Bathroom and kitchen sanitary ware retail has highly technical product data requirements: taps have flow rate, connection size, and finish specifications; basins and toilets have installation dimension requirements (pan projection, trap outlet position) that determine compatibility with existing plumbing; shower trays must match shower enclosure dimensions. Customers purchasing online without a plumber on site need accurate technical specifications to confirm compatibility — missing or inaccurate specs lead to returns that are expensive to process for heavy/bulky goods. This guide covers the product data structure and metafield strategy for bathroom and kitchen sanitary ware migration.

Product categories

Taps and mixers: Basin taps, bath taps, shower mixers, kitchen taps, bar/lever taps, monobloc mixers, pillar taps. Finish, flow rate, connection size variants.
Basins and sinks: Under-counter, counter-top, wall-hung, semi-pedestal, full pedestal. Size (width × depth), projection from wall, waste size.
Toilets and WCs: Close-coupled, back-to-wall, wall-hung, rimless. Pan projection, trap outlet (horizontal, vertical, S-trap, P-trap).
Baths: Freestanding, built-in, slipper, double-ended, single-ended. Size (length × width), capacity litres.
Shower enclosures: Walk-in, quadrant, rectangular. Size variants. Glass thickness, frame/frameless.
Shower trays: Size variants (800×800, 900×900, 1000×800, etc.). Material (acrylic, stone resin). Height (low profile, ultra-low, level access).
Shower heads and accessories: Fixed heads, rain heads, handshowers. Connection type (1/2 inch BSP).
Toiletry accessories: Towel rails, toilet roll holders, robe hooks, mirrors, cabinets. Finish variants.
Kitchen taps and sinks: Single lever, dual lever, pull-out spray, boiling water taps. Under-mount vs top-mount sinks.
Radiators and heated towel rails: Size, BTU/watt output, valve type (manual, thermostatic, dual fuel).

Tap and mixer metafields

product.metafields.sanitary.finish (single_line_text) — "Chrome", "Brushed Brass", "Matt Black", "Brushed Nickel", "Gunmetal", "Oil-Rubbed Bronze", "Gold" — also used as a variant where multiple finishes are sold
product.metafields.sanitary.connection_size (single_line_text) — "1/2 inch BSP" (standard UK), "3/4 inch BSP"
product.metafields.sanitary.flow_rate_lpm (single_line_text) — "6 l/min" (economy), "12 l/min" (standard), "20 l/min" (high flow)"
product.metafields.sanitary.min_pressure_bar (single_line_text) — "0.1 bar" (gravity), "0.5 bar" (mains pressure minimum)"
product.metafields.sanitary.valve_type (single_line_text) — "Ceramic disc", "Ceramic cartridge" — ceramic disc is standard for modern taps
product.metafields.sanitary.hot_cold_supply (single_line_text) — "Hot and cold" (standard), "Cold only (filtered)", "Combined (mixer)"
product.metafields.sanitary.wras_approved (boolean) — UK Water Regulations Approval Scheme — required for water fittings in the UK
product.metafields.sanitary.compliant_water_regs (boolean) — compliant with Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999

Basin and toilet metafields

product.metafields.sanitary.width_mm (single_line_text) — "600 mm"
product.metafields.sanitary.depth_mm (single_line_text) — "450 mm" — back-to-front dimension (projection from wall for basin)
product.metafields.sanitary.height_mm (single_line_text) — overall height
product.metafields.sanitary.pan_projection_mm (single_line_text) — for toilets: distance from wall to front of pan "685 mm"
product.metafields.sanitary.trap_outlet (single_line_text) — "Horizontal", "Vertical", "S-trap", "P-trap" — determines compatibility with existing drain position
product.metafields.sanitary.flush_type (single_line_text) — "Dual flush 6/3L", "Single flush 6L"
product.metafields.sanitary.installation_type (single_line_text) — "Floor-standing close-coupled", "Wall-hung (frame required)", "Back-to-wall" — for toilets
product.metafields.sanitary.requires_cistern_frame (boolean) — true for wall-hung WCs requiring a concealed cistern/frame
product.metafields.sanitary.tap_holes (single_line_text) — "0 (no tap holes)", "1 tap hole", "2 tap holes", "3 tap holes" — for basins
product.metafields.sanitary.waste_size_mm (single_line_text) — "40 mm", "32 mm" — for basin waste compatibility

Shower tray and enclosure variants

Shower trays: Variant: Size (800×800, 900×900, 1000×800, 1000×1000, 1200×800, 1200×900, 1400×800). Each size is a separate variant, inventory tracked independently. Metafield: height (standard ~150mm, low profile ~45mm, level access ~30mm).
Shower enclosures: Variant: Size × Configuration (quadrant/rectangle). Metafield: frame type (framed, semi-frameless, frameless), glass thickness (4mm, 6mm, 8mm).
Size compatibility note: display on shower tray and enclosure pages — "Ensure your shower tray and enclosure dimensions match before ordering. Returns of unpackaged or opened shower enclosures may not be accepted."

Trade plumber accounts

Plumbers, builders, and developers are the highest-value B2B segment for bathroom and kitchen retailers — they may fit multiple bathrooms per month.
Trade verification: Gas Safe Register membership (for heating), Plumbers' scheme membership (CIPHE, WaterSafe), or VAT-registered construction company.
Trade pricing: 15–25% discount on RRP. Use Shopify B2B or a wholesale app.
Project ordering: trade customers often need to order complete bathroom suites (toilet + basin + bath + taps + shower) as a single order for a project. Consider project-based bulk order forms or draft order management.
Technical support: trade customers expect technical expertise. Provide a dedicated trade phone line or email, and display WRAS approval and technical specifications prominently — tradespeople are comparing your spec against their installation requirements.

WRAS and UK Water Regulations compliance

Water Regulations Approval Scheme (WRAS): products approved under WRAS are verified as compliant with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999, which govern all water fittings installed in the UK.
Requirement: when fitting products in properties connected to the public water supply, installers must use WRAS-approved fittings where approvals exist.
Display on product pages: show the WRAS approval mark and certificate number for approved products. This is a selling point for professional installers who need compliance confirmation.
WRAS metafield: sanitary.wras_approved (boolean) — filter-enabled so customers can filter for WRAS-approved products.

Bathroom migration checklist

Create sanitary metafield namespace: finish, connection_size, flow_rate_lpm, min_pressure_bar, wras_approved, width_mm, depth_mm, pan_projection_mm, trap_outlet, flush_type, installation_type, tap_holes, waste_size_mm
Set up finish as a variant for taps and accessories (Chrome, Brushed Brass, Matt Black)
Set up size variants for shower trays and enclosures
Enable finish, WRAS approved, trap outlet, and installation type filters in Search & Discovery
Display WRAS approval certificate number on approved products
Add size compatibility warning to shower enclosure and tray product pages
Configure trade plumber account application and pricing tier
Add pan projection and trap outlet specifications prominently to all WC product pages
Test: finish variant (Chrome/Black/Brass) → correct product image displayed
Test: WRAS filter → only approved products returned

Pan projection and trap outlet specifications are the most customer-critical data points in toilet retail — and the most commonly missing. A toilet with the wrong pan projection will not fit the available space; a toilet with the wrong trap outlet type requires pipe rerouting that may be impossible without breaking the floor. These dimensions determine purchase suitability more definitively than any other product attribute, and customers who discover incompatibility after delivery return the product at significant cost to both parties. Displaying these specifications prominently — not buried in a technical document download — prevents the majority of WC returns. The retailers who display pan projection in millimetres as a primary product attribute (alongside price and availability) rather than hiding it in a spec sheet are the retailers plumbers and homeowners trust to have their installation requirements in mind.

Migrating a bathroom & kitchen sanitary store from WooCommerce to Shopify (2026)