What Is the Sales by Variant Report?
The Shopify Sales by Variant report shows sales performance for each product variant, the specific size, color, or option under a product, instead of combining them into one product total. For the period you choose, it lists each variant's net quantity, gross sales, discount, returns, net sales, and total sales, along with its variant SKU and barcode.
The difference from a product-level report is grain. Shopify records every size and color as its own variant, so a product total can look healthy while one variant sells out and another sits unsold. This report keeps each variant on its own row, so you can see which ones drive the sales and which underperform.
Use it when a product has several variants and you need to decide what to reorder, discount, or discontinue at the variant level.
Which Fields Are Included in the Sales by Variant Report?
Each field describes one variant's sales for the selected period.
You can add, remove, or rearrange fields, or add a calculated column such as average selling price, to match how you review your store.
Important Insights You Can Find in This Report
Which variant drives a product's sales?
Group by Product Title and compare Net Quantity and Net Sales across each Variant Title. Most products have two or three variants carrying the revenue while the rest barely move. That split tells you how to weigh the next order instead of buying an even spread across sizes or colors.
Is a variant's gross strong but its net weak?
Compare Gross Sales, Discount, Returns, and Net Sales for the same variant. A variant with high gross sales but a large discount or returns figure is being propped up by markdowns or coming back after purchase. A product total hides this, while the variant view shows which SKU is losing the margin.
What did each variant actually sell for?
Divide Net Sales by Net Quantity for each variant to see its real per-unit price. When one variant's figure sits below its siblings in the same product, it is moving on discount, which is worth checking before you reorder it at the same volume.
THE ANALYST'S READ
A product-level return figure hides where returns come from. Read the Returns field against Net Quantity for each Variant Title, and returns usually sit in one size or color rather than spreading evenly. That variant is often the same one you are about to reorder on strong unit sales, so check it for a fit or listing problem before buying more.
How Can You Automate the Sales by Variant Report?
Open the pre-made Sales by Variant template in Report Pundit and the fields are already set, so you can run it or save your own version after adjusting columns. Schedule it to send daily, weekly, or monthly, and deliver it by email or push it to Google Sheets or Google Drive. You can also export it as Excel, CSV, or PDF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Sales by Variant and Sales by Product reports?
Sales by Product rolls every variant up to the parent product. Sales by Variant keeps each size, color, or option on its own row, so you see which variants inside a product drive the sales, discounts, and returns.
Why is a variant missing from the report?
A variant appears only if it is sold at least once in the selected period. For variants that never sold, use an inventory report instead.
Does the report show returns for each variant?
Yes. The Returns field is reported per variant, so you can see refunds at the SKU level rather than only as a product-wide figure.
Can I match variants to inventory?
Yes. Each row includes the Variant SKU and Barcode, which you can use to match each variant with the corresponding inventory records.
Can I export or schedule this report?
Yes. Export it as Excel, CSV, or PDF, push it to Google Sheets or Google Drive, or schedule automatic email delivery daily, weekly, or monthly.