Add Items and Categories to Square Online in the Overview Page

Choose an item type that fits your purpose. We help you by providing specific fields and layouts perfectly suited for each one.

The seven item types found in Square Online are the following:

• Prepared food and beverage: Best for restaurants and other food venues. Learn more about selling food and beverage items online.
• Physical: Best for basic retail items such as clothing or jewellery. Learn more about selling physical items online.
• Digital: Lets you provide a digital file for download like an ebook or song. Learn more about selling digital items online.
• Service: Best for non-bookable services for hire. Learn more about selling non-physical items like services online. Note: Service-type items do not currently sync with services created through Square Appointments.
• Donation: Allow site visitors to send donations for any cause. Learn more about accepting donations online.
• Membership: Collect membership dues and registration fees for clubs and classes. Learn more about selling non-physical items like memberships online.
• Event: Sell tickets to events, and include location address and times. Learn more about selling non-physical items like event tickets online.

You can switch an item’s type (e.g. switch a physical item to a food and beverage item) in Square Online at any time. To switch an existing item’s type:

1. From your Square Online Overview page, go to Items > Site Items.
2. Select one of the existing items in your list.
3. In the Item Information section, select Change under Item Type.
4. After choosing a new type, select Change item type, read the final note, and select Save as new item type to finish the switch.
5. Complete all other changes to the item and select Save when finished.

Note: Some item details may be lost if the new item type doesn’t use them.

Item visibility refers to how and where an item will appear on your websites in Square Online. The item visibility settings will apply to items on every site they’ve been assigned to. For example, if you mark an item as Visible, it’ll be visible on each of your sites where the item is being sold.

To control an item’s visibility:

1. From your Square Online Overview page, go to Items > Site Items.
2. Select an item from your items list.
3. Under Visibility, select either Visible, Hidden, or Unavailable.
4. Complete all other edits to the item and select Save when finished.

You can also update visibility for multiple items at once using the bulk-editing method, or update it directly from your Square Item Library by selecting an item and editing the Visibility under ‘Square Online settings’. Learn more about creating and managing items in your Item Library. You can also learn more about managing multiple websites with Square Online for more information on item visibility between multiple sites.

The available item visibility settings are as follows:

• Visible: Your item is visible online and available for purchase, and will show up in navigation and site search results.
• Hidden: Your item is available for purchase online but only to those who have the direct link to it (useful for exclusive items).
• Unavailable: Your item isn’t visible online and can’t be purchased, which is useful if you aren’t ready to sell the item.

Category visibility refers to how a category will appear on your Square Online site. To control a site category’s visibility:

1. From your Square Online Overview page, go to Items > Site Categories.
2. Select the category you want to manage, then ‘…’ > Hide from site.

Note: If your ordering page template is Order Online, then items in a category won’t appear on your site when the category is hidden. If your template is Shop All, then items in a category will still be visible even when the category is hidden.

To start, manage details such as the item type, name, description and visibility. If you want to format the description text, be sure to unsync item descriptions from your item sync settings. You can also upload product images to represent the item.

Depending on the item type, you can adjust fulfilment settings and related options such as alcohol. Fulfilment options for site items include:

• Delivery
• Pickup
• Local delivery
• Self-serve ordering

Note: Non-physical items don’t use standard fulfilment methods, so you won’t see these options for those item types.

Be sure to set a stock quantity for your item. If your item has variations, you can add stock for each variation. Learn more about managing stock in Square Online.

If your item has options and variations (such as different sizes or colours), be sure to enter all the details and prices. Item variations without prices won’t be purchasable on your site.

Add modifiers to your items by selecting Manage modifiers.

Select Choose categories to add the item to a category. A single item can always be placed in multiple categories, so feel free to get creative. For example, you can create a ‘New Arrivals’ category to showcase what’s new in your online store.

Note: Make site items subscribable by upgrading your Square Online site.

Select Add subscriptions to make the item subscribable. If you haven’t created a subscription yet, you can select the link to go to the Square Subscriptions page in Dashboard.

Learn more about setting up item subscriptions in Square Online for more information.

Check out the item rating from your customer reviews.

You can optionally optimise your items for SEO by filling in the SEO details. Learn more about how to optimise your items and categories in Square Online.

Start by giving the category a name. It’s helpful to give it a common name customers will understand. For example, common categories could include ‘Starters’, ‘Trousers’ or ‘Hairstyles’.

Select Choose items to add items to the category. A single item can always be placed in multiple categories, so feel free to get creative. For example, you can create a ‘New Arrivals’ category to showcase what’s new in your online store.

Select Add image to represent the category with an image. You can choose a generic image to encompass all the items in your category, or use one of your favourite item images.

If you have at least one other category, you can make the category a subcategory. Under ‘Category organisation’, select the ‘+’ icon next to an existing category. After saving your changes, the new subcategory will appear nested underneath the category you just selected.

Note: Enable time-based categories by upgrading your Square Online site.

You can limit the availability of items in a category. Under Availability, select Only certain days and times and choose the days and times when the items will be available for pickup or local delivery. These are known as time-based categories.

Note: In order to use time-based categories, be sure you’re using the Order Online ordering page template.

You can optionally optimise your categories for SEO by filling out the SEO details. Learn more about how to optimise your items and categories in Square Online.

In the site editor, you can add sections to your webpages that feature certain items from your online store. Use one to bring attention to new or restocked merchandise or any items you want to draw attention to. Learn more about featured items in Square Online.

Vouchers are a great way to incentivise your customers to buy the items on your website. In Square Online, you can create several voucher types with customisable rules and restrictions. Customers that enter a voucher code during checkout will see a discount immediately applied to their order. Learn more about creating vouchers for Square Online.

Note: Allow customers to leave item reviews by upgrading your Square Online site.

Your customers can leave comments, photos and ratings on your Square Online site about their online purchases to provide real-world experiences with your products. These customer reviews are visible to others, making them a great way to help build confidence in potential buyers and possibly increase online sales. Learn more about customer reviews for Square Online.

Note: Schedule item updates by upgrading your Square Online site.

With scheduled item updates in Square Online, you can schedule item visibility and sale price changes ahead of time to run special sales or launch new products. Learn more about scheduling item updates in Square Online.

Note: Enable item gifting by upgrading your Square Online site.

Enabling gift options allows your customers to indicate that an item they’re purchasing is intended to be a gift. Buyers can include a message to the recipient that displays on the delivery invoice, along with return or exchange instructions. You can also offer gift wrapping with an optional added fee. Learn more about setting up gifting options with Square Online.

If you’re selling physical items or food and beverage items, you may sell alcohol with Square Online if permitted by law in your area. Learn more about selling alcohol with Square Online.