How to restrict products to members only
Restricting products lets you create exclusive offers, wholesale sections, or private clubs within your store. It allows you to control exactly who can view or purchase specific items based on their membership level or login status.
Steps to restrict a product
Most product restrictions on WooShop are managed directly within the product editor using the integrated membership settings.
- Open the Product: Log in to your dashboard, go to Products, and click on the name of the item you want to restrict.
- Locate the Memberships Box: Scroll down below the main product data section to find the Memberships or Restricted Content area.
- Choose the Restriction Type: You usually have two options:
- Hide the product entirely: Only members can see the product in your shop or via direct link.
- Restrict purchasing only: Everyone can see the product, but only members can see the "Add to Cart" button. Non-members will see a custom message instead.
- Select the Membership Level: Choose which specific membership plans (e.g., "Gold Member" or "Wholesale") should have access.
- Set a Redirect or Message (Optional): If a guest tries to access the product, you can choose to show them a "Members Only" message or redirect them to your registration page.
- Update: Click the Update button to save your changes.
Practical scenarios
- Wholesale Pricing: You have a specific category of products with lower prices. By restricting these to a "Wholesale" membership level, regular retail customers will never see them.
- Early Access: Release a new product to your "VIP" members 24 hours before it goes live to the general public.
- Subscription Boxes: List individual items from your subscription boxes that are only available for purchase by active subscribers.
Troubleshooting common issues
The product is still visible to everyone
Check if you are currently logged in as an administrator. Admins can usually see all products regardless of restrictions. To test this accurately, open your shop in an "Incognito" or "Private" browser window.
Users can see the product but can’t buy it
This happens when you have restricted the "Purchasing" but not the "Visibility." If you want the product to be completely hidden from the shop archives, ensure you have selected the "Hide from shop" or "Hide completely" option.
The "Members Only" message is missing
If you aren’t seeing your custom message, check the settings within the membership plan itself. Global restriction settings sometimes override individual product settings if not configured correctly.
Cache issues
If you just changed a restriction and it isn’t showing up, your browser or site cache might be showing an old version of the page. Clear your site cache from the top toolbar and refresh.
Related tasks
- [Creating a new membership plan]
- [Setting up member-only discounts]
- [How to manage your member list]
