Miss Amanda
[BEWARE] Anyone else see the ridiculous way variants work?
I’d like to share critical feedback on the current variant system, which in theory sounds convenient—but in practice, it introduces serious operational flaws that can disrupt sales and create confusion for both business owners and their clients.
Scenario:
Let’s say I create three variants for a digital product:
• Ebook – $10
• Audiobook – $15
• Ebook & Audiobook Bundle – $20
If a client purchases the Ebook for $10 and later wants to upgrade to the Bundle, the system fails to support a smooth transition. Clicking the “switch variant” button causes the following issues:
• The current price/installments are erased
• No automatic calculation of the difference
• No seamless invoice adjustment
• Requires a manual workaround: canceling, issuing a new charge, writing an explanation, and redoing the invoice
This not only creates extra admin work but opens the door to billing errors, delayed payments, and a poor customer experience. Even worse, it sends my team and I into a “whirlwind” trying to fix what should be a simple switch.
Customer service should prioritize “duty of care” to business owners using Simplero. Seemingly small flaws like this have a big impact on trust, automation flow, and revenue integrity.
The workaround? GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL WAY!!!
Create two separate products:
• Ebook = core product
• Audiobook = order bump (or add-on)
When a client says “I want the audiobook now,” I just add the new purchase. The system works smoothly—invoice created, payment processed, automations triggered. No headaches.
My request:
Please re-examine the variant system with real-world scenarios in mind:
• Support automatic upgrade charges (price difference only)
• Preserve installment structures where applicable
• Provide a clear support tutorial explaining best practices
Until then, I highly recommend fellow users treat each variant as a separate product for clarity and control.
Thanks for your time and consideration.