Option lists

[Don]

Is there a way when using option lists to "cause" the customer to make a
decision. Say there are 3 flavors and you would like them to choose one of
them. I am using shopsite 5.01 and linux.

[Switch Hits]

Don,

No one is jumping on this so let me give you my experience from a merchant's
point of view.

As you can see at http://www.switchhits.com/art_nouveauis ... lates.html
each item has 3 options. On the size option, they have a choice of sizes
defaulted to a certain size. On the other 2 options, they are requested to
"Select" a various option as the default on the pull down menu. Most people
are smart and choose appropriately. However, regularly, customers do not
make the proper selection or no selection on one or two of the choices.
This usually happens when they are ordering multiple items and I think the
routine gets stale. That entails either an email from the customer when
they get their order confirmation or I will follow-up with an email
requesting them to choose an option when I get an order for a Single toggle
Select Top Plate over Black. Luckily, with the aid of Stone Edge Order
Manager (www.stoneedge.com), it's easy to make any necessary changes for
inventory, billing, invoices, etc.

So no matter how you set it up, it's not foolproof when dealing with the
public...especially new computer users. It can also cause customer service
tact (or stubbornness) when customers insist they ordered one thing and they
receive something else.

This is one limitation with ShopSite that I hope can get changed in an
upcoming release. In my previous 2 sites with 2 other software products,
each option pull down menu would have its own Ordering Options
Description -- not possible with SS5.01 currently. Above each option it
would read "Please Select Size" and "Please Select Top Plate" and "Please
Select Bottom Plate" and the Pull Down Menus would be defaulted to a
particular size or color. With SS5.01, you only get one Ordering Options
Description which probably would not make sense for 3 different options.

All the information about setting up options and pricing is in the help menu
at the SS backend. Good luck.

Jimmy Hilburger
www.switchhits.com

"Don" <doncharley@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9lh7uh$6uu$1@support.shopsite.com...

Is there a way when using option lists to "cause" the customer to make a
decision. Say there are 3 flavors and you would like them to choose one of
them. I am using shopsite 5.01 and linux.

[Don Charley]

Thank you Mr. Hilburger for taking the time to explain this. I visited your
site, you have done an excellent job with it.


Don


"Switch Hits" <zeke@switchhits.com> wrote in message
news:9llvfg$j1a$1@support.shopsite.com...

Don,

No one is jumping on this so let me give you my experience from a
merchant's
point of view.

As you can see at
http://www.switchhits.com/art_nouveauis ... lates.html
each item has 3 options. On the size option, they have a choice of sizes
defaulted to a certain size. On the other 2 options, they are requested
to
"Select" a various option as the default on the pull down menu. Most
people
are smart and choose appropriately. However, regularly, customers do not
make the proper selection or no selection on one or two of the choices.
This usually happens when they are ordering multiple items and I think the
routine gets stale. That entails either an email from the customer when
they get their order confirmation or I will follow-up with an email
requesting them to choose an option when I get an order for a Single
toggle
Select Top Plate over Black. Luckily, with the aid of Stone Edge Order
Manager (www.stoneedge.com), it's easy to make any necessary changes for
inventory, billing, invoices, etc.

So no matter how you set it up, it's not foolproof when dealing with the
public...especially new computer users. It can also cause customer
service
tact (or stubbornness) when customers insist they ordered one thing and
they
receive something else.

This is one limitation with ShopSite that I hope can get changed in an
upcoming release. In my previous 2 sites with 2 other software products,
each option pull down menu would have its own Ordering Options
Description -- not possible with SS5.01 currently. Above each option it
would read "Please Select Size" and "Please Select Top Plate" and "Please
Select Bottom Plate" and the Pull Down Menus would be defaulted to a
particular size or color. With SS5.01, you only get one Ordering Options
Description which probably would not make sense for 3 different options.

All the information about setting up options and pricing is in the help
menu
at the SS backend. Good luck.

Jimmy Hilburger
www.switchhits.com

"Don" <doncharley@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9lh7uh$6uu$1@support.shopsite.com...
Is there a way when using option lists to "cause" the customer to make
a
decision. Say there are 3 flavors and you would like them to choose one
of
them. I am using shopsite 5.01 and linux.

[Phil]

Hi Don,
We choose not to use drop down boxes for size / flavor variation.
Instead we list all the sizes and flavors on the page.
example:
http://www.nutrition-center.net/store/O ... otein.html

This makes it a little easier plus we have different sku's for each size
and flavor.

BTW: We generate our webpages with the ECom Assembler and not shopsite.
You can pretty much do anything with this program.
http://www.stoneedge.com/ecomassembler.htm

Thanks,
Phil






Don Charley wrote:

Thank you Mr. Hilburger for taking the time to explain this. I visited your
site, you have done an excellent job with it.

Don

"Switch Hits" <zeke@switchhits.com> wrote in message
news:9llvfg$j1a$1@support.shopsite.com...
Don,

No one is jumping on this so let me give you my experience from a
merchant's
point of view.

As you can see at
http://www.switchhits.com/art_nouveauis ... lates.html
each item has 3 options. On the size option, they have a choice of sizes
defaulted to a certain size. On the other 2 options, they are requested
to
"Select" a various option as the default on the pull down menu. Most
people
are smart and choose appropriately. However, regularly, customers do not
make the proper selection or no selection on one or two of the choices.
This usually happens when they are ordering multiple items and I think the
routine gets stale. That entails either an email from the customer when
they get their order confirmation or I will follow-up with an email
requesting them to choose an option when I get an order for a Single
toggle
Select Top Plate over Black. Luckily, with the aid of Stone Edge Order
Manager (www.stoneedge.com), it's easy to make any necessary changes for
inventory, billing, invoices, etc.

So no matter how you set it up, it's not foolproof when dealing with the
public...especially new computer users. It can also cause customer
service
tact (or stubbornness) when customers insist they ordered one thing and
they
receive something else.

This is one limitation with ShopSite that I hope can get changed in an
upcoming release. In my previous 2 sites with 2 other software products,
each option pull down menu would have its own Ordering Options
Description -- not possible with SS5.01 currently. Above each option it
would read "Please Select Size" and "Please Select Top Plate" and "Please
Select Bottom Plate" and the Pull Down Menus would be defaulted to a
particular size or color. With SS5.01, you only get one Ordering Options
Description which probably would not make sense for 3 different options.

All the information about setting up options and pricing is in the help
menu
at the SS backend. Good luck.

Jimmy Hilburger
www.switchhits.com

"Don" <doncharley@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9lh7uh$6uu$1@support.shopsite.com...
Is there a way when using option lists to "cause" the customer to make
a
decision. Say there are 3 flavors and you would like them to choose one
of
them. I am using shopsite 5.01 and linux.

[Don Charley]

Hello Phil,

I like the format of your multiple flavors and it does take the thinking out
of the equation for the customer. I am using both the Order Manager and the
Product Manager from StoneEdge but have not jumped to the E-com assembler as
of yet, I am happy to hear you like the E-com assembler as I am going to let
Barney hard sell me if he can show me a need I will buy it also. Off
topic....I recently moved 3 of my sites to Lexiconn, unbelievable service,
value and support. Go Lexiconn!


In Good Health,


Don Charley
President, J&J Health Foods Inc.
http://www.getbigger.com
http://www.getleaner.com
http://www.wobenzymn.com
http://www.getbigger.com/locations.html


"Phil" <phil@nutrition-center.net> wrote in message
news:3B80796F.8D2EB469@nutrition-center.net...

Hi Don,
We choose not to use drop down boxes for size / flavor variation.
Instead we list all the sizes and flavors on the page.
example:
http://www.nutrition-center.net/store/O ... otein.html

This makes it a little easier plus we have different sku's for each size
and flavor.

BTW: We generate our webpages with the ECom Assembler and not shopsite.
You can pretty much do anything with this program.
http://www.stoneedge.com/ecomassembler.htm

Thanks,
Phil






Don Charley wrote:

Thank you Mr. Hilburger for taking the time to explain this. I visited
your
site, you have done an excellent job with it.

Don

"Switch Hits" <zeke@switchhits.com> wrote in message
news:9llvfg$j1a$1@support.shopsite.com...
Don,

No one is jumping on this so let me give you my experience from a
merchant's
point of view.

As you can see at
http://www.switchhits.com/art_nouveauis ... lates.html
each item has 3 options. On the size option, they have a choice of
sizes
defaulted to a certain size. On the other 2 options, they are
requested
to
"Select" a various option as the default on the pull down menu. Most
people
are smart and choose appropriately. However, regularly, customers do
not
make the proper selection or no selection on one or two of the
choices.
This usually happens when they are ordering multiple items and I think
the
routine gets stale. That entails either an email from the customer
when
they get their order confirmation or I will follow-up with an email
requesting them to choose an option when I get an order for a Single
toggle
Select Top Plate over Black. Luckily, with the aid of Stone Edge
Order
Manager (www.stoneedge.com), it's easy to make any necessary changes
for
inventory, billing, invoices, etc.

So no matter how you set it up, it's not foolproof when dealing with
the
public...especially new computer users. It can also cause customer
service
tact (or stubbornness) when customers insist they ordered one thing
and
they
receive something else.

This is one limitation with ShopSite that I hope can get changed in an
upcoming release. In my previous 2 sites with 2 other software
products,
each option pull down menu would have its own Ordering Options
Description -- not possible with SS5.01 currently. Above each option
it
would read "Please Select Size" and "Please Select Top Plate" and
"Please
Select Bottom Plate" and the Pull Down Menus would be defaulted to a
particular size or color. With SS5.01, you only get one Ordering
Options
Description which probably would not make sense for 3 different
options.

All the information about setting up options and pricing is in the
help
menu
at the SS backend. Good luck.

Jimmy Hilburger
www.switchhits.com

"Don" <doncharley@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9lh7uh$6uu$1@support.shopsite.com...
Is there a way when using option lists to "cause" the customer to
make
a
decision. Say there are 3 flavors and you would like them to choose
one
of
them. I am using shopsite 5.01 and linux.