eStore – Can I make a post a product with a button?

[charlez]

I was using the free version “WP Simple Paypal Shopping cart” because it uses posts or pages as the product simply by adding a short code like [wp_cart_button name=”Test Product” price=”29.95″] for the button.

This works for us because we already have the posts (products) created, and we use WP All Import to mass create/add/update our products from an excel database.

I liked some of the more advanced features of the paid version so we bought it.

But now it appears in the paid version that products are only a custom post type, and are not standard pages or posts.

Is there way to make the products like in the free version, or should I just get a refund and stick with the free version?

Here is an example using the free version:

[http://norfolkpress.com/new2/images-walter-swarthout/]

Thanks,

Scott

[admin]

Hi Scott, You can have that exact same setup with your posts with eStore also. Your current assumption of eStore is slightly wrong. You will create a product via eStore’s interface but it won’t do any custom post type. You will be able to use a shortcode in your post to add the buy button where you want to (just like the simple cart).

Please watch the video tutorials from here and it will clear things up:

http://www.tipsandtricks-hq.com/ecommerce/wp-estore-quick-setup-and-usage-video-tutorial-593

Here is the eStore documentation:

http://www.tipsandtricks-hq.com/ecommerce/wp-estore-documentation

[charlez]

I did watch all the videos at the link you sent.

Your first sentence sounded good, but when you said “You will create a product via eStore’s interface” that’s what I didn’t want to hear since I’m not wanting to create all our products one by one.

Is there a way I can still use all my posts as they are? They are already designed and set up (although on a test site at the moment). Plus the specific template I use to create the posts is also used to automatically pull from the posts by category and create a “shop” page with a smaller version of the posts including the buy/cart button.

Thanks,

Scott

[admin]

eStore saves the product data in the database table. This in turn allows the plugin to offer hundreds of features it has. Without saving the product, lot of those options are impossible to do.

After you save the product data, you get a product ID. You use this ID to place the buy button where ever you want.

So where you have the following shortcode:

[wp_cart_button name="Test Product" price="29.95"]

You will use the following:

[wp_eStore_add_to_cart id=1]

The output will be the same. You can save that ID in the custom field of the post and use it in your template also (similar to what you have done already for the simple cart).

[charlez]

Thanks for your patience with me. I think I’m starting to get it.

One reason I went with this plugin was because it (the free one) had the ability to use my existing and future posts (imported from our excel database). I was originally using woocommerce, but it wouldn’t do this either.

So if I’m getting this correctly, in order to get all the functionality, I HAVE to create a product separate from my product page in order to get the ID number for the short code.

Creating everything twice, once for my product and once for the database, is what has me getting knots in my stomach.

I went in and created a “product” (just name and price) on our site for one we have and added the code to the post and it’s great. I noticed there doesn’t seem to be any way to view the product I created. Is that correct? If so, that’s great because that would be what I want. Also, if there is no viewable page for the “product”, does that mean there would be nothing for search engines to index? That’s also what I’d want since I’d want my product post indexed instead.

Now, I see there is a way to create the products from a csv file (didn’t try yet), and that is what I’m doing to create my posts. I looked at your sample import file and of course all the fields are different from ours. Do all the fields have to be present (filled in or not) for it to work? I assume I only need to fill the fields for the options we want.

The questions I have about the csv importing are: 1. If I copy all the columns (fields) we need from your sample file into our file so we can fill in all data at once, will the import just ignore our fields or will it fail because it not recognizing them? ALSO: 2. Can I define the product ID in advance in the csv so my button would be created automatically so I don’t have to go in an pull them out and paste them one by one?

Thanks for your help,

Scott

[admin]

Yes, your assumption is correct. estore won’t create pages for you automatically. You have the freedom to create your own post or page and then add the product buy button there.

I will show you an example of what we did. We created an estore product. Then added the product buy button in the following post (which becomes the product page):

http://www.tipsandtricks-hq.com/wordpress-emember-easy-to-use-wordpress-membership-plugin-1706

You don’t have to fill in all the fields of the CSV file. Only fill in the info that you have or want to. You should watch the following video tutorial which will be very good for you:

http://www.tipsandtricks-hq.com/how-to-easily-import-or-export-any-of-your-wordpress-database-content-using-phpmyadmin-3415

[charlez]

Wow, seems like a bit of a hassle to have to play around with databases and phpadmin.

1. Anyway, my big key question is: Can I define what the product ID is going to be in advance in the csv (or at all)? This is key to me being able to use this.

2. Does a person have to create an account to make a purchase? If so, then it would be a second time the person has to sign up to the site, making it not such a great user experience. If we were to use Emember, does it make only one sign up required for the whole site, including making purchases?

3. Can a particular user be assigned to always get a (say 20%) discount without having to use a coupon code?

4. Does emember work with Constant Contact?

Thanks,

Scott

[wzp]

Anyway, my big key question is: Can I define what the product ID is going to be in advance in the csv (or at all)? This is key to me being able to use this.

No, you cannot. The product ID are the table auto-index numbers, assigned by MySQL.

Does a person have to create an account to make a purchase? If so, then it would be a second time the person has to sign up to the site, making it not such a great user experience. If we were to use Emember, does it make only one sign up required for the whole site, including making purchases?

You are referring to PayPal’s checkout behavior; which is beyond the control of eStore.

1. If ***the buyer*** already has an existing PayPal account, PayPal will use their previously entered information, after they log into PayPal.
2. If ***you*** have a verified PayPal business account, they will be able to use their credit cards, without having to first create, or log into, a PayPal account.
3. Even if you were using eMember, the moment the buyer is sent to the PayPal checkout page; the previously described actions will occur. The only possible exception, is if you were also using the Payment Gateway Bundle, which allows you to do payment processing on-site, using PayPal Payments Pro or PayPal Payments Advanced:

   http://www.tipsandtricks-hq.com/wp-payment-gateway-bundle-plugin?ap_id=TheAssurer

Can a particular user be assigned to always get a (say 20%) discount without having to use a coupon code?

No and Yes. Under the existing system, it is not possible; but with a little bit of custom coding, it can be done. It would involve automatically filling in the coupon field with some specific value that corresponds to the eMember user name.

Does emember work with Constant Contact?

Maybe: https://support.tipsandtricks-hq.com/forums/topic/can-my-autoresponderemail-marketing-manager-be-integrated-with-your-plugins

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