How to accomplish a Product w/ Models?

I'm brand new to HikaShop and still not sure if it's even the right solution for my client yet, so I need your help! (I'm on Joomla 2.5, HikaShop free/starter version for now...)

I have many products that have different models that can be purchased, and each model has attributes specific to it. For example, I have a type of Micrometer I'm selling. It has 3 model variations, each with their own unique model #s, size, material type, and a couple other attributes. These variations are unique to the model #, so using the typical Attributes drop-downs doesn't work.

This website has what I'm looking for near exactly:
http://pkproductline.com/15-gallon-spot-sprayer.html

I'd really appreciate any feedback, thank you!

- C.

ps. Oops, looks like I posted this in the wrong forum. Could a mod please more it to the "How to?" forum?

Hi,

To have something like this website, in your case, you could create a category "Micrometer", create 3 products in this category.
Then create a menu with the type: product listing, and set the listing as a list, display the "add to cart" button in the listing.

By this way you will have the same display as in the link given, and unique products.
To display the characteristics on the listing page, you can create a module, and display this module in the listing page.

Hope this will help you.

Hello Xavier,

Thank you for your response! I was actually flirting with the idea of doing it that way, but considering my website has 160+ products and they each have 3-10 models each, I'm wondering if that'd be the most efficient way?

Also, can categories have multiple photos like regular products do? Some of my products have a couple.

And when listing the models (set as individual products) in the "category", can they be set up to have multiple columns of custom fields? For example, in the website I listed, there's custom field columns for "pumps" and "gallon".

I've never used custom fields in HikaShop and am not even sure if they even have them to tell the truth... If they do though, and all this here is possible, then I might be in business!

Hi,

I think that the method given before is the best way to do that. An other way could be to use the variants, but it require many PHP modifications.

A category can have only one photo, but if you use my method, you display the products in list, and display the image of each products in the listing.
You can display the custom fields in the product listing by editing the view "product / listing_list", then add a code like: "echo $this->row->yourcustomfield;".

So that means HikaShop doesn't offer custom fields? Good to know...

Thanks so much for your feedback, Xavier! It's been a big help. I'm going to go to the boss today and give him the couple options I've come up with, one being what you're recommending. Hopefully he picks the easiest one to code...

Hikashop offer custom fields, but in your case I don't know if it's more appropriate.

Okay, good to know. Thanks again, Xavier