Using BTO - Cross

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Cross - Selling.

Printed From: ProductCart E-Commerce Solutions
Category: ProductCart Build To Order
Forum Name: Using BTO
Forum Description: Exchange message with other users of ProductCart Build To Order
URL: https://forum.productcart.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=2284
Printed Date: 24-November-2024 at 4:10pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.04 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Cross - Selling.

Posted By: cmason
Subject: Cross - Selling.
Date Posted: 27-December-2008 at 6:04am

I began this over in the standard products
http://www.earlyimpact.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2281 because I didn't realize it was only a BTO problem, although the problem with the CP may be a shared problem.

1. Cross Selling doesn't display on the PC BTO demo, in the V3.12 I had previously installed, nor in the V3.5 I'm currently exploring.

2. In V3.5 it seems dependent on if addtocart=1
.............
     '// Only run when having "Add to Cart" button
     'IF showAddtoCart=1 THEN
.............
'IF (showAddtoCart=1) AND (scCS=-1 AND cs_showProd="-1") THEN
............

Which makes no sense. Just because the settings aren't showing an add to cart then all that means is that cross sells shouldn't be showing the add to cart checkmarks and verbiage. It doesn't mean all cross sells shouldn't show.

If I comment out the "showAddtoCart=1" statements then either the cross sells show w/o multiple columns OR they display in a single column AND trash the page layout. It's not good.

Replies:

Posted By: DTyler
Date Posted: 27-December-2008 at 2:09pm

The problem is that if you bundle together two products that have options, there wouldn't be an easy way of configuring those options - the bundled items would just go right in the cart and 98% of customers would not see or ignore the "configure items" link in the cart summary.

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Las Vegas Photographers of DTyler Photography -http://www.dtyler-photography.com

Posted By: DTyler
Date Posted: 27-December-2008 at 2:19pm

Well, now that I think about it, the code could be modified to allow bundled items, but instead of just taking you to the cart summary, it could redirect you to reconfigureprd.asp instead.

Or, when you click on the 'configure' button, it could direct you to a new category with bundled items.

Or, you could use javascript to create a hidden div with the css code display:none, find the <---include---> code snippet that allows you to display specials and best sellers anywhere on the page, make your bundled item a 'special item', stick the code in the hidden div and then create a button to change the state of your hidden div from display:none to display:block.

An automatically applied coupon could be set up in the control panel under 'marketing'.

First two solutions might be a bit dodgy, but the last would work like a charm, if you don't mind the thankless job of coding it all....On a previous site, I had used a similar method to create a page 2 and page 3 on a custom computer configurator.

But it seems like it would be easier and more effective to create a coupon instead and link to that.

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Las Vegas Photographers of DTyler Photography -http://www.dtyler-photography.com

Posted By: cmason
Date Posted: 27-December-2008 at 3:14pm

I'm confused. Bundles are just one type of cross sells. Granted not showing them when there's no "Add to Cart" button kinda makes sense but in a Quote Only store they should still be displayed. What are referred to in some places as "Accessories" ("Not a Bundle" in CP) should still show no matter what the state of the store or customer. Otherwise, how will you attract notice for associated products, especially standard associated products?

Posted By: ProductCart
Date Posted: 29-December-2008 at 7:49pm

We will review whether the relationship between "ability to purchase" and "displaying cross-selling items" can be changed without negatively affecting performance.

As always, there are technical reasons why things are handled the way the are. If a product cannot be purchased, then an item cannot be a "required accessory" (check-box is shown) or a bundle (there is no bundle to purchase). If the logic needs to be moved from the page to the cross-sold item level, performance is affected.

-------------
The ProductCart Team

Home of ProductCart http://www.productcart.com" rel="nofollow - shopping cart software

Posted By: cmason
Date Posted: 29-December-2008 at 8:35pm

Thank you. It seems that in V2.76 it was just a simple display of related products and that w/b fine. I wondered during the V3.12 implementation how often someone would add a product to the cart w/o looking at it's details. I noticed I never add Amazon bundles or "suggested" products w/o giving them a detailed look over first.

I'm kinda thinking out loud but I don't think there'd be a big performance hit if it was something like "If Add to Cart" is available then do this - followed by current code. If not, then do simple cross sell. Variable for button showing is already calculated so doing simple cross sell would require less resources than all the calculations occurring now.

Not important if bundles don't show, but it would be nice to be able to request a quote for multiple quantity bundle.

Meanwhile I've customized a solution because this is going to be a quote only situation and added bidirectional lookup so that if A has cross sell B, then B has cross sell A.

Posted By: M Robles
Date Posted: 01-September-2009 at 12:20pm

I hope EI continues to investigate this issue. At the minimum it would be great if the basic function of cross selling could be implemented on BTO products.

The "may we also suggest..." function should be the minimum feature, and as it is now the cross selling relationship is ignored completely.

Posted By: cmason
Date Posted: 01-September-2009 at 1:43pm

Thank you for resurfacing this issue. It seems like there are multiple scenarios where BTO products just aren't as rich, display and functionality, as standard products.

Posted By: M Robles
Date Posted: 25-September-2009 at 3:59pm

Any input from EI on this? For me this would be great tool to use with my large number of BTO products.

Posted By: ProductCart
Date Posted: 29-September-2009 at 4:23am

Cross-selling works just fine for BTO products. However, cross selling items are shown on the product details page: so if you have BTO setup to skip the product details page, they will not be shown as the configuration page will immediately be loaded.

Cross-selling relationships are not displayed on the configuration page for a variety of technical and user interface issues.

-------------
The ProductCart Team

Home of ProductCart http://www.productcart.com" rel="nofollow - shopping cart software

Posted By: M Robles
Date Posted: 01-October-2009 at 5:07pm

Hmm, I think I must have an issue with my store then because that isn't true in my case.

I just went back to test it and it didn't work on my 3.51BA version.