Stock control for different sizes/colours

[Angi]

Hi forum,

We want our products to feature a dropdown menu for the customer to select size and colour on some items. We've now discovered we cannot keep track of stock levels with a system like this as we cannot specify what we do and don't have in stock - This is causing a few problems as we don't want to be selling items that we don't have in stock so in which case we are having to upload a lot more data than we thought.

E.g.

We have 2 different tops in the Ladies Fleeces section - With all the different colours, there are 11 products in this section at the moment - By the time we add the S M L XL for each product there will be 44 products in this section alone - Even though there are only 2 different tops.

In the same case.......

We have 5 different coats in the Mens Jacket section section - With all the different colours, there are 9 products in this section at the moment - By the time we add the S M L XL XXL for each product there will be 45 products in this section alone - Even though there are only 5 different coats.

So we're in a bit of catch 22 situation where we can either have huge item pages that you have to scroll through loads before you find the item you want. Or, we can have neat pages with the dropdown selections that allow us to sell stock we might not have or be able to get anymore.

Can anyone help simplify this?

[I-CC]

The only way to do it would be to create hidden products for each of the combinations, then create the real product with its options/choices and within the permutations assign the choices with the hidden products..

That will do it without having a visible product per reference number.

[judithbonser]

showing stock quantities from hidden products

we've set up a product which utilises two hidden products within a drop down menu. we've put the stock quantity within the hidden products, but the quantities aren't being displayed - has anyone done this successfully? if so, what do you need to do?

thanks