In order for you to understand what you can and cannot do with your storefront, let's review some basic concepts.
There are two types of catalogs: the master catalog and the storefront catalog. Each storefront site needs to have one and only one storefront catalog assigned to it that drives the navigation of the storefront.
Although this example uses only one catalog, it is possible to work with several catalogs at once - by using a master catalog. Master catalogs contain the products' data.
A product that is owned by a master catalog can also be assigned to a storefront catalog so it will display online
You can share a master catalog between several sites. A set of products from a master catalog can be assigned to one storefront catalog and a different set in the same master catalog can be assigned to another storefront catalog.
In this way, you can present different products to your customers in two different countries but still manage the products centrally in one catalog.
The categories in a master catalog can be completely different from the ones in the storefront catalog. In fact, category trees cannot be shared among catalogs.
To find out if a catalog is a storefront or a master catalog, just click on it or on the Edit link related to it. On the Catalog edit page, the first section will tell you what kind of catalog it is.
The RefArch import contains both site-specific data and data shared among all sites in the organization. The RefArch catalogs are available to the empty site you created earlier.
There are two types of catalogs: master catalogs define all shared products of an organization, while site catalogs specific category navigation and products for a site. Therefore, a site can have only one site catalog.
A site can have one or more master catalogs.
Because multiple sites can share a master catalog, you can specify some attributes at the site level. For example, use the OnlineFlag attribute enables a product to be online in one site, but offline in another.
When you begin your storefront site implementation, you identify the structure and hierarchy for your categories. Categories and products are frequently imported from a legacy system.
Access categories through their respective catalogs. Editing Categories in Business Manager:
The following screen displays:
It contains the following tabs:
General Tab: This tab identifies the general attributes for the category (for example, category ID, name, description, online, and online dates).
Select Language (Locale), selecting language enables you to enter the text for a language. When you enter French text, the customer must switch their storefront language to French to view that text. This is used in categories, products and elsewhere in Business Manager.
Example: If your site has both English and French, then you would enter the category name “Men” in English then switch to enter “Homme” in French.
Category Attributes Tab: This tab enables you to specify Search Engine Optimization, Sitemap Attributes, Presentation Attributes, Search Ranking, and other custom attributes.
Product Attribute Definition Tab: This list shows attribute groups attached to this category. Category attribute groups define product attributes for all products bound to this category. Provide an ID and click Add to add a new attribute group to the category.
Search Refinement Definitions Tab: This tab identifies the search refinements for each category. This enables customers to refine a search using multiple attributes, such as price, category, or a product attribute. This reduces the quantity of products displayed on the storefront.
Page Meta Tag Rules: This tabs shows you the rules applied for current category to display meta tag values for name, description, robots, title and so on.
Categorization Rules: This tabs allows you to define some rules to add products to this category.
Magnifying Glass Icon: This icon enables you to preview the category on the Storefront.
When you design your storefront site, you specify the main categories to include in the storefront's navigation bar. As trends change, you can add or remove categories.
To add a category:
Although you can create products in Commerce Cloud, often products and product attribute data are imported into the platform on a schedule.
This can be done automatically from a feed that is scheduled to take place overnight. Once imported, you can view products or modify them as appropriate to enhance the customer experience. For example, you can:
There are multiple methods to search for products in Business Manager:
The search results can be ordered alphabetically and can handle attributes. Additional columns can be added to the list of results for all users.
The results list uses the following icons to show status: online/offline, in-stock, searchable and categorized.
In Business Manager, there are two ways to find products:
To add a product:
Search for the product that you would like to edit and click the product's ID or name link.
Locking Products: Locking a product gives a Business Manager user exclusive access to edit that product and its variations. By default, the lock expires in an hour. The user must lock the product before submitting changes via the Apply button.
Set a Product Offline: If there is any reason that a product is not ready to be sold, you should take it offline. To take a product offline:
Delete vs. Offline vs. Unassign: Deleting a product removes it completely while setting it to offline only removes it from the storefront but does not remove it from the catalog.
However, removing the assignment of a product to a category removes the product from being displayed in that category on the storefront.
For example, if a product is in both the Men's category and the Sale category, you can unsign it from the Sale category, while still keeping it in the Men's category.
To delete a product:
Business Manager prompts you to confirm the deletion. Click Ok.
Choosing a Category While Editing a Product: When assigning a product to one or more categories, use the Categories tab to identify the classification and the primary categories.
You could assign a new product to multiple categories (such as New Arrivals, Sale, Kids Shoes). The classification category would be Kids Shoes providing shoe attributes while the Sale category would be the primary category for people who search.
To change a category while editing a product:
You can assign products to categories manually, through the feed or in bulk. As trends change you can assign, move, or copy products to other categories. For example, seasonal products are often moved to Sale or Clearance categories.
To assign multiple products to a category via the category:
To assign multiple products to a category via the products:
At the end of the season, a product is moved to the clearance category
You can copy a product. For example, create a deluxe product based on a standard product.
Some clients have hundreds of product attributes. You can define attributes at different levels. Products inherit their attributes from the catalog; however, they can be overridden at any level.
To view product attribute definitions by category:
Go to Products and Catalogs > {catalog} > {category} > Product Attributes Definition tab
Usually, you define the most generic attributes at the catalog level, and get more specific in the categories.
Product Attributes | Inherited by | Examples |
---|---|---|
Product System Object Level | All products | Name, Long Description, HTML Page Title |
Category Level | All products assigned to the category | TVs: diagonal, brightness, resolution Shoes: color, size, heel height |
Catalog Level | All products assigned to the catalog | Electronics catalog includes height, depth, width while the Apparel catalog does not |
You can create custom attributes to suit the needs of your storefront site. You should understand the use of custom attributes in your storefront and the maintenance responsibilities of filling in relevant attribute data.
An Administrator or Developer can add custom attributes. To add a custom attribute:
Use variation masters to display a product in the product listing page and the variation products are the SKUs with specific variations (like size and color) that are purchased by the customer:
Variation Master | Variation Products |
---|---|
Has no values for the varying attributes (like color, size) | Have values for the varying attributes (like color, size) |
Has no SKU, and cannot be bought by the customer | Have a SKU and can be bought by a customer with a price |
Determines the attributes | Inherit their attributes |
This is a variation master:
These variation products correspond to the variation master:
Each variation product has an SKU and can have an individual: price, inventory, and promotions. To manage the assignment of variation products to variation master products, use the Variations tab.
Most systems import products with the variation products already assigned to a variation master. Some systems require that you create the variation master then attach the variation products to it. To attach a variation product to a variation master:
Select one of the variation products as the default by clicking on the variation and selecting the radio button. That variation displays in the search results and on the product detail page.
A product set is a group of related products presented together. It is sometimes known as a Merchandizing Set, Retail Set, or Promotion Set. You can display product sets in a category to create a “look book” with images that display how the products are related to each other.
For example, a product set could contain a sweater, pants, and shoes. Customers can purchase each product separately.
A product set:
To find product sets use either: Advanced Search or go to Merchant Tools > Products & Catalogs > Product Sets.
To check if a single product is part of a set, use the Product Sets tab inside the product itself.
To create a product set:
Preview the product set on the storefront. You can create a look book by inserting a number of product sets into a category.
A bundle is a separate product with its own SKU and price that combines the offering of multiple products for one price. To view them go to Merchant Tools > Products and Catalogs > Products > Advanced Search
A bundle can include products of different types: master products with variations, even other bundles. You manage the bundle's attributes within the bundle product, while you manage the attributes for the included products within the products themselves.
Creating a promotion for the Warhawk game will not change the 449.99 price for the Playstation 3 Bundle. Promotions applied to bundled products do not affect price of individual products contained with the bundle if purchased separately. Creating a promotion for the Playstation 3 Bundle will not affect the price of the Warhawk game.
Just like for Product Sets, to check if a single product is part of a set, use the Bundles tab inside the product itself.
To create a new product bundle:
The storefront toolkit enables you to jump directly into edit mode for a product in Business Manager. It is located on the top left corner of your storefront. (It is available in every instance except for Production.)
Now it's deprecated but you can still use it - Merchant Tools > Site Preferences > Deprecated Storefront Toolkit. To view information on products, check Content Information:
The new Toolkit tool can be find in top menu in Business Manager. It allows you to navigate in your strontfront as usual but top toolkit toolbar is enabled with same options as deprecated toolkit has.