tag with 1 rule for all 500 products Result: Much faster checkout

Organize Your Rules

Good naming:

• "Alcohol - State Restrictions"
• "Hazmat - No Air Shipping"
• "CBD - Limited States"

Document your rules:

• Why it exists
• When created
• Last reviewed
• Products affected

Regular Maintenance

Monthly tasks:

• Review new products for tagging
• Check for products missing tags
• Verify rules still apply

Quarterly tasks:

• Audit all restriction rules
• Update for regulation changes
• Clean up unused tags

Common Bulk Management Scenarios

Scenario 1: Wine Store (500+ products)

Setup:

1. Tag all wine as "wine"
2. Tag by type: "red", "white", "sparkling"
3. Tag by restriction: "no-ship-ut", "no-ship-pa"
4. Create rules for each restriction tag

Result: Manage 500 products with 3-4 rules

Scenario 2: Sporting Goods (2000+ products)

Setup:

1. Category: "Ammunition" (300 products)
2. Category: "Firearms Accessories" (200 products)
3. Tag: "high-capacity" (50 products)
4. Rules for each category/tag

Result: 550 restricted products managed with 3 rules

Scenario 3: CBD Store (100+ products)

Setup:

1. Tag by THC content: "thc-free", "full-spectrum"
2. Create state-specific rules for each
3. Update tags when formulations change

Result: Easy compliance management

Pro Features for Large Catalogs

The Pro version includes features specifically for large catalogs:

• Unlimited rules - No 2-rule limit
• Unlimited product restrictions - No 2-product limit
• Better performance - Optimized for thousands of products
• Import/Export - Bulk update via CSV

Worth upgrading if you have:

• More than 50 products with restrictions
• Multiple restriction rules needed
• Frequent regulation changes
• Need for bulk import/export

Best Practices

Start Simple

1. Begin with broad categories
2. Add specific tags as needed
3. Refine over time

Be Consistent

• Use the same tag format
• Document your system
• Train your team

Think Ahead

• Plan for growth
• Consider seasonal changes
• Prepare for law changes

Keep It Clean

• Remove unused tags
• Delete old rules
• Archive outdated restrictions

Quick Reference

When to Use What

Categories:

• All products of a type have same restriction
• Want automatic inheritance for new products
• Permanent restrictions

Tags:

• Products from different categories need same restriction
• Temporary or seasonal restrictions
• Need flexibility

Individual:

• Only 1-2 products affected
• Unique circumstances
• Testing new restrictions

Troubleshooting Bulk Operations

Products Not Showing Restrictions?

Check:

• Are products properly tagged?
• Is the rule active?
• Did you save after bulk editing?

Bulk Edit Not Working?

Try:

• Smaller batches
• Clear browser cache
• Check for plugin conflicts

Performance Issues?

Solutions:

• Use tags/categories instead of individual restrictions
• Upgrade to Pro for better performance
• Reduce number of active rules

Need help with large catalog management? Our Pro version is designed for stores with extensive product catalogs. Visit shiprestrict.com to learn more.