productVariantBulkCreate GraphQL Variant Limit Exceeded Unexpectedly

Hi, I’m on graphql api version 2025-01, and I’m trying to perform productVariantBulkCreate using these instructions: Add product data using the new product model

According to this, I should be able to add up to 2048 variants, but I am still getting cut off at 100: New GraphQL product APIs that support up to 2048 variants now available in 2024-04 — Shopify developer changelog

I’m trying to add 180 variants. It does work as long as I stay under 100. I also tried doing it in two batches of 90, and I still got the error on the second batch.

Error is: Exceeded maximum number of variants allowed

Anyone else run into this? Do I need to enable this feature somehow, or is it not available on my Basic plan? I can’t find any info on this.

Mutation:

mutation CreateProductVariants($productId: ID!, $variants: [ProductVariantsBulkInput!]!) {
  productVariantsBulkCreate(productId: $productId, variants: $variants, strategy: REMOVE_STANDALONE_VARIANT) {
    productVariants {
      id
      title
      selectedOptions {
        name
        value
      }
    }
    userErrors {
      field
      message
    }
  }
}

Variables (imagine with 180 variants instead of 1)

{
    "productId": "gid://shopify/Product/<my gid>",
    "variants": [
        {
            "price": 62.0,
            "inventoryItem": {
                "cost": 28.52,
                "sku": "F-5x7-W",
                "tracked": false,
                "requiresShipping": true
            },
            "optionValues": [
                {
                    "name": "6 x 8",
                    "optionName": "frame dimensions"
                },
                {
                    "name": "White",
                    "optionName": "finish"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Edge-to-Edge Print",
                    "optionName": "mat border"
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Hi Christopher,

This is not currently available on stores with Basic plan - we’re currently in the process of rolling this out to Plus stores.

You can however test this out on a development store which has the extended variants developer preview: Developer previews

Thanks @Liam-Shopify, I really appreciate the reply. That’s incredibly disheartening to hear. I’ve been marching toward this solution for some time now since the docs didn’t say anything about this being plan specific. Is there any way that bit of info can be added to these places to save the next person from working toward a solution that’s not actually available?

https://admin.shopify.com/store/d8963c-2/settings/subscribe/select-plan

It is plan specific for now - as it’s literally in the process of just roling out progressively. Here is the most up to date news about this feature: GraphQL Migration Update

The same thing just happened to me. I have been spending time developing an app based on the understanding that 2048 variants were available on all plans. There is nowhere that is says it’s plan specific.

Can you provide an est. timeline for when it will be rolled out to the basic plan?

Hey Danni,

There’s no publicly available timeline for when this will be available for all plans - the only thing I can share right now is that the feature is being rolled out gradually to stores on the Plus plan.

Is there any update to this? My company has also spent a lot of time developing around the 2048 limit, and while working on setting up the app with our customers we’re running into this issue. 100 variants for fashion retail is an absurdly low amount, especially considering it’s an arbitrary limit. The jump in price is ridiculous just for this.

Can you at least add it to the error message we get back so we don’t waste time on debugging something that isn’t broken on our side? I have better stuff to do.

Message we are getting: User error on line 4 for field variants.180: Exceeded maximum number of variants allowed. This should specify that the plan currently does not support it so we don’t end up on the page saying it’s increased to 2048 without specifying it’s for plus accounts only.