Stanj
Posts: 166
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| Posted: 02/04/2008, 4:02 AM |
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Hello Chargers
I am looking for some suggestions on techniques. I am building a shopping cart using php5.x/MySQL5.x and CCS4.00RC and everything worked fine when it was set up for fixed prices per item but a new request came to change the prices of the items to prices based on group size in tour groups. Using the new scheme of pricing, there is no direct arithmetic relationship between group size ranges and price. Because there are complex variables that effect each price point, I have to come up with a way to display the prices by range of members per group and then have the appropriate per person price show up in shopping basket when the client enters the number of members of their group. The tables are in the design phase so can be changed easily to fit a good solution. The easiest form would be a dynamically loaded list box but there are too many different price-member value pairs to enter for hundreds of tours.
So far I have a tour product table with:
Product_min_pax (the min. number of passengers it is offered to)
Product_max_pax (the max. number of passengers it is offered to)
Product_price_ID
Product_descrip
Product_price_fixed ( a flag set for items that have a fixed price per person so group size ranges are not displayed)
And a price table:
Price_id
Product_ID
Price_group_label (displayed text of the group size range such as “7-12 passengers”)
Price_group_lower (the lower value of the group size range, “7” for the example above)
Price_group_upper (the upper most value of the group size for this price per person, as “12” in the example above)
Price_group (the actual price per person for this group size range)
My desire is to learn of what some design options you more experienced developers might be able to suggest. I have played with prices per range having separate records, and with using a single multidimensional array for the price ranges and even smaller arrays with only one group range each and using the “in_array” function in case statements. That worked well but required more hard coding for ranges.
Any ideas of how to allow flexible size ranges, a minimum of table data entry, and something a novice programmer can deal with? Typically there are 8-15 different group size ranges depending on the type of tour. Maybe I am just overlooking an easy solution.
Thanks
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Stan
St Petersburg Russia |
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datadoit
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| Posted: 02/04/2008, 6:50 AM |
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Are the price ranges/increases constant or incremental? Example: For
every 10 additional group members, the price decreases by 10%.
If that's the case, then calculations could be made to determine the
prices without having to store the groupings.
Each product could be a member of a price discount grouping. Example:
For tour_1, every 10 additional people the prices decreases by 12%.
group_id group_discount
-------- --------------
1 10
2 12
3 14
So each product would be a member of a price_group, AND/OR each customer
could be a member of a price_group.
Just a thought....
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Stanj
Posts: 166
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| Posted: 02/04/2008, 7:27 AM |
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Thank you for the response DataDoit
Unfortunately the prices are figured out on a spreadsheet by the girls in the office using a model that takes into consideration about 100 variables so not only are groups size ranges different for different products but the price steps are variable because of different group size and cost steps for each venue, of which each tour might have 20 venues, all with different rules and price brealdowns. Some have a sur charge for groups smaller than 15, others require a different vehicle size limit in their parking area meaning additional smaller vehicles for a larger group if that museum is included on certain days of the week. You get the idea, too many variables for a simple and logical pricing system.
There is one type of tour that is fixed price per person and for that the new shopping cart works great, prints pdf tickets, a customized pdf tour booklet, and a detailed itinerary sheet/invoice, immigration report for visa-less group members etc. The only thing needed to be done is figure out a workable method of selecting the group size and exact number of member tickets being purchased, and have the shopping cart receive that price per person.
Thank you
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Stan
St Petersburg Russia |
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datadoit
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| Posted: 02/04/2008, 2:57 PM |
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I now feel your pain. :)
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ckroon
Posts: 869
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| Posted: 02/04/2008, 6:20 PM |
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Lol..
Wow.
you could always go Low-tech.
First: Raise your prices by 15%
Then, before they get on the bus, they spin a carnival wheel. Whatever price they land on, is the price they pay.
Easy.
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Walter Kempees...you are dearly missed. |
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ignitesystems
Posts: 7
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| Posted: 02/07/2008, 5:49 AM |
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I recommend using something like oscommerce which is an open source third generation ecommerce system. It has evolved over years and is template based. Tools for the job boys.
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datadoit
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| Posted: 02/07/2008, 6:12 AM |
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ignitesystems wrote:
> I recommend using something like oscommerce which is an open source third
> generation ecommerce system. It has evolved over years and is template based.
> Tools for the job boys.
> ---------------------------------------
Someday when someone gets bored enough, OSCommerce should be
'CodeChargisized'. I'd even pay a buck or two for that! :)
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wkempees
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| Posted: 02/07/2008, 6:16 AM |
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DD: I second that!
OSC used and used and used, great system good usergroup.
Lots and lost of specialized items catered for.
I made the same decision suggested by ignite, why build what is readily
available.
Walter
"datadoit" <datadoit@forum.codecharge> schreef in bericht
news:fof3lb$adq$2@news.codecharge.com...
> ignitesystems wrote:
>> I recommend using something like oscommerce which is an open source third
>> generation ecommerce system. It has evolved over years and is template
>> based.
>> Tools for the job boys.
>> ---------------------------------------
>
> Someday when someone gets bored enough, OSCommerce should be
> 'CodeChargisized'. I'd even pay a buck or two for that! :)
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datadoit
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| Posted: 02/07/2008, 6:27 AM |
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Of course, CodeCharge created pages or includes/iframes can certainly be
placed into OSCommerce pages. I think all that is required is PHP Exec.
Done this already with WordPress sites.
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Stanj
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| Posted: 02/07/2008, 8:12 AM |
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_________________
Stan
St Petersburg Russia
---------------------------------------
Sent from YesSoftware forum
http://forums.codecharge.com/
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Stanj
Posts: 166
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| Posted: 02/07/2008, 8:24 AM |
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Thanks for the suggestions but I disagree on a few points about the usefulness of oSC for anything other than a simple physical product model store front web site.
The project is very slow in developing, 2.2 > 3.0 beta was 5 years and in the meantime expectations from customers have changed, as have competitors.
I have used oSC a number of times, and it does have a great user community(not as great as CCS;>) ) but it is needed since the thousands of mods out there are highly interactive with other mods producing unpredicatible results and lots of debugging if anything out of the ordinary is added. There are mods for everything except what was needed for any of my projects. Very few of my needs can be handled by any current mods or even the basic architecture of the cart. CCS was much more useful in solving that, and easier.
There are some Open Source projects trying to address the need for a modern alternative to oSC. One that is still in Beta but already very impressive and building a large community is Magento at http://www.magentocommerce.com/ I have a V0.7xx beta test site up and it looks to be full featured, very attractive, easy to template, and with a much desired reservations module coming soon, Fans in in the Joomla community are working in integrating into Joomla 1.5 without a bridge, which will give it another boost.
I have one oSC store now that is still on-line and it is fine for the products being sold; a limited number of physical goods with no options. That one will be replaced with a home-brewed cart soon because the sales have turned more to reservation based rentals of the items. Again, CCS to the rescue;>). Just think what someone could do with with CCS if they knew what they were doing;>). Useful reports are faster and easier to whip up in CCS working against the oSC db than modifying the limited oSC reports. A friend asked me to help her create a store for her tennis clothing line and I suggested oSC simply because her limited variation in products and the business model fit oSC ok.
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Stan
St Petersburg Russia |
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datadoit
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| Posted: 02/07/2008, 10:19 AM |
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Stanj wrote:
> A friend asked me to help her create
> a store for her tennis clothing line and I suggested oSC simply because her
> limited variation in products and the business model fit oSC ok.
> _________________
> Stan
> St Petersburg Russia
> ---------------------------------------
There are female tennis players in Russia??? :)
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wkempees
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| Posted: 02/08/2008, 3:03 AM |
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DD: I just know 1.
Stan, thanks for useful comment.
Walter
"datadoit" <datadoit@forum.codecharge> schreef in bericht
news:fofi3m$kss$1@news.codecharge.com...
> Stanj wrote:
>> A friend asked me to help her create
>> a store for her tennis clothing line and I suggested oSC simply because
>> her
>> limited variation in products and the business model fit oSC ok.
>> _________________
>> Stan
>> St Petersburg Russia
>> ---------------------------------------
>
> There are female tennis players in Russia??? :)
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Stanj
Posts: 166
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| Posted: 02/08/2008, 3:59 AM |
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Female tennis players like to dress up according to my friend;>)
Actually I know dozens of players here and they certainly look different from the female players I know in back "home" in California. Here, the sun does not destroy skin(it is not as intense on those rare occassions when seen at all) so they look great without the alligator skin seen on avid golfers and tennis players in the States.
Funny how the press got all worked up over one Russian player before she really got good, but they skipped the hundreds of others who are really much more attractive.
Why do you think I moved to Russia;>)
On a less serious note; I needed a passport registration system written for a hotel we work with. Their IT head came to discuss it yesterday to get some ideas of how to do it. He called 20 minutes ago to talk about is some more because I knew the legal requirements and regulations, and suggested they needed to get his programmers working on it because they needed it working within 3 weeks. He thought I was joking when I told him I did him a favor and created one late last night after my date with an Olympic figure skater(now that is where the athletes are beautiful). We danced until 3:30 a.m. and I came home and built the passport registration system with CCS4 by time to come to work this morning. I am NOT telling the pro how an amateur like me could create a working system so fast that actually works...sorry YesSoftware, I am not telling them my secret so they will not be buying your product.
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Stan
St Petersburg Russia |
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wkempees
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| Posted: 02/08/2008, 6:42 AM |
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LOL.
The final paragraph of the less serious note is one I subscribe to as weel.
Sometimes you need to keep your tools to yourselves.
Walter
"Stanj" <Stanj@forum.codecharge> schreef in bericht
news:547ac4419bba9f@news.codecharge.com...
> Female tennis players like to dress up according to my friend;>)
>
> Actually I know dozens of players here and they certainly look different
> from
> the female players I know in back "home" in California. Here, the sun
> does not
> destroy skin(it is not as intense on those rare occassions when seen at
> all) so
> they look great without the alligator skin seen on avid golfers and tennis
> players in the States.
> Funny how the press got all worked up over one Russian player before she
> really
> got good, but they skipped the hundreds of others who are really much more
> attractive.
> Why do you think I moved to Russia;>)
>
> On a less serious note; I needed a passport registration system written
> for a
> hotel we work with. Their IT head came to discuss it yesterday to get some
> ideas
> of how to do it. He called 20 minutes ago to talk about is some more
> because I
> knew the legal requirements and regulations, and suggested they needed to
> get
> his programmers working on it because they needed it working within 3
> weeks. He
> thought I was joking when I told him I did him a favor and created one
> late last
> night after my date with an Olympic figure skater(now that is where the
> athletes
> are beautiful). We danced until 3:30 a.m. and I came home and built the
> passport
> registration system with CCS4 by time to come to work this morning. I am
> NOT
> telling the pro how an amateur like me could create a working system so
> fast
> that actually works...sorry YesSoftware, I am not telling them my secret
> so they
> will not be buying your product.
>
> _________________
> Stan
> St Petersburg Russia
> ---------------------------------------
> Sent from YesSoftware forum
> http://forums.yessoftware.com/
>
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JayEdgar
Posts: 77
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| Posted: 02/10/2008, 5:19 PM |
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The problem is not coding. It's marketing folks who come up with unrealistic expectations for programmers. I push back and get the marketing folks to come up with something more reasonable.
Good luck,
Jay
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Stanj
Posts: 166
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| Posted: 02/11/2008, 2:59 AM |
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Hi Jay
As in all things, a balance is needed for best results. A marketing and production department that does not understand the capabilities of the IT tools at their disposal is just as ineffective as a programmer who does not understand the true purpose of the business: to sell something. A good AND effective programmer studies business almost as much as coding. I approach the task from the point of view of the buying customer with both coding and marketing goals. I am much stronger in marketing than coding, and would love to not have to bother with development at all but I build things that have the primary goal of converting interested into customers.
I run into lots of gifted programmers who want to talk shop, mostly they are over my head but despite their talents it is easy to see how they lose the perspective of their client(the marketing department often times) and concentrate on things that would appeal only to coders. Leaving the customer in awe is actually much more a desirable goal than leaving other programmers in awe. There is a self-focus that seems to permeate the programming world, while many forget programming is a tool, not the goal of the business. What furthers the goals of the business in appealing to their customers is best, not the best gee-whizz code.
CodeCharge Studio might be more effective use of resources in the hands of amateurs than professional programmer, because it give the oppertunity for people who have a firm goal in mind to materialize it without getting too out-there in the ozone. I wonder how many end users are using CodeCharge Studio like I am; an amateur programmer and professional business person. It seems that coders know about this great tool but business people, shop owners, and managers do not. That is a mistaken audience target for YesSoftware. The coders will find it by word of mouth but the business end users would not even know where to look.
The ONLY time I ever responded to a email spam message was years ago when CodeCharge 1.0 was being developed. I clicked on the link and found a story of how I could, without programming, make web database applications. I bought it and saved thousands of dollars over the years, and a lot of time by letting me put ideas into practice directly and modify them when the needs changed. One of my web applications accounted for $2,000,000 in credit card sales in a 4 month period that tapped into a segment of the market that had $0.00 sales before. The customers were happy to have a fast and easy process replace a tedious and time consuming process, it freed up 8 staff people to directly attend to client needs which made the staff happy. I was happy. Win-Win-Win
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Stan
St Petersburg Russia |
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