ShopSite Product Layout FAQs

Working with ShopSite

ShopSite Product Layout FAQs

Here is a list of questions and answers about how product information is presented on pages.

How do I change how a product looks in my store?
How do I arrange/organize the products on a page? Can I sort products alphabetically?
How do I create a custom product template?
How do I change the look of [Add to Cart] and [View Cart] buttons? Can I use rollover buttons?
How do I not show [Add to Cart] or [View Cart] buttons for some products?
How do I display prices in two currencies?

How do I change how a product looks in my store?

There are several ways that you can control how a product is displayed in your store, each requiring a different level of sophistication with ShopSite

Select a different template - The layout of each product is controlled by it’s assigned product template. The easiest way to change the look of a product is to pick a new template. In Advanced Editing mode, select a product name from the List of Products and click Edit Product Layout. The Template field is the first field on the Edit Product Layout screen. Select a different template from the list, save your changes, and then publish your store to see how it looks.
Set layout options - Besides selecting a product template, you can exercise a little more control by enabling or disabling the display of some product information, and by selecting how you want information formatted. Use the other fields on the Edit Product Layout screen for this, as explained in the Edit Product Layout help.
Create a custom template - For complete control over how product information is displayed in your store, you can create a custom product template. With a custom template, you can specify exactly what product information is displayed and how it is arranged and formatted. For more information, see Custom Templates.

How do I arrange/organize the products on a page? Can I sort products alphabetically?

By default, the products on a page are arranged in the order in which they were added. You can set a different order by using the Arrange Items feature for a page. In ShopSite Pro, the Arrange Items screen has a Sort by Name button to let you arrange items alphabetically.

How do I create a custom product template?

Creating a custom product or page template requires about the same level of skill as editing raw HTML. If the site of a <table> tag doesn’t scare you, you can probably handle it. Creating a custom product template requires several steps, and is fully explained in the help under Creating a Custom Product Template.

How do I change the look of [Add to Cart] and [View Cart] buttons? Can I use rollover buttons?

The buttons that will be used for new products in your store are defined on the Preferences > Store Text > Store Pages screen. Any changes that you make there will be applied to any products that you add after you make the changes.

The buttons for existing products are defined at the bottom of the Edit Product Layout screen for each product. You can change them individually, or use PowerEdit to change the buttons for all existing products at one time.

You can use rollover buttons in ShopSite, but they do require some JavaScript programming, which is beyond the scope of the ShopSite Help.

How do I not show [Add to Cart] or [View Cart] buttons for some products?

In ShopSite Pro you can hide either of the buttons by simply selecting the Text field and leaving it blank in the Button Customization section of the Edit Product Layout screen. The only way to "turn off" the buttons in ShopSite Manager is by using a custom product template, which is also an option in ShopSite Pro.

How do I display prices in two currencies?

All ShopSite stores have built-in support for displaying prices in two currencies. Go to the Preferences > Locale screen and select an alternate currency from the drop-down list. Define the exchange rate and click Save Changes. The next time you Publish your store, all products prices will display in two currencies. Note that the shopping cart will show all prices in the primary currency, and customers will be charged in the primary currency.

ShopSite Help and Resource Center
February 13, 2004
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