Table tennis equipment retail serves both the casual/recreation market (rollaway tables, hobby bats) and the highly technical competitive market (custom blades, professional rubbers, ITTF-approved equipment). The competitive segment is small but high-spend — serious players invest significantly in custom bat assembly. Migrating to Shopify suits the product mix, with the caveat that custom bat assembly (blade + rubber combination) requires careful product structuring.

Product categories

Pre-assembled bats: Beginner to club grade. Ready to play.
Blades: Sold separately for custom assembly. Ply composition, speed, control.
Rubbers: Top sheet + sponge combinations. Type (inverted, short pips, long pips, antispin), speed, spin.
Balls: Competition grade (40+ mm plastic), training balls. ITTF approved.
Tables: Rollaway (home), club grade, competition grade (ITTF approved). Thickness, top surface.
Nets and posts: Clamp-on vs permanent mount. ITTF specification.
Clothing: Playing shirts, shorts. Quick-dry, no collar rule.
Accessories: Bat cases, cleaning solutions, edge tape, glue, robot balls.

Blade specifications

product.metafields.tt.blade_plies = "5 / 7"                  // ply count: 5=standard, 7=harder
product.metafields.tt.composite_layers = "Carbon / Arylate-carbon / Koto / Kevlar"
product.metafields.tt.blade_speed = "Fast / Medium / Slow"   // ITTF speed class 1-10
product.metafields.tt.blade_control = "High / Medium / Low"
product.metafields.tt.playing_style = "Allround / Offensive / Defensive"
product.metafields.tt.blade_weight_g = "86"
product.metafields.tt.handle_type = "Straight / Flared / Anatomic / Penhold"
product.metafields.tt.ittf_approved = "true"                 // required for competition

Rubber specifications

product.metafields.tt.rubber_type = "Inverted / Short pips / Long pips / Antispin"
product.metafields.tt.sponge_thickness_mm = "2.0"           // max 2.0mm for competition (or OX=no sponge)
product.metafields.tt.rubber_speed = "9"                    // 1-10 scale
product.metafields.tt.rubber_spin = "9"
product.metafields.tt.rubber_hardness = "Medium / Hard / Soft"
product.metafields.tt.surface_colour = "Red / Black"        // ITTF requires one side each
product.metafields.tt.ittf_approved = "true"
product.metafields.tt.dhs_rating = "6"                      // DHS/Chinese rating scale 1-9

ITTF approval for competition equipment

Competitive table tennis requires ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) approved equipment at sanctioned events:

Balls: ITTF approved 3-star balls for tournament play — note approval on product page
Rubbers: must appear on ITTF approved rubber list — check current list at ittf.com
Blades: must comply with ITTF rules (specific dimensions and markings) but individual blades are not pre-approved
Tables: ITTF approved tables for official competitions — marked on product
Note clearly which products are competition-legal — serious players filter by this

Table specifications

product.metafields.tt.table_type = "Rollaway / Club / Competition"
product.metafields.tt.surface_thickness_mm = "22"           // competition = 25mm minimum
product.metafields.tt.surface_material = "Particle board / MDF"
product.metafields.tt.ittf_approved = "true"                // for competition tables
product.metafields.tt.indoor_outdoor = "Indoor / Outdoor / Weatherproof"
product.metafields.tt.playback_mode = "true"                // half-table folds vertical for solo play
product.metafields.tt.folded_dimensions_cm = "70x67x154"
product.metafields.tt.unfolded_weight_kg = "58"

Custom bat assembly

Serious players buy blade and rubbers separately and assemble their own bat — this is a distinct buying journey from pre-assembled bats:

Consider a "build your bat" page or product configurator: select blade + forehand rubber + backhand rubber
Assembly service: offer a "gluing service" add-on for customers who want their rubber professionally glued
Rubber cutting: rubbers need to be cut to blade size — note whether sold pre-cut to blade size or as full sheets
Recommended combinations: "Blade + rubber bundles" curated by skill level reduce decision complexity for intermediate players

Post-migration checklist for table tennis stores

Blades: plies, composite layers, speed class, control rating, and playing style as metafields
Rubbers: type, sponge thickness, speed/spin ratings, and ITTF approval as metafields
ITTF approved products: clearly noted on balls, rubbers, and tables
Tables: surface thickness, type (rollaway/competition), and ITTF approval as metafields
Custom assembly: blade + rubber bundle products or configurator
Ball packs: training vs competition grade distinction clear; 3-star rating noted

Migrating a table tennis store from WooCommerce to Shopify (2026)