Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

[wcw]

Re: Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

Your original suggestion was to allow spaces in the codes so they would look better. I pointed out "I think attribute codes might be part of the identifier for the new inventory system, hence would break urls with spaces in them." So that is why spaces would not be a good idea. So the alternate is to use the prompt which several inexpensive modules can let you do now.

I am surprised you don't have one of the tool kit modules as they are in hundreds of stores. It was not a stretch for me to assume you already had one since your number of posts in the forum suggests you knew of the multitude of things you can do with them.

That said, it would be great if Miva had the time to write modules to replace all the features that are currently in 3rd party modules. But I think the thrust is to make the core product bullet proof and include features that most stores need. Prompts vs code in the basket is probably not a "most stores need" feature. I doubt a single person bought any of the tool kits to get that specific feature.

[skepticwebguy]

Re: Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

I pointed out "I think attribute codes might be part of the identifier for the new inventory system, hence would break urls with spaces in them." So that is why spaces would not be a good idea.

Fine. Attribute codes can be part of the identifier and effect URLs. But why can't the attribute prompt can be used in checkout and invoices? It's a no-brainer customer service issue that, in my mind, should have been part of the core. If a module can do it, it can be incorporated into the core.

Prompts vs code in the basket is probably not a "most stores need" feature. I doubt a single person bought any of the tool kits to get that specific feature.

There are several features in the toolkit I could use. But, I don't need any of them in order for things to run well, make sense and be user-freiendly (for the most part). And I am not inclined to buy the module unless I absolutely need it. But, when it comes down to nitty-gritty wishlist details, there are lots of things I would want in the core that aren't there. An that's what I thought this thread was about: wish-list items -- not how I can fix my problems with modules (although this is useful information for those who need these wishlist features right away).

[wcw]

Re: Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

My reason for posting was to point out that the space in codes would likely not get added and the reason it would not be. So I suggested an alternative.

Now if you would rather have prompts instead of codes, you would need to present that as your wishlist item.

To give you some perspective though, 136 stores have the prompt vs code module (which has no other purpose then displaying the prompt instead of the code) in 4.14 - 5.x. If you figure there are about 60,000 miva merchant 4.x - 5.x stores, that is .22%. Very rare. Hence, Miva would need to have an admin selection for those who wanted it. They would probably modify the default template code so if someone clicked to use them it would alter their template with a new default (like it does with custom fields, etc). I agree, having that variable would be nice, but there are a lot of other things that should be higher on Miva's priority.

[skepticwebguy]

Re: Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

My reason for posting was to point out that the space in codes would likely not get added and the reason it would not be. So I suggested an alternative.

Now if you would rather have prompts instead of codes, you would need to present that as your wishlist item.

Ah huh! Now I see what I did. I got my terminology confused. You're right --I'd rather see attribute prompts instead of codes, by default, during checkout and on invoices.

...but there are a lot of other things that should be higher on Miva's priority.

As illustrated, I can see that my request would be very low on the priority list for MM5.5. Now I know. Without these statistics, it seemed like an easy thing to incorporate and a good thing to suggest.

Thanks for the information. Much appreciated.

[Rick Wilson]

Re: Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

This thread is about what you want to see in the core and as time goes on we'll keep adding things and yet still be priced far lower than competitive solutions that cost 10k a year plus.

However we don't try and add every little thing people request, we look for structural and API level additions that allow people to enhance and expand our product in ways we're not currently thinking.

The new Inventory at the Attribute/Kit Level and Order Processing stuff is a perfect example. They're often asked for but not necessarily the most often asked for features. Yet we felt it could open up a whole new world of integration and growth opportunities for our merchants by adding them, in a way that adding a coupon module immediately wouldn't compare.

[skepticwebguy]

Re: Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

However we don't try and add every little thing people request, we look for structural and API level additions that allow people to enhance and expand our product in ways we're not currently thinking.

Incorporating core functionality that allows store owner/administrators to enhance and expand Miva Merchant is a really good thing to do. I just hope that this doesn't mean those of us who have requested relatively simple improvements will be forgotten.

My main wish is to see Miva Merchant incorporate or improve in those areas that not only enhance my experience as a store owner and administrator, but, perhaps more importantly, enhance and improve the experiences of my customers.

Software that becomes industry-standard often starts off small, requiring plugins to work optimally. Eventually, many features that once required plugins become part of the core software because -- well -- they just should have been there in the first place (but were somehow forgotten).

[Rick Wilson]

Re: Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

My main wish is to see Miva Merchant incorporate or improve in those areas that not only enhance my experience as a store owner and administrator, but, perhaps more importantly, enhance and improve the experiences of my customers.

That is our wish too, we try to balance each release with bug fixes, small improvements that make the software cleaner (and take out anything annoying) and then push the envelope on something significant.

[RayYates]

Re: Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

I've been following this thread with interest all day. Frankly, I have to agree with skepticwebguy that the attribute prompt should be available.

Let me explain. Like wcw (Bill), my Toolbelt module loads the prompt and a bunch of other stuff like the option images, and subtotals on the Basket and Invoice pages. The item just appends all this information to the Merchant data structure making it available.

I think Bills estimate for how often the attribute prompt is requested is too low. His other module is use on a LOT of sites and I dare say, many of them are using his prompt item from that module.

We spend 80% of our time developing web sites and the request comes up all the time. For some businesses, it's absolutely essential to display the prompts. Here's and example. Even when you get them on to the pages, getting the attribute prompts into emails is a whole other hassle (don't get me started <grin>).

The MivaMerchant API contains this function AttributeOptionPrompt(). The amount of time it would take to do one more call and append the prompt and image values to the item:options array would be trivial.

I'm not saying modify the templates, I'm saying just load the information into the array so that it's available.

[RayYates]

Re: Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

Emails is the primary way stores communicate with their clients.

Please dump the outdated Merchant email modules (circa Merchant 2.0) and create a single module that uses Storemorph templates. You would need 4 templates (html + text) * 2.

Hey, then it would be very easy to get the attribute prompts (or anything else you wanted) into the emails. <grin>

A nice popup preview feature would be cool too.

[wcw]

Re: Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

The MivaMerchant API contains this function AttributeOptionPrompt(). The amount of time it would take to do one more call and append the prompt and image values to the item:options array would be trivial.

The code to retrieve those values is not trivial. Put 10 items in the basket, each with 5 attributes and you are doing significant needless processing for all those stores that don't want it. Merchant is designed to be lean. The values it displays in the basket are derived from the basket options database directly. There is no need to lookup values in many related databases. A store that feels it must have the feature does it at a cost in processing time. Forcing every store to accept the extra overhead is just not right.

[Dan - Glendale Designs]

Re: Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

Just to throw in my two cents, I think the attribute prompt needs to be made available in conjunction with the attribute code. (need both)

The code to retrieve those values is not trivial. Put 10 items in the basket, each with 5 attributes and you are doing significant needless processing for all those stores that don't want it.

There are a number of modules out there that allow you to specify the features being used, reducing the load of non-used features. I don't see why this couldn't be done in this situation as well. Make the attribute prompt, code or both available as selectable options.

I would also add basket thumbs to that list as well. (again, if the feature is not in use, kill the required processing)

Please dump the outdated Merchant email modules (circa Merchant 2.0) and create a single module that uses Storemorph templates. You would need 4 templates (html + text) * 2.

I strongly second this motion.

[RayYates]

Re: Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

wcw said,

There is no need to lookup values in many related databases. A store that feels it must have the feature does it at a cost in processing time.

I have a test product that has 4 attributes (select, radio/w images, text and checkbox). I added 10 items to the basket for a total of 40 attributes. I benchmarked my basketcombined item from toolkit and it came in at .115 seconds.

Keep in mind basketcombined provides more than just the prompt. It's processing the entire basket, provides attribute subtotals, combined product and attribute totals with and without currency formatting, the prompt and the option image.

I benchmarked the toolkit prompt item. For 40 attributes it took .0017 seconds.

I'm not saying every module feature needs to be added to Merchant. But if looking up 40 attribute prompts with a module takes less than 2 milliseconds, and the API call already exists, how fast would it be if Merchant just did it in the first place while processing the basket?

Four "trivial" things Merchant could/should add, with very little work and near zero impact on performance.

Basket/Invoice: Add Attribute/Option Prompt and Image. (The API Call already exists)
Basket/Invoice: Product: Thumbnail and Image (Do a very specific query of the product database. Don't call the product_load function)
Category Tree: Load breadcrumbs (The cat tree is already looking up and storing the category id's back to the parent in a comma separated list. Just loop through them to load the name and code, from the products database.)

Yes there are modules that do these things, including mine and I realize from a marketing standpoint you can't say, we provide the Option Prompts on the basket and invoice. But come on. You don't have to change any templates, just make the data available.

[Siamese-Dream.Com]

Re: Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

Don't know if this has been mentioned before, but...

In the Merchant Admin, can you change the CSS so that when there is a list of items, they DON'T get bolded as you scroll over them?

I use Firefox, and sometimes I will try to click on an item (or an edit button for an item) and once I scroll over it, the whole list expands and shrinks in size - it is hard to explain, but it is like it just repeatedly shifts up and down. Makes it hard to click the edit button.

This usually happens for items that are near the bottom of the list.

[Rick Wilson]

Re: Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

Mark,

Yes it's in there now, go under User and Preferences and turn off Hover Effect.

[Siamese-Dream.Com]

Re: Miva Merchant 5.5 Dream Features

Thank You, Rick!!!