How do I list products in sub category with in the parent category?

[JoeToys]

I am running a fresh install of v1.5.4. I have imported a ton of products from my distributor with a plugin that they provided. Everything imported fine. However, products that are in sub categories aren't listed in the parent category. Meaning that when I click on a parent category all that is shown is a list of sub/child categories. I have searched for a solution to this issue, and can see that this is a problem that has existed for a long time. Has there been any fixes yet? Has anyone developed a plugin fix? Or even a bespoke one that I can try to implement? I thought about just making all of the products linked to the parent categories, but that is not feasible with 18k products.

[mc12345678]

I am running a fresh install of v1.5.4. I have imported a ton of products from my distributor with a plugin that they provided. Everything imported fine. However, products that are in sub categories aren't listed in the parent category. Meaning that when I click on a parent category all that is shown is a list of sub/child categories. I have searched for a solution to this issue, and can see that this is a problem that has existed for a long time. Has there been any fixes yet? Has anyone developed a plugin fix? Or even a bespoke one that I can try to implement? I thought about just making all of the products linked to the parent categories, but that is not feasible with 18k products.

Umm.. The "problem" that you seem to be describing is actually the normal expected behavior whereas what you have more than likely found are cases where what you are wanting to do have had to be fixed...

The default setup of ZC is to have categories that either contain other categories or products, not both... To do otherwise will/would require custom code that you are trying to find...

There may be solutions freely available; however, just wanted to point out that 'when I click on a parent category all that is shown is a list of sub/child categories' is standard behavior and if I understand the issue correctly that you describe... Afterall by being in a sub-category (of the parent category) the product is in a way tied to the parent category, right?

[JoeToys]

I will admit that I am completely new to Zen Cart. In fact I am completely new to eCommerce management. But I have spent the last 8 years working in digital marketing, advising hunderds of clients, many of which were ecommerce sites. And, I can promise you that the industry standard is to show products on all category pages. There's no point to even having a hierarchy system if you can't stow products in a category, if it also contains a sub category. It makes no sense. Why even have sub categories???? Is Zen Cart really that out of the loop????

[mc12345678]

I will admit that I am completely new to Zen Cart. In fact I am completely new to eCommerce management. But I have spent the last 8 years working in digital marketing, advising hunderds of clients, many of which were ecommerce sites. And, I can promise you that the industry standard is to show products on all category pages. There's no point to even having a hierarchy system if you can't stow products in a category, if it also contains a sub category. It makes no sense. Why even have sub categories???? Is Zen Cart really that out of the loop????

Like I said, I think that I have seen ways to make it possible to show products on a category page that also has sub-categories and obviously the core coders are around and may even support the changes necessary; however, generally speaking when such a change is requested it is usually prefaced with a request for a description of the business need being met.

For example, let's assume that I have a product that is offered as like an Ultimate product where it carries all features available, and then I wanted to offer sub-versions of the product, like a gold, bronze or silver version, I could *maybe* see how the ultimate product would be in a category and then the other versions be shown each under a separate sub-category, though only in part could I see that as I would think that the product would be best served all in a single category or as a single product with attribute like options...

Overall, what I have seen in the ZC forum has been to yes minimize the sub-categories, make any chosen category (whether "primary" or as a sub) count to minimize customer navigation and maximize conversion. Easy find, easy purchase, next...

While still waiting to understand the need behind having a product in a category that has sub-categories (meaning what purpose does the sub-category at that point server), there are things that can be done to maintain the database structure of products only being in the end of a category tree, but yet provide options off in various directions to appear as if the sub-category is "in-line" with the product being displayed... In other words, the admin side may (without revision) look different than the store side as far as navigation, but even then the admin side could be modified further to replicate the store side...

Basically though, again perhaps you could provide some enlightenment on a setup that would benefit from having a product alongside a sub-category in the navigation of the category dropdown list basically..

[RodG]

I can promise you that the industry standard

Can you please provide a link or some other reference where these industry standards can be found?

is to show products on all category pages.

This doesn't make sense to me, if all products are shown on all category pages then what is the point of having categories?

If zencart has products (that are enabled) in any given category, then yes, it does show those products.

There's no point to even having a hierarchy system if you can't stow products in a category, if it also contains a sub category. It makes no sense. Why even have sub categories???? Is Zen Cart really that out of the loop????

No, Zencart isn't out of the loop, I'm guessing the the plugin that your distributor provided has imported all the products into a single category (probably the top level category).

You'll either have to copy (or move) the products into the sub-categories in which they belong, OR, you'll have to modify (configure?) the import module so the products are imported into the categories in which they belong.

In short, the problem is with the import module, not ZenCart.

Cheers
RodG

[lruskauff]

Hello all

I don't think the OP actually means "moving" the products into the category with subcategories, just displaying them, like we display favorites and new. It would be another option to display "all" under a category. And I agree, it is not an industry standard but it is used.

For example, Nordstrom's. At the very top level categories, it does not show products. That would be crazy, you would have too many. But when you get down to certain levels Nordstoms does show products.

For example, women's dresses. This category is 5 levels down. There are about 7 categories under women's dresses (http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/designer...origin=leftnav) according to the breadcrumb. At this level, it shows all of the women's dresses. At levels above it did not. Selecting a category under it will narrow down the choices even more.

I understand that Nordstrom's has a custom program with oodlles being spent on it, but zen could possibly do it with a modification that adds a switch for each level of category either displaying all products under it or not. That would leave it up to the designer.

Just my thought.

[RodG]

For example, Nordstrom's. At the very top level categories, it does not show products. That would be crazy, you would have too many. But when you get down to certain levels Nordstoms does show products.

For example, women's dresses. This category is 5 levels down. There are about 7 categories under women's dresses (http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/designer...origin=leftnav) according to the breadcrumb. At this level, it shows all of the women's dresses. At levels above it did not. Selecting a category under it will narrow down the choices even more.

I understand that Nordstrom's has a custom program with oodlles being spent on it, but zen could possibly do it with a modification that adds a switch for each level of category either displaying all products under it or not. That would leave it up to the designer.

Zencart does this - it's just a mater of category organisation.

Cheers
RodG

[lruskauff]

Zencart does this - it's just a mater of category organisation.

Cheers
RodG

Are you sure? For example, if I had this:
CLOTHING
shirts
belts
pants
ACCESSORIES
wallets
bells
shoes

If I select accessories it will show me the 3 subcategories. What if I want it to show me the 3 categories and then all the products in those 3 on one page?

l

[RodG]

Are you sure?

Nah. The screenshot is faked. <just kidding>

See for yourself:
http://www.plussizedclothing.com.au/

Cheers
RodG

[lruskauff]

Nah. The screenshot is faked. <just kidding>

See for yourself:
http://www.plussizedclothing.com.au/

Cheers

I'm glad it isn't cause it show what I mean.

Go here. : http://www.plussizedclothing.com.au/...x&cPath=267_29