I'm considering the BTO version of the product and have been exploring the demo computer store, both the front end and back end control panel. 

I've experienced some issues when adding finalized quotes to the cart and at this point I'm not sure if this is a general problem or only an issue in the demo.  I can create and configure BTO products just fine.   When acting as a customer on the front end I can configure and save the quote okay (the button text of 'Request a Quote' doesn't quite fit since it really just saves the configuration for the customer - it isn't really submitted to the store yet).  From the Saved Products page, the 'Submit Quote' button works as expected (this one could be labeled 'Request a Quote').

Within the Control Panel, I can View/Edit and Finalize just fine.  Back to the customer on the front end, the buttons now change to 'Place Order', although clicking them sends a product to the Cart, so maybe 'Add to Cart' would be a better label.  Functionally, I like the way it adds configured products to the cart after receiving the priced quote, but here is where I see the problems.

If I add a single configured and quoted product to the cart, then add additional standard products, the cart holds all the contents and checkout works well.  If I add standard products to the cart first, then add a configured and quoted product, the cart is emptied of all the previous additions and leaves only the configured item.  Also, if the customer has configured multiple BTO products, has recieved quotes back from the store, the customer is unable to add them all - adding a second BTO quoted product removes the first one added to the cart.  If BTO products are removed from the cart, they sometimes can't be added back to the cart either - the screen swithes to the cart, but the BTO is not added (I'm not certain of all the conditions under which this occurs).

So, sorry if this explanation is too long winded or if this is not the appropriate avenue for describing the experience I've had with the demo, but my questions basically come down to whether or not anybody has experienced this behavior in the purchased product or if this is just a problem with the demo.

Thanks.

Hi eliot,

To reply to your questions:

• Buttons are completely customizable, so you can certainly change them
• The behavior that you are describing is probably a "feature limitation" at this time. It's never been brought up to our attention by any Build To Order user as a potential issue. That's probably because the "Request a Quote" functionality is typically used on stores where there are no products available for sale "as is" (e.g. catering service where everything is quoted). Still, we will bring this to the attention of the programming team.

Let us know if you have other questions.

Hi eliot,

just a quick message to let you know that our development team has already removed the feature limitation mentioned above. http://www.earlyimpact.com/productcart/build_to_order/productcart/pc/viewcategories.asp?idCategory=118&pageStyle=P - This Build To Order demo store has been updated with the latest files.

Wow, that is some impressively fast updating!  It works much better now when a customer adds both standard and customized products to a cart.  The only issue I notice now is that it seems the cart can only contain one configured version of any particular BTO product at a time.  For example, if the customer customizes two different BTOs, submits quotes, receives quotes back, then adds each to the cart, it works great.  But, if the customer sets up two different customizations of the same base product, submits quotes, receives quotes back, only one can be added to the cart.  Attempts to add the second customization version bounces to the cart, but it isn't added.  If the first version is deleted, the second can be added, but then the first can't be added back again.

Thanks for the updates.