SPP vs MPP

[PatchworkRabbit]

Just wondering about your opinons on SPP vs MPP with regard to certain types of product.

For example, I think that these patterns are more suited to an SPP set up. They're all different and are suited to a good amount of description. Also, customers are likely to only pick one or two. It would look really good to display a page of thumbnails for these, I think.

However, these threads are all the same, just different colours so don't require much in the way of description. Also, the customer often buys many of these (a skein each of many different colours). So, it seems to me they would be better staying as MPP. As there are hundreds of colours of each type of thread, I've already broken them down into alphabetical sections (see: http://www.patchwork-rabbit.co.uk/ac...dye-works.html). I know I certainly wouldn't want to have to navigate to another page for each skein of thread I wanted to order. I'm also considering having a single add to cart button on the thread pages.

Would you agree?

[Rich Brady]

For example, I think that these patterns are more suited to an SPP set up. They're all different and are suited to a good amount of description. Also, customers are likely to only pick one or two. It would look really good to display a page of thumbnails for these, I think.

There would be no point in converting these to SPP unless your prepared to right 2, 3 may be 4 paragraphs on them.

The beauty of SPP is that you can tailor all the SEO work on to that specific product.

If you can't think of unique content for each product then stick to MPP, but insert a fragment talking about the items generally. You do not mention "cross-stitch" once on that page, which I feel would be a major search term in your industry?

EDIT: Also, is using Yard as your unit of measurement a good idea? Are people more comfortable with feet/inches or metric? It may be worth you having some conversion chart on your page too.

[PatchworkRabbit]

There would be no point in converting these to SPP unless your prepared to right 2, 3 may be 4 paragraphs on them.

The beauty of SPP is that you can tailor all the SEO work on to that specific product.

If you can't think of unique content for each product then stick to MPP, but insert a fragment talking about the items generally. You do not mention "cross-stitch" once on that page, which I feel would be a major search term in your industry?

EDIT: Also, is using Yard as your unit of measurement a good idea? Are people more comfortable with feet/inches or metric? It may be worth you having some conversion chart on your page too.

Quite right about the text. At the point I created all those items, I was really just testing ease of data entry compared to my current (I should say previous as I'm just about to hand over my cash for Actinic LOL). My final site will contain much more information.

As for yardage, that's how it comes as it's an American product. Generally, stitchers are very comfortable with imperial measures because American products (99% of what I sell) is measured that way. The UK quilting and stitching world has been very slow to convert to metric for that reason.

Australian patterns measure in metric, though, so I have to be able to sell (or at least provide easy conversion for measures of) fabric in both measures, but that's another battle for another day. I also know there are legal implications about selling in imperial in the UK, which is why I say "5th of skein - approximate yard".


Anywho, the "2 or 3 paragraphs" is an excellent rule of thumb for distinguishing between the two methods. Thanks So, for MPP, each product should have a similar blurb? So, for thread it would be something like, "100% cotton hand overdyed 6 stranded floss from {insert manufacturer}"? Is that better than just having it once on the page header?

[Rich Brady]

So, for MPP, each product should have a similar blurb? So, for thread it would be something like, "100% cotton hand overdyed 6 stranded floss from {insert manufacturer}"? Is that better than just having it once on the page header?

Yes, ideal for the threads really. Identical except for the colour.

[PatchworkRabbit]

Yes, ideal for the threads really. Identical except for the colour.

On each product or just once in the header?

[Rich Brady]

Hmmm, actually you could just have them as single products too and have the colours as a choice?

Norman has a Dynamic Choice Images patch that could work well for you:

http://www.drillpine.biz/actinicstuff/index.html

That you make your whole site SPP, whcih would be good for continuity. Customers would know what to expect from every page then!

So Section and Product Name would/could be:

"Cross Stitch Thread from {insert manufacturer}"

Then page content:

100% cotton cross stitch thread. {insert manufacturer} cross stitch thread is hand overdyed and consists of a 6 stranded floss.

Choose Colour:

Red
Blue
Black"

Does that make sense?

[pinbrook]

I'd have the threads with a single add to cart per page, it will be very annoying to add threads one at a time.

but on the whole you site is best suited to a mixture of mpp and spp

[Rich Brady]

I'd have the threads with a single add to cart per page, it will be very annoying to add threads one at a time.

but on the whole you site is best suited to a mixture of mpp and spp

That's very true. Good point Jo, if people are buying more than one colour at at time then it would be a bit tedious

[PatchworkRabbit]

Yes, I think Jo has it nailed, really.

Thanks so much for your advice everyone

[leehack]

I'd use cut down product layouts so you can offer a matrix type view like this - http://www.medisupplies.co.uk/acatal...ree_Vinyl.html - but with a thumbnail of the colour also included.

[malbro]

Anywho, the "2 or 3 paragraphs" is an excellent rule of thumb for distinguishing between the two methods. Thanks So, for MPP, each product should have a similar blurb? So, for thread it would be something like, "100% cotton hand overdyed 6 stranded floss from {insert manufacturer}"? Is that better than just having it once on the page header?

This is an example of single product but with a choice of colours, not quite the same as yours, but we find customers like this approach http://www.fiddlesticksdevon.co.uk/a...ngel_Yarn.html

[PatchworkRabbit]

This is an example of single product but with a choice of colours, not quite the same as yours, but we find customers like this approach http://www.fiddlesticksdevon.co.uk/a...ngel_Yarn.html

Malbro, that is VERY cool, INDEED I don't suppose you offer that as a plug in, do you? LOL




Right, I've had a play at converting one of my pages to SPP (not published yet), and I've even created my own section link layout to include the price (*takes a bow*) but now I'm dealing with my images being different heights

[pinbrook]

but now I'm dealing with my images being different heights

for a good looking site all images will be the same size...

there are batch programs available to resize.

I tend to use 125x125 or 200x200 for small images

400x400 for larger

[malbro]

Malbro, that is VERY cool, INDEED I don't suppose you offer that as a plug in, do you? LOL

Yes have a look on my main site via the Accredited designer link in the signature

[PatchworkRabbit]

for a good looking site all images will be the same size...

there are batch programs available to resize.

I tend to use 125x125 or 200x200 for small images

400x400 for larger

Yep, agreed. The problem I have is that the patterns I sell aren't a generic size. Some are square, but others are tall and skinny or wide and short.

I think what I'll need to do for the section pages is to have a motif of the odd shaped ones and have the full size picture on SPP. I guess it doesn't matter so much if they're odd sizes, then.

What I haven't worked out yet is how to have to different photos in the two places. I'm guessing it uses the thumbnail for the section? Will have to experiment