FireBear Improved Grouped Product for Magento 2

After making data transfers between Magento 2 and all possible external systems better with Improved Import & Export, we’ve also decided to enhance the default functionality of a configurable product page with Improved Configurable Product, but it was just a beginning. Now, we are proud to announce another huge improvement to the default user experience of our favorite e-commerce platform – Improved Grouped Product, which will be released along with Improved Bundle Product.

This module is developed to improve the shopping experience of Magento 2 stores by simplifying the way customers and admins interact with grouped products. Let’s take a look at the core feature of this product type and then describe the core possibilities of Improved Grouped Product.

Note that the extension is in development. Please, contact us to get early access and submit feature requests. 

Magento 2 Grouped Product Definition

Although grouped products have unique characteristics, they are similar to bundle and configurable products. All of them represent complex product types that combine simple products on a single page to provide a better shopping experience. 

But the way customers interact with complex product pages differs a lot. Let’s briefly explore each product type to emphasize the uniqueness of each product type.

A configurable product is the most widely used type of complex products. Think of it as a single product with multiple variations represented by different simple products. For example, an e-commerce store sells shoes. Its catalog is full of configurable products – specific models available in different sizes and colors. Thus, if a model is available in 4 sizes and 4 colors, you can represent 16 simple products on a single configurable product page.

Grouped products provide a pre-composed set of items created from the admin instead of introducing their variations. Although you don’t have to visit different pages to add multiple products to the cart (you can do it simultaneously), it is necessary to choose what is offered without the ability to select variations. 

In their turn bundle products introduce additional flexibility providing a set of items with configurable options, different prices, shipping options, quantity, etc. Does it mean that bundle products are better than grouped products? Of course, they aren’t. Each complex product has a unique sphere of application. 

The purpose of grouped products is the sole convenience. By introducing them, you improve the customer experience by eliminating the necessity to navigate different categories to get a shopping cart full. A set of items that complement each other dramatically simplifies the life of your store visitors since they spend much less time surfing your catalog. 

The image above shows an example of a grouped product. It’s a training kit that includes a bag, pushup grips, and tone band. A customer can still find and add to cart all the simple products included in the grouped product independently. However, providing both ways to shop adds extra flexibility to your e-commerce website.

For further information about grouped products, read this article: The Complete Guide to Magento 2 Grouped Products, and how to import them. Now, we’d like to draw your attention to the core features of Improved Grouped Product for Magento 2.

Improved Grouped Product Features

We’ve developed the Improved Grouped Product Magento 2 extension to simplify the way your customers and admins interact with grouped products. Thus, the module enhances both frontend and backend appearance of the related content type. Below, you can see the core features of the tool:

• Custom options for grouped products
• Dynamic content updates;
• Price ranges;
• Grouped product option images;
• Improved grouped product creation and management;
• Default values;
• Unique URLs;
• Product matrix;
• SEO improvements;
• Different product types and custom options;
• Split grouped products;
• Product summary total sidebar + Add to Cart;
• Enhanced product view + zoom.

Custom options for grouped products

With Improved Grouped Products, you add a bundle-related feature to the grouped product type. Our extension provides the ability to create grouped products that include custom options. At the same time, it is possible to apply a more traditional approach to their appearance. 

Dynamic content updates

The Improved Grouped Product extension introduces dynamic content updates based on selected options enabled by the feature mentioned above. Selects a new option, and the extension will update corresponding page elements: product images, page URL, description, and attribute values. Furthermore, no reloads occur when a customer selects a new option!

It is also worth mentioning that our module displays the total price of selected products for the grouped product dynamically every time an item quantity is changed, or new options are applied!

Price ranges

Another crucial improvement introduced in the Improved Grouped Product Magento 2 extension is the ability to show various price ranges on a grouped product page. The module displays the minimal and maximal price of grouped product variations. 

Also, note that Improved Grouped Product supports group and tier prices applying dynamic updates to them. To display a unit price, our module can be combined with the BasePrice extension by MageNerds.

Grouped product option images

If you enable product options for grouped products, our module also lets you turn on images for them. Thus, not only the names of children products are displayed, but also their thumbnails. Images can be shown for drop-down, radio button, checkbox, and multi-select with a slider. All parameters can be configurable in the backend.

Improved grouped product creation and management

Our extension dramatically reduces the time necessary to create a grouped product. The module lets you create a new item with the key parameters only, while the rest options are already pre-configured! And there is an opportunity to add grouped products to backend orders without any headaches. 

Default values

Since we’ve introduced the ability to add configurable products to a group, there is also an opportunity to enable default values for them. Improved Grouped Product lets you reduce the number of steps necessary to add a grouped product to cart specifying default values in the admin. 

Unique URLs

The Improved Grouped Product Magento 2 extension provides each group and all its variations with a unique URL. You get extra flexibility when it comes to traffic targeting, enable faster purchases, and improve SEO.  

Product matrix

As for the B2B functionality of the extension, it is represented with the product matrix. Improved Grouped Product enables bulk product ordering. As a result, your store visitors can add multiple product options of group items to cart simultaneously as well as check the availability of children products. To make the Magento 2 quick order functionality better, the module adds tier prices to the product matrix.

SEO improvements

As for SEO features of Improved Grouped Product, they include Schema.org integration and dynamic meta attributes updates. Both offer a crucial SEO boost that increases SERP by adding comprehensive descriptions of the products in a group and makes your grouped product pages more search engine-friendly. 

Different product types and custom options

With the Improved Grouped Product Magento 2 extension, you can add any product types to groups. It is also possible to enhance them with the help of custom product options. As mentioned above, you can add configurable products with custom options to a group product. At the same time, simple, virtual, and downloadable product types are supported as well.

Split Grouped Products

If necessary, you can split up grouped products into separate products when adding them to the order or shopping cart, eliminating possible conflicts caused by the integration with external systems which do not work with grouped products.

Improved Grouped Product Use Cases

Below, you can see a few examples of how to use the Improved Grouped Products Magento 2 extension. 

• Training Kit. A training kit from the example mentioned above includes a bag, pushup grips, and tone band. You will dramatically enhance the shopping experience of your clients, providing these items as a grouped product. 
• Laptop. A laptop with a bag and a mouse is another example of a grouped product. Create different grouped products for different price segments.  
• Smartphone. A grouped product that includes a smartphone with accessories – case, phones, power banks – is another example of what can be created with Improved Grouped Product.
• Furniture. Selling furniture collections becomes more comfortable with Improved Grouped Product. You can not only group items for different room types but also add options for each child product. For instance, the module provides the ability to add a color attribute to make your grouped product more flexible. 
• Plants. A kit that includes seeds, ground, and flowerpot can also be created with our extension. Use it to make your products more entertaining! 

Current State

Although FireBear Improved Grouped Product for Magento 2 is under development, you can already explore its features and enhance the default Magento 2 functionality with its bets version. You can get early access and propose additional features. Contact us for further information.

You can already improve the default shopping experience with Improved Configurable Product or get early access to Improved Bundle Product. If any data transfers or integrations are planned, check Improved Import & Export as well.