How to Display Option Icons in Your Ecommerce Store

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. What are Option Icons?
  3. Setting Up Option Icons
  4. Creating Color Swatches
  5. Displaying Swatches on Product Lists
  6. Conclusion
  7. FAQs

Introduction

Imagine shopping online for a clothing item and struggling to navigate through dropdown menus to find the right size or color. Frustrating, right? This is why many ecommerce websites now use option icons—visual indicators that simplify the process of selecting product variants. Option icons are essential for enhancing user experience and making your online store more attractive and intuitive for customers. This blog post delves into the world of option icons, providing a comprehensive guide on how to use them effectively in your ecommerce store.

By the time you finish reading, you'll understand what option icons are, why they are vital, and the step-by-step process to incorporate them into your product pages. We'll also explore how to create color and image swatches and display them on your site to improve overall user experience. Let's get started!

What are Option Icons?

Option icons are visual elements representing different variants of a product, such as sizes, colors, or styles. Instead of using traditional drop-down menus, option icons offer a more engaging way for customers to choose their preferred options. These icons can manifest as text buttons, color swatches, or image swatches, each serving the purpose of showcasing choices clearly and visually.

The key advantages of using option icons include:

  • Enhanced User Experience: They simplify the decision-making process for customers.
  • Improved Visual Appeal: Visual icons are more attractive and engaging compared to standard drop-down menus.
  • Quick Navigation: Customers can quickly identify and select the option they want, making the shopping experience smoother.

On Bluepark, you can display option icons as text button-style icons, color swatches, or image swatches, offering flexibility in how you present your products.

Setting Up Option Icons

Before you dive into setting up option icons, you need to have your product options and variants in place. If you haven't done this yet, it's advisable to go through a guide on creating options and variants first.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Option Icons

  1. Accessing the Options:

    • Navigate to the Product Editor in your Bluepark dashboard.
    • By default, new options added are set to ‘Select’ fields (drop-down menus). Click on the option name in the ‘Options’ tab of the Product Editor or go to Products > Options in the main menu.
  2. Changing Field Type to Option Icons:

    • Within the Options tab, you can change the field type from a drop-down menu to option icons by selecting either 'Option icons with select field' or 'Option icons only.'
    • Save your changes.
  3. Short Values for Option Icons:

    • Option icons by default showcase their full value name (e.g., ‘Small’, ‘Medium’, ‘Large’). If needed, you can set short values (e.g., ‘S’, ‘M’, ‘L’) by adding them within the option’s values screen in the Product Editor.

Creating Color Swatches

Color swatches enable you to represent product color variations visually. These can be crucial in industries like fashion, where color plays a significant role in customer decision-making.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Color Swatches

  1. Accessing the Values Screen:

    • In the Product Editor, navigate to the Options tab and click the Edit icon to open the Values screen.
  2. Adding Color Swatches:

    • To display color swatches, input a HEX code into the color field for each value. You can also choose a color from the color picker that appears when you click into the color field.
  3. Uploading Image Swatches:

    • For image swatches, click the blue folder icon next to the image field to upload an image. It's recommended to use 100px by 100px images that do not exceed 50kb in file size to maintain site performance.

Customizing Swatches with CSS

If you have knowledge of CSS, you can further customize the size, shape, and style of your swatches. This can be achieved by targeting the icons within the Additional CSS field in your theme settings.

Displaying Swatches on Product Lists

Displaying swatches on product category pages and within product blocks can greatly enhance user navigation. It allows visitors to see available options without clicking through to individual product pages.

Step-by-Step Guide to Displaying Swatches

  1. Enable Swatch Display:

    • Go to the Option Editor for your color option.
    • Check the 'Show Colour Swatch' option in the "Displayed in a List of Products" section.
  2. Navigating Via Swatches:

    • Once swatches are displayed on category pages, selecting a color swatch and clicking the product title or image will directly take the customer to that variant on the product page.

Compatibility

Note that option icons and swatches only function correctly with V2 themes. If you are still using a V1 theme, an upgrade to a V2 theme is necessary to utilize these features effectively.

Conclusion

Integrating option icons into your ecommerce store can transform the customer shopping experience. They make navigation intuitive, products visually appealing, and choices clear, thereby boosting customer satisfaction and potentially increasing sales. From setting up basic option icons to creating detailed color and image swatches, these steps will guide you in optimizing your product listings.

Option icons are not just a trend; they are becoming the standard in ecommerce, making it easier for customers to interact with your products. If you haven't already, now is the best time to revamp your product options and create a more engaging shopping experience for your customers.

FAQs

What are option icons, and why should I use them?

Option icons are visual indicators for product variants like size, color, or style. They enhance user experience by making choices clear and intuitive, improving your store's visual appeal and simplifying the navigation process.

How do I set up option icons on Bluepark?

Navigate to the Product Editor, go to the Options tab, and change the field type to 'Option icons with select field' or 'Option icons only.' Save the changes to activate option icons on your products.

What are color swatches, and how can I create them?

Color swatches are visual representations of product color variants. You can create them by entering HEX codes into the color field in the Product Editor or by uploading small-sized images (100px by 100px, not exceeding 50kb) for each option.

Can I customize the size and shape of my swatches?

Yes, if you are proficient in CSS, you can target the icons within the Additional CSS field in your theme settings to change their size, shape, and style.

Are option icons compatible with all Bluepark themes?

Option icons and swatches work with V2 themes. If you’re using a V1 theme, you need to upgrade to a V2 theme to use these features.

By following the steps in this guide, you can successfully integrate option icons and swatches into your ecommerce store, significantly enhancing the shopping experience for your customers.