How do product options work in the system?
Product Options - The Theory & How They are Organized
Master-Sub Relationships
Within the ez print commerce engine, we have applied a very flexible and powerful approach to how options are applied to products. In essence, options are all based upon a master option & sub-option relationship.
Some basic master options might include: artwork, proof, perforation.
The sub-options of the above might include: artwork:yes, proof:online, perforation:yes.
Within your database we have included many of the most commonly requested options used.
You can view the options pre-loaded on your database by clicking the "Product Options" link, under the "Products & Pricing" tab in your control panel.
What control over your options do you have?
In short, the requirement, the default to be displayed and the order in which they are listed.
Basic contol over your master options include:
- 1. Setting the available sub-options for the master.
- 2. Setting the requirement ("Yes", required or "No", not required).
- 3. Setting the default sub-option for the master. (Simply click on the sub-option of the master to set it as the default. Default sub-options are bolded.)
To adjust the side options available for the master, simply click on the master option link ("Sides" in this example), and add the sub-options you would like to have available.
You can also customize how the sub-options are referred to on your site as well as the display order. To customize the display of a sub-options simply click on the sub-option link and adjust the information as needed. Ordering a master or sub-option is easy, the ordering system uses a numerical approach, starting with 0. The lower the number the preference it will receive.
Example: A master option of "Sides" with an order value of 0, will come before the master option "Perforation", with value of 1. Same for sub-options. A sub-option order value is only compared to other sub-options within its master category.
To update the display order, change the values in the order fields as needed and click the "Update Order" button. To add addtional master options to your database click the "Configure Options" button, and add the available master options to your database as needed. To add the sub-options of your newly added master options, click the "Configure Option Values" button.
Congratulations, you have successfully "mastered" prodcut options for your e-commerce system.