When you install dummy data you are basically adding sample products, categories, attributes and reviews to your store. I actually needed to add this information to my demo store so that I can show my readers and Youtube viewers what a WooCommerce powered store looks like when it’s filled with content. While I added some content manually, it would have taken me too much time to fill up the whole store manually.
Keep in mind that dummy data can also be added to help you familiarize yourself with how WooCommerce works. This is especially useful because different types of products are added. For example, the dummy data includes sample products, variable products as well as downloadable products.
In the video below I show you how I added this data in just a few minutes.
Can’t view the video? Watch it on YouTube
To start you will need to download WooCommerce. Note that this is necessary even if you already have WooCommerce installed on your site.
Next you will need to unzip the file that you just downloaded.
Then simply go to your “WordPress admin panel > tools > import”.
On the import page you will see a list of different things that you can import. You will basically want to click the WordPress importer which is named “WordPress” and reads:
“Import posts, pages, comments, custom fields, categories, and tags from a WordPress export file.”
If you haven’t installed this importer you will need to install, activate and run the plugin.
While running the importer, you will be asked to choose a file to import. Here you will want to locate the WooCommerce plugin that you downloaded earlier and select the “dummy-data.xml” file which is located in the “dummy-data” folder and click the “upload file and import” button.
On the next screen you will be asked to assign an author. Here you will want to choose an admin user using the drop-down menu or create a new user.
In the “import attachments” section, be sure to check off the box next to “download and import file attachments” and click the “submit” button.
Wait a few minutes for the data to import and when finished you should see an “all done” message.
That’s it. Now you can look over the sample data that was installed in your store.