Help needed

[IOAF]

Hi, ive just started using actinic and im getting better at finding my way around but ive come accross a problem.

On my store im going to sell kitchen units, there is 25 ranges of kitchens, and 2 different colours or units to choose from.

The way i have the catalog set up is:

Kitchens > Kitchen range 1 >

Base units
Wall units
Tall Units

Kitchen range 2 >

Base units
Wall units
Tall Units

Kitchen range 3 >

Base units
Wall units
Tall Units

ETC...

When going into the 'kitchen range #' page, is it possible to have the page ask what colour they want the cabinets, then once a colour is chosen taking them to the page listing the different type's of units?

The question does not need to effect any prices etc. just let me no in the order what colour they want.

Ive put a message in the checkout page asking what colour they would like BUT we want to sell other products other than kitchens on the store. We also feel that the customer shouldent need to choose what colour they want each cabinet, just one overall option at one stage of ordering the kitchen components.

Hope this is not to confusing! but i cant get my head around it!

[jont]

Hi Thomas - why not simply ask the question against each of the products using a radio button? That would keep maintenance down to a minimum and make usability more user friendly as they are selecting by type of kitchen first and then being asked if they want it in say red or blue.

If you want to keep the question asking to a minimum you would need to create duplicates of all products and place into master sections based on colour first and then kitchen type. For me this would be more confusing than being asked the colour of each item.

Simply attach an attribute to the product and then assign 2 choices for the colours - you can then copy and paste this to every product in the store

[IOAF]

Hi jonty.

Thats a good way to do it, i agree, but im building the site for someone else who wants it the way i described above.

each product has the quantity box with it, then also there is options for size that we have radio buttons set to, there can be upto 8 sizes on some of the producs, i think colours aswell will get confusing.

Also there is more chance of customer error, one minght forget half way through the order what colour they are ordering, or accidently forget / pick the wrong one.

its all these posibilities we have to concider, and we think that 1 overall option for colour thats is asked to the user will be the best thing to do.

Help anyone?

[jont]

If not against each product there are at least 2 options:

1. have a global question asked in the cart

2. create products for each variation of colour so no need to ask a question

each causes as many issues as it solves!

[IOAF]

i think i will go with creating 2 products.

Thanks for the help jonty

[pinbrook]

but im building the site for someone else who wants it the way i described above.

one of the skills of being a webdesigner is to be able to suggest a better way of doing things and then bring the client round to this.

It is all to easy to do as the client requests but this is not necessarity the best way to do it - you are the professional here - part of your job is to add improvements to the requirement.