Shopify Custom Product Description (Metafields)

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For international shipping, most carriers require a commodity description: a short, accurate summary of what the product is. 

By default, GoSweetSpot uses the product title and variant name to generate this description, but this can exceed the character limits set by some couriers. For example, NZ Post allows a maximum of 35 characters.

To support this, Shopify allows you to create metafields, which you can use to store a concise, compliance-friendly description separate from your customer-facing content. 

By adding this metafield to your products and/or variants, GSS can automatically pull through the shorter description when generating international paperwork. 

This ensures your shipments meet carrier requirements without affecting the product information displayed on your storefront.

This metafield will replace all areas that currently use your product descriptions, such as product tables, packing slips, and various other areas in GSS. If you are currently using your product description to pack or manage items, please be aware that updating or using this metafield may change your workflow. Make sure to review your processes before populating or modifying the metafield, and keep the description short, factual, and focused on the product’s material to ensure it works correctly across all systems.

Step 1: Open Shopify Metafields and metaobjects settings

1. Log in to your Shopify Admin.
2. Click Settings (bottom-left corner).
3. Select Metafields and metaobjects from the settings menu. 

Note: You may need specific permissions to access or see this setting.

Step 2.1: Create a New Product Metafield

1. Under the Metafield definitions, click Products.
   
2. Click Add definition.
3. Copy and complete the following fields:
   • Name: GoSweetSpot Product Description 
     (ensure that the key/custom. is: gosweetspot_product_description)
   • Content Type: Single line text
   • Validation > Character Limit > Max: 35
4. Confirm and Save.

Step 2.2: Create a New Variant Metafield (Optional)

1. Under the Metafield definitions, click Variants.
   
2. Click Add definition.
3. Copy and complete the following fields:
   • Name: GoSweetSpot Product Description
     (ensure that the key/custom. is: gosweetspot_product_description)
   • Content Type: Single line text
   • Validation > Character Limit > Max: 35
4. Confirm and Save.

Step 3.1: Provide the New Product Description

1. Head to your Products page.
2. Select a product and head to the Metafields section.
3. Enter your new product description for GSS to pull.

Note: Use the Metafield Description to Define the Product’s Make

Example:

This ensures that the metafield description meets the maximum character count of certain couriers within GSS.

Step 3.2: Provide the New Variant Description

(You must complete Step 2.2 before continuing)

1. Head to your Products page.
2. Select a product
3. Select a variant and head to the Metafields section.
4. Enter your new variant description for GSS to pull.

A SKU for each variant must be provided for the variant metafield to work.

When a variant metafield contains a value, we will always display the full variant name exactly as it appears in Shopify.

This means we do not combine the product name with variant options or apply any default values.
Example: “Eco Water Bottle – Green / 500ml” will be shown instead of the product title or a combo of the product title and variant metafield.

Step 4: Sync and Process the order through GSS

1. Finalize the Shopify integration setup.
2. Once synced, go to Create > Outbound & Export.
3. Click on Orders.
4. Select an order, and this should have replaced the description.

New Metafield information on the following areas in GSS:

Products:

Commodities:

If there are any issues with setting this up, please reach out to our support team at support@gosweetspot.com or give us a call on 09 600 52 50.