E-commerce inside HL isn’t exactly Shopify.
Don’t get me wrong—I love HighLevel. But when it comes to stuff like product variants and add-ons? Let’s just say we’ve gotta get a little creative.
We recently hosted a Zoom jam session with the legend himself, Mario Aldayuz (head of Partnerships at HL Pro Tools), and got into the weeds on how to actually make e-commerce work—especially for things like product customization.
One of the standouts was from an user who runs a cupcake biz and asked the million-dollar question:
“How do I offer optional add-ons like sprinkles or toppings when HL doesn’t support variants or modifiers?”
Good question. Even better answer. Let’s break it down.
The (Not-So-Obvious) Workaround That Works
Mario came in clutch with a workaround that’s simple, effective, and client-friendly.
Since HL doesn’t currently support variants or add-ons natively, the trick is to create those add-ons as separate products. Then, use categories and page layout to guide the user flow.
🔄 Example:
- 🧁 Main Product: Classic Vanilla Cupcake
- ➕ Add-On Product: Cupcake Sprinkles (add separately)
When styled well, this gives your customers the illusion of customizing, just like they would on Uber Eats or Shopify—without needing complex dev work or custom code.
🧠 Pro Tip: Add a sticky note or label next to the main product that says:
“Want sprinkles? Don’t forget to add them below!”
It’s not perfect, but it’s clean, intuitive, and gets the job done until HL’s native e-comm evolves.
Actionable Takeaways for You or Your Clients
Here’s how you can implement this today:
✨ 1. Create Add-Ons as Separate Products
Label them clearly. Keep your category structure tight. Help users self-navigate.
✨ 2. Style for Clarity
Use bold headers, emojis, and visual cues. Guide the flow like you’re designing a drive-thru menu 🛒.
✨ 3. Don’t Overpromise HL’s Native E-Comm
It’s powerful—but it has limits. For more complex e-comm clients, consider integrating with Shopify or Square.
✨ 4. Test Payment Flows
If you’re connecting to Square or other platforms, test everything before promising functionality. You don’t want clients calling you mid-launch saying “Where are my sprinkles?!”
Real Talk
Let’s be honest—HighLevel’s store builder is still growing up. But that doesn’t mean you can’t build functional, profitable workflows with what we’ve got.
If you approach it with a bit of creativity (and maybe a sprinkle of patience), you can deliver killer user experiences and actually impress your clients.
And trust me—Becky’s cupcake business is crushing now because she leaned into these strategies instead of waiting around for a feature update.
Want More Smart Hacks Like This?
This is just one of the golden nuggets we cover at HL Pro Tools.
We help busy agency owners, SaaSpreneurs, and business operators like you:
- Build better workflows 🚀
- Automate like a beast 🔁
- And look good while doing it 😎
👉 Visit HLProTools.com to grab plug-and-play snapshots, explore custom workflows, and get all the support you need!
Don’t just build… build smarter.
