diff --git a/assets/i18n/en/main.ftl b/assets/i18n/en/main.ftl
index 72683cc..e042d65 100644
--- a/assets/i18n/en/main.ftl
+++ b/assets/i18n/en/main.ftl
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ sale-price = Sale price
 variants-options = Variants / options
 add-option = Add option
 option-label = Option label
+optional = optional
 choose-option = Choose an option
 from-price = from { $price }
 admin-discounts = Discounts
diff --git a/assets/i18n/sk/main.ftl b/assets/i18n/sk/main.ftl
index 776cb2e..b107e58 100644
--- a/assets/i18n/sk/main.ftl
+++ b/assets/i18n/sk/main.ftl
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ sale-price = Zľavnená cena
 variants-options = Varianty / možnosti
 add-option = Pridať možnosť
 option-label = Označenie možnosti
+optional = voliteľné
 choose-option = Vyberte možnosť
 from-price = od { $price }
 admin-discounts = Zľavy
diff --git a/assets/views/admin/catalog/product_form.html b/assets/views/admin/catalog/product_form.html
index 7c28fbb..704df02 100644
--- a/assets/views/admin/catalog/product_form.html
+++ b/assets/views/admin/catalog/product_form.html
@@ -37,9 +37,11 @@
 
   {# --- Variants / options editor ------------------------------------------- #}
   {# Each product is sold as one or more variants (a free-text label such as     #}
-  {# "10cm x 13cm" or "5ml" plus its own price/stock/sku, and optional public &  #}
-  {# business sale prices). Rows are managed client-side; names are indexed       #}
-  {# (variants[i][...]) and read back by the controller.                          #}
+  {# "10cm x 13cm" or "5ml" plus its own price/stock, optional sku & business    #}
+  {# price). Price and stock are required; the browser blocks save if a row is    #}
+  {# incomplete. Rows are managed client-side; names are indexed (variants[i][…]) #}
+  {# and read back by the controller.                                             #}
+  {% set opt = " (" ~ t(key="optional", lang=lang | default(value='sk')) ~ ")" %}
   <script id="variants-data" type="application/json">{{ variants | json_encode() | safe }}</script>
   <div class="space-y-3" x-data="variantEditor(JSON.parse(document.getElementById('variants-data').textContent))">
     <div class="flex items-center justify-between">
@@ -55,32 +57,28 @@
         <input type="hidden" :name="`variants[${i}][id]`" :value="row.id">
 
         <div class="space-y-1 sm:col-span-5">
-          <label class="{{ sublabel }}">{{ t(key="option-label", lang=lang | default(value='sk')) }}</label>
+          <label class="{{ sublabel }}">{{ t(key="option-label", lang=lang | default(value='sk')) }}{{ opt }}</label>
           <input :name="`variants[${i}][label]`" x-model="row.label" class="{{ inp }}" placeholder="napr. 10cm x 13cm">
         </div>
         <div class="space-y-1 sm:col-span-3">
-          <label class="{{ sublabel }}">{{ t(key="sku", lang=lang | default(value='sk')) }}</label>
+          <label class="{{ sublabel }}">{{ t(key="sku", lang=lang | default(value='sk')) }}{{ opt }}</label>
           <input :name="`variants[${i}][sku]`" x-model="row.sku" class="{{ inp }}">
         </div>
         <div class="space-y-1 sm:col-span-2">
           <label class="{{ sublabel }}">{{ t(key="stock", lang=lang | default(value='sk')) }}</label>
-          <input type="number" min="0" :name="`variants[${i}][stock]`" x-model="row.stock" class="{{ inp }}">
+          <input type="number" min="0" required :name="`variants[${i}][stock]`" x-model="row.stock" class="{{ inp }}">
         </div>
         <div class="flex items-end sm:col-span-2">
           <button type="button" @click="remove(i)"
             class="ml-auto rounded-radius px-2 py-2 text-sm text-danger hover:bg-danger/10" title="{{ t(key='delete', lang=lang | default(value='sk')) }}">✕</button>
         </div>
 
-        <div class="space-y-1 sm:col-span-4">
+        <div class="space-y-1 sm:col-span-6">
           <label class="{{ sublabel }}">{{ t(key="price", lang=lang | default(value='sk')) }}</label>
-          <input :name="`variants[${i}][price]`" x-model="row.price" inputmode="decimal" class="{{ inp }}" placeholder="0.00">
+          <input :name="`variants[${i}][price]`" x-model="row.price" inputmode="decimal" required class="{{ inp }}" placeholder="0.00">
         </div>
-        <div class="space-y-1 sm:col-span-4">
-          <label class="{{ sublabel }}">{{ t(key="sale-price", lang=lang | default(value='sk')) }}</label>
-          <input :name="`variants[${i}][sale]`" x-model="row.sale" inputmode="decimal" class="{{ inp }}" placeholder="—">
-        </div>
-        <div class="space-y-1 sm:col-span-4">
-          <label class="{{ sublabel }}">{{ t(key="business-price", lang=lang | default(value='sk')) }}</label>
+        <div class="space-y-1 sm:col-span-6">
+          <label class="{{ sublabel }}">{{ t(key="business-price", lang=lang | default(value='sk')) }}{{ opt }}</label>
           <input :name="`variants[${i}][business_sale]`" x-model="row.business_sale" inputmode="decimal" class="{{ inp }}" placeholder="—">
         </div>
       </div>
@@ -89,15 +87,14 @@
 
   <script>
     function variantEditor(initial) {
-      const blank = () => ({ id: '', label: '', sku: '', stock: 0, price: '', sale: '', business_sale: '' });
+      const blank = () => ({ id: '', label: '', sku: '', stock: '', price: '', business_sale: '' });
       return {
         rows: (initial || []).map(r => ({
           id: r.id || '',
           label: r.label || '',
           sku: r.sku || '',
-          stock: (r.stock === null || r.stock === undefined) ? 0 : r.stock,
+          stock: (r.stock === null || r.stock === undefined) ? '' : r.stock,
           price: r.price || '',
-          sale: r.sale || '',
           business_sale: r.business_sale || '',
         })),
         init() { if (this.rows.length === 0) this.add(); },
diff --git a/assets/views/shop/show.html b/assets/views/shop/show.html
index 359c66d..3fce2bd 100644
--- a/assets/views/shop/show.html
+++ b/assets/views/shop/show.html
@@ -60,6 +60,19 @@
 
     <template x-if="current">
       <div class="space-y-6">
+        <!-- option picker (only when there's a real choice); first option is
+             selected by default and switching it updates the price + buy form -->
+        <template x-if="variants.length > 1">
+          <div class="max-w-sm space-y-1.5">
+            <label for="variant-select" class="text-sm font-medium text-on-surface-strong dark:text-on-surface-dark-strong">{{ t(key="choose-option", lang=lang | default(value='sk')) }}</label>
+            <select id="variant-select" x-model.number="sel" class="{{ fld }}">
+              <template x-for="(v, i) in variants" :key="v.id">
+                <option :value="i" x-text="(v.label || '—') + ' · ' + v.price + ' {{ product.currency }}' + (v.in_stock ? '' : ' ({{ t(key='out-of-stock', lang=lang | default(value='sk')) }})')"></option>
+              </template>
+            </select>
+          </div>
+        </template>
+
         <div class="flex items-baseline gap-3">
           <p class="text-2xl font-semibold" :class="current.on_sale ? 'text-danger' : 'text-primary dark:text-primary-dark'">
             <span x-text="current.price"></span> {{ product.currency }}
@@ -73,18 +86,6 @@
         <div class="whitespace-pre-line leading-relaxed text-on-surface/80 dark:text-on-surface-dark/80">{{ product.description }}</div>
         {% endif %}
 
-        <!-- variant picker (only when there's a real choice) -->
-        <template x-if="variants.length > 1">
-          <div class="max-w-sm space-y-1.5">
-            <label for="variant-select" class="text-sm font-medium text-on-surface-strong dark:text-on-surface-dark-strong">{{ t(key="choose-option", lang=lang | default(value='sk')) }}</label>
-            <select id="variant-select" x-model.number="sel" class="{{ fld }}">
-              <template x-for="(v, i) in variants" :key="v.id">
-                <option :value="i" x-text="(v.label || '—') + ' · ' + v.price + ' {{ product.currency }}' + (v.in_stock ? '' : ' ({{ t(key='out-of-stock', lang=lang | default(value='sk')) }})')"></option>
-              </template>
-            </select>
-          </div>
-        </template>
-
         <template x-if="current.in_stock">
           <div class="space-y-2">
             <form method="post" action="/cart/add" hx-post="/cart/add" hx-swap="none" class="flex flex-wrap items-end gap-3"
diff --git a/src/controllers/admin_products.rs b/src/controllers/admin_products.rs
index 1a062b9..9022e54 100644
--- a/src/controllers/admin_products.rs
+++ b/src/controllers/admin_products.rs
@@ -104,13 +104,12 @@ struct VariantInput {
     sku: Option<String>,
     stock: i32,
     price_cents: i64,
-    sale_cents: Option<i64>,
     business_sale_cents: Option<i64>,
     position: i32,
 }
 
-/// An optional price field on a variant row (sale / business sale): blank means
-/// "no quick-sale", a value must parse and be below the regular price.
+/// The optional business-sale price field on a variant row: blank means "no
+/// business quick-sale", a value must parse and be below the regular price.
 fn parse_optional_sale(
     form: &MultipartForm,
     i: usize,
@@ -161,8 +160,7 @@ fn parse_variants(form: &MultipartForm) -> Result<Vec<VariantInput>> {
             .text(&format!("variants[{i}][stock]"))
             .and_then(|s| s.parse::<i32>().ok())
             .filter(|n| *n >= 0)
-            .unwrap_or(0);
-        let sale_cents = parse_optional_sale(form, i, "sale", price_cents)?;
+            .ok_or_else(|| Error::BadRequest("each option needs a stock quantity".to_string()))?;
         let business_sale_cents = parse_optional_sale(form, i, "business_sale", price_cents)?;
         let id = form
             .text(&format!("variants[{i}][id]"))
@@ -174,7 +172,6 @@ fn parse_variants(form: &MultipartForm) -> Result<Vec<VariantInput>> {
             sku,
             stock,
             price_cents,
-            sale_cents,
             business_sale_cents,
             position: out.len() as i32,
         });
@@ -193,7 +190,8 @@ fn apply_variant(active: &mut product_variants::ActiveModel, input: &VariantInpu
     active.sku = Set(input.sku.clone());
     active.stock = Set(input.stock);
     active.price_cents = Set(input.price_cents);
-    active.sale_price_cents = Set(input.sale_cents);
+    // The per-variant public sale price was removed from the UI; keep it cleared.
+    active.sale_price_cents = Set(None);
     active.business_sale_price_cents = Set(input.business_sale_cents);
     active.position = Set(input.position);
 }
@@ -252,7 +250,6 @@ fn variant_form_json(variant: &product_variants::Model) -> serde_json::Value {
         "sku": variant.sku,
         "stock": variant.stock,
         "price": format_price(variant.price_cents),
-        "sale": variant.sale_price_cents.map(format_price),
         "business_sale": variant.business_sale_price_cents.map(format_price),
     })
 }