Let’s talk about the awkward elephant in the room: E-commerce in HighLevel isn’t Shopify. And that’s okay, as long as you know how to work with it instead of against it.
If you’ve ever tried to sell products with variations (like size, flavor, or extra toppings), you’ve probably hit the wall of:
“Wait… where do I add the sprinkles?”
Yeah. I’ve been there. So here’s how we solved it, without duct-taping Shopify onto everything or disappointing clients.
The Sprinkles Problem (aka Product Add-Ons in HighLevel)
Let’s say you run a bakery. You sell cupcakes.
And now a client wants to let their customers pick extras—like sprinkles, custom frosting, or gluten-free options.
Sounds simple, right?
But inside HighLevel, product variants and add-ons aren’t built in the way they are on Shopify or WooCommerce.
So what do we do? We get creative.
✅ Create Add-Ons as Standalone Products
Instead of trying to nest add-ons into one product…
Just create separate “add-on” products and style your category messaging so it feels seamless.
So:
- “Cupcake” = product
- “Cupcake Sprinkles” = separate product
- Instructions = “Don’t forget to add your sprinkles before checkout!”
Boom. It works.
It’s not the fanciest UX, but it gets the job done—and most importantly, it doesn’t confuse your client or their customer.
3 Takeaways to Win at E-Com in HighLevel
If you’re building stores in HighLevel, especially for local businesses, here’s what I’ve learned:
1. Build Around Limitations, Not Through Them
Stop trying to force HighLevel to be Shopify.
Instead, use categories, naming, and custom fields to create logical paths for buyers.
🧁 Tip: Group add-ons in a category called “Extras” so people don’t miss them.
2. Use Integrations… But Be Realistic
Need inventory tracking or split payments?
Then yeah—consider bringing in Square or Shopify Lite for more complex use cases.
But don’t overpromise. If your client expects Amazon-level features from HighLevel’s native store, you’re setting yourself up for an angry email.
3. Test It Like a Customer
Seriously—go through the flow yourself. Order a product. Add an “add-on.” Try the mobile version.
You’ll catch weird gaps, missing CTAs, and broken logic before your client does. Trust me, this is the most underrated QA step in the entire process.
Final Thought: Simple Beats Slick Every Time
HighLevel’s e-com tools aren’t built for billion-dollar stores.
But they’re perfect for small biz owners who need a clean way to sell a few products without jumping platforms.
You don’t need a Shopify license. You just need a smart system.
So keep it simple. Stay within what the platform does well. And when in doubt—add sprinkles as a product. 🍭
Cool Free Thing
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In the spirit of free stuff… I want to give you my team’s Testimonial Workflow. It makes collecting, editing, and organizing testimonials so easy it should come with a cape.
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Want More Real-World Solutions?
This is just one of dozens of plug-and-play workarounds we use to make HighLevel actually work the way clients expect.
👉 Head over to hlprotools.com to get the tools, templates, and training that save you hours of headache—and make you look like a genius.
