Now that your Items exist in CyberStore, you can choose how you want them to be viewed by your shoppers. You can add images, write descriptions, build Characteristics, and choose other Items within your Site with which you want to associate them.

To create an effective web store, you should complete each of the tasks on this page. While there is not a particular order in which you need to complete these tasks, they should be completed by the time your Site goes live.

Upload Images

Images are an important part of the display of your Items on your Site. For information about images and considerations before selecting the ones you will use, review the topic Item and Category Images. This topic also provides information on the image upload process.

As you plan for your Item images, also give consideration to the Category images you want to use if you have not uploaded these already.

When you are ready to edit your selected images, see the topic Preparing Images for assistance.

Write Additional Descriptions

You can also sort through each Item individually within the Item Maintenance grid. For each Item, you can add a headline, sub headline, and long description. Because you ideally want as much information saved about each Item as possible, you want to look through all of the tabs within the Item Maintenance pop-up and fill in any blank fields. The more information you save, the more informed decisions shoppers are able to make while browsing your Site.

Likewise, if you have not done so already, add descriptions for your Categories and begin to fill in any blank fields within the Category Maintenance pop-up.

You can also update Item information for all Items already loaded into CyberStore by using an Excel sheet. You can find instructions for doing so in our topic Updating Item Data with Excel Upload. Check out our sample files SAMPLE - CyberStore Item Maintenance Grid Export.xlsx and SAMPLE - CyberStore Item Update Import File.xlsx that you can clear of information to use for your own Items. You can add your own columns as needed. For example, you can add a column for Categories and subcategories if you want to reassign Items to different Categories. Another example, as discussed in detail in the topic Working with Models, you can identify your Items as either Models, SKUs, or stock codes in a separate column.

Build Characteristics

Characteristics provide product specifications that give shoppers a better sense of the Item's features and use. They can also be used as filters when shoppers are looking for a particular type of product on your Site.

In order to begin building Characteristics for the Items in your web store, consider the needs of the shoppers visiting your Site. This step requires a special kind of knowledge about the Items you are selling and your clientele. What information would shoppers want to know about your product? What kind of features would they look for in that type of Item if they saw it in a brick and mortar store? With Characteristics, the more measurements and specifications that you can give, the better.

Because they are both important and plentiful, building Characteristics can be tricky. If you need assistance, we would be happy to work with you.

To begin building Characteristics, visit the Characteristics section in the Console. Once you have identified and created the Characteristics you will use, you can upload these for each Item by using an Excel spreadsheet. With this option, you would create a spreadsheet for each Characteristic with information about all applicable stock codes. You would then import it into the Characteristics Grid. We have created a sample spreadsheet that you can modify and use for your own Characteristics: SAMPLE - CyberStore Item Characteristic Data Worksheet.xlsx. Otherwise, you can work directly in the Console.

Select Related Items and Accessories

You should also assign related Items and accessories to your Items. When you assign these, they will be suggested to the shopper when looking at the main Item. In doing so, you can choose how you want your shoppers to view your Item by selecting similar merchandise and encouraging them to explore your web store further.

When you assign accessories to an Item, you can also designate price breaks. To read more about this pricing option, see the topic Pricing Exclusive to CyberStore.

To assign these for your Items, go to the Related Items and Accessories section within the Item Maintenance grid.