Private Products Meaning & Examples
Definition
Private products in WooCommerce are products that are hidden from the public store and only visible to specific users, such as logged-in customers, wholesale buyers, or members with certain permissions.
Good or Bad?
Good, when used to offer exclusive products, wholesale catalogs, or membership-only deals.
Bad, when implemented without clear rules, making products difficult to access or causing confusion for customers.
Why does it matter?
Because private products give store owners flexibility to control who can view and purchase certain items.
They are valuable for B2B, wholesale, or loyalty programs where not all products should be publicly available.
Common Mistakes
- Forgetting to set proper visibility rules, leaving products inaccessible.
- Not communicating clearly that some products are exclusive.
- Mixing public and private products without proper navigation.
- Failing to test user permissions, leading to access issues.
How to Improve It?
- Clearly explain how customers can gain access to private products.
- Use private products for special promotions, memberships, or B2B catalogs.
- Test access permissions regularly to avoid errors.
- Combine private products with dynamic pricing or discounts for different user groups.
Recommended Plugin
Maximum Products per User for WooCommerce by WPFactory.
This plugin helps control access by limiting how many private or exclusive products each user can purchase, adding flexibility to private product strategies.
Real-World Example
A WooCommerce skincare store offers private products only for VIP members. Logged-in members can access exclusive bundles at special pricing, while regular customers can’t see these offers.
Related Terms
- WooCommerce Catalog Mode
- Wholesale
- B2B Transactions
- Membership Sites
FAQs
Who should use private products?
Stores with wholesale catalogs, VIP programs, or member-only offers.
Can private products have different pricing?
Yes. Private products often feature special pricing or discounts not available publicly.
Can WooCommerce manage private products easily?
Yes. With plugins, you can set user roles or permissions that control product visibility.
