eCommerce Product Catalog has four product catalog modes. The mode decides what visitors can do on a product page: buy the product, ask for a quote, follow an external link, or just browse. Pick the mode that matches how you sell, then configure the features that come with it.
Where to change the catalog mode
Go to Products > Settings > General Settings and find the Catalog Mode section. Select one of the modes and save the settings. Simple Catalog is the default.
You can also choose the mode on the Products > Getting Started screen (the Configuration Wizard button on the General Settings screen opens it). Choosing a mode there also switches the price on, and it sets up shipping for the mode: Web Store keeps shipping enabled (it adds two shipping options if shipping was off), and the other modes set the number of shipping options to zero.
If another active plugin, for example a premium cart extension, runs the catalog in a different mode, the Catalog Mode setting shows a notice with the mode that is currently in effect. Your saved choice applies again when that plugin is deactivated.
Simple Catalog
Simple Catalog displays products without any call to action. Visitors can browse products, categories and product details, but there is no cart, quote request or external button. Use it for a presentation catalog, or add a different way to contact you.
Web Store
Choose Web Store to sell products directly from your website. This mode enables the shopping cart:
- an Add to Cart button on product pages
- cart, checkout and thank you pages
- orders saved in the admin and email notifications for you and the customer
- product variations with price changes, checkout tax and shipping costs
- optional customer accounts and the customer panel with order history
The shopping cart settings appear in Products > Settings > General Settings > Shopping Cart. See Enable Shopping Cart Mode for the full setup.
Inquiry Catalog
Choose Inquiry Catalog when customers should ask for a price instead of buying. This mode enables the quote cart: visitors add products to an inquiry and submit it with a form. You receive the inquiry by email and it is saved under Quotes in the admin.
The settings appear in Products > Settings > General Settings > Quote Cart. In this mode product variations work as selectors only; variation price changes are not applied. See Enable Quote Cart / Inquiry Catalog mode.
Affiliate Catalog
Choose Affiliate Catalog when the product page should send visitors to another website, such as an affiliate store or marketplace. This mode adds a button with an external link to each product page. You set the button label and URL in Products > Settings > General Settings > Affiliate Button. See Affiliate Catalog Mode.