Product options and features

The Online Store offers advanced product management and presentation functionality such as setting product availability, adding product options, price comparisons, "Buy now" buttons and "Related items" suggestions. This tutorial will help you get started with the following features:

• PRODUCT AVAILABILITY (INVENTORY AND STOCK MANAGEMENT)

• PRODUCT OPTIONS

• PRODUCT COMBINATIONS

• RELATED PRODUCTS

• THE "BUY NOW" BUTTON

PRODUCT AVAILABILITY

This feature is useful if you are selling a limited number of products, or have run out of a specific product and want to display an "Out of Stock" notification. 

The Online Store makes it easy for you to manage your product availability. Here's how to get started:

1. In the Sitebuilder, click Menu > Store. 
2. Click Catalog > Products.
3. Select the product you'd like to mark as out of stock.
4. In the editing menu, under Availability, click on Disable.
5. This will mark the product as "Out of stock" on your published site.
6. To control your stock and ensure that it is managed effectively, under Stock Control, click Manage.
7. You can indicate the number of items you have in stock, as well as request an email to be sent to you when you are out of stock.
8. When you have finished, click Save.

PRODUCT OPTIONS

The Online Store allows you to customize your product options. You can offer size options for your products, set price differences for different size products, add text boxes for customer notes, have drop-down menus with options (such as whether an item should be gift-wrapped) and allow customers to upload files (for example, if they want to upload an image to print on a t-shirt).

Here's how to get started: 

1. In the Sitebuilder, click Menu > Store. 
2. Click Catalog > Products.
3. Select the product you'd like to edit.
4. In the Product box, click on Options.
5. Decide what you want your option to do and be called and click on New Option.
6. Complete the title (e.g., T-shirt).
7. Select the input type:
   • Select: Drop-down menu with option values (e.g., yes or no for a gift-wrap option). 
   • Radio: Radio-buttons with option values (e.g., small, medium, large).
   • Date Picker: An input box with the popup calendar to select a date. 
   • Text Field and Text Area: One line and multi-line input boxes to enter any text (e.g., if a customer wants to add a message to a gift).
   • Upload file: Allows a customer to attach files to his/her purchase (e.g., if you're selling t-shirts and customers can upload their own designs)
   • Checkboxes: Checkboxes allow customers to select multiple items from one product option. This is helpful if, for example, you are a pizzeria, and you want customers to be able to select a pizza and various toppings.
8. Click on New Selection and then complete the text box under the Title column (e.g., Green t-shirt).
9. Set the price modifier if applicable (e.g., if there is a price difference between this and other options).
10. Column 1
    • "+" adds the amount to the base price.
    • "-" deducts the amount from the base price.
11. Column 2
12. "$" - adds/deducts the amount as money.
13. "%" - adds/deducts the amount as a percentage. 
14. Enter the value (money or percentage dependent upon your selection in column two).
15. If you have more than one selection, then you will need to choose which one is the default one.
16. Column 3
17. Deflt (default)
18. Click Save.
     

If you want more than one selection for each option, just repeat steps 9 and 10 above. You can also add more than one option, by starting from step 5 and going through the process again.  

 

PRODUCT COMBINATIONS

The Product combinations feature allows you to set a separate image/price/SKU/quantity/low stock notification for each set of product options. A good example of this is if you are selling t-shirts; each of your t-shirt sizes is a separate product and is tracked and managed separately.
 

Product combinations can be used in many different ways. Here's just a few: 

• Track inventory per option (stock based on options). For example, you can have one t-shirt available in “S” and “L” sizes, and then you can have a separate stock for each size. So for example, if “S” size is sold out, your customers will still be able to purchase the “L” one.  
• Assign different images to your options. When a customer selects an option, the product's main image is updated. This allows your customers to instantly see what they are going to buy and what the option looks like.
• If your options affect (raise/lower) your product price, the product combinations feature allows you to update your product price on the fly. Your customer will be able to see the new price immediately on the product details page.
• Assign different weight to your options. If you use options to sell products in different packs or bundles, then your shipping methods will return more accurate rates.
   

RELATED PRODUCTS

Sometimes products that are sold separately just supplement each other so better to buy them together (for example, an iPad and an iPad cover), or you need to promote certain products and want your customers to buy more items.

In either case related products feature will be a perfect solution for you, and your customers can buy additional items quickly and easily. You can choose whether to display the Related items suggestions on the product page, or on the shopping bag page.
 

Related products on product details page. 

1. In the Sitebuilder, click Menu > Store. 
2. Click on Catalog > Products.
3. Select the product you would like to add the related items to.
4. On the product page click the Related Products tab. 
5. Click Add Products. 
6. Select the relevant products. 
7. Click Add products.
8. Click Save to finish.

There are three display options

• Show specific products as related ones. Click "Add products" button to assign related products. 
• Display random products from a category. The "Any" option will enable randomly selected items from the whole store. 
• Combination. Displays specific and random items.

The chosen related products will be displayed on the product details page under the "You May Also Like" section.
 

Related products on the bag page.

This is a handy option to have if your customer missed or didn’t add a related item from the product details page. You can remind about it on the shopping bag page, and the "You May Also Like" section will appear on the bag page and list the related items specified for the products added to the bag. 

Follow the steps above to add related products, and then: 

1. In the Sitebuilder, click Menu > Store. 
2. Go to Settings > General > Cart.
3. Scroll down to the "Related products" section. 
4. Under the On Cart page option, click Enable.
5. Click Save. 

The related products will be displayed on the bag page.

THE "BUY NOW" BUTTON

Adding a "Buy now" to a product means that a customer can add a product to their cart without having to click through to the product details first. Fewer clicks to purchase reduce abandonment and ensure a speedy purchase process for your customers. 

Here's how to add a "Buy now" button to your product list:

1. In the Sitebuilder, click Menu > Store. 
2. Go to Settings > General > Cart.
3. In the "Catalog Settings" section, check the box next to "Show "Buy now" buttons on products list pages".
4. Click Save.