Designing your Ceres webshop
Have you already booked stock? Not yet? Return to Booking stock. |
This page will now teach you how to set up your Ceres webshop. After you have set up a catalogue of items and categories, you will now learn how to set up the necessary webshop plugins and how you can customise your store’s appearance.
This chapter is divided into three sections: In a first step, you will carry out important preparations, so that your webshop will work properly. In the next step, you need to carry out relevant settings in the Ceres configuration. Lastly, you will design the appearance of your webshop with the ShopBuilder, the plentymarkets construction kit system for webshops.
1. Preparations
Here you will find information about the most important preliminary tasks for setting up your Ceres webshop. This section also specifies the data required for initial setup.
1.1. Saving legal information
Ceres provides pages for displaying your legal texts. In the Legal information menu, you can save your terms and conditions, cancellation rights, the cancellation form, privacy policy and legal disclosure for your webshop.
Entering your terms and conditions as text:
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Go to Setup » Client » [Select client] » webshop » Legal information.
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Expand the desired language.
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The tab Terms and conditions is preselected.
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The tab Text is preselected.
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Enter the text for your terms and conditions. The plugin Ceres does not use the tab HTML.
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Save the settings.
Enter the texts for the cancellation rights, the cancellation form, the privacy policy and the legal disclosure of your webshop in the same way for the desired languages. These texts will be displayed on the respective pages in your *Ceres webshop.
1.2. Creating default profiles
Set up a default country of delivery, a default shipping method, a default shipping profile and a default payment method. These are preselected for non-registered visitors of your webshop. You can only use plugin payment methods in your Ceres webshop, which you can download from the plentyMarketplace .
Setting up the default country of delivery
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Go to Setup » Client » [Select client] » Orders.
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Select a default shipping method.
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Select a default shipping profile.
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Select a default payment method.
→ You have to select a payment plugin for the Ceres webshop. -
Select a country of delivery for each language from the respective Standard country of delivery drop-down lists.
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Save the settings.
1.3. Setting up automatic emails
The Setup » Client » [Select client] » Email » Automatic menu contains various events you can link with an email template. Select the email template that you have previously created in the Setup » Client » [Select client] » Email » Templates menu from the drop-down list. This ensures that the email template is automatically sent to your customer once the event occurs.
Setting up automatic emails:
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Go to Setup » Client » [Select client] » Email » Automatic.
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In the row of the event, select the email template that you previously set up from the drop-down list. Pay attention to the information given in [tabelle-ereignisse-automatischer-e-mail-versand].
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Save the settings.
Setting | Explanation |
---|---|
New order from the webshop |
The contacts receive an email including the order confirmation after they have completed the purchase in the webshop. |
Send customer email to change password |
The contacts receive an email with a link to the new password, which they have to confirm. The email template must include the {% Link_ChangePassword() %} function. |
Customer registration |
The contacts receive a confirmation email after they have registered in the webshop. |
1.3.1. Editing the name of the webshop
You can enter and edit a name for your webshop in the CMS » Multilingualism menu, which is displayed as the title of the browser tab.
Editing the name of the webshop:
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Go to CMS » Multilingualism.
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Select a language in the Target language area, for which you want to edit the name of the webshop.
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Click on Header in the Ceres section.
→ The header section expands. -
Enter a name in the Name of the webshop field.
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Save the settings.
2. Setting up webshop plugins
We have already created a plugin-set in your plentymarkets system that contains all plugins you need for a successful launch. The plugin IO contains the logic of the webshop. You don’t have to carry out any settings in IO at this point. The plugin Ceres contains the default design of the webshop and can be customised to meet your needs. The 2 payment plugins Cash in advance and PayPal are already installed, so that your customers can place orders in your webshop as soon as possible.
2.1. Setting up the Ceres plugin
Your webshop comes with a fully functional test design. You can change the test design and add to it according to your needs. You will carry out basic settings of your webshop in the following chapters. We will therefore not describe every single option in the Ceres configuration. At the end of the page, you can find further reading material that provides a more detailed description of the settings.
2.1.1. Setting up the contact page
You set up the contact page in the Contact form tab of the Ceres plugin configuration. First, select the contact data you want to display on your contact page. Your customers can send you a message via the contact form on your contact page. Save an email address for this purpose.
Setting up the contact page:
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Go to *Plugins » Plugin overview.
→ The plugin overview will open. -
Click on your plugin set.
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Click on Ceres.
→ The plugin opens.
→ The configuration is preselected in the navigation tree on the left.
Click on the the Contact form. -
Enter the *Contact form email address.
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Under Show contact data, activate the checkboxes for the contact information you want to display on your contact page.
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Save the settings.
2.1.2. Customising the item view
You can modify the design of the item pages of your webshop in the tab Item view of the Ceres configuration. You can determine, for instance, which item data is displayed and whether you want to include a category description.
Customising the item view:
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Go to *Plugins » Plugin overview.
→ The plugin overview will open. -
Click on Ceres.
→ The plugin opens. → The configuration is preselected in the navigation tree on the left. -
Click on the tab Item view.
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Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in [tabelle-artikelansicht-anpassen].
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Save the settings.
Setting | Explanation |
---|---|
Name of an item to display |
Select the name of an item to display in the webshop. Item name = Select to display the configured item name. |
Item name |
* |
Select Name 1*, Name 2 or Name 3. Texts for these fields are saved in the Texts tab of the item. If you select Name 2 or Name 3, but did not save a name in the text field, Name 1 will be used as item name. |
Show item information |
Select one, multiple or ALL item information options to be displayed in the Further details tab of the item view in the webshop. Item condition = Activate to display the item condition. The 5 options Description, Technical data, Strikethrough price, Variation name and Preview text are displayed at other locations in the item view. Description = Activate to display the Description tab. The Description tab will not be displayed for items for which you did not enter a text in the Texts tab. |
Enable selection of variations without stock in variation drop-down list |
Activate to display variations without stock in the variation drop-down list in the category view. Variations without stock can be selected and will not be greyed out in the drop-down list. When selecting a variation without stock, the customer will be forwarded to the single item view of the item. |
Show variations by type |
Display variations by type in the item list of a category. ALL = Select to display active main variations and sub-variations of items. Inactive main variations and child-variations will not be displayed. |
Enable image carousel for category item list |
Activate to display the image carousel in the category view. |
Show image carousel dots in category item list |
Activate to display navigation dots below the image carousel of an item in the category view. |
Enable image carousel navigation arrows in category item list |
Activate to display navigational arrows in the image carousel in the category view, with which users can navigate through the image carousel. |
Loading animation |
Select a loading animation for the category view. Bars = When loading the category view, a loading animation with bars will be displayed. |
Show category preview image in the category view |
Activate to display a preview image in the category view. The preview image can be uploaded in the Documents tab of the category and must be set as image 1. |
Show category description above item list |
Select the item description that is displayed above the item list. The respective description can be edited in the Item » Categories menu in the tabs Description 1 or Description 2. None = No category description is displayed. Description 1 = Description 1 is displayed above the item list. Description 2 = Description 2 is displayed above the item list. Description 1 and 2 = Description 1 and description 2 are both displayed. |
Show category description below item list |
Select the item description that is displayed below the item list. The respective description can be edited in the Item » Categories menu in the tabs Description 1 or Description 2. None = No category description is displayed. Description 1 = Description 1 is displayed below the item list. Description 2 = Description 2 is displayed below the item list. Description 1 and 2 = Description 1 and description 2 are both displayed. |
Show category description in category view (obsolete) |
Activate to display a description of the category in the category view. You can enter the description in the Description 1 tab of the category. |
Show categories as filter options for search results |
2.1.3. Setting up item lists
You can group items with the help of item lists and highlight them that way in the single item view of an item. Ceres supports the following item lists:
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Cross-selling: The webshop displays cross-selling items via Relations. You can use item lists consisting of similar items, accessories, replacement parts and item packages.
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Store specials: lists with new items, special offers, etc. are integrated into Ceres via tags. For further information, refer to the Adding tags to items chapter of the manual.
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Last seen items: A list of the customer’s last seen items is displayed.
You can link item lists to the location you want to display them in via layout containers. First, set up an item list for last seen items.
Setting up a last seen list:
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Go to *Plugins » Plugin overview.
→ The plugin overview will open. -
Click on Ceres.
→ The plugin opens. → The configuration is preselected in the navigation tree on the left. -
Click on the Item lists tab.
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Under First item list, select the option Last seen from the drop-down list.
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Save the settings.
Then link the item list with a container in the single item view of the item in the webshop.
Linking an item list:
Selecting container links:
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Go to Plugins » Plugin set overview.
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Open the plugin set you want to edit by clicking on the table row.
→ The plugin set opens. -
Open the settings of the plugin you want to link by clicking on the table row.
→ The plugin settings open. -
Click on Container links.
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Select a data provider from the drop-down list.
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Select the links you want to add.
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Repeat steps 5 and 6 for all data providers you want to link to containers.
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Save () the settings.
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The option First item list is already pre-selected in the drop-down list.
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Activate the container Single item: Container for item lists.
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Save the settings.
→ The item list is displayed in the single item view of an item in the webshop.
2.1.4. Customising the shopping cart
Customise the display options of the shopping cart in the Shopping cart tab. Select item and price information to be displayed in the shopping cart and customise the shopping cart preview.
Customising the shopping cart:
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Go to *Plugins » Plugin overview.
→ The plugin overview will open. -
Click on Ceres.
→ The plugin opens. → The configuration is preselected in the navigation tree on the left. -
Click on the tab Shopping cart.
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Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in [tabelle-warenkorb-anpassen].
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Save the settings.
Setting | Explanation |
---|---|
Show item information |
Select one, multiple or ALL item information options to be displayed in the item overview of the shopping cart. Item ID = Activate to display the item’s ID. |
Add to shopping cart: Show information |
Select whether to show the overlay of the shopping cart, toggle the shopping cart preview or display no information after clicking on the Add to shopping cart button. |
Type of shopping cart preview |
Select whether the shopping cart preview is displayed on the right or toggled when moving the mouse over the shopping cart symbol. |
2.1.5. Customising the pagination and sorting
Customise the pagination, i.e. the numbering of pages, of the item overview and the webshop’s item sorting in the *Pagination and sorting tab.
Customising the pagination and sorting:
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Go to Plugins » Plugin overview.
→ The plugin overview will open. -
Click on Ceres.
→ The plugin opens. → The configuration is preselected in the navigation tree on the left. -
Click on the Pagination and sorting tab.
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Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in [tabelle-paginierung-sortierung].
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Save the settings.
Setting | Explanation |
---|---|
Position of the pagination |
Select whether the pagination is displayed above, below, or above and below the item list. |
Always show first page |
Activate to always display the first page in the pagination. |
Always show last page |
Activate to always display the last page in the pagination. |
Enter the number of columns per page |
Select 3, 4, or 5 columns per page from the drop-down list. This number is used for calculating the values in the Items per page drop-down list. |
Enter the number of rows per page |
Activate one, multiple or all number values. The activated values are multiplied with the number of columns and displayed in the Items per page drop-down list in the item overview. |
SEO: Set the value noindex beginning at page |
Enter a page number. Beginning with this page, search engines and webcrawlers no longer index the search results. |
Enable item sorting by |
Activate one, several or ALL sorting options for item sorting. |
Default sorting value for category view |
Select the option that is selected by default for item sorting in the category view. |
Recommended item sorting: First/second/third sorting value |
Select the option for recommended item sorting in the category view. You can enter up to 3 sorting options, the first of which has the hightest priority. |
Default sorting value for search results Select the default sorting value for item search results. |
Recommended search results: First/second/third search value
Select values for the recommended item search. You can enter up to 3 sorting options, the first of which has the hightest priority. Sorting values |
2.1.6. Setting up webshop languages
Carry out language settings in the tab Languages. By default Ceres will be available in German and English. Your customers can select these languages in the header area of your webshop. Ceres supports all languages available in plentymarkets. You can translate your webshop and your items into additional languages.
Setting up webshop languages:
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Go to Plugins » Plugin overview.
→ The plugin overview will open. -
Click on Ceres.
→ The plugin opens. → The configuration is preselected in the navigation tree on the left. -
Click on the tab Languages.
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Activate additional languages under Active languages.
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Save the settings.
→ The selected languages will be displayed in the language selection of your webshop.
2.1.7. Carrying out currency settings
In the Currencies tab, you carry out settings for the availability and display of currencies in your webshop. Here, you specify whether your customers are allowed to change the currency in the webshop, activate the available currencies and determine how these currencies are displayed.
Carrying out currency settings
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Go to *Plugins » Plugin overview.
→ The plugin overview will open. -
Click on Ceres.
→ The plugin opens. → The configuration is preselected in the navigation tree on the left. -
Click on the tab Currencies.
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Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in [tabelle-waehrung-einstellungen].
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Save the settings.
Setting | Explanation |
---|---|
Format of currencies |
Select the format of currencies. The selected currency format will be used globally in the webshop. ISO code = The webshop displays the currency as ISO code. For the currency Euro the ISO code EUR will be displayed. |
Allow customers to change the currency |
Activate to allow customers to select a different currency in the header of the webshop. Select the available currencies below. |
Format of currencies in the header |
Select the format of currencies for the header. ISO code = The webshop displays the currency as ISO code in the header. |
Available currencies |
Activate currencies available to customers in the header of the webshop. |
2.1.8. Entering SEO meta data
In the SEO tab you carry out settings for optimising your webshop for search engines. Here, you control robot access to your static webshop pages.
Carrying out settings for search engine optimisation:
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Go to Plugins » Plugin overview.
→ The plugin overview will open. -
Click on Ceres.
→ The plugin opens. -
Click on Configuration in the directory tree on the left.
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Click on the tab SEO.
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Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in [tabelle-seo-einstellungen].
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Save the settings.
Setting | Explanation |
---|---|
Robots settings for homepage |
Select All, index, nofollow, noindex or nofollow, noindex to control access to the homepage of your webshop by robots. Search engine crawlers analyse the values of the meta element Robots. These values tell the crawler how to deal with the page and any links on that page. ALL = Include the homepage of the webshop in the search engine index and follow links on the page. |
Now that you have successfully carried out these basic settings in the Ceres configuration, you can begin setting up your webshop with the ShopBuilder construction kit.
3. Setting up the webshop using the ShopBuilder
The ShopBuilder is plentymarkets' modular construction kit. You can use it to set up your webshop pages intuitively. You can access the ShopBuilder in the CMS » ShopBuilder menu.
The ShopBuilder is divided into 2 user interfaces: the content manager and the editor. In the content manager, you manage ShopBuilder categories and create new contents for your categories. In the editor view, you create individual store pages via drag-and-drop.
Requirements for using the ShopBuilder
In order to use the ShopBuilder you must have a valid SSL certificate. |
3.1. Creating your homepage with the ShopBuilder
The homepage is usually the first page that customers will see when they enter your webshop. It gives them a first impression. That is why you should take your time to design the homepage.
First, create a content for the homepage:
Creating a content for the homepage:
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Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
→ The content manager of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on Homepage (Ceres) in the category tree on the left side.
→ The category opens. -
Under Content for Homepage (Ceres), click on New.
→ The window Create new page opens. -
Select the type Content.
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Enter a name for your homepage and select the Standard homepage (Ceres) preset.
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Click on Save.
After you have created a new content, you can open it in the editor by clicking the content tile. There, you can design it according to your needs. The ShopBuilder provides structure widgets and content widgets. Structure widgets are elements that structure your page design and that can be filled with other widgets.
All other widgets are content elements with a specific purpose, for instance providing an item list. You can open the widget settings by clicking the cog button on the widget.
Below, you will find a list of available widgets and their settings.
Setting up the homepage:
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Click on the content you just created for the homepage.
→ The ShopBuilder editor opens. -
Expand a widget category in the widget tree on the left, e.g. Image.
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Place the widget you want to include on your homepage by dragging it onto the preview area of the editor. Pay attention to the information given in [tabelle-elemente-shop-builder].
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Save the settings.
Widget | Explanation |
---|---|
Structure |
|
Grid with 4 columns |
Provides a structure widget with 4 columns that can be filled with other widgets. The size ratio of the columns cannot be adjusted. You can also drag other structure widgets into this widget to enable additional formatting options. |
Grid with 3 columns |
Provides a structure widget with 3 columns that can be filled with other widgets. Click Edit to change the layout of the element. Select a size ratio for the columns from the Layout drop-down list. Stacked options display 2 columns on top of each other. You can also drag other structure widgets into this widget to enable additional formatting options. |
Grid with 2 columns |
Provides a structure widget with 2 columns that can be filled with other widgets. Click Edit to change the layout of the element. Select a size ratio for the columns from the Layout drop-down list. You can also drag other structure widgets into this widget to enable additional formatting options. |
Sticky Container |
Provides a structure element which has a fixed position and is thereby always visible when scrolling the page. The sticky container can be filled with other structure elements or widgets. The sticky container itself has no further settings. |
Tabs |
Provides a structure widget for grouping widgets as tabs. Click Edit to change the colour of the widget, add new tabs to the widget and to change the titles of the tabs. |
Separator line |
Provides a separating line that serves as placeholder. Click Edit to adjust the paddings and margins of the separator line. |
Text |
|
Title bar |
Provides a title box. Click Edit to enter text and determine the colour of the title bar via the appearance drop-down list. You can only enter plain text. Entering HTML is not possible. |
Code |
Provides a text widget for entering HTML and Javascript. In the widget, click on the </> icon to open the code editor. Click Edit to change the paddings and margins of the widget and the appearance of the background colour. |
List |
Provides a list that serves as placeholder. Click Edit to add list entries and icons. You can define a target link for each list entry, so that you can link to external web pages or files. |
Text |
Provides a text box. Click Edit to open the text editor. You can select the colour for the text widget from the Appearance drop-down list. Activating the checkboxes Paddings and Margins provides additional formatting options for the widget. |
FAQ |
Provides text boxes for displaying frequently asked questions in the webshop. The corresponding answer is displayed after clicking the question. Click Edit to open the settings. You can select the colour for the questions from the appearance drop-down list. Add additional questions and answers by clicking the plus button. |
Image |
|
Image carousel |
Provides an image carousel. Click Edit to open the widget settings. |
Image box |
Provides a container for images. Click Edit to open the widget settings. |
Item |
|
Item list |
Provides an item list. Click Edit to open the widget settings. |
Customer data |
|
Welcome |
Provides a text box for greeting your customers in the webshop. Click Edit to select the Type of address. The type of address depends on the data provided by registered customers. |
Other widgets |
|
Newsletter |
Provides a newsletter registration for customers. Click Edit to carry out the settings. Appearance = Select the colour for the Subscribe button. |
3.1.1. Removing widgets from the homepage
You can remove any widgets you added to the homepage just as easily.
Removing elements from the preview area:
-
Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
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Click on the content you want to edit.
→ The ShopBuilder editor opens. -
Move the cursor over the element you want to remove.
→ The context menu opens. -
Click on the red Delete symbol to delete the widget.
→ The widget is removed and surrounding widgets are arranged accordingly. -
Save the settings.
3.1.2. Activating the homepage
When you are done setting up your homepage, you need to activate the content in the content manager interface of the ShopBuilder to display it in your webshop.
Activating the homepage:
-
Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
→ The content manager of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on Homepage (Ceres) in the category navigation on the left.
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Hover over the homepage content that you created earlier.
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Click Activate.
→ The homepage content is activated and the tile is highlighted in blue.
Now that you have designed the body of your homepage according to your wishes, it is time to set up the header (the upper area of the page) and the footer (the lower area of the page).
3.2. Editing the header and footer with the ShopBuilder
You can create new contents for the header and footer in the content manager interface of the ShopBuilder. All header and footer settings apply globally, i.e. to your entire webshop. This means that changes to the header and footer affect your homepage as well as all other pages that you create.
In the future, it will be possible to create and manage different headers and footers for individual categories or pages.
3.2.1. Editing the header with the ShopBuilder:
In order to edit the header of your webshop, you first need to create a new content. You create a content in the same way you created a content for the homepage. We advise you to use the preset for the default Ceres header. You can customise the preset according to your needs.
Editing the header with the ShopBuilder:
-
Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
→ The content manager view of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on Homepage (Ceres) in the category navigation on the left.
-
Click Header elements in the line above your homepage content.
→ The contents for header elements are expanded. -
Create a new header under Header elements.
→ The window Create new page opens. -
Enter a name for your header and select the preset Standard header (Ceres).
-
Save the header.
-
Click on the header you created.
→ The ShopBuilder editor opens. -
Move elements from the left side into the preview area via drag-and-drop. Pay attention to the information given in Table 8.
-
Save the settings.
Setting | Explanation |
---|---|
Breadcrumbs (Header) |
Provides a breadcrumb navigation. Customers can use it to navigate the different category levels of your webshop. Click Edit to carry out the settings. Fix when scrolling page = Activate to always show the breadcrumb navigation when the user scrolls on the page. |
Category navigation (Header) |
Provides the category navigation in the header. Click Edit to carry out the settings and determine the style of the category navigation, the category levels as well as the number of categories. You can also add a logo of your company. Fix when scrolling page = Activate to always show the category navigation when users scroll through your pages. |
Top Bar (Header) |
Provides a top bar for the header, that includes the options for changing the country of delivery and the currency. Click on Edit to carry out the settings and determine which elements to include in the top bar and how to display the item search and shopping cart information. Fix when scrolling page = Activate to always show the top bar when users are scrolling through your pages. |
The standard header preset includes these three header widgets. However, you can also use all other widgets that are available for content pages to design your header. This way, you can integrate a list with relevant information about your webshop or display an image box in the global header of your pages.
When you are happy with the design of your header, you need to activate the content by clicking the eye icon on the tile of the header content in the content manager interface. See also the instruction on activating the homepage.
3.2.2. Editing the footer using the ShopBuilder
In order to edit the footer of your webshop, you first need to create a new content. You create a content in the same way you created a content for the header. We advise you to use the preset for the default Ceres footer. You can customise the preset according to your needs.
Editing the footer using the ShopBuilder:
-
Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
→ The content manager view of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on Homepage (Ceres) in the category navigation on the left.
-
Click Footer elements in the line below your homepage content.
→ The contents for footer elements are expanded. -
Create a new footer under Footer elements.
→ The window Create new page opens. -
Enter a name for your footer and select the preset Standard footer (Ceres).
-
Save the footer.
-
Click on the footer you created.
→ The ShopBuilder editor opens. -
Move elements from the left side into the preview area via drag-and-drop. Pay attention to the information given in Table 9.
-
Save the settings.
Setting | Explanation |
---|---|
Legal information (Footer) |
Provides a list to display your legal information. Click Edit to determine which elements should be visible in the footer. You can also upload a cancellation form in PDF format. You have already stored the texts pertaining to your legal information in your plentymarkets back end while working through this quick guide. |
The legal information widget is the only widget that can exclusively be used in the footer. You can integrate all other widgets that are available on content pages. The preset for the Ceres standard footer also uses structure widgets and list widgets for highlighting store specials.
When you are happy with the design of your footer, you need to activate the content by clicking the eye icon on the tile of the footer content in the content manager interface. See also the instruction on activating the homepage.
You have now set up the header, homepage and footer of your webshop and familiarised yourself with the functions of the ShopBuilder. In the next step, you will set up the checkout and the My Account area and link a category for displaying shipping cost information.
3.3. Setting up the checkout using the ShopBuilder
You can create and edit the checkout of your webshop directly in the ShopBuilder. In Ceres, checkout is the term that is used to describe the customer’s order process. For this purpose, you will create a new category, link this category with the Ceres plugin and then create a new checkout content.
3.3.1. Creating a category for the checkout
First, create a new category in which you can create checkout contents.
Creating a checkout category:
-
Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
→ The content manager of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on New category on the left. → The Create new category window opens.
-
Enter a name for the category, e.g. "Checkout”. → The option Main category is preselected.
-
Click Create. → The new category is created and the Edit category “CategoryName” window opens.
-
Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 10.
-
Save the settings.
Setting | Explanation |
---|---|
General settings |
|
Client (store) |
Select the client for which you want to create the category. You can activate a single category for multiple clients at once. Categories that are activated for one client are highlighted in yellow for this client. If a category for the selected client is inactive, it is displayed grey in the category tree. |
Show sitemap |
Activate to add the category to the sitemap. |
Show in link list |
Activate to show category in the link list. |
Client (store) specific settings |
|
Client (store) |
Select a client from the drop-down list, for which you want to carry out client-specific settings. |
Name |
Enter a name for the category. If no name is specified for a category, the category is displayed in italics. |
* URL* |
Enter a URL for the category. Every category requires a unique URL. |
Canonical |
If necessary, enter the URL of a category with the same content to prevent SEO-relevant duplicate content. |
position |
Enter a number to specify the order in which the categories and subcategories of the same level should be displayed. |
Meta title |
Enter a meta title. SEO tip: Pay attention to the length of the title. |
Meta description |
Enter a meta description (max. 350 characters). Search engines analyse the meta description. This makes it particularly important for the homepage. SEO tip: The meta description should contain the most important content in one sentence. |
Meta-Keywords |
Enter key words that potential customers are likely to enter into search engines and that relate to the content of the category. |
Meta robots |
Choose between all, index, nofollow, noindex and nofollow, noindex. Search engine crawlers analyse the robot values. The values determine how the crawler deals with the page and any links on that page. |
3.3.2. Linking the checkout category:
You have now successfully created a new category for your checkout contents. In order for the checkout to work properly in your webshop, you need to link the category with the Ceres plugin:
Linking the checkout category:
-
Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
→ The content manager of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on Open settings on the left in the toolbar.
→ The interface for linking categories with Ceres is opened. -
Click on the line Category for checkout.
→ The category selection opens. -
Select the category you created for the checkout.
→ The line of the category is highlighted in blue. -
Click on Select at the lower end of the category selection.
→ The category selection is closed. -
Save the settings.
You have now successfully linked the checkout category with the Ceres plugin.
3.3.3. Creating contents for the checkout
You can now create contents for the checkout in the same way you created contents for the homepage.
Creating contents for your checkout:
-
Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
→ The content manager of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on the checkout category you created in the category navigation tree on the left.
→ The category opens. -
Under Content for CategoryName, click on New.
→ The window Create new page opens. -
Select the type Checkout.
-
Enter a name for your checkout and select the Standard checkout (Ceres) preset.
-
Click on Save.
After you have created a new content, you can open it in the editor by clicking the content tile. There, you can design it according to your needs. A number of widgets are available for the checkout that cannot be used on other pages. These are detailed below:
Widget | Explanation |
---|---|
Customer data |
|
Address selection |
Provides the address selection. Via this widget, customers can enter a delivery and/or invoice address in the checkout. Click Edit to carry out the settings. Address type = Add an invoice or shipping address. The following address fields are available for the address selection: |
Shopping cart |
|
Shopping cart content |
Provides an overview over the items in the shopping cart. Click Edit to select the appearance of the widget. |
Coupon input |
Provides the input field for customers to redeem their coupon codes. Click Edit to select the appearance of the widget. |
Totals |
Provides an overview over the totals. Click Edit to open the settings and select which Price information is displayed in the totals overview. Available price information: |
Checkout |
|
Shipping profile selection |
Provides a selection of the configured and active shipping profiles. Click Edit to carry out the settings. This widget is limited to 1 per page. Text = Enter text you want to display between the headline and the selection of shipping profiles. |
Payment method selection |
Provides a selection of payment methods. The payment plugins have to be downloaded from link:www. marketplace and activate them for the client, country of delivery and customer class. Click Edit to carry out the settings. This widget is limited to 1 per page. Text = Enter text you want to display between the headline and the selection of payment methods. |
Notes and requests |
Provides a text box with which customers can add notes and requests to their order. Click Edit to carry out the settings. Text = Enter text you want to display between headline and the text box. |
Terms and conditions checkbox |
Provides a checkbox with which customers can agree to your general terms and conditions. Click Edit to carry out the settings. This widget is limited to 1 per page. Hide checkbox = Activate to hide the checkbox in the webshop. The checkbox is checked by default. |
Shipping information checkbox |
Provides a checkbox with which customers can confirm that their shipping information is forwarded to the shipping service provider. Whether the checkbox is displayed in the webshop depends on the selected shipping profile. The option Agreement upon data transfer has to be activated for the shipping profile. |
Newsletter checkbox |
Provides a checkbox with which customers can subscribe to your newsletter. Click Edit to enter the ID of your email folder, to overwrite the text that is displayed next to the checkbox and to carry out further settings: Hide checkbox = Activate to hide the checkbox in the webshop. The checkbox is checked by default. |
Purchase button |
Provides the button with which your customers place orders in your webshop. Click Edit to carry out the settings. Appearance = Select the colour of the button. |
Cancel payment button |
Provides a button with which customers can cancel a verified purchase done via a payment plugin (e.g. PayPal). Click Edit to carry out the settings. Appearance = Select the colour of the button. |
Address fields “Company” and “Contact person”
The address input fields now contain the option Contact person. The field Contact person is only relevant for B2B customers. The fields Company and Contact person interact as follows:
|
When you are happy with the design of your checkout, you need to activate the content by clicking the eye icon on the tile of the checkout content in the content manager interface.
3.4. Setting up the My Account area with the ShopBuilder
You can create and edit the My Account area, i.e. the customer section of your webshop, directly in the ShopBuilder. For this purpose, you will create a new category, link this category with the Ceres plugin and then create a new My Account content.
3.4.1. Creating a category for the My Account area
First, create a new category for your My Account contents.
Creating a category for the My Account area:
-
Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
→ The content manager of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on New category on the left.
→ The Create new category window opens. -
Enter a name for the category, e.g. "My Account”.
→ The option Main category is preselected. -
Click Create.
→ The new category is created and the Edit category “CategoryName” window opens. -
Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 10.
-
Save the settings.
3.4.2. Linking the My Account area with the Ceres plugin:
You have now successfully created a new category for your My Account contents. In order for the My Account area to work properly in your webshop, you need to link the category with the Ceres plugin:
Linking the My Account area with the Ceres plugin:
-
Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
→ The content manager of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on Open settings on the left in the toolbar.
→ The interface for linking categories with Ceres is opened. -
Click on the line Category for My Account.
→ The category selection opens. -
Select the category you created for the My Account area.
→ The line of the category is highlighted in blue. -
Click on Select at the lower end of the category selection.
→ The category selection is closed. -
Save the settings.
You have now successfully linked the My Account category with the Ceres plugin.
3.4.3. Creating contents for the My Account area
You can now create contents for the My Account area in the same way you created contents for the homepage and the checkout.
Creating contents for the My Account area:
-
Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
→ The content manager of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on the My Account category you created in the category navigation tree on the left.
→ The category opens. -
Under Content for CategoryName, click on New.
→ The window Create new page opens. -
Select the type My Account.
-
Enter a name for your My Account area and select the Standard My Account (Ceres) preset.
-
Click on Save.
After you have created a new content, you can open it in the editor by clicking the content tile. There, you can design it according to your needs. A number of widgets are available for the My Account pages that cannot be used on other pages. These are detailed below:
Widget | Explanation |
---|---|
Customer data |
|
Welcome |
Provides a text box for greeting your customers in the webshop. Click Edit to select the Type of address. . First and last name: Displays the text “Hello, John Doe”. |
My account |
|
Account settings |
Provides a widget with which customers can change their email address and their password. Click Edit to change the appearance of the buttons and enter Text you want to display between the widget title and the account settings. |
Bank details |
Provides a widget with which customers can add and edit their bank details. Click Edit to change the appearance of the button and enter a Text you want to display between the widget title and the bank details. |
Order history |
Provides a list of past orders of your customers. The order history contains information pertaining to the order ID, the totals, the order date, the shipping date, and the status. Click Edit to change the appearance of the widget and enter a Text you want to display between the widget title and the order history. You can also determine how many orders per page are displayed, if you want to allow customers to change the payment method and if you want to allow returns. This widget is limited to 1 per page. |
Return history |
Provides a list of past returns of your customers. The return history includes information pertaining to the return ID, the order ID, the return date and the payment method. Customers can download relevant files, such as the order confirmation, in the column return documents. Click Edit to change the appearance of the widget and enter a Text you want to display between the widget title and the return history. This widget is limited to 1 per page. |
Logout button |
Provides the button with which your customers can log out from your webshop. Click Edit to determine the colour of the logout *button and the *button size. |
3.5. Setting up the category for displaying shipping cost information
Create a new category and content in the content manager to inform your customers about shipping costs in you webshop. Your shipping cost information is, for instance, linked on the item tiles in the category view or the single item view. When customers click the link, a pop-up will display the content you design with the ShopBuilder.
3.5.1. Creating a category for shipping cost information
First, create a new category for displaying information about your shipping costs.
Creating the shipping cost information category:
-
Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
→ The content manager of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on New category on the left.
→ The Create new category window opens. -
Enter a name for the category, e.g. "Shipping costs”. → The option Main category is preselected.
-
Click Create.
→ The new category is created and the Edit category “CategoryName” window opens. -
Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 10.
-
Save the settings.
3.5.2. Linking the shipping cost information category:
You have now successfully created a new category for your shipping cost information. In order for the shipping cost information to be displayed properly in your webshop, you need to link the category with the Ceres plugin:
Linking the shipping cost information category:
-
Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
→ The content manager of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on Open settings on the left in the toolbar.
→ The interface for linking categories with Ceres is opened. -
Click the line Category for displaying shipping cost information.
→ The category selection opens. -
Select the category you created for the shipping cost information.
→ The line of the category is highlighted in blue. -
Click on Select at the lower end of the category selection.
→ The category selection is closed. -
Save the settings.
You have now successfully linked the category for shipping cost information with the Ceres plugin.
3.5.3. Creating contents for the shipping cost information
You can now create contents for your shipping cost information in the same way you created contents for the homepage and the checkout.
Creating a content for your shipping cost information:
-
Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
→ The content manager of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on the shipping cost information category you created in the category navigation tree on the left.
→ The category opens. -
Under Content for CategoryName, click on New.
→ The window Create new page opens. -
Select the type Content.
-
Enter a name for your shipping cost information. There is no preset for this content.
-
Click on Save.
Click on the content and design the page the way you want to present it to customers in your webshop. You can use the same widgets that are available for the homepage. We advise you to use a text or list widget for the shipping cost information.
You can create further content categories in the same way, e.g. to create an About our company page. You do not need to link additional content categories with the Ceres plugin. Instead, you can use image or list widgets to link to the content categories.
3.6. Carrying out design settings
The ShopBuilder provides you with several settings pertaining to the colour scheme and the fonts of your webshop. These settings are globally active, meaning that they affect your entire webshop. The ShopBuilder provides 6 different fields for selecting colours that can be used by widgets. Please note that changes to the colour scheme are only adapted by the live webshop after you have saved & published the webshop plugin set.
Editing colour settings in the ShopBuilder:
-
Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
→ The content manager view of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on any category, e.g. homepage.
-
Click on any content you created.
→ The editor view of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on Design in the toolbar above the editor.
→ The Design menu opens. -
Change the colour via the colour picker or enter a hex value for the individual colour fields.
-
Save the settings.
The ShopBuilder also offers the possibility of selecting individual fonts for the webshop. You can either enter the URL of a font or upload a font file from your computer.
Editing fonts:
-
Go to CMS » ShopBuilder.
→ The content manager view of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on any category, e.g. homepage.
-
Click on any content you created.
→ The editor view of the ShopBuilder opens. -
Click on Design in the toolbar above the editor.
→ The Design menu opens. -
Carry out the settings in the Fonts section. Pay attention to the information given in Table 13.
-
Save the settings.
Option | Explanation |
---|---|
Enter font URL |
Enter a URL in the respective fields (regular, bold, italic or bold-italic). |
Upload font |
You need to have a font file available on your computer. Select the font file you want to use in the respective fields (regular, bold, italic_ or *bold-italic). |
4. Saving and publishing the plugin set
When you are done with carrying out the plugin settings and have designed the pages of your webshop with the ShopBuilder, it is time to save and publish the plugin set.
Your webshop will only enter its live operation when you link the plugin set with a client.
Save & publish plugin set:
-
Go to Plugins » Plugin overview.
→ The plugin overview will open. -
Make sure the the plugin set you worked in is currently selected (i.e. highlighted in blue).
-
Click Save & deploy plugin set. → The notification Deploying plugin set… appears on the screen. → The progress bar indicates when the deployment process is done.
Take a look at the current state of your webshop by clicking Plugin set preview in the tool bar and make sure you are happy with it. When you are ready, link the plugin set with a client:
Linking the plugin set with a client:
-
Go to Plugins » Plugin overview.
→ The plugin overview will open. -
Click on Link plugin set in the tool bar on the left.
→ The Link plugin sets window opens. -
Select the plugin set in which you made your changes from the drop-down list on the right side.
-
Click on Save. → The linked plugin set is indicated with a green dot next to its name.
5. Final Check
Work through the check list in order to review your settings for the webshop.
-
Did you save and deploy a plugin set that contains the plugins Ceres, IO, and Cash in advance?
-
Did you set up a default country of delivery, a default shipping method and a default shipping profile?
-
Did you set up cash in advance as default payment method?
-
Did you save your legal information?
-
Did you create a content for displaying information about your shipping costs? * [ ] Did you create a checkout with the ShopBuilder?
-
Did you create a My Account page with the ShopBuilder?
-
Did you create a homepage with the ShopBuilder?
-
Did you carry out the settings of the Ceres plugin configuration?
-
Did you save and deploy the plugin set after you carried out all of the settings?
6. Further information about your webshop
If you are looking for further information on Ceres webshops, the following pages provide detailed information about various topics:
Continue to preparing order processing. |