1. Adding a Product
How product categories, tags, and attributes work:
1a. Product Categories
Product categories are the primary way to group products with similar features. Subcategories can also be created if required.
Categories are managed from the Products > Categories screen.
You can add, delete, and edit product categories.
- Add a Name.
- Add a Slug (optional); this is the URL-friendly version of the name.
- Choose a Parent if this is a subcategory.
- Enter a Description (optional);
- Choose the Display type. Decide what is shown on the category’s landing page. “Standard” uses your theme’s default. “Subcategories” will display only the subcategories. “Products” only displays products. “Both” will display subcategories and products below that.
- Upload/Add Image (optional); Some navigation themes have pages where product category images are displayed, so this is a good idea.
Categories can also be reordered by dragging and dropping – this order is used by default on the front end whenever the categories are listed. This includes the category/subcategory views on product pages.
For the entire catalogue there is a default category. Every product must be assigned to a category, so the default category will be automatically assigned if the product is not assigned to any other category. By default, this category will be named “Uncategorised” and can not be deleted. However, you can rename the category. You can also switch the default category using the row actions underneath the category name, then the “Uncategorised” category can be deleted as it is no longer the default.
When you add a new product via Products > Add Product, you can select this new product category from the list.
Alternatively, you can go to Products > Add Product directly, and select Add New Product Category.
1b. Product Tags
Product tags are a useful way to group products together. There is no hierarchy in tags; so there are no “subtags.”
For example, if you sell stationery, and you have a back to school promotion, you could make a tag for “back to school.” Then add that tag to the menu or sidebar so visitors can easily find all the products related to back to school..
1c. Attributes
A third and important way to group products is to use attributes for variable products.
To create a variable product, an attribute must first be defined for the product. These attributes can then be used to make a distinction between different variations.
Go to Products > Attributes to add, edit, and remove attributes.
Here you can quickly and easily add attributes and their terms.
- Add a Name.
- Add a Slug; (optional); this is the URL-friendly version of the name.
- Enable Archives if desired. If enabled, you can view a page with all products having this attribute. For example, if you have this enabled, and “black” is one of the options under “color”, you can add http://yourstore.com/pa_color/black/ to your menu to only display black clothing – pa stands for “product attribute.”
- Select a Default sort order. Choose between “Name”, “Name (numeric)”, “Term ID” or “Custom ordering” where you decide by dragging and dropping the terms in the list when configuring the terms. “Name (numeric)” is relevant if the values are numbers. If you select “Name”, it sorts alphabetically with 1 and 10 preceding 2. If you select “Name (numeric)” it sorts based on numerical value.
Select Add Attribute.
The attribute is added in the table on the right, but without values.
Select the “Configure terms” text to add attribute values.
Next, Add New “Attribute name”, where “Attribute Name” automatically takes the name you gave the attribute in the previous step.
Add as many values as you wish. If you selected “Custom ordering” for the attribute, reordering your values can be done here.
Add the created attributes to your products.
- Go to: Products > Add Product (or edit an existing one).
- Select the Attributes tab in the Product Data. There you can choose any of the attributes that you’ve created in the dropdown menu.
- Select Add.
If you selected a global attribute that you previously created, you can select terms that you added previously.
Add custom Attributes
Should you have a product with unique variations, you can add an attribute applicable to that product only.
- Go to: Product > Add Product.
- Select the Attributes tab.
- Select Custom product attribute in the dropdown and follow the steps above.
1d. Product Types
With attributes and categories set up we can begin adding products. The Product Types are listed below:
- Simple – covers most of the products you may sell. Simple products are shipped and have no options. For example, a book.
- Grouped – a collection of related products that can be purchased individually and only consist of simple products. For example, a set of six drinking glasses.
- Virtual – one that doesn’t require shipping. For example, a service. Enabling this, disables all shipping related fields such as shipping dimensions. A virtual product will also not trigger the shipping calculator in cart and checkout.
- External or Affiliate – one that you list and describe on your website but is sold elsewhere.
- Variable – a product with variations, each of which may have a different SKU, price, stock option, etc. For example, a lever arch file available in different sizes and in different colours.
Simple Products
- Go to Products > Add Product.
- Enter a product Title and Description.
- Go to the Product Data panel, and select downloadable (digital) or virtual (service) if applicable.
2a. Product Data
The Product Data meta box is where all the relevant data and information is added for the products.
General section
- Price
- Regular Price – Item’s normal/regular price
- Sale Price – Item’s discounted price that can then be scheduled for certain date ranges. The sale expires at 11:59pm of the specified end date
- Tax
- Tax status – Taxable / Shipping only / None
- Tax class – Choose which tax class should be applied
Inventory section
The inventory section allows you to manage stock for the product individually and define whether to allow back orders and more. It enables you to sell products and allow customers to add them to the cart to buy.
Enable Stock Management must be selected in Products Inventory Settings; otherwise, only the ‘Stock status’ option is visible in the Product Data Inventory box.
Options when stock management at product level is disabled. You are responsible for updating the Stock Status.
Options when stock management at product level is enabled.
- Enter the Stock Quantity, and QuarterMaster auto-manages inventory and auto-updates Stock Status as Stock, Out of Stock or On Backorder.
- Select whether to Allow Backorders.
- Low stock threshold – Enter a number upon which you are notified.
- Tick the Sold Individually box to limit the product to one per order.
Shipping section
- Weight – Weight of the item.
- Dimensions – Length, width and height for the item.
- Shipping Class – Shipping classes are used by certain shipping methods to group similar products.
Linked Products section
Using up-sells and cross-sells, you can cross promote your products. They can be added by searching for a particular product and selecting the product from the dropdown list:
Up-sells are displayed on the product details page. These are products that you may wish to encourage users to upgrade to, based on the product they are currently viewing. For example, if the user is viewing the coffee product listing page, you may want to display tea kettles on that same page as an up-sell.
Cross-sells are products that are displayed with the cart and related to the user’s cart contents. As an example, if the user adds a Nintendo DS to their cart, you may want to suggest they purchase a spare stylus when they arrive at the cart page.
Grouping – Used to make a product part of a grouped product.
Attributes section
On the Attributes tab, you can assign details to a product. You will see a select box containing global attribute sets you created (e.g. platform).
Once you have chosen an attribute from the select box, click add and apply the terms attached to that attribute to the product. You can hide the attribute on the frontend by leaving the Visible checkbox unticked.
Custom attributes can also be applied by choosing Custom product attribute from the select box. These are added at the product level and won’t be available in layered navigation or other products.
Advanced section
- Purchase note – Enter an optional note to send the customer after they purchase the product.
- Menu order – Custom ordering position for this item.
- Enable Reviews – Enable/Disable customer reviews for this item.
2b. Product Short Description
Add an excerpt. This typically appears next to product imagery on the listing page, and the long description appears in the Product Description tab.
Videos can also be imbedded in the product page.
2c. Taxonomies
On the right-hand side of the Add New Product panel, there are product categories in which you can place your product. You can also assign product tags in the same way. The same product can be listed in multiple categories for maximum exposure if needed.
3a. Adding Product Images and Galleries
Images are measured and set in pixels, for example, 800 x 800 pixels. Note that the first number is the width and the second is height.
Types of Images (Determined by location and purpose)
- Single Product Image is the largest image and refers to the main/featured image on your individual product details page.
- Catalog Images are medium-sized images appearing in product loops, such as the Shop page, Product Category pages, Related Products, Up-sells, and Cross-sells.
- Product thumbnails are the smallest images used in the Cart, Widgets, and (optional) Gallery thumbnails underneath the Single Product Image.
Product Images and Galleries
Adding product images and galleries are options available on the right-hand side when adding or editing a product in your store.
Product Image
The Product Image is the main image for your product and is reused in different sizes across your store.
Select Set Product Image.
Select an existing image in your Media Library or Upload a new one.
Remove and Edit the product image if you’d like to change it, as needed.
Adding, removing and editing a product image is done in the same way as featured images for posts and pages.
Product Galleries
Product galleries display all images attached to a product through the Product Gallery meta box.
Create a Product Gallery using the same method as adding a Product Image, but using the Product Gallery meta box.Reorder images in the product gallery
Images in the product gallery can be re-ordered easily via drag and drop. Simply reorder your images by moving them around.
Remove images from the product gallery
To remove an image from the product gallery, hover over the image and click on the red “x.”
Customer view
Once a product image and gallery have been added, customers can see them in your store.
- Zoom and see a closeup of the image by hovering over it.
- Or customers can click the Magnifying Glass+ option in the upper right corner.
- And a Lightbox pops up so customers can see a highlighted closeup of the image against a dark background and, if there is one, view the Gallery as a slideshow.
3b. Setting Catalog Visibility options and Feature Status
- Shop and search – Visible everywhere, shop pages, category pages and search results.
- Shop only – Visible in shop pages and category pages, but not search results.
- Search only – Visible in search results, but not in the shop page or category pages.
- Hidden – Only visible on the single product page – not on any other pages.
You can also set whether the product is promoted in product categories, up-sells, related products as a Featured Product. For example, you could tick the Featured box on all bundles you sell.
4. Adding a Grouped Product
A grouped product is created in much the same way as a Simple product. The only difference is you select Grouped from the Product Type dropdown.
- Go to: Products > Add New.
- Enter a Title for the Grouped product, e.g., Back to School set
- Scroll down to Product Data and select Grouped from the dropdown. The price and several other fields disappear. This is normal because a Grouped Product is a collection of ‘child products’, which is where you add this information.
- Publish.
The Grouped product is still an empty group. To this Grouped product, you need to:
- Create products and add them
- Add existing child products
Having the choice to first create Simple products and add them to a Grouped product later; or first create a Grouped product and add Simple products later gives you flexibility to add Simple products to more than one Grouped product.
- Go to: Products > Add New.
- Select the Grouped product you need to add products to.
- Scroll down to Product Data and go to Linked Products.
- Select Grouped Products, and search for the product by typing.
- Click the products you wish to add.
- Update
- You can drag and drop to reorder the Grouped Products. Once you press Update, the new order will be shown on the product page.
5. Adding a Virtual Product
When adding a Simple product, you can tick the Virtual checkbox box in the product type panel.
With Variable products this checkbox is moved to each variation.
Enabling this, disables all shipping related fields such as shipping dimensions. A virtual product will also not trigger the shipping calculator in cart and checkout.6. Variable Products
Adding a Variable Product
To add a variable product, create a new product or edit an existing one.
- Go to: QuarterMaster > Products.
- Select the Add Product button or Edit an existing product. The Product Data displays.
- Select Variable product from the Product Data dropdown.
Editing Many Variations
If you have more than 15 variations, use the buttons to navigate forward and backward through the list. Each time you navigate to a new set of variations, the previous set is saved. This ensures that all data is saved.
Setting Defaults
Set defaults you prefer on variations. In the example, no default form values were set, so users can pick any color and size right away from the product page.
If you want a certain variation already selected when a user visits the product page, choose the default form values. This also enables the Add to Cart button to appear automatically on variable product pages.
You can only set defaults after at least one variation has been created.
7. Duplicating a Product
To save time, it’s possible to use a product and duplicate it to create similar products with variations and other qualities.
8. Deleting Products
To delete a product:
- Go to: Products.
- Find the product you wish to delete.
- Hover in the area under the Product name and click Trash.
9. Mark a Product as Featured
10. Filter or Sort Products
Filtering Products
- Go to: Products.
- Select a Category, Product Type and/or Stock Status, or any combination of the three.
- Click Filter.
Sorting Products
- Go to: Products.
- Select Sorting.
- Select a Category, Product Type and/or Stock Status, or any combination of the three.
- Click Filter.