In some cases, merchants are selling a complex combination of products, and you need to guide customers through several steps to make sure they buy the correct combination. You can break that process into several actions. Customer choice in previous steps may influence what options are available in the next one.
Other validation rules may be required to ensure the correct configuration. The final price could also change based on the choices made.
Sometimes people mix up configurable products that we have discussed in the Product sections and configurable bundles. So, let’s clarify it.
Buying a bundle is buying several products together. A bundle can be pre-defined in the catalog, or you may allow a customer to configure a combination of products to include in the bundle. This is the Configurable Bundle feature.
On the other hand, a Configurable Product is always a single product. The main difference between regular and configurable products is that you allow a customer to modify (configure) a product before adding it to the cart.
With this out of the way, let’s look at some examples.
You can see a kitchen cabinet example above. Customers need to select wall and base cabinets, add drawers and handles, and a corner unit.
Selling glasses also require configurable product functionality. A customer needs to describe her prescription, select a frame, then choose lenses and coating. Decide if the pair is also going to be sunglasses.
There are three steps in this example. Customers start by selecting a plan, then choose channels they want to have, and, at the end, select a free gift.
User journeys
In some cases, it is convenient for a customer to have several different paths through the configuration process. For example, when buying a mobile phone with a plan, some customers would prefer selecting the phone first, while others would start by choosing a plan first.
● # of products to add For each step, you need to define how many products the customer can add. It may be one, several, or even unlimited.
● Compatibility rules As I mentioned before, initial choices may influence the availability of products in the following steps. You need to define compatibility rules to help customers avoid costly mistakes.
● Price modification rules Selected products may affect the bundle price. For example, if a customer has chosen a two-year contract for his mobile phone, the phone can be offered at a significant discount.
● Configurable bundle in the shopping cart When added to the cart, a configurable bundle is treated as one cart item, the same way as a bundle.
