Product Type Properties and Product Types
This will explain what Product Types and Type Properties are and how they are used by your site along with how to assign them to products.
What we'll cover in this Article
Product Types vs Type Properties
- Product Type - What type of product is it? Meaning if you had to categorize this product, what would it be? A Speaker? An Adhesive? You can view the entire list of possible Product Types in your site by going to: Store Catalog > More > Product Types.
- Type Properties - These are the various attributes and or characteristics of the product. How tall is it? Is it recyclable? What color does it come in?
Uses for Product Types and Product Type Properties
There are many uses for both Product Types and Product Type Properties on your site. Our system can use and or identify individual products based on their attributes. This can be used for things like:
- Product Detail Tab - The information that shows on Product Detail tab on your store front.
- Guided Search - The various options you can sort a Category Page or a Search Result Page by.
- Dynamic Categories
- Custom product temp
- Shipping methods
- Much more
Creating Your Own Product Types and Properties In The Admin
This will show you how to create and add new Product Types and Product Type Properties as well as assign them to a product via the admin. Although you will probably update your products via a spreadsheet, it's important to read this part to get a good understanding of how it all works.
Creating a Product Type Property
First, you'll create a Type Property. In the admin, go to: Store Catalog > More > Type Properties. If the Type Property doesn't already exist, you'll click "New" at the top of the page.
You'll notice there are 4 different options for creating the Product Type Property:
- Text - allows the Type Property to be any text you choose
- Multiple Choice - Allows the Type Property to be a multiple choice answer
- Currency - Allows the Type Property to be a dollar amount
- Date - Allows the Type Property to be a date
Give the Type Property a Product Name and Display Name and click Save Changes. You have just created a Product Type Property!
Creating a Product Type
To create a Product Type, go to: Store Catalog > More > Product Types
If the Product Type does not exist then click New Product Type in the top right.
Give it a name in the Product Type Name field and select the Available Properties that you want associated tot his Product Type in the box on the right, and click them over to the Selected Properties on the left.
Once you've added all the Type Properties you want included under your Product Type, click Save Changes.
Applying To A Product
You can now go edit any product and add values to the Type Properties you've just added. While viewing a product in the admin, click on its Type Properties tab.
If a Product Type isn't selected yet, click on the drop down and select the Product Type you just created. Once you select a Product Type, the page will fill with all of its Type Properties associated to it. From there you can enter the value of each one. Note not every Type Property has to be filled out, it's ok to leave some blank if you don't have a value for them.
When you're done editing, be sure to hit Save or Save and Continue.
Importing Product Type Properties and Product Types
If you'd like to update more than one SKU at a time, you can create a spreadsheet with the necessary information, and then import them onto your products easily. You can also assign Product Type Properties to products using this method. You can add as many Product Type Properties to a single SKU as you'd like.
The sample above is what your spreadsheet should look like if you are just importing Product Types and Properties. Here are the headers:
- SKU
- Product Type: producttype
- Product Type Property: <producttypeproperty name="PRODUCT TYPE PROPERTY" />
To download a sample spreadsheet of what your spreadsheet should look like: Click here
Once your have your spreadsheet ready to import, you can do so using the Product Importer
Product Type Properties and Product Types are CASE-SENSITIVE. Make sure you enter the field exactly as it is on the site.
Changing Visibility on Product Type Properties
Let's say you want to change the visibility of the fields within a Product Type Property. There are two ways to do this.
From the Product Type Properties menu:
You'd simply find the Product Type Property (be aware that the search is CASE SENSITIVE) that you wish to change the visibility of, and click the pencil on the left hand side. On the next screen, there is a checkbox that says "Display on Site?" - if this box is checked, it will be displayed on the product page. If the box is not checked, it will not display on the product page.
From the Product Page:
Start of by going to the Edit Product page of the Product that has the Product Type Properties that you wish to change the visibility of. From there, on the right hand side menu, click "More" and then click "Properties"
Next to each Product Type Property is a little "i" button. Click that and then click "Edit this Product Type Property" - this will open a new page.
On this new page, you will see the "Display on Site?" checkbox. If this box is checked, it will be displayed on the product page. If the box is not checked, it will not display on the product page.
Using the Product Importer
You can also change visibility on your Product Type Properties using a spreadsheet and importing it into the Product Importer.
Above is an example of how to alter the headers so that the visibility status is imported when you use the Product Importer.
<producttypeproperty visible="true" name="WARRANTY" />
For a download of this spreadsheet, click here: