Introduction
Ever wished you could collect just one more piece of information from your customers? Maybe you need their preferred delivery time, a gift message, or their company tax ID?
Here’s the thing: WooCommerce gives you the basics, but sometimes your store needs something extra. You’re not alone in this. Thousands of store owners face the exact same challenge every single day.
Custom fields let you capture the exact information your business needs. You can add special notes, collect preferences, or gather data that makes your service better. And you don’t need to be a developer to make it happen.
In this guide, you’ll learn what WooCommerce custom fields are, why they matter, and how to add them to your store without touching a single line of code.
The Problem: WooCommerce Doesn’t Capture Everything You Need
Think about it like a physical store. When someone buys a gift, you’d ask if they want it wrapped. When someone orders a cake, you’d ask about allergies. When someone books a service, you’d ask about their schedule.
But online? WooCommerce only gives you name, address, email, and phone. That’s it.
This creates real problems for your business:
You lose valuable sales. According to Baymard Institute, 17% of cart abandonments happen because the checkout process doesn’t meet shoppers’ needs. When customers can’t specify delivery preferences or add special instructions, they walk away.
You waste time on back-and-forth communication. Without custom fields, you’re stuck emailing customers after they order. “What color did you want?” “What size?” “Any allergies?” It’s frustrating for everyone.
You miss important details. Forgotten gift messages. Wrong delivery times. Missing customization requests. These mistakes hurt your reputation and cost you repeat business.
The standard WooCommerce checkout wasn’t built for every type of business. If you sell personalized products, offer services, accept B2B orders, or need special delivery instructions, you need custom fields.
The Solution: How WooCommerce Custom Fields Work
WooCommerce custom fields are extra input boxes you add to your product pages, checkout page, or order forms. They let customers give you exactly the information you need.
What You Can Do With WooCommerce Custom Fields
Here’s what becomes possible:
- Product-specific fields – Add engraving text, color choices, or size options directly on product pages
- Checkout fields – Collect delivery instructions, gift messages, or business details during checkout
- Conditional fields – Show or hide fields based on what customers select
- Required fields – Make certain information mandatory before purchase
- Different field types – Text boxes, dropdowns, checkboxes, date pickers, and more
Types of WooCommerce Custom Fields You Can Add
Text fields let customers type short answers like names or messages.
Text areas work for longer content like special instructions or custom requests.
Dropdowns give customers pre-set options to choose from.
Checkboxes let them select multiple items or agree to terms.
Date pickers make it easy to choose delivery dates or event times.
File uploads allow customers to send logos, designs, or reference images.
The best part? These fields save directly to the order. You see them in your admin panel, in order emails, and on invoices. Everything’s organized and automatic.
Why This Matters for Your Business
Custom fields improve your customer experience. Instead of guessing what customers want, you ask them upfront. No confusion. No mistakes.
They also save you time. All the information you need arrives with the order. You’re not chasing down details or making assumptions.
And they increase conversions. When customers can specify exactly what they want, they feel more confident buying. That confidence turns browsers into buyers.
Real-World Examples and Use Cases
Let’s look at how different stores use custom fields to solve real problems.
A bakery shop adds a custom field for cake messages and delivery dates. Customers type their message (“Happy Birthday Sarah!”) and pick their delivery date from a calendar. The bakery sees these details immediately when the order comes in. No phone calls needed. No forgotten messages. Everything’s documented in the order.
A print-on-demand store uses text fields for custom designs. Customers enter the text they want printed, choose colors from a dropdown, and upload their logo if they have one. The store owner sees all these details attached to each order. Production starts immediately without any back-and-forth emails.
A B2B wholesale supplier collects tax IDs and company information at checkout. They add required fields for business name, tax number, and resale certificate. Only verified businesses can complete checkout. This automated screening saves hours of manual verification every week.
A gift shop offers gift wrapping with a custom message field. Customers check a box for “This is a gift” and a new field appears asking for the gift message. The field only shows when needed, keeping the checkout clean and simple.
These aren’t complicated setups. They’re simple solutions that make a huge difference in daily operations.
How to Add Custom Fields to Your WooCommerce Store
Adding custom fields is easier than you think. Here’s your step-by-step guide.
Step 1: Choose Your Method
You have two main options: use a plugin or add code manually. For most store owners, a plugin is the smart choice. It’s faster, safer, and you can change things without breaking your site.
Popular plugins include Advanced Custom Fields for WooCommerce, WooCommerce Checkout Field Editor, and similar tools from the WordPress plugin repository.
Step 2: Install Your Chosen Plugin
Go to your WordPress dashboard. Click Plugins > Add New. Search for your chosen custom fields plugin. Click Install Now, then Activate.
No coding required. The whole process takes about two minutes.
Step 3: Create Your First Custom Field
Navigate to the plugin’s settings page (usually under WooCommerce or Settings). Click Add New Field. Give your field a label (what customers see) and a name (what you see in the backend).
Choose your field type: text, dropdown, checkbox, or date picker.
Step 4: Configure Field Settings
Decide where the field appears: product page, checkout page, or both. Set whether it’s required or optional. Add placeholder text to guide customers. If it’s a dropdown, add your options.
For example, a delivery time dropdown might have options like “Morning (9am-12pm)”, “Afternoon (12pm-5pm)”, and “Evening (5pm-8pm)”.
Step 5: Set Display Rules (Optional)
Some plugins let you show fields conditionally. For instance, only show “Gift Message” if customers check “This is a gift”. This keeps your forms clean and relevant.
Step 6: Save and Test
Save your changes. Visit your store as a customer would. Add a product to cart. Go through checkout. Make sure your custom field appears correctly. Place a test order.
Step 7: Check the Order Details
Log back into your admin panel. Open the test order. Your custom field data should appear in the order details. It should also show in the order confirmation email.
Ready to try?
These steps work for most custom field plugins. The interface might look slightly different, but the concept stays the same. If you need to automate other aspects of your store like controlling when products can be ordered based on business hours check out Open Close Store for WooCommerce. It works perfectly alongside custom fields for stores with specific scheduling needs.
Open Close Store for WooCommerce
Common Questions About WooCommerce Custom Fields
Not if you use them wisely. Add only the fields you truly need. Keep labels clear and short. Use conditional logic to hide fields that don’t apply. A well-designed form with 2-3 custom fields won’t hurt conversions.
Yes. Most custom field plugins let you mark fields as required or optional. Required fields must be filled out before customers can complete checkout. Use this for critical information only.
Yes. Custom fields integrate with standard WooCommerce checkout. They work with PayPal, Stripe, and other popular payment gateways. The data saves to the order regardless of payment method.
Absolutely. You can create product-specific fields that only appear on certain items. This is perfect for personalized products, custom services, or items that need special information.
For more detailed WordPress and WooCommerce tutorials, visit Tutsflow, where you’ll find free step-by-step guides.
Conclusion
Custom fields transform your WooCommerce store from generic to personalized. They help you collect exactly the information your business needs, reduce errors, save time, and improve customer satisfaction.
You don’t need coding skills. You don’t need to hire a developer. With the right plugin, you can add custom fields in minutes.
Start with one or two fields. Test them. See how they improve your workflow. Then add more as needed.
Ready to capture the exact information your store needs?
Start by choosing a custom fields plugin that fits your requirements. And if you’re looking to better manage when customers can place orders especially for stores with specific hours or delivery schedules try Open Close Store for WooCommerce with a 14-day money-back guarantee. No risk, fully supported, no coding needed.
For additional resources and free tutorials, check out the official WooCommerce documentation and browse helpful guides at Tutsflow.