Online Store

[jev]

Has anyone built an online store with a shopping interface that look and behaves similar to other stores like amazon, walmart, bestbuy etc?

I’ve tried out the template app, but it doesn’t even have the functionality that is shown in the “example” photo in the template listings.

Even this demo doesn’t have an add to cart button, but rather “More Info” I can build a store that looks just like this, but I can’t figure out how to Add items to a cart and subsequently an order.

[CarlHolmes]

Hi @jev

As you’re likely aware, Knack is a low-code platform ideal for creating custom database-driven applications, but it isn’t specifically designed for full-featured e-commerce sites like Amazon, Walmart, or Best Buy.

You can build a basic online store with Knack, managing products, orders, and users, and create features like user logins and checkout forms. However, it doesn’t offer native functionality for a shopping cart where users can add products and review them before purchase. Implementing this would require custom workarounds, such as a temporary “cart” table and workflows.

For simpler stores or prototypes, Knack works well, but for more advanced e-commerce features, platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce may be a better fit.

Knack really excels in many other areas, such as:

1. Inventory Management: Track products, stock levels, suppliers, and reorder schedules.
2. Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Manage leads, sales pipelines, and customer interactions.
3. Project Management: Organise tasks, deadlines, milestones, and team collaboration.
4. Event Management: Manage registrations, schedules, and attendee data.
5. Job Applicant Tracking: Handle recruitment processes, from applications to interviews.
6. Property Management: Track leases, tenants, maintenance, and rental payments.
7. Order Management: Manage orders, shipping, and customer communications.
8. Membership Management: Track member details, subscriptions, and renewals.
9. Volunteer Coordination: Organise volunteer schedules, tasks, and event participation.
10. Asset Tracking: Monitor company assets, maintenance schedules, and usage.

These use cases highlight Knack’s versatility for building custom, data-driven solutions across various industries.

[jev]

@CarlHolmes

Knack really excels in many other areas, such

Thanks for the quick reply Carl!

FWIW, I have an online store already working in knack. For context, here it is:Knack

This app is serving 2 purposes. Behind the logins, it is tracking in store orders for our holidays and the public facing side allows for orders to be placed online by our customers. Since the 2 systems are one in the same, the tracking for the online orders is automatically entered with the tracking for the instore orders. I have never used woo commerce, but we do use shopify and I don’t know how it could track the inhouse orders. The current system is working well.

I say all this just to say that I have this knack app working as an online store with a shopping cart. The problem is the UI is lacking luster. It’s just too DB like. It’s more like a system a wholesale phone operator or mobile sales person might use to take orders. Here is what it looks like:

I’ve attempted to setup and online store using the list view, but I cannot figure out how to add an item, from the list view, using action buttons, to the order/cart. At the point in this next screenshot, the order/cart has been created and next step would be to add an item by entering it in the orderitems table.

But the problem is I cannot figure out how to create an action that adds a record to the orderitem table that includes what order the record belongs to. There is a connection field in orderitems that connects the record back to an order.

I can add the item to my orderitems table, but if the order field (connection) is blank, that’s not going to work so well. I’m close, really close. It seems like the list view doesn’t have access to the order associated with the page it is on the same way a form would.

For example, in the current cart, I’m using a form. This allows me to insert a new orderitem associated with the pages order. And since it’s a form, the details of the item are coming from the form.

If someone could figure out the magic of telling my list view action button what order is associated with the page the list view is on, I’d be set. Major thanks to anyone who can figure this out!