What it does
VirtueMart is a free commerce extension for Joomla. Its product families share common information while child products keep their own stock, prices and images.
For a T-shirt sold in several colours, use a parent page and a child product for each colour. Keep shared information on the parent.
In Products > Custom Fields, create a Generic child variant field with Cart Attribute enabled and layout position addtocart. Create the parent under Products > Products, add its children and attach that field on the parent's Custom Fields tab. Leave Parent orderable unchecked and publish the parent. On the storefront, buying then requires a child selection.
The core download is free, with Joomla and hosting supplied separately. Store management uses the Joomla administrator login. Check release-specific Joomla compatibility before installing an update.
Strengths
- Children can inherit common data and override images, stock and prices
- A published parent can require selection of a purchasable child
Watch out for
- The store requires a compatible Joomla installation and hosting environment
Best for
- Joomla merchants building product families with separately stocked child products
Sources
- VirtueMart: Free E-commerce Solution (Oct 27, 2026)
- VirtueMart Downloads (Oct 26, 2026)
- Product with Child Variant, Parent Not Orderable (Oct 27, 2026)
- VirtueMart Official Demo: Joomla Administrator Login (Oct 27, 2026)