Need Help with Matrix

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   Hello,

We are currently working on an ecommerce for a retailer that sells linens and home fashions.

In our clients industry, we will need to have a matrix feature very similar to:
http://www.beddingsuperstore.com/i?store=cat&id=3311&sid=1B3C1S3WYU780N &
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/Product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=117500 

Where the customer has the ability to buy a product based on the following fields:
Product Name, Size (Twin, Single, King, Queen), Sugg.Retail Price, Sales Price, Quantity and Add to Cart option.
So the matrix will enable the customer to choose the style of i.e. Duvet Covers, size king, 1.

Do you recommend we use the standard Product Cart solution...or do we have to add and customize the Apparel ADD on?

What do you recommend?

Please advise.
Thanks,

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Diego Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 23-July-2009 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Diego Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Need Help with Matrix Posted: 23-July-2009 at 12:33am
	Hello, We are currently working on an ecommerce for a retailer that sells linens and home fashions. In our clients industry, we will need to have a matrix feature very similar to: http://www.beddingsuperstore.com/i?store=cat&id=3311&sid=1B3C1S3WYU780N & http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/Product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=117500 Where the customer has the ability to buy a product based on the following fields: Product Name, Size (Twin, Single, King, Queen), Sugg.Retail Price, Sales Price, Quantity and Add to Cart option. So the matrix will enable the customer to choose the style of i.e. Duvet Covers, size king, 1. Do you recommend we use the standard Product Cart solution...or do we have to add and customize the Apparel ADD on? What do you recommend? Please advise. Thanks,

Greg Dinger Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Certified ProductCart Developers Joined: 23-September-2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 238	Post Options Post Reply Quote Greg Dinger Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23-July-2009 at 12:45am
	So far it looks like you can do this with the standard version, unless you need to use the inventory feature on a size-by-size basis, and those sizes attributes are all to be on the same SKU. The apparel mod is useful when selling products which have multiple attributes such a color and size, and where you need to be able to reflect stock levels for each of those distinct breakdowns. Apparel mod also lets you set independent weights and prices per combination of color and size (for example). Either way, you will need to alter the category page a bit to achieve the layout you are demonstrating here.

Diego Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 23-July-2009 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Diego Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23-July-2009 at 12:47am
	Thank you for your reply and help. Diego

katharina Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 25-October-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote katharina Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23-July-2009 at 11:09am
	I used to do it without the apparel add-on, and it worked just fine. The down side is that it does not handle the inventory count for each item with option like the size. We did upgrade to the apparel add on and love it. Now we have a count for each item. It was worse the investment. Early impact has a demo online. Play with it. Katharina
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Hamish Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 12-October-2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 56	Post Options Post Reply Quote Hamish Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23-July-2009 at 11:19am
	Hi Katharina, I hope that was a typo :-) "It was worse the investment."
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benpate Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 15-February-2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote benpate Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23-July-2009 at 1:49pm
	I dont know if this works for you, but what I did was create a category and then use the multiple add to cart display for the products. Here is a link where you can see what Im talking about http://www.qtoner.us/Dell-3115cn-Toner-Cartridges
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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23-July-2009 at 2:48pm
	Hi Diego, After looking at your examples and benpate's example, I think his solution is just what you are looking for and it's an option in the standard version. I don't think the Apparel add-on is what you want for this, and if you were to use that for this, it would require customizations to the layout to make it look like this.

Greg Dinger Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Certified ProductCart Developers Joined: 23-September-2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 238	Post Options Post Reply Quote Greg Dinger Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23-July-2009 at 3:28pm
	Diego - Sean has that right. Here is a store with apparel and non-apparel products listed, and I have forced the page to display in the mode you are looking at using. http://www.buygolfshirts.net/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=21&pageStyle=m As you can see, the "multiple add to cart" version of this page does not allow apparel products to be placed in the cart directly - you need to click through to the product page to select such items. So if you don't need to support distinct prices, weights and inventory levels for each individual pairing of color and size (for example), standard works. If you need such support, it's mod time.

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23-July-2009 at 3:46pm
	Looking at the example stores Diego provided, the variation seems to only be size -- no combination of options. So, with only one variation, the number of Apparel product sub-products would be the same as creating a (non-apparel) product for each of these options (whereas a combo of 3 size and 3 color options would generate 9 sub-products). And, in fact, on the example stores, each of the size variations is created as a separate product. What's more there is the display of list price vs sale price -- no option for that in the apparel add-on without customization. So, by setting up the products individually for each size, there would be no issue with weights, inventory, or pricing. One small customization would be required here, though, to display the size in the matrix. This could be added as a custom field in the control panel, and then would just need a small customization to display it on category pages.

intour Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 30-June-2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote intour Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27-July-2009 at 12:20pm
	Thats really neat Greg - I like what you have done with the golf shirt store. Nigel
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