Product compatibilty table, list?

[smokinjo]

I will be selling as part of my offering printer cartidges.

In the product description, I can list the compatible printers for each one. Some sites that I have seen you can even click on the printer in the list of printers to find th eprinter page to get all the cartridges for that particular printer. But, not having th eprintr pages in th ebeginning woudl be fine. But, I need a more intuitive, flexible and easy navigate solution.

Being that there are a large variety of cartidges and printers, I need a way to filter out by type,brand, etc...

I have looked over some of th eplug ins, and I have not seen somethgn that wudl help. I might have missed osmething, or did not understand how to use it.

I also have a feeling that this is a more complex task than I think:)

Thanks for any ideas.

Joseph

[Design75]

Maybe this one can help: Product Finder multiple category drop-downs

[smokinjo]

Hello,

I was looking at this, and looking at what I need.

This does the job, partially, I think.

For cartridges, 1 model cartridge can be used, often, in different printers.

Printers tends to have more than one model of cartridge that fits with it (different color ink or different capacity for example).

I can use this plug in to get me down to the model of printer, which can display all the cartidges that are used for this printer.


But, can I tag/filter a specific cartridge to show up in two different categories?

Example: Cartridge Z, works in printer X and Y.

When I use the product filter plug in, I will search for printer X, or then Y. Is there a way to tag/mark a given cartridge in two different categories so it shows up in both??

Thanks

[ElSlozzo]

I've done something very much like this before but with different products. I used linked products. To apply my method to your example with printers and cartridges one would first create the base categories and sub-categories of cartridges, independent of printers.

Category: Cartridges

Sub-categories:
- inkjet
- Laser
- Toner
- sharpie

Add more sub-categories or sub-sub-categories as needed.

These categories will support someone looking for the cartridge/type they already know they need. When new cartridges are added, their main/base categorization belongs in this top-level category.

After you've categorized and added the cartridges as products, then create a new "Printer Search" category. Using this category tree, the customer can drill down to find their printer model which will contain compatible cartridges. Add the tree of printer models and classifications as sub-categories so the customer can find their model (which could be a lot of data entry, but worth it when done):

- Printer Search (top level category)

- Inkjet (sub-category)

- HP (sub-sub-category)
- HP Easyjet 500 (sub-sub-sub-category)
- link compatible cartridge products to this category
- HP Multicolor 6000
- link cartridges here
- HP Inkjet 200
- link cartridges here

- Brother (sub-sub-category)
- Brother series 1000 (sub-sub-sub-category)
- link cartridges here
- Brother series 2000 (sub-sub-sub-category)

- Canon (sub-sub-category)
- Canon MX130
- link cartridges here
- Canon MX500

- Laser (sub-category)
- HP (sub-sub-category)
- HP Laser 500 (sub-sub-category)
- HP Laser 6000
- link cartridges here
- HP Laser 200
- link cartridges here

Each printer model is actually a category. Once you have all your sub-sub-categories of printer models created, representing all the printer models you support, LINK each cartridge product to the appropriate category. When a customer opens that printer model category, it will show the cartridges you've linked. Using the Multiple Categories Link Manager, you can link a cartridge to as many printer model categories as you need in one operation. The work is in defining and creating all the categories.

I implemented this in 2008 and it is still going strong today. Kind of nitpicky and arduous to get started making all the categories though. I'm also wide open to alternative solutions.

[ElSlozzo]

Unfortunately the spacing in my post was lost, it looks better like this:

• Printer Search (top level category)
  
  • Inkjet (sub-category)
    
    • HP (sub-sub-category)
      
      • HP Easyjet 500 (sub-sub-sub-category)
        
        • link cartridge products to here
        
        
      • HP Multicolor 6000
        
        • link cartridges here
        
        
      • HP Inkjet 200
        
        • link cartridges here
      
      
    • Brother (sub-sub-category)
      
      • Brother series 1000 (sub-sub-sub-category)
        
        • link cartridges here
        
        
      • Brother series 2000 (sub-sub-sub-category)
      
      
    • Canon (sub-sub-category)
      
      • Canon MX130
      • Canon MX500
  
  
• 
  
  • Laser (sub-category)
    
    • HP (sub-sub-category)
      
      • HP Laser 500
      • HP Laser 6000
      • HP Laser 200
      
      
    • Brother
      
      • Brother series 1000
      • Brother series 2000
  
  
• 
  
  • Portable (sub-category)
    
    • Lenovo

HTH!

[smokinjo]

Hello ElSlozzo,

This would definitely do the trick.

I can see how the setting up would be, well laborious:) But, once done, it it done.


I did follow the link that you provided.

Itr discusses what they are and how they work.

But, it does not show how to make the link iteself.

I looked on my product pages, and if it is there, I missed it.

Thanks for any help on this.

Joseph

[ElSlozzo]

Hey, sorry for the late reply on this...if you haven't found it, it's on the product and category listing pages, and it's one of the tiny icons on the right hand side along with "edit", "delete", "move" and "copy". These icon links only appear on products not categories. Use "copy" for the product you want to put in the new category you're building out. Hope that helps!