Characteristics and variants

Hello,

I know, that this issue was mentioned in many posts, I use search but no clear answer for this I found.

So lets explain:

If you sell graphic design on clothes (for better explaining I choose this and I am also preparing something similar and I am working now on multivendor shop - which is also connected to that issue):
1.) your main sell product is design (let's say red circle)
2.) you can sell this design on different type of clothes (T-shirt, Shirt, Pillow, Cap and even backcover for iPhone) - call variants
3.) each of this variant can have different colour (blue, light blue, dark blue, green, light green, dark green, white, yellow, grey, black - but not red in that case and not all colours for each variant)
4.) also each variant can have different size (T-shirt - S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL; Shirt - S, M, L, XL; Pillow - 40x20cm, 60x35cm, Cap - no size, iPhone - iPhone4, iPhone5)

So let's count:
You should create product Red Circle.
- that product do not have any characteristics but 5 variants
...it mean, you should create 5 variant-products T-Shirt, Shirt, Pillow, Cap and iPhone
each variant-product should have characteristics:
- T-shirt - 2 (size/colour - S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXL / blue, light blue, dark blue, green, light green, dark green, white, yellow, grey, black)
- Shirt - 2 (size/colour S, M, L, XL / blue, green, light green, dark green, grey, black)
- Pillow - 2 (size/colour - 40x20cm, 60x35cm/ blue, green, white)
- Cap - 1 variant (colour - green, white, black)
- iPhone - 2 variants (type/colour - iPhone4, iPhone5 / blue, green, light green, grey, black)
...it mean, that you should create 9 types of characteristics, if you do not want spend your life on front of computer and search for out of stock in characteristics for each product (anyway if I will choose out of stock variant is 4 characteristics)

So counting:
T-shirt - 60 characteristic possibilities
Shirt - 32 characteristic possibilities
Pillow - 6 characteristic possibilities
Cap - 3 characteristic possibilities
iPhone - 12 characteristic possibilities

So my product red circle should have 113 characteristic possibilities in 5 different products in 6 different price levels (pillow size should also change price)

...and how I will explain this to people which will sell through my multivendor site? ...most of them will be happy if they will move mouse in correct place and then they call me if they should push left or right button on mouse. For really good settings of variants and characteristics in Hikashop you should be little bit magician and skilled, not like farmers, which will use my multivendor shop!

Could not be better to change this?
You can create variants - not connected to product (name and variables)
You can create characteristics - not connected to products (name and variables)

You will create product and connect variants and characteristics to it
- you can choose for each single variant or characteristics if should be included or no (it can be simple just not filled will be not included)
- for each variant you can choose new base price or leave it empty it mean base price from product is taken
- for each characteristics you can choose increasing of base price (+2 Euro for example), empty mean, that this characteristic will not effect price
- you will set stock level or not (connected to variant/characteristics or if you do not use stock managemant)

So in that case I will create Product Red Circle, I will choose variants, thick or fill only needed variants set price, then for each variant I can choose characteristics which I need, set increasing or decreasing of price.

..all management of the product can be so simple in my proposed variant and it will fit almost all type of product! Order can be generated with name of Product with variant: and characteristic1: characteristic2: ...

So and last killing proposal connected to it:
For each variant can be possible to set icon/name or icon and name, same for each characteristics.
For each variant you can set main picture (if not should be used from product)
...for each characteristic set picture (if not, used from variant, or if variant do not have, than used from product)
Here can be a problem, if you have 3 characteristics of product and each have own picture, in that case you should set-up for one characteristic as main characteristic - it mean, that another characteristics will not change picture, if you choose main characteristic.

...and one usability:

in product page should be automatically changed price when you choose variant or characteristics and also quantity for product - if you have so complicated product, customer can set price, without adding to cart to see final price !!!! and it looks more professional ...of course changing of picture based of variants/characteristics
...without refreshing page

I hope is understandable.

PS: please if you agree push "Thanks" to see how many people agree with this proposal, to not mess posts

Ok understand just few small questions:

1. Will be something similar as I wrote, or you will just continue develop present status?
2. Have you also in plan made this price change directly after choosing of these parameters?
3. Idea with connecting picture to parameters is perfect and not mine and not new, have you in plans made also this? ...and of course automatic change picture

both 2 and 3 without reload of page - ajax solution?

Thank you for quick answer.

So that is perfect, I did not know, because I am still new in HikaShop. Generally looks perfect, there is only what I mention in first post.
...the logic of these parameters can be done by brainstorming with skilled users from HikaShop and may be also get some inspiration from another shop systems. Here is big community which can help you to choose right way and they have big experiences from real selling - that is for what HikaShop is.

My proposal is create hidden forum, where you can invite skilled users/programmers from around HikaShop and take with them and if you will do, it will be 100% right solution (so good is, that a lot of experienced users understand more or less php, js and HikaShop)

Thanks, that you listen - it really matter!