You can set up product attribute lists in osCommerce that can then be imported into the Order Manager using the Import Inventory utility. If these attributes (e.g. size, color) impact inventory, you must build Sub SKUs to track the quantity on hand in the Order Manager.
By default, osCommerce does not track inventory at the attribute level. Instead, the Order Manager synchronizes your inventory at the "Parent SKU” level. Hence, a product "SHIRT” with color and size attributes might have a Sub SKU in the Order Manager such as "SHIRT-W-SM”, but in your osCommerce store, it is stored as "SHIRT” only.
There are two possible solutions that allow you to track inventory at the attribute level in your osCommerce store: list products separately or use a third party solution or code modification.
List Products Separately
If tracking inventory at the attribute level is necessary, you forego entering product attributes in your osCommerce store and instead list the various combinations as separate products on your web site. In the "Shirt" example, you would list a product page for product "SHIRT" but include "Add to Cart” buttons for each combination, e.g. "SHIRT-White-Small” and "SHIRT-Black-Medium”.
Typically, this is a very time-consuming process and extra care must be taken from a design standpoint so as not to confuse the customer at checkout. Also, if a product has a number of attributes that impact inventory as well as some that do not, e.g. an inscription, engraving or gift message, you would have to include a number of fields on the page which may cause the it to look cluttered. The main advantage of this approach is that osCommerce and the Order Manager can store the quantity on hand for each of your products' variations without needing to modify the osCommerce code or install a 3rd party solution. Plus, you avoid having to build Sub SKUs in the Order Manager.
Third Party Solution or Code Modification
In many situations, listing product variations as individual items is not feasible. Instead, to get the ability to track products at the attribute level in osCommerce, you could choose to modify the Order Manager PHP code for osCommerce or install a 3rd party solution. One such popular solution, "Quantity for Product Attributes Mod”, is available at http://www.oscommerce.com/community/contributions,3302 (the comma is not a typo).
This particular solution adds a new table to your shopping cart’s MySQL database to store the relationships between product attribute combinations and inventory counts. The main drawback to such solutions is that they are not officially supported by the Stone Edge osCommerce integration script because the tables created are not standard osCommerce tables in addition to the fact that various 3rd party solutions store relational information in different ways that are incompatible from one another.
The integration script Stone Edge supplies for "stock” osCommerce stores is called "osc-import.php". The script must be modified to:
Translate between the Sub SKU the Order Manager sends during the synchronization, receipt, and download of quantity on hand data with the corresponding information in your store’s database.
Update / add to those records as necessary.
A PHP programmer familiar with the Order Manager should be able to perform these tasks. The Stone Edge Technologies’ custom development team could also do the programming for you or consult with your merchant or contractor at the Stone Edge hourly development rate. Please contact Stone Edge Technologies at (610) 994-3699 or email us for more information.
See Also
Updated: 8/24/09