This is chapter
one in a series of chapters which will help to explain some of the needed
steps to get your new OSC shop up and running. This chapter and a few
to follow, deal strictly with the administration menu. Most features
in the admin menu can easily be understood by simply clicking on the
item and reading the description which is displayed to the right of
the screen.
Step 1: Click the Configuration tab to open a list of its menus. These
menus are used to set up the basic functions of your osc store.
Click each menu and fill in the appropriate information. Most information
contained in these menus is optional or simply a determination of your
preferences.
- My Store- Basic information about your store ie name, location,
owner name, store e-mail.
- Minimum Values- Contains information pertaining to the minimum allowable
values you wish your store to use. Most of this deals with new customer
account registration. ie. # of letters required for a city name.
- Maximum Values- Contains information about the maximum numbers you
want your store to use for various instances. ie # of images to display
for new products, # of address book entries allowed.
- Images- Allows you to specify image sizes you wish to use. If you
want your images to be their own default image size and not allow
osc to control the size, set these to 0.
- Shipping & Packaging- Allows you to specify items such as your
zip code, handling fees and the like.
- Product Listing- Gives you the ability to change features pertaining
to the display of your products. ie Product image or no product image.
- Stock- Lets you specify preferences dealing with osc’s ability
to handle and monitor stock.
- Logging- Allows you to specify if you want page load times logged.
(usually best left at default)
- E-mail- Gives you the ability to set specific needs for e-mail requirements.
- Download- Is supposed to allow for downloadable products, but isn’t
quite working as of this writing.
Step 2: By this point you have set your shop’s settings so that
it is starting to reflect your business needs. The next section to look
at is the Catalog tab. You will be coming back to this tab in the future
but for now try out the items in its menu list and get used to them.
- Categories/Products- Allows you to create unlimited new products
and add unlimited new products to your shop.
- Product Attributes- Can be used to specify extra attributes about
products such as a difference in color or an extra feature.
- Manufacturers- Can be used to specify a product manufacturer. If
you do not want to list product manufacturers you can simply enter
something such as your store name. When you add products you will
be asked for a manufacturer, you can then select from the items you
enter in this menu.
- Reviews- Allows you to manage product reviews which your customers
have written up about your various products.
- Specials- This menu allows you to put items on sale or special.
You can specify either a price or % for the sale.
- Products Expected- Lets you view the products you expect to arrive
at a certain date. These items are specified when you create a new
product under the Categories/Products menu.
Step3: After you have entered your products or are at least familiar
with how this process is done, move on to the next Tab. The Modules
tab allows you to add some extra functionality to your shop.
- Payment- The Payment menu allows you to select which types of payments
you want your shop to accept.
- Shipping- Allows you to select from which carriers you will offer
shipping quotes to your customers.
- Order Total- This section lets you specify which items you want
to show your customers at checkout.
This concludes chapter 1. You are now started on your way to getting
your new store administration section ready to go! Check out chapter
2 for more steps to further complete your administration setup.
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