Laddawn.com : Shop tab - COMPLETE

Note

This page cross references sub-pages providing detailed, supporting specs- Shop Widget, Product Selection Groupings, Shop Widget Add Options, and Logic for "You Might Also Consider" (YMAC).
See Changes to Shop for design changes made since completion of this work.

Overview

Parametric search allowing the customer to search Laddawn’s entire product offering without having to differentiate between stock, custom, made to order, and “marketplace” (sourced) products, or to browse or configure items in a purely linear fashion.
In the new system, custom, made to order, and marketplace shall be referred to collectively as “made on demand” (MOD).
Customers will be able to add multiple MOD and stock items from search results to their carts. The distinction between today's multi-item stock-only carts, and single line custom quotes goes away. Now there will just be carts, which can be saved, and shared, serving the purpose of today's quotes.
Default view for this tab is expanded menu of search inputs (see below). Customer specifies as many or as few parameters as desired.
For release 1, customers will only be able to search on Laddawn stock numbers in the banner search box. The original spec has been deferred:
- Customers may also search by item number (theirs or ours) via search box in banner. Search will return results using same logic used for parametric search (see search results below).
- Note: the user (CE or customer) will be able to enter either a Laddawn Stock or Laddawn MOD item number and retrieve the associated stock or MOD item.
After customer executes search (via widget or item number search), shop tab block populates with collapsed view of search, and rows of products matching and/or closely matching the search parameters. Close matches replicate part of the "model service experience" provided by Laddawn Sales, CR and CE staff, by providing helpful, relevant alternative options.
From these rows, customer will be able to add products to the cart, save (and tag) and share items, override default quantities, change default units of measure, and change default count per unit of measure (where applicable).

Shop widget - expanded default state upon login
-Includes distributor's default zip code

Search inputs

The widget is designed such that a search can be executed with as little as selection of a product category. When certain parameters are selected, dynamic logic will limit or change other parameters as appropriate based on dependencies. For example, if I select "Bags" then "Category" parameter(s) change to Layflat, Gusseted, and so on; but if I select Sheeting, options will be whatever sub-categories are appropriate to Sheeting. This will also occur for choices within shadow boxes under "3. Add." When any field is entered the program will first perform the validation on the entered field. It will then perform validation for all downstream fields to ensure that the information is not in conflict with any fields that have been previously entered. When a conflict is encountered we will issue a message giving the user the choice to null out the offending field for re-entry, or make another choice in the current entry field; where applicable, valid ranges will be included in the message. Note that opening a menu and closing it without changing the default will be considered a field entry; we are assuming the user deliberately chose or affirmed the default value. Background: Allowing input fields to be entered/changed in any sequence challenges the current validation logic that is linear in nature. We discussed whether we need to invert and embed validation logic for all fields into the code for each field (which will prove to be a daunting process and undesirable from an ongoing maintenance point of view). We decided the best solution is to develop and execute our code in the way it is done today.

Detailed requirements

Product groupings and categories (levels 1 and 2)

See detailed product information architecture and logic. (Shop Widget, Product Selection Groupings.)

RE: Full Gauge

- Users will be able to specify full gauge via "i" button (similar to the way it functions today on gauge selection screen with "You should know..."). This is a little harder to find by design.
- Note, images below reflect collapsed state of widget, after a search has been executed; the hover, shadow box and gauge indicator will work identically in the initial expanded state.

Hover effect	Shadow box	After selection of full gauge

		The full gauge indicator for results themselves will be "Gauge: Full" on a new line (similar to how other customizations, e.g. print anding, materials & additives, etc. will be handled.) Microns will be handled in the same manner.

Zip code

Users will have to enter a zip code in order to execute a search. If they choose, they may set a default zip code within My Account/User Preferences. If the user has a default zip code, the zip code field in the Shop widget will always be populated with it unless:

The user has an active cart with a different zip code, in which case the zip code field will be populated with the zip of the active cart.

If the user tries to execute a search with a blank zip code field, the cursor will be placed within the ship to zip field, with a tool tip/hover message saying "Please enter a zip code." (This same logic applies if the user attempts a search with the item number search box in the banner, and the zip code field in the widget is blank.)

If the user enters a zip code in the zip field that is different from the zip for the active cart, they will get a pop-up tip (that they may opt out of receiving in the future):

Add options (level 3)

Add Options will follow current logic, with some additions and changes to account for combining stock and MOD, and a different approach to validations to accommodate "non-linear" configuration selections. For example, in the materials & additives menu, all options will be enabled to start. Then the additives will disable based on material choices. However, material options will not disable based on additive choices. This leaves the opportunity for the user to make an invalid material selection. If that does occur, we will tell the user we will reset their additive choice. Similarly, in the other menus, the right side of the screen will be disabled until a choice on the left side is made. At that point, only valid options will become enabled on the right side. If the customer chooses a different option on the left side we may tell them that we will need to change their choices on the right side of the screen.

The menus below depict level 3 menus for "Standard Poly Bags" only; level 3 menus for the other top level product groupings will follow the same pattern.

Entry into the menus is via the blue "breadcrumb" link (summarizing current selections) with the rightward arrow. Note: Users will not be able to open the Printing or Venting menus unless dimensions have been entered in section 2. As the images below demonstrate, when the user is within one of the menus, the menu tab changes to purple, the breadcrumb font changes to purple and the arrow points downward. Exit from these menus is via:

Clicking breadcrumb (i.e., under Materials & Additives, "Modified v"(widget closes back up);
Find (widget closes back up), while space below populates with results; or
Clicking to another level 3 menu, via its breadcrumb (i.e., clicking "Clear" under "Color" while in the Materials & Additives menu).

Upon making a selection within one of these menus, and exiting, the tab for the menu turns dark gray.

Materials & Additives

Not shown: Sub choices when Anti Static is selected as a Material.
Some outstanding questions about You Should Know content for LLD.

Initial state - User selects LLD.

User has selected LLD; 2 sub choices slide down, the user prepares to select STD Hexene Blend.

User now moves to make additive selection(s). Upon checking box for metallocene, data entry box and notes slide down.

The user selects UVI/UV, exposing the data entry field and a reference table and note.

Anti Static Sub-Questions:

Anti Static Resin Base: options are Std Low Density (default) and Linear Low Density
Specific Anti Stat: options are Mil Spec (default) and Other Pct
If Other Pct chosen, a 3rd question for Anti Static Percent

Color

Color choices incorrect; Judy will address in programming.

Initial open state

After selection of Leaf Green

Note: As in initial open state, color of "Color" tab should be purple, not dark gray. Breadcrumb font should be purple, and arrow should point down.

Opacity selected

Note: As in initial open state, color of "Color" tab should be purple, not dark gray. Breadcrumb font should be purple, and arrow should point down.

Widget closed up, upon exiting menu. User about to click Find.

Printing

Initial state, customer has no custom plates stored	Initial state, customer has up to 6 custom plates stored	Initial state, customer has 7 or more plates stored, collapsed view

		Custom plates expanded.

Venting

Initial state. User prepares to click "Normal."	User has selected Normal on left, selects "Random Placement" under 1st header on right. With that selection, section 2, "Alignment" becomes active. Section 3, "Spacing, remains inactive.	The user prepares to select "Center" under the "Alignment" header. (Center may be disabled - grayed back under certain conditions.)	User inputs "3" for the holes per bag request while the other 2 questions remain disabled.

Another scenario- User specified placement.	User has attempted to click "Find" button but hasn't finished entering data into 2 required fields. Field error messages appear pointing the user to fields needing attention. Red markers postponed to future release. Words will be used instead.

Packaging

There is a narrow slice of bags we offer where folding is an option. To address this, we offer "Folded in Half" to the right of the packaging options with a checkbox. (When folding isn't relevant, the text and checkboxes are grayed out.)
Please note images missing "You should know" message:
You should know:
Folding bags cuts the roll size in half, and may allow the rolls to fit on standard size pallets.

Initial state	After overriding default	After selecting folding option (where relevant)

Search results

Search result logic, ordering and grouping - (changes made May 2013)

Lead with exact matches; followed by close matches ("You might also consider" - logic spec'd in supporting documents).

NEW: When there is one exact stock match, present the exact MTO alternative as the first YMAC result (under a "Made on demand" subhead). When there is no exact stock match, but there is an exact MOD (custom) match, present the custom/MOD match as the first exact match. See Changes to Shop.

Overview of results design - see Changes to Shop for changes subsequent to this (toggling unit of measure, grouping of results, treatment of pricing/unit in column w/add buttons)

Search Results	Individual result expanded to show product detail	Result showing complex level 3 data

	Images below were sliced before some aspects of results design were finalized. Final design above is accurate, with respect to specific visual elements. When in doubt over conflicts between reference images below, and "final" design above, seek out Steve or Susan.
1. Collapsed search After customer executes search, shop tab block expands down vertically with results rows, with a collapsed view of search above them; labels for sections 1, 2 and 3 removed. Users can click a "Reset" link to return shop widget to defaults, or make changes to one or more items and click "Find" to generate new or modified results (e.g., change zip code to see effect on availability).
2. Results content - stock Left area, within gray box Headline: Product dimensions, product name. Clickable; expands to expose full product description (see most current image above). Item row: Item # (Laddawn or Customer no.), presentation (e.g., "Rolls, Boxed"). Customer item #: Customer # is what displays if customer searched by customer item number, or, if search parameters happen to match customer item number in system. If the stock results of a parametric search (exact/close/overstock) do not have any customer item #s in system, Laddawn item # displays. Date row: Availability: Earliest available ship date from closest warehouse. Date is clickable. Shows warehouse stock is shipping from. Specific availability and warehouse defaults (aka allocation logic) detailed by Jim here: Functional Specs - Availability. Options: When stock inventory at distributor's primary Laddawn warehouse < less than quantity requested, shadow box shows information about alternatives and ability to search for substitutes. Freight: "Free at $500” if total price at given qty < $500, “Free” if total price at given qyt > $500. (Yes, even though these freight terms are based on the cumulative total of stock items.) Total price Right area, within gray box Count: Number of items per packaging selection (e.g., number of bags, sleeves or cut sheets per case or roll, number of feet per roll of continuous uncut sheeting or tubing). Not editable for stock items. Quantity - Results for stock items will populate with initial default quantity of 1, quantity editable; when user types over default, add button disabled (grayed out), box highlights, user must refresh (click out of qty box or hit return), to see effect on pricing and availability and to re-enable add button. Unit Unit of measure for pricing - see Changes to Shop Share, Save - See Share and Saved items - COMPLETE functionality pages. Column to right of gray boxes Unit price Add button - see "Adding an item to the cart from a search result" below Price breaks: Link when clicked opens informational shadow box. Member and Associate customers will see fewer breaks. For example, in this scenario, a Member would see an initial break of 1-49 at $64.21; followed by the last two breaks. Partner customers will simply not be presented with any Price Breaks links.	Stock result Available date, see options, substitutes Available date shadow box, when item @ qty is in stock at primary warehouse Available date shadow box, when item @ qty not in stock at primary warehouse If user clicks "Available substitutes," after closing the shadow box, the substitute item(s) will display with special shading just below the original search result; any YMAC results will no longer show up. (Note, this is old results design - image intended to how substitutes appear under a special heading, with special shading.) Price breaks shadow box
3. Results content - made on demand (custom, made to order, marketplace) Left area, within gray box Headline and item row(s), same as stock above, except: Item = "Made on Demand"; the differentiating factor for the "You might also consider" result is packaging (Cradlepacked). These differences will be bolded. If there are one or more non-standard attributes (full gauge, or selections from any of the "3. Add" menus, such as printing), each non-standard attribute displays on a new line, inserted after item row. Details link always at end of last line. CLARIFICATION/CORRECTION (6/6/13): Whether stock or MOD, if there is one or more “non-standard” attribute such as full gauge, and anything that deviates from materials-standard; color-clear; printing-none; venting-none; then those details display with the item details in search results, cart, shared item, shared cart, and saved items; etc. – regardless of whether they are “standard” for a given stock item (e.g., pink for anti static bags; vented for mattress bags). Date row: Availability: Earliest available ship date from closest manufacturing facility. Same as stock, except only the first shadow box above is applicable. Append "on xx/xx/xx" to end of availability line. Freight: “Included,” can be toggled to "Not included." Changing to "not included" will automatically refresh unit and total pricing. Right area, within gray box Count - Same as stock except count is editable (where applicable, for example, default count per roll might be 1,000 bags; user can change to any other number (within established upper and lower limits). Also, changing count will affect minimum order quantity. For example, in the scenario on the right, if we change count per roll to 100, minimum quantity will automatically double to 44 rolls. Quantity - For each MOD configuration, result will populate with minimum quantity. Unit - Same as stock above Column to right of gray boxes Unit price Add button - see "Adding an item to the cart from a search result" below Price breaks Price breaks link will open shadow box with corresponding unit prices (units based on whichever UOM is currently selected) on the left, starting with the quantity that is currently in the quantity field), and an invitation on the right to change up to 3 breaks, one at a time. Upon saving/exiting shadow box, price breaks and pricing will update in the results. Rounding - Dollar values in configurator currently go out to 3-4 (or more?) decimals; quantities for thousands go out to two decimals. For now, when UOM is one thousand, we will assume price break quantities will continue to go out to 2 decimals; however, unit prices will round up or down to nearest penny.	MOD results (exact match and YMAC) Price break shadow box Old "change price breaks" shadow boxes below - included solely as reference on progression for entering 1 at a time
4. (REMOVED)
5. Broad searches
Scenario 1 Search that returns multiple exact stock matches. "Show me all your 2 mil gusseted poly bags"- returns all exact stock matches, default sort by first dimension not given, in ascending order. Results preceded by special messaging about Laddawn's MOD capabilities and headline, "Your search returned multiple stock matches". User can sort by all dimensions in ascending/descending order, excep*t those the user specified up front (in this example, gauge). ^{This exception is a "nice to have" bit of built-in intelligence, not critical.} Paginate when results > 10. See image to right for pagination and user options for displaying greater than 10 results per page.
Scenario 2 Searches that have incomplete dimensions, and include one dimension we don't stock but we can make. "Show me some 12.5" wide 2 mil layflat bags" - returns stock items that are reasonably close, e.g. all 12" and 13" wide 2 mil layflat bags of various lengths. Results preceded by same message about MOD capabilities; however, headline below is "You might also consider the following stock alternatives". Sorting, pagination same as for Scenario 1.

Units of measure

Units of measure by product category

Bags & reclosables	Count	Qty	Cut sheets & tubes (sleeves)	Count	Qty	Continuous tubing & sheeting	Count	Qty
Case or roll	Bags / case or roll	# of cases or rolls	Roll	Sleeves or sheets / roll	# of rolls	Roll	Feet / roll	# of rolls
Thousands	Bags / case or roll	# of thousands (1 = 1,000 bags)	Thousands	Sleeves or sheets / roll	# of thousands (1 = 1,000 bags)	Pound	Feet / roll	# of Lbs

"You might also consider" (YMAC) logic

Logic for determining close matches to display below exact matches; please see supporting documentation: Logic for "You Might Also Consider" (YMAC) .

Adding an item to the Cart from a search result

If the active cart is empty, or the ship-to zip of the active cart matches the ship-to zip of the search result, and the user clicks the Add button for a particular search result, that item (with all current attributes intact - quantity, pricing, availability, count, etc.) is added to the active cart. The user is then returned to the original search results, and the navigation tab for the Cart updates with number of items and total value of merchandise in cart. The add button for the item just added will be grayed out. (The user can change the quantity in the Cart if desired.)

If the above conditions for the zip code and current active cart are not true, the user will see additional prompts before the item can be added to the Cart:

When zip code for search result does not match zip code of active cart

Scenario 1:
Active cart is Ladd's cart, with items in it, zip code 12345. User executes search using zip code 56789. User clicks "add" next to one of the results. This action opens up a shadow box:

NOTE RE IMAGE: The fact that this example has a cart named "Ladds Cart" makes it clear that you're talking about a mismatched cart. If the cart were named, say, Nypro October 2012, it wouldn't be so clear. It should say, "You currently have a cart open (Butler Dearden October 2012) which has a ship-to zip code (12345) that is different from the zip code of your search (67890)."

Scenario 2:
Active cart is un-named cart, with items in it, 12345. User executes search using 56789. User clicks "add" next to one of the results.

*NOTE: if you change the zip (that carried over from search parameters or default zip for pounders) in the cart, this is essentially requoting the items in the Cart; it would refresh pricing and availability for those items, not set off a process that would create a new cart.