Discontinued items show differently in search results and collections

[SheaPrints]

I have quite a few flyer designs. They're all set to the value paper option which I've just discovered is discontinued. My designs are still showing up in the search results, because the item page has automatically selected the semi-gloss paper type.

 But if I access the same design from the collection page it says "Sorry, this product has been discontinued". The paper type option for '+$0.11 semi-gloss' is there, but you have to select it. I think this is a bit confusing for a customer, they could miss it. Just having one option makes it look like the semi-gloss paper is discontinued. It's odd that it's not automatically selecting it like it does from the search results. 

When I'm signed in the product page shows the 'Value' paper selected, but when I try changing the options in 'Edit details', it says the semi-gloss option is already selected. Not sure what to do!

[Fiona]

Hey SheaPrints,

Can you please send a link to the product so I can pass this long?

Thanks.

-Fiona

[SheaPrints]

Thanks Fiona, here are the links for the example I gave.

Search Results link:
https://www.zazzle.com/stylish_notary_public_services_photo_black_gold_flyer-256653487831957777

Collection & product link:
https://www.zazzle.com/collections/elegant_notary_public_business_designs-119481062892130739
https://www.zazzle.com/stylish_notary_public_services_photo_black_gold_flyer-256653487831957777?medi...

[Sara_H · Accepted solution]

@SheaPrints 

When you add something to a collection - the url it creates includes paper type/size of the product

Even though you've edited details and changed to another paper type on the product page - the collection is still seeing the original it was saved as.(eg value)

Zazzle doesn't make any auto changes to your collections even when they've auto changed the paper type.

You'll need to remove them from their collections and re-add them with the correct paper type (can't see it being done for you but you never know)

[SheaPrints]

Yes you're right! When I'm signed in and I view the product page from inside the collection, it says it's discontinued. But when I view the same design from my 'Products' list it's OK.

That's worrying! So if styles/variations become discontinued, they are automatically changed to an available option, but we have to remove them from our collection and re-add them. I only discovered by chance that there was a problem! I know I can check for 'discontinued items' in 'product visibility', but nothing shows up if it's just a style/variation.

[Sara_H]

@SheaPrints I know - more work just when our plates are already full.

They don't always auto change to an available option on the product page - only in some products and we're very rarely told up front and only seem find out by accident (in this case - it was @Cat asking a question)

Really would like a separate notification board where we're kept up to date with current stock issues (out of stock/discontinued/etc - rather than hunt around for news.

Case in point - small bath mats had disappeared from my store front - found out that small size is 'out of stock' went to change them all to medium and they've started to reappear (though they are still all missing on my co.uk store front - waiting a few days to see if they appear before I report it)

So are the small bath mats discontinued? Or just out of stock? Is it long term or short term? All the questions

TLDR: yes - we have to keep our collections updated ourselves and we're not told of style/variation changes 

[SheaPrints]

An 'out of stock/discontinued' notification board is what we need!
Thanks for your help 😊