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Products Module

The Products module allows you to manage your product catalog, inventory, pricing, and digital downloads. This comprehensive guide covers all e-commerce product features.


Table of Contents

  1. Overview
  2. Accessing Products
  3. Creating a Product
  4. Product Variants
  5. Inventory Management
  6. Product Categories
  7. Digital Products
  8. Product Reviews
  9. Managing Products
  10. Frontend Display

Overview

Features

  • ✅ Create and manage products
  • ✅ Product variants (size, color, etc.)
  • ✅ Inventory tracking
  • ✅ Digital product downloads
  • ✅ Product categories and tags
  • ✅ Product images and galleries
  • ✅ Pricing and discounts
  • ✅ Product reviews
  • ✅ Stock management
  • ✅ SKU management
  • ✅ Brand assignment

Admin Routes

  • Product List: /admin/products
  • Create Product: /admin/products/create
  • Edit Product: /admin/products/{id}/edit
  • Categories: /admin/product-categories

Frontend Routes

  • Product Listing: /products
  • Product Detail: /products/{slug}
  • Downloads: /downloads/products/{productFile}

Accessing Products

From Admin Panel

  1. Log in to admin panel
  2. Navigate to E-CommerceProducts
  3. Or go directly to: /admin/products

Permissions Required

  • View Products: view products permission
  • Create Products: create products permission
  • Edit Products: edit products permission
  • Delete Products: delete products permission

Creating a Product

Step 1: Basic Information

Product Title

  • Enter product name
  • Make it descriptive and clear
  • Example: Premium Wireless Headphones

Slug

  • Auto-generated from title
  • Can be edited manually
  • Must be unique
  • Used in product URL

Short Description

  • Brief product summary
  • Shown in product listings
  • Recommended: 100-200 characters

Full Description

  • Detailed product information
  • Use rich text editor
  • Include:
    • Features and benefits
    • Specifications
    • Usage instructions
    • Warranty information

Step 2: Product Images

  1. Click Set Featured Image
  2. Upload or select image
  3. Recommended size: 800x800px
  4. Used in product listings
  1. Click Add to Gallery
  2. Upload multiple images
  3. Reorder by dragging
  4. Set primary image
  5. Add alt text for each image

Best Practices:

  • Use high-quality images
  • Show product from multiple angles
  • Include lifestyle images
  • Optimize file sizes

Step 3: Pricing

Base Price

  • Enter product price
  • Use decimal format (e.g., 29.99)
  • Currency is set in settings

Sale Price (Optional)

  • Enter discounted price
  • Automatically shows as "on sale"
  • Sale badge appears on product

Compare at Price (Optional)

  • Original price for comparison
  • Shows "was $X, now $Y"
  • Useful for sales

Step 4: Inventory

Stock Management

Track Inventory:

  • Enable to track stock levels
  • Disable for unlimited stock

Stock Quantity:

  • Enter available quantity
  • Updates when orders are placed
  • Shows "Out of Stock" when zero

SKU (Stock Keeping Unit):

  • Unique product identifier
  • Used for inventory tracking
  • Example: WH-001-BLK

Low Stock Threshold:

  • Alert when stock falls below this number
  • Helps with reordering

Stock Status

  • In Stock: Available for purchase
  • Out of Stock: Not available
  • Backorder: Available for backorder
  • Pre-order: Available for pre-order

Step 5: Product Variants

What are Variants?

Variants allow different options for the same product:

  • Size (S, M, L, XL)
  • Color (Red, Blue, Green)
  • Material (Cotton, Polyester)
  • Style (Regular, Slim Fit)

Creating Variants

  1. Enable Variants:

    • Toggle "Has Variants" switch
  2. Add Variant Attributes:

    • Click Add Attribute
    • Enter attribute name (e.g., "Size")
    • Add values (S, M, L, XL)
    • Click Add
  3. Create Variant Combinations:

    • System generates all combinations
    • Or create manually
    • For each variant:
      • Set unique SKU
      • Set price (or use base price)
      • Set stock quantity
      • Upload variant image (optional)

Variant Example

Product: T-Shirt Attributes:

  • Size: S, M, L, XL
  • Color: Red, Blue

Variants Created:

  • S-Red (SKU: TS-001-S-RED)
  • S-Blue (SKU: TS-001-S-BLU)
  • M-Red (SKU: TS-001-M-RED)
  • M-Blue (SKU: TS-001-M-BLU)
  • ...and so on

Step 6: Product Categories

Assign Categories

  1. Select existing categories
  2. Or create new category
  3. Can assign multiple categories
  4. First category is primary

Creating Categories

  1. Go to ProductsCategories
  2. Click Create New Category
  3. Enter:
    • Name
    • Slug (auto-generated)
    • Description
    • Parent category (for hierarchy)
    • Image (optional)
  4. Click Save

Step 7: Product Tags

  1. Type tag name
  2. Press Enter to add
  3. Add multiple tags
  4. Tags help with:
    • Search
    • Filtering
    • Related products

Step 8: Brand Assignment

  1. Select brand from dropdown
  2. Or create new brand
  3. Brands help organize products
  4. Used in filtering and display

Step 9: Digital Products

Enable Digital Product

  1. Toggle Digital Product switch
  2. Upload product files
  3. Set download limits (optional)
  4. Set expiration (optional)

File Upload

  1. Click Upload Files
  2. Select files to upload
  3. Supported formats:
    • PDF, ZIP, MP3, MP4, etc.
  4. Set file names
  5. Files are securely stored

Download Settings

  • Download Limit: Number of times customer can download
  • Expiration: Days until download expires
  • Require Login: Force customer login

Step 10: SEO Settings

Meta Information

  • Meta Title: Search engine title
  • Meta Description: Search result description
  • Meta Keywords: Relevant keywords

Best Practices

  • Include product name in title
  • Use keywords naturally
  • Write compelling descriptions
  • Include brand name

Step 11: Product Status

  • Published: Visible on website
  • Draft: Saved but not published
  • Archived: Hidden from listings

Step 12: Save Product

  • Save Draft: Save without publishing
  • Publish: Make product live
  • Duplicate: Create copy of product

Product Variants

Managing Variants

Edit Variant

  1. Go to product edit page
  2. Scroll to Variants section
  3. Click Edit on variant
  4. Modify:
    • Price
    • SKU
    • Stock quantity
    • Image
  5. Click Save

Delete Variant

  1. Click Delete on variant
  2. Confirm deletion
  3. Variant is removed

Variant Pricing

  • Same Price: All variants same price
  • Different Prices: Set price per variant
  • Price Adjustment: Add/subtract from base price

Inventory Management

Stock Tracking

View Stock Levels

  1. Go to Products list
  2. View stock column
  3. See:
    • Current quantity
    • Low stock alerts
    • Out of stock items

Update Stock

Manual Update:

  1. Edit product
  2. Go to Inventory section
  3. Update quantity
  4. Save

Bulk Update:

  1. Select multiple products
  2. Click Bulk Actions
  3. Select Update Stock
  4. Enter quantity
  5. Save

Stock Alerts

Low Stock Notifications

  • Receive alerts when stock is low
  • Configure threshold per product
  • View in admin dashboard

Out of Stock Handling

  • Hide Product: Remove from listings
  • Show with Badge: Display "Out of Stock"
  • Allow Backorder: Accept orders for future stock

Product Categories

Category Management

Creating Categories

  1. Go to ProductsCategories
  2. Click Create New Category
  3. Fill in details:
    • Name: Category name
    • Slug: URL-friendly version
    • Description: Category description
    • Image: Category image
    • Parent: For sub-categories
  4. Click Save

Category Hierarchy

Create parent-child relationships:

  • Parent: Main category (e.g., "Electronics")
  • Child: Sub-category (e.g., "Headphones")

Benefits:

  • Better organization
  • Improved navigation
  • SEO benefits

Managing Categories

  • Edit: Modify category details
  • Delete: Remove category (products not deleted)
  • View Products: See all products in category
  • Bulk Delete: Remove multiple categories

Digital Products

Setting Up Digital Products

  1. Enable Digital Product:

    • Toggle switch in product settings
  2. Upload Files:

    • Click Upload Files
    • Select files
    • Wait for upload
    • Files are encrypted and secured
  3. Configure Downloads:

    • Set download limit
    • Set expiration period
    • Require login

Download Management

Customer Downloads

  • Customers access downloads after purchase
  • Downloads appear in customer account
  • Secure download links
  • Download tracking

Admin Access

  • View download statistics
  • See who downloaded what
  • Monitor download counts
  • Access at: /admin/downloads/stats

Download Security

  • Files stored securely
  • Access requires authentication
  • Download links expire
  • Prevents unauthorized access

Product Reviews

Customer Reviews

Customers can:

  1. Leave reviews after purchase
  2. Rate products (1-5 stars)
  3. Add written review
  4. Upload photos (if enabled)

Managing Reviews

View Reviews

  1. Go to product edit page
  2. Scroll to Reviews section
  3. See all customer reviews

Moderate Reviews

  • Approve: Publish review
  • Reject: Hide review
  • Edit: Modify review content
  • Delete: Remove review

Review Settings

Configure in product settings:

  • Require Purchase: Only buyers can review
  • Auto-approve: Publish automatically
  • Moderate All: Review before publishing

Managing Products

Product List View

Access at: /admin/products

Features

  • Search: Search by title, SKU, description
  • Filters:
    • By Category
    • By Brand
    • By Status (Published/Draft)
    • By Stock (In Stock/Out of Stock/Low Stock)
  • Sorting:
    • By Date
    • By Title
    • By Price
    • By Stock

Product Actions

  • Edit: Modify product
  • View: Preview on frontend
  • Duplicate: Create copy
  • Delete: Remove product

Bulk Operations

Bulk Delete

  1. Select multiple products
  2. Click Bulk ActionsDelete
  3. Confirm deletion

Bulk Status Change

  1. Select products
  2. Click Bulk ActionsChange Status
  3. Select new status

Bulk Category Assignment

  1. Select products
  2. Click Bulk ActionsAssign Category
  3. Select category

Duplicating Products

  1. Click Duplicate on product
  2. New product created with:
    • Same content
    • Same images
    • Same variants
    • Status set to "Draft"
  3. Edit and publish as needed

Frontend Display

Product Listing Page

URL: /products

Features:

  • Grid or list view
  • Product images
  • Prices
  • Stock status
  • Quick view
  • Add to cart
  • Filters (category, price, brand)
  • Sorting options
  • Pagination

Product Detail Page

URL: /products/{slug}

Features:

  • Product images gallery
  • Product information
  • Variant selection
  • Add to cart
  • Product reviews
  • Related products
  • Social sharing
  • Breadcrumbs

Shopping Cart Integration

Products integrate with:

  • Shopping cart
  • Checkout process
  • Order management
  • Payment processing

Tips and Best Practices

Product Creation

  1. Use High-Quality Images:

    • Multiple angles
    • Lifestyle images
    • Optimized file sizes
  2. Write Detailed Descriptions:

    • Include all features
    • List specifications
    • Add usage instructions
  3. Set Proper Pricing:

    • Research competitors
    • Consider profit margins
    • Use sale prices strategically
  4. Manage Inventory:

    • Set accurate stock levels
    • Use low stock alerts
    • Regular stock updates

SEO Optimization

  1. Optimize Titles:

    • Include product name
    • Add brand name
    • Use keywords
  2. Write Meta Descriptions:

    • Compelling and keyword-rich
    • Include price (optional)
    • Call to action
  3. Use Alt Text:

    • Describe images
    • Include keywords
    • Be specific

Troubleshooting

Product Not Appearing

Solutions:

  1. Check product status (must be Published)
  2. Verify category is published
  3. Clear cache
  4. Check product visibility settings

Variants Not Showing

Solutions:

  1. Verify variants are created
  2. Check variant stock levels
  3. Ensure variants are published
  4. Clear cache

Images Not Loading

Solutions:

  1. Check file permissions
  2. Verify image URLs
  3. Check media library settings
  4. Clear browser cache

Downloads Not Working

Solutions:

  1. Verify customer has purchased product
  2. Check download limits
  3. Verify file exists
  4. Check file permissions


Last Updated: [Date will be updated during final review]

Released under the MIT License.