ECMS Product Types

From NewHaven Software Wiki

There are numerous product types in eCMS. Below is a list of product types and how to setup them up.

Main Product Type

The three main types of products are:

• Regular - This is your standard product. If a product has no color or size options this is the usually the best choice. When you create a new product or upload a product from CMS this is the default type of product that will be created.

• Content Only - Content only products are good for display information. They are not a normal product and cannot be added to the cart. To setup a content only product select Content Only from the Product Type drop down box at the top of the product page.

• Build a Product - Build a Product allows you to create a multiple step product and then offer a discount on the product. For example, you may sell skateboards and want to give the customer an option to select various wheels, boards, and other components. Once a user has put together a skateboard you may want to then give them 10% off the product. When added to the cart the products are added individually and cannot be modified. To setup a 'build a product' select Build a Product from the Product Type drop down at the top of the product page.

Secondary Product Types

The other product types are options to Regular Products and can be found in 'Product' >> Options >> Options >> Product Type:

• Basic Product - This is your basic product. There are no user selectable options such as size and color.

• Has Sub-Products - A product with sub-products allows the user to select various options from the product page. An example would be a tin of peanut brittle that comes in three different sizes. Each size can be a sub-product of the main peanut brittle product. All sub-products are unique products with their own SKU and inventory levels. To add sub-products after you have setup a product type as Has Sub-Products, navigate to the product in Inventory >> All Products and look for the view sub-product link to the right of the product name.

• Has Attributes - Attributes are a way to allow the user to select combinations of attributes, like sizes and colors. In CMS this would be akin to the SKU Wizard. To add attributes after you have setup a product type as Has Attrbibutes, navigate to the product in Inventory >> All Products and look for the view attributes link to the right of the product name. Note: If you upload products from CMS that have size/color combinations then those will automatically be created as attributes.

• Kit Product - A kit product is a pre-defined group of products you can offer the customer. You can set a price for the kit that is different than the sum of it's products. Great for gift baskets and samplers. After you setup a product as a Kit Product you can add products to the kit by going to Options >> Kit Products and selecting the products you wish to add.

• Gift Set - Gift sets are a way to setup a pre-defined list of products and allow users to select a given segment of products that you determine. For example, you could have 8 options and allow the user to select up to 4. After you choose Save and Close on a Gift Set you will be taken to another page where you can select the products for the Gift Set.

When Gift Products are imported into CMS the parent SKU for the product is used for the main product and the components are added to the <CustomizationLine> in the XML and displayed when you hover over a product on the invoice screen.