Product Options

Product options allow customers to customize products beyond variations. While variations change the product itself (size, color), options are add-ons and customizations that affect the final price but don't create separate inventory items.

Overview

Product Options vs Variations:

Feature	Variations	Options
Inventory	Separate stock per variation	No separate inventory
Purpose	Different versions of product	Customizations/add-ons
Price Impact	Base price changes	Adds/subtracts from base
Examples	Size, Color, Material	Engraving, Gift wrap, Warranties

Option Types

Type	Description	Use Case
Text	Single-line text input	Custom text (engraving, name)
Textarea	Multi-line text input	Long messages, instructions
Dropdown	Select one option	Single choice (warranty plans)
Checkbox	Select multiple	Multiple add-ons (gift wrap, card)
Radio	Select one option	Exclusive choices (size upgrades)
File Upload	Customer uploads file	Custom designs, logos

Creating Global Options

Global options are reusable across multiple products.

Navigate to Ecommerce -> Product Options -> Global Options.

1. Click Create
2. Fill in option details:
   • Name - Option label (e.g., "Gift Wrapping")
   • Option Type - Select field type
   • Required - Check if customer must select
3. Click Save

Adding Option Values (Dropdown/Checkbox/Radio)

For dropdown, checkbox, and radio types:

1. Open the global option
2. Scroll to Option Values section
3. Click Add new value
4. Fill in:
   • Option Value - Display text (e.g., "Premium Gift Wrap")
   • Affect Price - Amount to add/subtract
   • Affect Type - Fixed amount or percentage
   • Order - Display order
5. Repeat for all values
6. Click Save

Price Adjustments

Fixed Amount:

• Set Affect Type = "Fixed"
• Affect Price = 5.00 (adds $5.00)
• Affect Price = -2.00 (subtracts $2.00)

Percentage:

• Set Affect Type = "Percentage"
• Affect Price = 10 (adds 10% of product price)
• Affect Price = -5 (subtracts 5% of product price)

TIP

Use percentage pricing for options that should scale with product value, like warranties or insurance.

Adding Options to Individual Products

Navigate to Ecommerce -> Products and open a product.

Method 1: Assign Global Options

1. Scroll to Product Options section
2. Click Assign Global Option
3. Select global option(s)
4. Click Save

Global option values and pricing apply automatically.

Method 2: Create Product-Specific Options

1. In Product Options section, click Add new option
2. Fill in option details:
   • Name - Option label
   • Option Type - Field type
   • Required - Make mandatory
   • Order - Display sequence
3. For dropdown/checkbox/radio, add values:
   • Click Add value
   • Enter value text and pricing
4. Click Save

WARNING

Product-specific options only apply to that product. Changes don't affect other products.

Option Configuration Examples

Example 1: Text Engraving

Option Type: Text

Name: Personalized Engraving
Type: Text
Required: No
Affect Price: $5.00 (Fixed)

Customer enters custom text, adds $5 to price.

Example 2: Gift Wrapping

Option Type: Checkbox

Name: Add-ons
Type: Checkbox
Required: No

Values:
- Gift Wrapping ($3.00, Fixed)
- Gift Card ($2.00, Fixed)
- Express Shipping ($10.00, Fixed)

Customer selects multiple add-ons, each adds its price.

Example 3: Warranty Plans

Option Type: Radio

Name: Warranty Plan
Type: Radio
Required: No

Values:
- No Warranty ($0.00)
- 1-Year Warranty (10%, Percentage)
- 2-Year Warranty (15%, Percentage)

Customer selects one plan, percentage based on product price.

Example 4: Custom Design Upload

Option Type: File

Name: Upload Your Design
Type: File
Required: Yes
Affect Price: $0.00

Customer uploads file, required for order processing.

Example 5: Gift Message

Option Type: Textarea

Name: Gift Message
Type: Textarea
Required: No
Affect Price: $0.00

Customer enters message, no price impact.

Required vs Optional Options

Required Options:

• Customer must select before adding to cart
• "Add to Cart" button disabled until selected
• Use for essential customizations

Optional Options:

• Customer can skip
• Use for add-ons and extras

Option Display Order

Control option sequence on product pages:

1. Edit product
2. In Product Options, each option has Order field
3. Lower numbers display first
4. Update and save

File Upload Options

For file type options:

Settings:

• Accepts common file formats (images, PDFs, etc.)
• Maximum file size controlled by server settings
• Files stored in storage/app/uploads

Use Cases:

• Custom logo design
• Artwork for printing
• Measurement photos
• Assembly instructions

WARNING

Configure server upload_max_filesize and post_max_size in php.ini for large file uploads.

Managing Global Options

Editing Global Options

1. Navigate to Ecommerce -> Product Options -> Global Options
2. Click option name
3. Modify settings
4. Changes apply to all products using this option
5. Click Save

Deleting Global Options

1. Open global option
2. Click Delete
3. Confirm deletion

WARNING

Deleting a global option removes it from all products. Consider deactivating instead.

Options in Cart & Checkout

When customer adds product with options:

Cart Display:

Product Name
- Option 1: Selected Value (+$5.00)
- Option 2: Selected Value (+$10.00)
Base Price: $100.00
Options Total: $15.00
Line Total: $115.00

Order Details: Options appear in order items with selected values and price adjustments.

Options vs Variations: When to Use Each

Use Variations When:

• Different SKUs needed
• Separate inventory tracking required
• Core product attributes (size, color, model)
• Significant price differences
• Different product images

Use Options When:

• No inventory tracking needed
• Add-ons and customizations
• Price adjustments
• Text input from customers
• File uploads
• Same base product with extras

Can Combine Both: Example: T-shirt with variations (size/color) and options (gift wrap, custom name).

Import/Export Options

TIP

Global options are managed separately and don't export/import with products. Export products include only assigned global option references.

Multi-language Support

If language plugin is active:

Translating Global Options

1. Navigate to Product Options -> Global Options
2. Open option
3. Switch language
4. Translate option Name
5. Translate Option Values text
6. Save

Translating Product Options

1. Edit product
2. Switch language
3. Translate option names and values
4. Save for each language

Troubleshooting

Option prices not calculating correctly

1. Check Affect Type - Verify "Fixed" vs "Percentage"
2. Verify base price - Percentage applies to product price
3. Check for negative values - Use minus sign for discounts
4. Clear cache - Run php artisan cache:clear

Required option not enforced

1. Check "Required" checkbox - Must be enabled
2. Clear browser cache - Frontend may cache old form
3. Check JavaScript - Ensure no JS errors in browser console

File upload not working

1. Check file size - Verify server upload limits
2. Check permissions - Ensure storage/app is writable
3. Review allowed types - System may block certain file types
4. Check error logs - Review Laravel logs for upload errors

Global option changes not reflecting on products

1. Clear cache - Run php artisan cache:clear
2. Refresh product page - Hard refresh browser (Ctrl+F5)
3. Re-save products - May need to trigger cache rebuild

Best Practices

1. Use global options for common add-ons - Create once, use everywhere
2. Keep options simple - Too many options overwhelm customers
3. Set logical defaults - Pre-select most common choices
4. Use clear labels - Describe what customer gets
5. Show price impact - Display price changes clearly
6. Group related options - Use similar order numbers
7. Test checkout flow - Verify options work in cart and checkout
8. Consider mobile users - Keep file upload sizes reasonable
9. Validate required fields - Ensure critical options are required
10. Document for staff - Create guides for custom options handling

Example: Complete Product Setup

Product: Custom T-Shirt

Variations:

• Size: S, M, L, XL ($20 base price)
• Color: Red, Blue, Black

Options:

1. Text Engraving (Required):

   • Type: Text
   • Price: +$5.00

2. Gift Options (Optional):

   • Type: Checkbox
   • Gift Wrap: +$3.00
   • Gift Message: +$2.00

3. Rush Processing (Optional):

   • Type: Radio
   • Standard (Free)
   • Rush 2-Day: +$10.00
   • Rush Overnight: +$25.00

Customer Experience:

1. Select variation (size/color)
2. Enter custom text (required)
3. Optionally add gift options
4. Choose shipping speed
5. See total: Base + Engraving + Gift Options + Rush