Customizable Packages

Customizable Packages are a hallmark of the Timestone Internet Ordering System (IOS), allowing the online customer to customize products with respect to:

• Images (poses)

• Backgrounds

• Design options

• Personalized text

Options are available to the photographer regarding whether the customization choices made by the online customer should apply to the entire Package , or whether the customer should be forced to customize each product individually. The default behaviour is to allow both and the options can therefore be summarized as:

• Is Customizable (Default)

  • Customize for Package only

  • Customize for Products only

• Is Non customizable

These package settings are controlled under the Filters/Extras tab in the Offers/Packages area of tsAdmin.

Is Customizable

By default, a customizable package allows customization at both the package level (pose and background only) and product level (pose, background and option).

Package level customization can only be performed in the initial view of the package as shown in Figure 2 below. Selecting a pose and background in this view will update all the package’s products in one step. Upon clicking the Begin Customize button, the customer is then stepped through the products in the package where they can select poses and backgrounds for each product and, if applicable, item options.

Customize for Package only

The Customize for package only option only allows the user to customize the package from the initial view of the package in the Package Workbench, forcing the entire package to be the same pose or background. Figure 3 below, shows the same package as in Figure 2 above, but with the Customize for package only option.

If prompt text is an option for any product, it will be presented with the Poses and Backgrounds.

The Sub-Options

A package that has the Customize for package only option selected will have three sub-options with respect to when the "Add to cart" button should be available to the customer and whether the customer can step through and view the individual products.

• Don't Step Through Products

• Offer to Step Through Products

• Force to Step Through Products

Don’t Step through Products; the customer is immediately presented with the Add to cart button upon viewing the package as in Figure 3 above. The customer does not have the option to step through and view the products in the package.

Offer to step through Products; the Add to cart button is presented immediately along with the Step through products button, giving the customer the ability to step through and view the products in the package. They will not be able to customize each product individually.

Force to step through products; the customer must step through each product to be presented with the Add to cart button,  also shown in Figure 4 below.

Customize Products only

With the Customize products only option selected, package level customization is not permitted and the customer will therefore not be presented poses, backgrounds and prompt fields in the initial view of the package in the Package Workbench. Instead, they will be presented with the Begin Customize button.  

Once the Begin Customize button is pressed, the customer can step through each product, making selections for poses, backgrounds, item options, and prompt text as appropriate.

Demo - Is customizable options

The options described above are available on the Timestone Software demo site with this link:

https://demo.timestone.com.au/ordering/with?key=8XWP96C9&options=emptycart

Premium Package - Is Customizable; default behaviour, no further options

Deluxe Package - Is Customizable; Customize for package only, Don’t step through products

Classic Package - Is Customizable; Customize products only

Offer Options

Offer Options allow the user to display the Add to Cart button and the the package blurb initially - in the first view of the package in the Package Workbench. These options apply to the offer as a whole and therefore each package in the offer.

The Offer Options are selected in the Timestone Administrator (tsAdmin) by selecting the Notepad icon next to the Offer Code and description.

Present Add To Cart initially

This setting displays the Add to Cart button in the initial view of the package in the Package Workbench regardless of any other package customization options.

Display blurb initially

The Display Blurb Initially option displays the package blurb (if present) in the initial view of the package in the Package Workbench. It will therefore hide any poses, backgrounds and prompt field until the customer dismisses the blurb with the [i] icon or clicks the Continue button.

Note, for any packages without Blurb, the poses, background and prompt fields will display initially and the Continue button will be replaced by the Begin Customize button

Demo - Display blurb initially

https://demo.timestone.com.au/ordering/with?key=98M2M8W5&options=emptycart

Packages are defined in an Offer and comprise one or more Products.

Packages are the basis of all ordering methods. When customers place an order, when they buy something, they are ordering a package even if that package only contains a single product.

A product is any item produced in the apps. Simple prints, package prints, trader cards, groups, composites and digital files are all examples of products.

Products are of different types. Portrait 'type' products often relate directly to a pack layout template. Other product types relate to a genre, such as composites, groups and digital image.

One or more products are combined into a Package.

Packages are defined in an Offer and comprise one or more Products.

Packages are the basis of all ordering methods. When customers place an order, when they buy something, they are ordering a package even if that package only contains a single product.

tsAdmin also referred to as Timestone Administrator is a utility that allows the user to create working environments for the software.

When an online customer selects a package in the Shop, it opens in the so called ‘Package Workbench’. Here, the customer can work with the package and the products therein, customizing them as needed before adding the package to the cart.

Packages can only be added to the cart via the Package Workbench.

The IOS page that displays the packages an online customer can order.

The Shop will also display images and backgrounds if appropriate.