---
title: "Product variant triggers, step by step"
description: "Step-by-step Shopify Flow tutorials for variant price, SKU, barcode and unit price changes, with old and new values, delta and percent change."
canonical: "https://docs.workflow-trigger-extensions.app/variant-trigger-tutorials"
---

# Product variant triggers, step by step

Shopify reports a changed variant as "the product was updated". These four triggers look inside: they fire once per variant whose price, SKU, barcode or unit price changed, with the value before and after. Price and unit price also carry `delta`, `percentChange` and `direction`, because a Flow condition cannot do arithmetic and money arrives as text.

**On this page:** [Product Variant Price Changed](#product-variant-price-changed), [Product Variant SKU Changed](#product-variant-sku-changed), [Product Variant Barcode Changed](#product-variant-barcode-changed), [Product Variant Unit Price Changed](#product-variant-unit-price-changed)

> [!TIP]
> **New to Shopify Flow?**
> Every example follows the same five moves: pick the trigger, add a condition, add an action, turn the workflow on, check Event History. [Your first workflow, step by step](https://docs.workflow-trigger-extensions.app/first-workflow-tutorial.md) shows each of them with screenshots.

![Shopify Flow's trigger picker inside Workflow Trigger Extensions, searched for Variant](https://cdn-dev.eu.codecreationlabs.cloud/crm-tool/uploads/SjJ78gKLnLlocopCui3Cs62dJbGZ7F1n/f7ad6f76d457aef6.png)
*Where you find them: in Shopify Flow choose Select a trigger, open Workflow Trigger Extensions and search for "Variant".*

## Product Variant Price Changed

Fires once per variant whose **price or compare-at price** changed. A product with five variants that all get a new price fires five times.

| | |
| --- | --- |
| **Fires from** | Shopify webhook plus change detection |
| **Permission** | **Product, Variant & Collection Data Access** |
| **Switched on** | Turning on a Flow workflow that uses it switches it on. Its own switch is on the app's **Triggers** page |

**Use it for**

- Alert merchandising about markdowns above a threshold.
- Keep bundle, B2B or marketplace prices in step with the component price.
- Catch pricing mistakes: a price that fell by more than half is rarely intended.

### What Product Variant Price Changed sends to your workflow

| Variable in Flow | Type | What it holds |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `productVariant` | Object | The product variant with updated price |
| `productVariant.id` | ID | Global ID of the product variant |
| `productVariant.title` | Text | The title of the variant |
| `productVariant.sku` | Text | The SKU of the variant |
| `productVariant.barcode` | Text | The barcode (EAN) of the variant |
| `productVariant.price` | Money (amount, currencyCode) | The current price of the variant |
| `productVariant.compareAtPrice` | Money (amount, currencyCode) | The compare-at price of the variant |
| `productVariant.product` | Object | The product this variant belongs to |
| `productVariant.product.id` | ID | Global ID of the product |
| `productVariant.product.title` | Text | The title of the product |
| `productVariant.product.handle` | Text | The handle of the product |
| `priceChange` | Object | The price change details (old and new values) |
| `priceChange.oldPrice` | Money (amount, currencyCode) | The previous price |
| `priceChange.newPrice` | Money (amount, currencyCode) | The new price |
| `priceChange.oldCompareAtPrice` | Money (amount, currencyCode) | The previous compare-at price |
| `priceChange.newCompareAtPrice` | Money (amount, currencyCode) | The new compare-at price |
| `priceChange.delta` | Number | New value minus old value. Null when either side is unknown |
| `priceChange.percentChange` | Number | Change as a percentage of the old value (-12.5 = dropped by 12.5 percent). Null when the old value is 0 or unknown |
| `priceChange.direction` | Text | increase, decrease or unchanged |
| `eventId` | Text | The id of this event. Search for it in the app's Event History to see exactly what was sent. |

### Example: Alert on markdowns of more than 10 percent

1. Pick **Product Variant Price Changed** as the trigger.
2. Add a **Condition**: `priceChange.percentChange` **Less than** `-10`.
3. Add **Send internal email**: `{{productVariant.product.title}} / {{productVariant.title}}: {{priceChange.oldPrice.amount}} -> {{priceChange.newPrice.amount}} {{priceChange.newPrice.currencyCode}} ({{priceChange.percentChange}}%)`.
4. Turn the workflow on and change a test variant's price.

> [!NOTE]
> **Good to know**
> - `direction` is `increase`, `decrease` or `unchanged`. It is `unchanged` when only the compare-at price moved: check `oldCompareAtPrice` and `newCompareAtPrice` for that case.
> - `delta` and `percentChange` are empty when one side is unknown, for example the first price a variant ever got.
> - There is a full walkthrough with screenshots in [Alert your team on variant price changes](https://docs.workflow-trigger-extensions.app/variant-price-change-alerts.md), and a bundle example in [Auto-sync bundle prices on variant price changes](https://docs.workflow-trigger-extensions.app/auto-sync-bundle-prices.md).

## Product Variant SKU Changed

Fires once per variant whose SKU changed.

| | |
| --- | --- |
| **Fires from** | Shopify webhook plus change detection |
| **Permission** | **Product, Variant & Collection Data Access** |
| **Switched on** | Turning on a Flow workflow that uses it switches it on. Its own switch is on the app's **Triggers** page |

**Use it for**

- Tell the warehouse or ERP that a SKU was renamed before the next order arrives with the new one.
- Block accidental SKU edits on live products.

### What Product Variant SKU Changed sends to your workflow

| Variable in Flow | Type | What it holds |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `productVariant` | Object | The product variant with updated SKU |
| `productVariant.id` | ID | Global ID of the product variant |
| `productVariant.title` | Text | The title of the variant |
| `productVariant.sku` | Text | The SKU of the variant |
| `productVariant.barcode` | Text | The barcode of the variant |
| `productVariant.price` | Money (amount, currencyCode) | The current price of the variant |
| `productVariant.product` | Object | The product this variant belongs to |
| `productVariant.product.id` | ID | Global ID of the product |
| `productVariant.product.title` | Text | The title of the product |
| `productVariant.product.handle` | Text | The handle of the product |
| `skuChange` | Object | The SKU change details (old and new values) |
| `skuChange.oldSku` | Text | The previous SKU |
| `skuChange.newSku` | Text | The new SKU |
| `eventId` | Text | The id of this event. Search for it in the app's Event History to see exactly what was sent. |

### Example: Send old and new SKU to the warehouse system

1. Pick **Product Variant SKU Changed** as the trigger.
2. Add **Send HTTP request** to your ERP or WMS endpoint with a JSON body containing `{{skuChange.oldSku}}`, `{{skuChange.newSku}}` and `{{productVariant.id}}`.
3. Add a **Condition** in front if blank SKUs should be ignored: `skuChange.oldSku` **Not empty and exists**.
4. Turn the workflow on.

> [!NOTE]
> **Good to know**
> A variant that gets its first SKU arrives with an empty `oldSku`.

## Product Variant Barcode Changed

Fires once per variant whose barcode (EAN, UPC, ISBN) changed.

| | |
| --- | --- |
| **Fires from** | Shopify webhook plus change detection |
| **Permission** | **Product, Variant & Collection Data Access** |
| **Switched on** | Turning on a Flow workflow that uses it switches it on. Its own switch is on the app's **Triggers** page |

**Use it for**

- Re-submit a product to a marketplace or Google Merchant Center that matches on GTIN.
- Reprint shelf labels for retail locations.

### What Product Variant Barcode Changed sends to your workflow

| Variable in Flow | Type | What it holds |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `productVariant` | Object | The product variant with updated barcode |
| `productVariant.id` | ID | Global ID of the product variant |
| `productVariant.title` | Text | The title of the variant |
| `productVariant.sku` | Text | The SKU of the variant |
| `productVariant.barcode` | Text | The barcode (EAN) of the variant |
| `productVariant.price` | Money (amount, currencyCode) | The current price of the variant |
| `productVariant.product` | Object | The product this variant belongs to |
| `productVariant.product.id` | ID | Global ID of the product |
| `productVariant.product.title` | Text | The title of the product |
| `productVariant.product.handle` | Text | The handle of the product |
| `barcodeChange` | Object | The barcode change details (old and new values) |
| `barcodeChange.oldBarcode` | Text | The previous barcode |
| `barcodeChange.newBarcode` | Text | The new barcode |
| `eventId` | Text | The id of this event. Search for it in the app's Event History to see exactly what was sent. |

### Example: Ask retail to reprint a label

1. Pick **Product Variant Barcode Changed** as the trigger.
2. Add **Send internal email** to the store team: `{{productVariant.product.title}} / {{productVariant.title}}: barcode {{barcodeChange.oldBarcode}} is now {{barcodeChange.newBarcode}}`.
3. Turn the workflow on.

## Product Variant Unit Price Changed

Fires once per variant whose **unit price** changed, the "price per 100 g" that some countries require next to the price.

| | |
| --- | --- |
| **Fires from** | Shopify webhook plus change detection |
| **Permission** | **Product, Variant & Collection Data Access** |
| **Switched on** | Turning on a Flow workflow that uses it switches it on. Its own switch is on the app's **Triggers** page |

**Use it for**

- Re-check legally required unit prices after a price or a pack size change.
- Update printed price tags that show the unit price.

### What Product Variant Unit Price Changed sends to your workflow

| Variable in Flow | Type | What it holds |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `productVariant` | Object | The product variant with updated unit price |
| `productVariant.id` | ID | Global ID of the product variant |
| `productVariant.title` | Text | The title of the variant |
| `productVariant.sku` | Text | The SKU of the variant |
| `productVariant.barcode` | Text | The barcode (EAN) of the variant |
| `productVariant.price` | Money (amount, currencyCode) | The current price of the variant |
| `productVariant.unitPrice` | Money (amount, currencyCode) | The current unit price of the variant |
| `productVariant.product` | Object | The product this variant belongs to |
| `productVariant.product.id` | ID | Global ID of the product |
| `productVariant.product.title` | Text | The title of the product |
| `productVariant.product.handle` | Text | The handle of the product |
| `unitPriceChange` | Object | The unit price change details (old and new values) |
| `unitPriceChange.oldUnitPrice` | Money (amount, currencyCode) | The previous unit price |
| `unitPriceChange.newUnitPrice` | Money (amount, currencyCode) | The new unit price |
| `unitPriceChange.delta` | Number | New value minus old value. Null when either side is unknown |
| `unitPriceChange.percentChange` | Number | Change as a percentage of the old value (-12.5 = dropped by 12.5 percent). Null when the old value is 0 or unknown |
| `unitPriceChange.direction` | Text | increase, decrease or unchanged |
| `eventId` | Text | The id of this event. Search for it in the app's Event History to see exactly what was sent. |

### Example: Review unit prices that rose

1. Pick **Product Variant Unit Price Changed** as the trigger.
2. Add a **Condition**: `unitPriceChange.direction` **Equal to** `increase`.
3. Add **Send internal email** with `{{unitPriceChange.oldUnitPrice.amount}}` and `{{unitPriceChange.newUnitPrice.amount}}`.
4. Turn the workflow on.

> [!NOTE]
> **Good to know**
> Shopify derives the unit price from the price and the unit measurement, so a plain price change on such a variant fires this trigger **and** the price trigger.

## Next steps

- [Complete trigger reference](https://docs.workflow-trigger-extensions.app/trigger-reference.md) - every trigger on one page.
- [Choosing the right trigger](https://docs.workflow-trigger-extensions.app/choosing-the-right-trigger.md) - which one fits your case.
- [Custom triggers](https://docs.workflow-trigger-extensions.app/custom-triggers.md) - when no built-in trigger fits, write your own.
- [Event history and troubleshooting](https://docs.workflow-trigger-extensions.app/event-history-and-troubleshooting.md) - see what fired and what it carried.
- [Trigger events on a record's admin page](https://docs.workflow-trigger-extensions.app/admin-blocks.md) - the latest events of one record, on its own page in the Shopify admin.