Can Product just be a Link?

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   Every once in a while I'd to place a thumbnail into a category that linked  somewhere (not to a product listing).
Most often the link would be a product cart PAGE that might have frequently asked questions, or it could be a link to a different category in our store...
While using a "Product" to create a FAQ might be helpful (this is how I currently solve the problem), I would be better served having control over the link and being able to send the click somewhere else.
Has anybody done this?

Thanks,
Luke

calhouncycle.com

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l.Breen Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 15-November-2010 Location: Minneapolis Status: Offline Points: 10	Post Options Post Reply Quote l.Breen Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Can Product just be a Link? Posted: 14-December-2012 at 9:34am
	Every once in a while I'd to place a thumbnail into a category that linked somewhere (not to a product listing). Most often the link would be a product cart PAGE that might have frequently asked questions, or it could be a link to a different category in our store... While using a "Product" to create a FAQ might be helpful (this is how I currently solve the problem), I would be better served having control over the link and being able to send the click somewhere else. Has anybody done this? Thanks, Luke calhouncycle.com

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: 14-December-2012 at 2:35pm
	Do you mean something like this page on your site? http://www.calhouncycle.com/productcart/pc/Brompton-US-Championship-Race-2012-126p3155.htm So you'd like the link to the from its category page to go to something else rather than a product page, is that it? This could be done very simply with the use of ISAPI_Rewrite or URL Rewrite extension for IIS.

l.Breen Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 15-November-2010 Location: Minneapolis Status: Offline Points: 10	Post Options Post Reply Quote l.Breen Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14-December-2012 at 3:28pm
	Hi Sean, Yes, That is an example of using a product page to pass along information. In that case the item had been a registration for an event and after the event we were getting a lot of hits coming into it (from other sites linking +), so after the event we hijacked it as an opportunity to market, blah, blah... The more I look at it the more challenged I am. Here's an example in which I wish the subcategory "24" Wheel *FAQ•" could be a link: http://www.calhouncycle.com/productcart/pc/24-inch-c217.htm When I add the FAQ as a product mixed with categories I end up getting this page, which isn't very appealing: http://www.calhouncycle.com/productcart/pc/16-inch-c221.htm

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: 14-December-2012 at 3:58pm
	I guess I'm not real clear on what you are trying to accomplish. You do or do not want these kinds of pages interspersed with actual products on category pages? Or as subcategories on category pages? That seems to me like rather confusing navigation. Is there any reason not to build content pages for this sort of thing and make the links to them in the category description area?

l.Breen Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 15-November-2010 Location: Minneapolis Status: Offline Points: 10	Post Options Post Reply Quote l.Breen Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14-December-2012 at 4:56pm
	So currently I'm working on a category page. There are just 2 categories on it and I'd like to add a 3rd thumbnail that would have the same look as the 2 "actual" categories, but when clicked on, you'd end up on a Product Cart PAGE (content page, right?). I didn't know that I could add links to the description for a category. That is pretty nice, but ideally I'd not make people click twice to get to this content page. I think I'm learning that I cannot do that, right? Thank You, Luke

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: 14-December-2012 at 6:26pm
	We made alterations to the category admin for another client which would largely accomplish what you are asking for. In their case, they have a vendor who provides a site that carries part of their products, and that site is tailored to look exactly like their PC store. We added a field to the category admin which is used to capture a URL. When that field is filled in, the category page will substitute the "stock link" for the revised link, and thus allows them to point certain categories out to this second site. In your case, the extra URL could be used to point to your product page.

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: 14-December-2012 at 7:31pm
	Hi Luke, What version of IIS is your server running? If 7 or better then it should have the URL Rewrite extension. With that you could redirect (301) the category URLs to the content page you want to take them to. You do this through your web.config file. If an older server, then maybe there's a chance it's running ISAPI_Rewrite? If neither of those are an option, or you'd just rather have a super simple way to do it through the control panel, then it would require a customize as Greg describes.

l.Breen Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 15-November-2010 Location: Minneapolis Status: Offline Points: 10	Post Options Post Reply Quote l.Breen Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14-December-2012 at 11:14pm
	So there's a bit of hope after all. Thanks for the replies. The server is running IIS 6, but the live chat person thought that if I put in a request I will likely get the update because it looks like my plan should be IIS 7. I put in my request and should find out soon. If that doesn't fly, then teh custom configuration probably makes sense as the more I work this through in my head, the more opportunities I see to use the redirect to my benefit. Thank You, Luke

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: 17-December-2012 at 2:17pm
	There's always hope, Luke ;-) Make sure that they have the URL Redirect extension plugged into IIS 7. It's a free snapp-in, but doesn't come loaded by default. Once that is in place, then you can easily handle 301 redirects through the web.config file in your web root (at least, that's where it would normally reside). When you get to that point, let me know if you need help with the syntax.

l.Breen Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 15-November-2010 Location: Minneapolis Status: Offline Points: 10	Post Options Post Reply Quote l.Breen Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17-December-2012 at 2:50pm
	Hi Sean, Thanks for the encouragement. I'll let you know if there are troubles that I need help with. Much appreciated, Luke