Enable custom options for specific product selections

AI Commerce now supports Custom Options functionality alongside options and variants. Custom options allow the addition of refining choices to products without affecting the product SKU, price, or inventory balance.

This feature is suitable for situations where additional information is needed from the customer before confirming the order – for example, engraving text, color choice, or other specifications. If the choice does not affect the product's availability or price, you can now use a custom option for it.

When to use custom options?

• The choice of the product does not affect the price or inventory.

• Additional choices are desired, but you do not want to manage each combination as a separate SKU.

• For example, traffic signs: dimensions and materials can be variants (SKU), but font or color choice can be a custom option.

Guidelines for implementing custom options

1. Familiarize yourself with options and variants:

   Ensure that it is not a choice that affects the price or inventory. In that case, options or variants should be used.

2. Define the purpose:

   Consider whether it is a choice that does not impact the SKU level. If so, a custom option is suitable.

3. Open the product card in the control panel:

   Navigate to Catalog and select the desired product. Click to open the product card.

4. Create a new custom option:

   Open the Custom options section and select Add new custom option.

5. Define the settings for the choice:

   
   

   • Select Input type (e.g., Radio button or Checkbox).

   • Define the Sort order number.

   • Choose whether the selection is mandatory (Required).

   
   

6. Add selectable values:

   For example, for color selection, you can add the values "black" and "blue". Radio button enforces a single choice, Checkbox allows multiple.

7. Save and publish:

   When the product is opened in the store, these additional choices will be shown to the customer. Mandatory choices prevent order submission without a selection.

Transfer of order information to systems

The custom option selections made by the customer will be included in the order under the comment section for systems like ERP. This keeps the actual inventory management separate, but the selections are visible to the handler.

When are custom options insufficient?

If the choice affects:

• Price

• Inventory balance

• Or has its own SKU

…use options or variants.

Summary

Custom options complement AI Commerce product modeling when additional choices are desired without SKU-level differentiation. They bring clarity to the order, enhance the customer experience, and simplify product management without additional inventory tracking.