For more complex products where the user can "build" the product making a number of selections, you can use the product configurator. This allows you ask the user to select from a number of dropdown lists and/or enter some text values. And depending on their selection, you can adjust the price upwards or downwards.
Note you cannot manage stock using the product configurator.
Where do you enter the product configuration?
When logged in as web admin and on the product detail page, just click EDIT PRODUCT CONTENT and scroll down the left side to this box:
Use NOTEPAD and PREVIEW
The Product Configuration box above is very small so it's best to use NOTEPAD for building up your configurations and then copying and pasting it into the box above - and then clicking PREVIEW to see what it looks like before you decide whether to click SAVE or not.
Rules for the Configurator
For the product configurator, you enter a configuration field which is a large textbox where you enter a list of commands which are executed from the top down.
- Special Characters: The following characters are special characters and cant be used in the display titles or codes: =,;+,-
- " cannot be used in private catalogues (a category of products seen only by specific trade customers)
- Question Types: These can be DROPDOWN or TEXTBOX and you use the following formats - note that the user will need to fill in every field (they cant skip a field) + if you are having one or more textboxes, these need to be the last fields (i.e. you have the dropdowns first and then any textboxes):
- Dropdown: This is a dropdown list of options
- Textbox: This is a textbox which allows the user enter a value to enter up to 100 characters
DROPDOWN: Display Title
TEXTBOX: Display Title
- Dropdown
- Under this, you enter a separate line for each option using the following syntax (the "code" field allows you add options that only display if the previous dropdown list's "code" was selected which you enter under "previous codes" - see example below):
Previous Codes (use + to seperate): OPTION: Display Title = Code = +/-price
- Textbox
- Under this, you have the option of entering a separate line with the following to allow for blank values to be entered
AllowBlank
- CopyConfiguration=ProductCode - use this to tell the configurator to use the configuration from another product (this allows you have 1 configuration that is then reused by other products)
- Note that you can set a different product code above to override the configuration from the product that you are copying from
- Title_Standard=StdTitle - if you would like to change the title on the standard tab, enter it here
- Title_Custom=CustomTitle - if you would like to change the title on the custom tab, enter it here
- TotalPriceTitle=CustomTItle - if you would like to change the Total Price: title to a different title, enter it here
- PostPriceText=CustomText - if you would like to add some text just above the Add To Basket button, enter it here
- SetUp=StandardDefault -the default set up is that the STANDARD tab is shown first and the user can click on the CUSTOM tab to set up the custom product - the following are the options for this setting:
- StandardDefault (the default setting)
- CustomDefault = the screen will default to the CUSTOM tab
- CustomOnly = the screen will not have any tabs and only allow purchasing the CUSTOM product
- LeadTime=NumberDaysLeadTime - this is an optional field that you can use if you want to add a lead time for collecting the order - this is only used when you turn on the Collection Date feature - click here for more details - e.g. if it takes 3 days to build this product, set "LeadTime=3"
- AllowCustomOOS=Y - if you want to still be able to sell custom products even when the standard product is OUT OF STOCK, add this setting. Note that if you don't show OUT OF STOCK products on your website, you may also need to check the "Display Always" checkbox under the STOCK tab under EDIT PRODUCT in the admin section.
Mandatory Settings
You must add the following settings to the configuration:
- ProductCode=A1234 - You must enter a product code that does not already exist - if the code exists, the product configurator will not display
- BasePrice=99.99 - You must enter the base price for this product - (note that you can also add/subtract charges for specific dropdown list options above)
Product Code and Title when added to Basket
When a user adds a customised product to the basket, it uses the product code in the configuration, and changes the parent title to have the custom tab title added to it.
Example Configuration
The following is an example configuration which gives the user the option of building a custom golf club. The first question is "Hand Choice". The next question will appear showing "Loft Choice" and will show options depending on what was selected for "Hand Choice". The "8.5 Degree" option will add €2.50 to the price while the "9.5 Degree" option will deduct €1.50 from the price. And if the user selects either 10.5 or 12 degrees, they can enter their name which will be printed on the club for an additional €3
ProductCode=A1234
BasePrice=4.99
Title_Standard=Std
Title_Custom=Build Your Own
DROPDOWN: Hand Choice
OPTION: Right Hand=RH
OPTION: Left Hand=LH
DROPDOWN: Loft Choice
RH+LH: OPTION: 8.5 Degree = 8.5D =+2.50
RH+LH: OPTION: 9.5 Degree = 9.5D =-1.50
RH: OPTION: 10.5 Degree = 10.5D
LH: OPTION: 12 Degree = 12D
TEXTBOX: Enter Your Name
Example Configuration 2
The following copies the settings from another product with product code AB1234:
CopyConfiguration=AB1234
ProductCode=B23456
BasePrice=15.99
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