Questions about my multi-languages shop

[VB74]

Hello! 

I've just created my VirtueMart online shop (VM 4.2.18 11050) on my Joomla 5 site.

My site is in English and French.

I'd like to sell my ebook in several languages (English and French) and several different formats (EPUB, PDF, MOBI). So 6 versions in total, so logically 6 products in VirtueMart.

So I created a parent product (English and EPUB) and 5 child products attached in multi-variant mode (the parent and each child have a custom "VM simple download" field containing a different file). This way, customers can click on the buttons (see below) to choose their version : https://casa-bandera.com/shop-italian-cookbooks/four-seasons-italian-flavours-1/ebook-qs1-english-epub

At present, I've created 2 pages (in English and French) for each of the 6 products.
However, in my opinion this is unnecessarily voluminous. Especially if I offer my ebook in many different languages in the future.

So I'd like to:

1. Simplify my store and show only the versions of the ebook in the site language selected by the user. Example: I select "French" as the language on the site, and only the 3 French ebooks are displayed in my store, the 3 English versions don't appear.

2. Avoid the problem of duplicate content (for SEO), especially in very similar product descriptions (because only the language and format change).

3. Have product pages in a single language (the language of the ebook). Example: Ebook in English -> Page in English, no page in French.

4. Be able to switch languages and formats easily. For example: I'm on the English page of the English/PDF ebook -> I click on the "French" and "MOBI" multi-variant buttons -> I'm redirected to the French page of the French/MOBI ebook.




Thank you in advance for your help. 

[hazael]

It seems to me that making the language version of an e-book dependent on the language of the website is not a good solution - it is even strange to some extent. For example, I may want to read a website in French, but I will want to buy an e-book in English (e.g. for my friend who wants one).  This solution may reduce sales somewhat.

The Falang component (by faboba.com) will be very helpful and much more convenient than the traditional Joomla solution

[VB74]

Thanks for your reply.

You're right in a way. The problem is that I plan to make my site and ebooks in 6 or 7 different languages. So potentially 20/30 very similar products.

For a user, this page will become very busy: https://casa-bandera.com/shop-italian-cookbooks/four-seasons-italian-flavours-1

[Roderic]

Why not list the same e-book just once and then have the language as a selectable option? I would use Breakdesigns stockable custom fields for that (Free).
This way every e-book with the same content but different language, will be it's own product but it will only be listed once and that will keep things clean.

On the other hand, since it's a digital product, you don't need stock management, so it could also just be a normal custom field, even easier.

[hazael]

Exactly as Roderyk wrote. You have a free plugin called "Stockable Custom Fields" for this. Each independent product in Virtuemart will correspond to a different language version of the e-book - just like clothes sizes L, XL, XXL - the customer will choose FR, EN, DE
https://breakdesigns.net/extensions/joomla/stockable-custom-fields

Thanks to this plug-in, after paying, the customer will automatically be able to download the appropriately selected version of the product - you will not have to send anything manually, which will be more convenient for you than what you want to do now

By the way, you don't have to display 6 products on your website (it looks like spam) - just one item with 6 options to choose from. you can hide the remaining 5 products - do not assign them to any category and set them as child products, thanks to which they will automatically inherit most of the parameters from the parent product

[VB74]

Thank you very much for your answers.

No problem for trying the "Stockable Custom Fields", but what is the difference with multi-variants custom fields?

I already can select languages and format on the product page, please see her: https://casa-bandera.com/shop-italian-cookbooks/ebook-qs1-english-epub

[hazael]

the difference is small, but the second option is more convenient to use and can be translated into selected languages. It also has different selection styles (radio, button, select, color, image with flags)

PS.
"Add to Compare" - I would remove it from your site - there is nothing to compare there ;-)

[VB74]

I will try this plugin tomorrow, thanks!

I didn't find where to disable "Add to compare"

[ViPeS]

I didn't find where to disable "Add to compare"

You cannot view this attachment.

[VB74]

Perfect, thanks! It's disabled now.

Exactly as Roderyk wrote. You have a free plugin called "Stockable Custom Fields" for this. Each independent product in Virtuemart will correspond to a different language version of the e-book - just like clothes sizes L, XL, XXL - the customer will choose FR, EN, DE
https://breakdesigns.net/extensions/joomla/stockable-custom-fields

Thanks to this plug-in, after paying, the customer will automatically be able to download the appropriately selected version of the product - you will not have to send anything manually, which will be more convenient for you than what you want to do now

By the way, you don't have to display 6 products on your website (it looks like spam) - just one item with 6 options to choose from. you can hide the remaining 5 products - do not assign them to any category and set them as child products, thanks to which they will automatically inherit most of the parameters from the parent product

You mean that the only product displayed in the shop is one of the 6 children's products? (as I did here: https://casa-bandera.com/shop-italian-cookbooks). So in my case English/EPUB. I would have preferred a parent product with a neutral name.

I removed the categories for child products, but they no longer appear in the results in my search bar.

[hazael]

And why do you need all the derivative products in the search results if it's just a different language version for the parent product? In the parent product, just write information that there are different versions to choose from and that's it. There is no point in repeating this


You can do it like on my website ( https://szeregowe.pl/projekty/emilka-3 ) - the parent product is a house design (which cannot be added to the cart) - it is only preliminary information, and the derivative products are its various versions (displayed at the bottom under the description), which you can finally select and buy. You won't find these versions anywhere on the product list, because it would create chaos -
the customer would get lost because it would seem to him that everything is the same.

[VB74]

That's very interesting, thanks!

I don't need to display all the products if I can display only the neutral parent product. But if I display the English/EPUB version and not the others (as I did yesterday) it would be strange. Your solution is very good. If I'm right, you use "Stockable custom fields"?


I created one product parent (without price, so it can't be added to the cart) and then assigned the 6 children to the parent (with multi-variants custom field), as you can see here: https://casa-bandera.com/shop-italian-cookbooks/ebook-qs1

I think we cannot do it better and easier.

[hazael]

It's ok, but I would just remove the buttons with the selection of the number of products - it is absolutely unnecessary in your store.

These [--select--] buttons also look strange - they suggest that this is a selection list and I have to press it to select something, but there is nothing there. You should at least rename these buttons to something else. Maybe [not selected]?

[hazael]

Enter this fragment of code in the active CSS file on this website, it will hide these unnecessary fields and it will look like in the attached images

Code Select Expand

.quantity-box, .custom-field-C-container:first-child .btn-vm-customfield:first-child {display: none}
After this, change "Langue (eBook)" to "Select langue (eBook)" - it will be more understandable for the user

[VB74]

I agree with you

I put "Select language first", I think it's better. Please find here the result: https://casa-bandera.com/shop-italian-cookbooks/ebook-qs1