How to add Minimum Qty Allowed in Shopping Cart for a category.
In Magento (ver. 1.6.2.0) backend, System > Configuration > Inventory > Product Stock Options tab, you can set the 'Minimum Qty Allowed in Shopping Cart' but for Customer Group; not for Category.
We have lots of categories having absolutely different kinds of items and need different MOQs for specified category.
How would I force a minimum of 6 products from the jewellery category and 7 dozen from the bra category?
Thanks, Shaman
What you describe would not be natively possible with Magento. Magento natively provides a 1:many relationship with categories and products,
Ie. A product can be in many categories
What you propose would induce a race condition for a product whereby there could be 2 possible critera for a product's inventory controls if the product exists in more than one category.
Eg. If you set Category A to have a MOQ of 6, and Category B to have a MOQ of 10 and Product C exists in both - which rule does it inherit (highest/lowest)?
As a result, this isn't going to be natively possible, but you could build a custom module to achieve it.
Via a category->save() observer
You could create a custom attribute for the category - MOQ, then have your module 'listen' to the category save, and iterate through all products accordingly to set the MOQ for said products.
Advantages - More granular control per product, no speed impact/overheads for frontend
Disadvantages - Slow to save category
By modifying the isSaleable() function
You could rewrite the standard function which determines if a product is saleable. In your modified function, check categories of said product, obtain the MOQ (highest/lowest - whichever) then return true; or return false; accordingly.
Advantages - Less administration hanging around, stops having to continually update indexes at a product level needlessly
Disadvantages - Slower to check if product is saleable (frontend would seem slower)
Either way, you need to build a custom module, or seek a professional to make one for you.
