What Is the difference between Product and Offer in the Catalog?

Introduction

This article explains the distinction between products and offers within the platform's catalog system. Understanding this difference is essential for effective catalog navigation and purchasing decisions. Products serve as organizational containers, while offers represent the actual purchasable items with specific pricing and terms.

In this article:

• Understanding Products vs Offers
• Navigating the Catalog Interface
• Accessing Offer Details
• Making Purchases

Understanding Products vs Offers

In the platform's catalog system, products and offers serve distinctly different purposes. Products function as organizational categories that group related services together, while offers represent the actual purchasable items with specific pricing, terms, and configurations.

When you access the Catalog page, you'll see products displayed as organizational units. However, these products cannot be purchased directly. Each product contains multiple associated offers that represent the various purchasing options available.

Navigating the Catalog Interface

Upon logging into the platform, offers are organized into product families for easier browsing and comparison. The catalog interface displays products with their associated offer counts, allowing you to quickly identify which products have multiple purchasing options available.

To access the available offers for any product:

• Locate the desired product in the catalog listing
• Select "View Offer" to access the offer page
  
• Review the available offers and their specifications, including detailed SKU information (Vendor, Offer name and SKU ID).

Accessing Offer Details

Each offer provides detailed information to help you make informed purchasing decisions. The offer page displays all available variations of the product with their respective pricing and feature sets.

To view comprehensive offer information:

• Click the "more information" link within any offer listing
  
• Review the extended description and feature details, including Offer Id at the bottom
  
• Compare different offers for the same product family
• Evaluate pricing and terms for each available option

Making Purchases

Once you've identified the appropriate offer for your needs, you can proceed with the purchase process. Remember that purchases are made at the offer level, not the product level.

To add an offer to your shopping cart:

• Select the desired offer from the available options
• Click "Buy Now" to add the offer to your Shopping Cart
  
• Complete the checkout process following standard procedures

Summary

The platform's catalog distinguishes between products and offers to provide organized browsing while enabling flexible purchasing options. Products serve as organizational containers that group related services, while offers represent the actual purchasable items with specific pricing and configurations. Users must navigate from products to their associated offers to complete any purchase transaction.