Gotta Pay to Make It Functional

Hey there.

I cannot display options the way I want. The documentation says I can, but that is false. You cannot decide the order to display the selections. I’m getting a random order even if I do sort it how I want it.

Are you talking about the order in which products are displayed? There is a ‘sort products’ option in the backend: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/ygp1qmk2yff45zx/2016-04-22%20at%2017.20.png?dl=0 This will allow sorting (behind the scenes it sets menu_order property on the post type).

If you’re talking about the order of variations properties, you actually need to reorder the attributes themselves. Go to Products > Attributes, click on an attribute name, sort as you so desire. The reason this does not sort by the ‘variation’ order is because variations can be made up of any number of attributes.

The only options for attributes (e.g., size, color) are either a drop-down select list or a text box. No radios, no checkboxes, nothing else. Pretty lame unless you buy the add-on, take more time to test it and find it may not do what you need.

Select boxes are the most common/useful. Checkboxes are no good for variations because you need to select one option. I guess you’re referring to “product addons” extension which yes is separate, but is not the same as a variation – you cannot manage addon stock for example. Different things. Different uses. Not suitable for all = not core.

Selection options are kludgy and inefficient. You cannot list the prices next to the option if they add to the price.

Because variations are no ‘deltas’.

There are pretty much 2 ways to approach variations. The delta way (+/- price) or the combination of attributes way we use where you create a variation for each combination.

The positive about our approach is that you can manage stock based on the combinations, or have different SKUs for each. If you do the +/- price way you cannot.

Again, we understand it’s not ideal for all stores, but it works for most. You’re probably used to the other way of doing things ??

The tabs seem to do what they want, not what I tell them, either.

Not really sure what your point is here, or what you’re referring to.

If you have no image, then they display one anyway. which customers won’t want to see. What if you want no image? That is simple to program.

Consistent layouts essentially. Don’t want an image? Hide it with CSS. This is not complex.

Just wish they’d have a complete package then sell add-ons for advanced features that people would eventually need.

It’s very possible right now to run a store without addons, or just free offerings. I ran wpjobmanager.com for selling digital goods with just core and nothing else, and I know there are more users out there who manage to do the same!

We take the same approach as WP – core features are what the majority of users will need. Addons are for niche or country specific addons. Also, this can change based on user feedback.

One such example, Table Rate Shipping has shipping zone support which has been an addon up until now.

Feedback has shown the need for more advanced shipping in core, so we’re rolling it in.

If you have similar needs and can justify it being in core, there is room to discuss. Or you can contribute it.

I know programming and this comment doesn’t come from a novice who is new to these things. I’ve developed my own ecommerce software from scratch and thought I’d try Woocommerce.

By all means contribute if you see ways to improve core – https://github.com/woothemes/woocommerce/pulls It’s open like WordPress.

I admire your quick response. Kudos.

The option/attribute selections do not display as I drag-n-drop them in the Product. Sigh.

You say, “Checkboxes are no good for variations because you need to select one option.” Who are you to decide what our customers prefer? I get tired of programmers thinking they know best for everyone and make it difficult to BRAND something to look unique – they want everyone to look alike. Well, that is not good marketing strategy.

You probably know what I mean when programs like Word, Excel, browsers, or others want to “help” you by getting in your way and doing it their way, not how you prefer it to be. Like Chrome “helping” you by downloading something to your drive instead of letting you just open it instead of saving it to your computer drive. Or Excel formatting content to the bottom of the cell.

It is unfortunate that there are people out there (not you) who know nothing about anything so programmers try to “help” them. I say, let “natural selection” take its course and give us the freedom to be creative in a professional way – & not be like everyone else.

Besides, selection lists are NOT preferred by the end user although they are most used. Read about studies done (focus groups) on website usability. Consumers do _not like them, especially if the lists are long or wide.

Radios allow complete descriptions about the attribute. Checkboxes, too. And, checkboxes allow you to select more than one adding to the sales revenue. Selections are okay for something short.

But why hide the price? Again, bad marketing. The consumer will think that you are hiding something and that decreases your credibility.

Tabs – I leave the first text/content box empty in Product and the tab is still there with garbage repeating what was said and truncating it.
Why are related products hidden in the second tab? Bad marketing, especially when they are repeated below – bad design and unnecessary page load elements.

Hide images with CSS? That will hide _all when this is easy for your to program. No image- no display. Simple as that.

Customers do NOT want garbage images. It adds to transit/download/page load times that can attribute to demoting your website on search engines. Read about SEO. It also clutters the page layout with nonsense images. People want real images – they see that and will not be impressed.

Contributing? Perhaps some day when I see a benefit. Can I sell plugins? Not on WP plugin site.

I know I ranted a bit, but you have a nice start on a good program. Let’s start thinking more about the end user, not only the webmaster but also the visitor/consumer. That is how you build success.

Now, take on the day and make it wonderful ??

Some of your points seem wrong, unless you’re using a theme which is changing defaults.

1. Variable products show a price below the title for all variations, then a price for a specific selection after options.

Example when all prices are same: https://glui.me/?i=x782svdxaql08t1/2016-04-22_at_16.41.png/

Example when prices differ: https://glui.me/?i=7tz6wzg43dv8pje/2016-04-22_at_16.42.png/

2. Related products are NOT in a tab:

https://glui.me/?i=9bb20bapag6s17e/2016-04-22_at_16.46.png/

3. There are UNIQUE CLASSES in the body tag so CSS can target products by ID. It is not global. Just hiding images so layouts are inconsistent again does not work for all users.

4. Regarding checkboxes:

You say, “Checkboxes are no good for variations because you need to select one option.” Who are you to decide what our customers prefer?

Variations are flexible. Say you have a variation with COLOR and SIZE attributes. Checkboxes cannot work – how do you know which size applies to which color? We need to consider all possibilities. If checkboxes work for you, customise.

5. Regarding:

The option/attribute selections do not display as I drag-n-drop them in the Product. Sigh.

No, as I said, you need to go to Products > Attributes and drag the ATTRIBUTES. Again, so it works for more than one. This screen:

https://glui.me/?i=nvx7aspryjyire2/2016-04-22_at_16.45.png/

6. No description? No tab: https://glui.me/?i=mdi2f0fmk6zi5wv/2016-04-22_at_16.49.png/

Finally:

Contributing? Perhaps some day when I see a benefit. Can I sell plugins? Not on WP plugin site.

Sell on your own site? Hopefully with WC :p