What is WooCommerce Product Catalog Mode?
When WordPress users need to transform their standard e-commerce store into a product showcase without transactional capabilities, WooCommerce Product Catalog Mode offers a sophisticated, granular solution. Unlike standard plugins that simply toggle a switch, this plugin provides the depth of control required by complex B2B, wholesale, and custom-order businesses. Whether you want to hide prices from guests, remove the add-to-cart button globally, or replace purchase options with enquiry forms, this tool bridges the gap between a standard shop and a dynamic catalog.
What Makes WooCommerce Product Catalog Mode Different
The primary differentiator of this plugin is its granular approach to e-commerce disabling. Many competitors offer a blanket “hide prices” feature, but WooCommerce Product Catalog Mode allows you to mix and match features based on user roles and specific products. You can maintain a fully functional shop for VIP clients while presenting a catalog-only view to the general public. Furthermore, its ability to handle “hard removes” for themes that aren’t strictly WooCommerce compliant ensures that your site looks clean and professional, regardless of your underlying theme architecture.
- Granular control over price visibility and add-to-cart buttons.
- Specific redirection capabilities for Cart and Checkout pages.
- Seamless integration with Contact Form 7 for enquiry popups.
WooCommerce Product Catalog Mode Features for WordPress Users
Advanced Visibility Controls
At its core, the plugin excels at managing the visibility of key sales elements. You can easily enable or disable the catalog mode globally, but the real power lies in the details. You can choose to remove the add-to-cart button, remove the price, or both simultaneously. For store owners using custom themes that stubbornly hold onto price tags, the plugin includes a “hard remove” feature specifically designed for non-WooCommerce compliant themes. This ensures that if you want a price-free aesthetic, you get it, pixel-perfect. Additionally, you can redirect the Cart and Checkout pages to other URLs, preventing 404 errors or user confusion when they try to access standard shop endpoints.
User Role and Product Exclusions
Not every customer should be treated the same, and this plugin respects that nuance. You can apply catalog mode restrictions to all users, only logged-in users, or only non-logged-in users. This is particularly useful for wholesale models where you want to hide prices from the public but show them to registered wholesalers. Beyond user roles, the exclusion list feature is a lifesaver. You might want 99% of your store to be view-only, but have a specific clearance category or a digital product that remains purchasable. The plugin allows you to exclude specific product categories or individual products from the catalog mode rules, giving you a hybrid sales/showcase environment.
Interactive Enquiry Forms & Button Customization
Removing the “Buy” button shouldn’t end the customer journey. WooCommerce Product Catalog Mode allows you to replace the standard add-to-cart button on category/archive pages and single product pages with custom action buttons. You can define your own button text and set the action to either go to the product page or a custom URL (with target options). Most impressively, it supports enquiry forms. You can add an enquiry form that opens in a pop-up window, complete with a custom title. By integrating with shortcodes (like those from Contact Form 7), you turn your product pages into lead generation machines. You can even select the size of the popup window to ensure your form displays correctly on all devices.
How to Install WooCommerce Product Catalog Mode
Quick Installation
- Download the plugin ZIP file from your CodeCanyon account.
- Go to Plugins → Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
- Click Upload Plugin, select the ZIP file, and click Install Now.
- Activate the plugin via the Plugins menu.
Who Should Use WooCommerce Product Catalog Mode?
B2B and Wholesale Suppliers
For B2B businesses, public pricing can be a detriment. Wholesale suppliers often use this plugin to hide retail prices from casual visitors while forcing them to register or log in to see trade rates. The user-role restriction feature is perfect for this scenario, allowing the storefront to act as a portfolio of goods for potential clients while remaining a functional shop for approved buyers.
Can I replace the add to cart button with a custom link?
Absolutely. You can replace the button on both category pages and single product pages. You can set custom button text and redirect users to any custom URL, such as a contact page or an affiliate link.
Is it possible to show prices only to logged-in users?
Yes, this is a core feature. You can configure the plugin to hide prices and the add-to-cart button for non-logged-in users (guests) while displaying them normally for registered users.
Which contact form plugins are compatible?
The plugin is designed to work with shortcodes. It is fully compatible with Contact Form 7, WPForms, and any other form builder that provides a shortcode for embedding forms.
Will this affect my site’s SEO?
No, the plugin hides elements via CSS and PHP logic but does not block search engines from crawling your product content. Search engines can still index your product titles and descriptions, which is beneficial for WordPress SEO.
Final Verdict
WooCommerce Product Catalog Mode is a highly versatile tool that goes beyond simple price hiding. It is particularly well-suited for B2B suppliers, custom manufacturers, and membership-based stores that require a hybrid approach to selling and showcasing. The inclusion of enquiry popups and granular user-role settings makes it a top-tier choice for serious business owners looking to control their sales funnel tightly.
Custom Product Manufacturers
If you sell products that require custom quotes—like luxury furniture, industrial machinery, or bespoke software packages—you don’t need a standard “Add to Cart” button. Instead, you need an enquiry. Manufacturers use the popup enquiry form feature to gather specific requirements from clients before generating a manual invoice. This turns the site into a lead generation tool rather than a passive vending machine.
WooCommerce Product Catalog Mode vs Alternatives
| Feature | WooCommerce Product Catalog Mode | Standard Catalog Plugins |
|---|---|---|
| User Role Specificity | Apply rules to Guests, Logged In, or All users separately. | Usually only applies globally to everyone. |
| Theme Compatibility | Includes “Hard Remove” for non-compliant themes. | Often relies on CSS which can break with custom themes. |
| Replacement Action | Custom Button Text, Custom URL, or Popup Enquiry Form. | Typically just removes the button without a replacement CTA. |
WooCommerce Product Catalog Mode Pricing
This plugin is available via CodeCanyon as a premium product. Pricing typically follows a standard Envato Market license model, generally around $26 for a Regular License (single end product) which includes future updates and 6 months of support. This is a one-time fee, making it a cost-effective solution compared to subscription-based alternatives that offer similar granular control. For those looking to expand their store’s capabilities further, exploring other WooCommerce plugins can provide a comprehensive e-commerce suite.
Pros and Cons
✅ Pros
- Deep Customization: Offers extensive control over what is hidden and for whom.
- Enquiry Integration: Native support for popup forms works great for lead gen.
- Hard Remove Feature: Solves display issues with themes that ignore standard CSS hiding.
❌ Cons
- Premium Only: No free version available to test before buying.
- Settings Complexity: The sheer number of options might overwhelm beginners initially.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hide prices only for specific products?
Yes, the plugin allows you to apply catalog mode globally but then exclude specific products or categories. This means you can hide prices for most items while keeping them visible for a select few, such as clearance items or digital downloads.
Does this plugin work with any WordPress theme?
It works with most themes out of the box. However, for themes that are not strictly WooCommerce compliant and force the display of prices, the plugin includes a “hard remove” option to ensure elements are successfully hidden.
Can I replace the add to cart button with a custom link?
Absolutely. You can replace the button on both category pages and single product pages. You can set custom button text and redirect users to any custom URL, such as a contact page or an affiliate link.
Is it possible to show prices only to logged-in users?
Yes, this is a core feature. You can configure the plugin to hide prices and the add-to-cart button for non-logged-in users (guests) while displaying them normally for registered users.
Which contact form plugins are compatible?
The plugin is designed to work with shortcodes. It is fully compatible with Contact Form 7, WPForms, and any other form builder that provides a shortcode for embedding forms.
Will this affect my site’s SEO?
No, the plugin hides elements via CSS and PHP logic but does not block search engines from crawling your product content. Search engines can still index your product titles and descriptions, which is beneficial for WordPress SEO.
Final Verdict
WooCommerce Product Catalog Mode is a highly versatile tool that goes beyond simple price hiding. It is particularly well-suited for B2B suppliers, custom manufacturers, and membership-based stores that require a hybrid approach to selling and showcasing. The inclusion of enquiry popups and granular user-role settings makes it a top-tier choice for serious business owners looking to control their sales funnel tightly.
