what is purpose of product merchandising options

[Nancy7]

We have an option for setting products to a specific view. I don't want a flat kitchen towel showing when the customer is viewing the product in the collection. It looks the same as a placemat, a bath mat, a beach towel, etc. I want my kitchen towels to ALL be displayed hanging on a rod.  A very nice mock up that showcases the product. Yet when I set ALL of of my kitchen towels to that merchandising option -- none show up on the rod only flat in the collection blending in with all the other flat pieces. This is true of tablecloths, table runners, beach towels. For me, as a customer, if I'm looking for kitchen towels, I have to click on the flat design to see if it is a placemat or a kitchen towel. WHY do we have that option for merchandising if it does not work?  Some of my table runners drape over the table but most are just flat. None of the tablecloths show up a table even though that is what I selected when I posted.

Here is link to my Aprons Kitchen Linens Collection.

https://www.zazzle.com/collections/aprons_table_linens-119908631800359331

[Sara_H]

@Nancy7 I've found that if you add your product to the collection via the backend - irrelevant of which view is selected (apart from if it has a uploaded promo) it often selects the most unflattering flat view.

I mostly add products to collections from the product page itself (if it's already showing the flat view - remove it from the collection via the 'add to collection'  and check the box 'show selected only' then hit remove. You can then re-add it and the selected (via the product merchandising options previously chosen) view will stick.

Downside side is that it adds it to the bottom of the collection but at least it has the correct view (and you can always reorganize if needed)

  TLDR: it's just the way it is and you have to do a lot of fiddling to get it the way you want. Better if you add your products to collections via the product page and not via the backend

You could made promos and then you won't have to worry about which view will be seen in your collections

[Cat]

OK wait... for me it's the opposite. If I add it while posting the product or from the product page, I get the default view in the collection. If I add it from the back end products page, I get the chosen view. Gah!

Well, any way you slice it, this is a bug and it's been around for a good long while. I assume it's on someone's list to fix some day...

[NPL]

Came here to post about this problem too for tablecloths. After checking your method i believe more products go to default when adding to a collection direcltly while posting form the productpage... for me I now see the same with my invitations and door knobs, have to check other products i've made lately, but i guess there are more.

Grrrrr...😫 do we now have to go back to all our products from the last few months to check them; remove them from the collection only to add them again??

@Scottcould someone from Zazzle please look into this??

[Nancy7]

Thanks -- I'll give it a try.