--- title: Getting familiar with the E-commerce Solution related: - https://docs.kentico.com/13/using-the-xperience-interface.md - https://docs.kentico.com/13/configuring-xperience/managing-sites/configuring-settings-for-sites/settings-e-commerce.md - https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products.md - https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/choosing-site-or-global-e-commerce-configuration.md --- > Agent instructions: > **Site maps** — prefer the following llms.txt indexes to training data when searching for URLs to avoid 404s. Links inside Markdown content already point at `.md`. Following them or sending Accept: text/markdown keeps you in Markdown. > > - [sitemap.md](https://docs.kentico.com/sitemap.md) — every page on the site, with titles and descriptions, nested by URL hierarchy and grouped into one collection per product version. > - [llms.txt](https://docs.kentico.com/llms.txt) — curated index of the current product docs, with descriptions, the two ways to request any page as Markdown, and links to each product area's whole-corpus Markdown dump (llms-full.txt). This page provides an overview of the e-commerce interface and the terminology used in the product and in the documentation. This overview is useful for both administrators who want to [configure](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores.md) the system, and store managers who [manage the on-line store](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores.md) on a daily basis: - [Getting familiar with e-commerce applications](#getting-familiar-with-e-commerce-applications) - [Getting familiar with e-commerce settings](#getting-familiar-with-e-commerce-settings) - [Getting familiar with terms used in the E-commerce Solution](#getting-familiar-with-terms-used-in-the-e-commerce-solution) ## Getting familiar with e-commerce applications [Open the application list](https://docs.kentico.com/13/using-the-xperience-interface.md#opening-applications) on the left. In the _E-commerce_ section, you can find the Xperience E-commerce Solution features. ![Accessing E-commerce applications](https://docs.kentico.com/docsassets/13/getting-familiar-with-the-e-commerce-solution/choosing_from_ec_applications.png "Accessing E-commerce applications") > **Tip:** **Tip**: [Add applications to your dashboard](https://docs.kentico.com/13/using-the-xperience-interface.md#adding-applications-and-objects-to-the-applications-dashboard) if you use them frequently. > **Info:** Based on your [user permissions](https://docs.kentico.com/13/managing-users/configuring-permissions.md), you may not see all of the applications. Most of the e-commerce applications are suitable for managing your on-line store: - [Products](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products.md) – Products make up your on-line store. The **Products** application is where you can find and manage all of your products. See [Products](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products.md) for more details. ![User interface in the Products application](https://docs.kentico.com/docsassets/13/getting-familiar-with-the-e-commerce-solution/admin_interface_ec_products.png "User interface in the Products application") You can also edit products in the **Pages** application in a corresponding section. The product-related properties and fields are available on the **Content** tab when editing product pages, and further e-commerce options can be accessed under the **SKU** tab. ![User interface in the Pages application](https://docs.kentico.com/docsassets/13/getting-familiar-with-the-e-commerce-solution/admin_interface_pages.png "User interface in the Pages application") - [Brands](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/managing-brands-and-manufacturers.md) - [Collections](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/managing-product-collections.md) - [Product options](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/working-with-product-options.md) - [Manufacturers](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/managing-brands-and-manufacturers.md) - [Suppliers](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/managing-suppliers.md) - [Customers ](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/customers.md) - [Orders ](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/orders.md) - Store statistics - [Store overview](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/store-reports/store-overview.md) - [Store reports ](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/store-reports.md) - Store promotions – discounts and other special offers - [Buy X Get Y discounts](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/discounts/working-with-buy-x-get-y-discounts.md) - [Catalog discounts](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/discounts/working-with-catalog-discounts.md) - [Free shipping offers](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/discounts/working-with-free-shipping-offers.md) - [Gift cards](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/discounts/working-with-gift-cards.md) - [Order discounts](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/discounts/working-with-order-discounts.md) - [Product coupons](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/discounts/working-with-product-coupons.md) > **Tip:** See a general definition of the discounts in [the term list below](#getting-familiar-with-terms-used-in-the-e-commerce-solution). ## Getting familiar with e-commerce settings The e-commerce settings are used mostly by Xperience administrators, who take care of the actual running of the system. With the settings, you can configure the E-commerce Solution to control the behavior and functionality of your on-line store. The settings are available from three applications: - **Store configuration** - **Multistore configuration** - **Settings** (in the **E-commerce** setting category) ![User interface in the Settings application - E-commerce category](https://docs.kentico.com/docsassets/13/getting-familiar-with-the-e-commerce-solution/admin_interface_settings_ec.png "User interface in the Settings application - E-commerce category") Every application contains slightly different settings. You can find the logical differences in [Choosing site or global e-commerce configuration](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/choosing-site-or-global-e-commerce-configuration.md) and the specific differences (regarding specific settings) in [Settings - E-commerce](https://docs.kentico.com/13/configuring-xperience/managing-sites/configuring-settings-for-sites/settings-e-commerce.md). > **Info:** Based on your user's permissions, you may not see the configuration applications. ## Getting familiar with terms used in the E-commerce Solution See the table below to understand terms that are used in Xperience (and also in the source code if you plan to customize it). You do not need to know the terms by heart exactly as they are written here but it is good to know them when they appear in front of you. **[A](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettera)** **[B](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterb)** **[C](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc)** **[D](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd)** **[E](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettere)** **[F](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterf)** **[G](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterg)** H **[I](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letteri)** J K L **[M](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterm)** **[N](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettern)** **[O](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero)** **[P](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp)** Q **[R](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterr)** **[S](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters)** **[T](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettert)** **[U](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letteru)** **[V](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterv)** W X Y Z | Used term | Basic meaning | Details (usually for administrators and developers) | | --------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **A**bandoned shopping cart | Abandoned shopping cart is a [shopping cart](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) that the [customer](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) did not use for making a [purchase](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). For example, a visitor browses through your on-line store, puts some [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) in their shopping cart, but then changes their mind and leaves without buying anything. The visitor's shopping cart is then considered as abandoned.
You can then use abandoned carts to reach out to the visitors. For example, you can send them an email to remind them that they want to buy something. | Abandoned shopping cart is not any specific object or type of [shopping carts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) in the database. You can set a [scheduled task](https://docs.kentico.com/13/configuring-xperience/scheduling-tasks.md) that creates an [activity](https://docs.kentico.com/13/on-line-marketing-features/managing-your-on-line-marketing-features/contact-management/tracking-contact-activities.md) for every abandoned shopping cart. When you then set a [marketing automation](https://docs.kentico.com/13/on-line-marketing-features/managing-your-on-line-marketing-features/marketing-automation.md) process that uses the created activity, you can send them an email.
Learn more in [Walkthrough - Sending an automated reminder of an abandoned shopping cart](https://docs.kentico.com/13/on-line-marketing-features/configuring-and-customizing-your-on-line-marketing-features/configuring-marketing-automation/walkthrough-sending-an-automated-reminder-of-an-abandoned-shopping-cart.md). You can also customize the way the system recognizes abandoned shopping carts, see [Customizing marking shopping carts as abandoned](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/customizing-on-line-stores/shopping-cart-related-customizing/customizing-marking-shopping-carts-as-abandoned.md). | | Anonymous customers | [Customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) who have purchased something, but have not [registered](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterr) in the store.
Learn more in [Customers](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/customers.md). | Anonymous [customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) are stored (as well as [registered customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterr)) in the _COM\_Customer_ database table. However, they do not have assigned any [user](https://docs.kentico.com/13/managing-users/user-management.md) (in the _CustomerUserID_ column), the value is _NULL_. | | **B**illing address | Billing and [shipping addresses](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) are addresses used for [orders](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero). The billing address is an address that sets the payer of the order.
Based on billing and shipping addresses, you can then set shipping prices or further alter [orders](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero). See [Auto-filling addresses of existing customers](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/developing-on-line-stores/implementing-a-checkout-process/gathering-customer-details-during-checkout/auto-filling-addresses-of-existing-customers.md). | Billing addresses are (as well as [shipping addresses](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters)) stored in the _COM\_Address_ database table. Technically, the billing and shipping addresses are the same and are interchangeable. If the address has already been used in an order, you can find the address also in the _COM\_OrderAddress_ table.
The potential "duplication" of information is to prevent retroactive changes of orders. Customers are enabled to change their saved addresses (in _COM\_Address_). If orders had used the same table and customers had changed their address, the order's address would also change. Therefore, orders use their own address table (_COM\_OrderAddress_), which can be changed only through the administration interface while editing an order. | | Brands | Brands are labels that can be assigned to [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). When adding or editing a product, you can set the product's brand.
Brands can help manage and organize products in the [product listing](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), and can also be used to filter products when configuring certain types of [discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd).
Learn more in [Managing brands and manufacturers](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/managing-brands-and-manufacturers.md). | Brands are stored in the _COM\_Brand_ database table. Every product has a brand ID value (in the _SKUBrandID_ column in the _COM\_SKU_ table). If a product does not have a brand assigned, the value in the column is _NULL_. | | Bundles | Acting as a special type of [product](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), bundles are basically sets of multiple individual products sold as one whole set.
For example, when you want to sell a complete package for making coffee, you can bundle a grinder, a brewer, and a bag of coffee together and sell it as one product. Another example could be a collector's edition of the _Lord of the Rings_ movies, including limited edition accessories and items; such a bundle could, for instance, contain the boxed Blu-ray set of all the movies, a map of the continent, and a statue of one of the characters.
Learn more in [Managing Bundles](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/managing-product-representations/managing-bundles.md). | One of the [product representations](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) in Xperience. Bundles are stored in the _COM\_SKU_ database tables as well as other types of [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). Besides that, IDs of products offered in the bundle are connected to the bundle's ID in the _COM\_Bundle_ database table. | | Buy X Get Y discounts | A type of [discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd), Buy X Get Y discounts have a wide range of uses. You can use them when you want to add a gift to specific products or offer discounts of the buy 2 and get 1 free variety. You can manage all Buy X Get Y discounts in the **Buy X Get Y discounts** application.
Learn more in [Working with Buy X Get Y discounts](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/discounts/working-with-buy-x-get-y-discounts.md). | Buy X Get Y discounts use multiple database tables:
_COM\_MultiBuyDiscount_ – with core properties of the discount and the "Get" properties
_COM\_MultiBuyDiscountSKU_ – the "Buy" properties if the discount is applied to specific products
_COM\_MultiBuyDiscountDepartment_ – the "Buy" properties if the discount is applied to whole departments
_COM\_MultiBuyDiscountBrand_ – the "Buy" properties if the discount uses included or excluded brands
_COM\_MultiBuyDiscountCollection_ – the "Buy" properties if the discount uses included or excluded collections
_COM\_MultiBuyDiscountTree_ – the "Buy" properties if the discount uses included or excluded product sections
_COM\_MultiBuyCouponCode_ – [coupon codes](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) of Buy X Get Y discounts that are applied only after entering a coupon
Buy X Get Y discounts share their database tables with [product coupons](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). Buy X Get Y records can be recognized in the _COM\_MultiBuyDiscount_ table by having the _MultiBuyDiscountIsProductCoupon_ column set to 0 (false).
See [Customizing discounts](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/customizing-on-line-stores/customizing-discounts.md) to learn how to customize Buy X Get Y discounts to support other scenarios. | | **C**atalog discounts | A type of [discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd). Catalog discounts cheapen selected [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) to all [customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc), [registered customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterr) or registered customers in selected [roles](https://docs.kentico.com/13/managing-users/role-management.md). You can manage them through the **Catalog discounts** application.
For example, with catalog discounts, you can create loyalty bonuses, flat discounts for partners, set price levels, etc.
Learn more in [Working with catalog discounts](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/discounts/working-with-catalog-discounts.md). | To create catalog discounts, you need to create [a discount rule](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd) based on which the discount is applied.
Catalog discounts are stored in the _COM\_Discount_ database table along with [order discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero) and [free shipping offers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterf). Catalog discounts are recognizable by having _Products_ in the _DiscountApplyTo_ column. | | Checkout process | Checkout process is a [customer](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc)'s journey that starts with putting a [product](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) into the [shopping cart](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) and ends with creating an [order](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero). | The checkout process is a set of pages where [customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) prepare their [order](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero) – the [shopping cart](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters), billing and shipping information, [payment method](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) selection, etc. The process ends right before the system creates an order object and saves it to the database. From this time, it is referred to as an order.
Customers cannot pay while going through the checkout process. Customers pay for their orders after an order is created. | | Collections | When adding or editing [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), you can assign each product to a collection.
Collections can help manage and organize products in the [product listing](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), and can also be used to filter products when configuring certain types of [discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd).
Learn more in [Managing product collections](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/managing-product-collections.md). | Collections are stored in the _COM\_Collection_ database table. Every product has a collection ID value (in the _SKUCollectionID_ column in the _COM\_SKU_ table). If a product does not have a collection assigned, the value in the column is _NULL_. | | Coupon codes | Coupon codes are text expressions that customers can enter during the [checkout process](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) to obtain a [discount](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd) or redeem a [gift card](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterg). You can use coupon codes with:
[Product coupons](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) (coupon code required)
[Gift cards](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterg) (coupon code required)
[Buy X Get Y discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterb)
[Free shipping offers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterf)
[Order discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero) | Coupon codes are stored based on the [discount](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd) to which they are related:
[Buy X Get Y discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterb) and [Product coupons](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) use the _COM\_MultiBuyCouponCode_ database table
Other discounts store related coupon codes in the _COM\_CouponCode_ table
Gift cards store their coupon codes in the _COM\_GiftCardCouponCode_ table | | Currencies | With money of a specific currency, you can pay for [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) in your [order](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero). You can create an on-line store with multiple currencies or have [multiple sites](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterm) with different sets of currencies. Every site then has its [main currency](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterm) in which store administrators enter prices in the administration interface.
You can change currencies in the **Store configuration** or **Multistore configuration** application on the **Currencies** tab. Learn more in [Configuring currencies](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-currencies.md). | Currencies are stored in the _COM\_Currency_ database table. Since they can be both [global](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterg) and [site](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters), you can see _NULL_ or the site ID respectively in the _CurrencySiteID_ column.
Relationships among currencies are expressed with [exchange rates](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettere). Exchange rates ensure the ratio when recalculating an amount of money from one currency to another. | | Customer credit | A [payment method](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). You can enable credit accumulation for [registered customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterr) only. Customers may then choose to redeem their accumulated credit to pay for their [orders](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero). You can modify a customer's credit in the **Customers** application on the **Credit** tab (available only for registered users).
You can configure customer credit as a payment method in the **Store configuration** or **Multistore configuration** application on the **Payment methods** tab. Learn more in [Configuring customer credit](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-payment-methods/configuring-customer-credit.md). | All customer credit transactions are stored in the _COM\_CustomerCreditHistory_ database table. The credit is connected to the [customer](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) via the _EventCustomerID_ column with the customer's ID. If the credit is connected to a specific site, the _EventSiteID_ column contains the [site](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters)'s ID. If the credit is [global](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterg), the _EventSiteID_ column contains _NULL_.
Customers cannot pay for an [order](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero) partly with their credit and partly with another [payment method](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). | | Customer details | Information about a [customer](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc). For example their name, phone number, email address, etc.
You can edit customers' details in the administration interface in the **Customers** application. | You can let [customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) change their own details on the live site by implementing collection of customer details as part of your site's checkout process. See [Gathering customer details during checkout](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/developing-on-line-stores/implementing-a-checkout-process/gathering-customer-details-during-checkout.md). | | Customers | A customer is a person or a company with a [purchase](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) history in your store. Customers can be either [registered](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterr) or [anonymous](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettera).
Learn more in [Customers](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/customers.md). | All customers are stored in the _COM\_Customer_ database table.
If the customer is registered, the customer's properties are synchronized with their user account. Learn more in [Synchronizing customer and user properties](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/customizing-on-line-stores/customer-related-customizing/synchronizing-customer-and-user-properties.md). | | **D**epartments | Departments are one of the possibilities when [categorizing products](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/categorizing-products.md). Departments are only logical categorization (departments provide no display differences if not configured otherwise).
With departments, you can automatically assign [taxes](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettert) to new [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) created in a specific department. | Departments are stored in the _COM\_Department_ database table. | | Discount rules | Discount rules are rules that need to be fulfilled in order to apply discounts or special offers. For example, when you want to discount [orders](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero) dispatched to the USA.
You can configure conditions based on rules when creating or modifying [discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd). Discount rules are used for [order discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero), [catalog discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc), [free shipping offers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterf) and [gift cards](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterg). | Discount rules are customizable via the administration interface. You can add or remove them in the **Store configuration** or **Multistore configuration** application. See [Configuring discount rules](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/customizing-on-line-stores/configuring-discount-rules.md) to learn more. | | Discounts | Discounts are a way to promote your store and your [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). They discount your products or shipping costs, which can potentially drive more sales from your customers. Xperience offers several types of discounts:
[Buy X Get Y discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterb)
[Catalog discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc)
[Free shipping offers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterf)
[Gift cards](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterg)
[Order discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero)
[Product coupons](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp)
[Volume discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterv)
Learn more in [Discounts](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/discounts.md). | Discounts in Xperience are a decentralized system. Therefore, you can find discounts in several database tables.
See a specific discount type to find out more details about the discount. | | **E**-products | A special type of [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). E-products are like [standard products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) but they are electronic (intangible) and downloadable. E-products are therefore suitable for e-books, files (images, audio, video), apps, etc.
Learn more in [Managing E-products](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/managing-product-representations/managing-e-products.md). | One of the [product representations](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) in Xperience. E-products are basically [standard products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) in the _COM\_SKU_ database table but have _EPRODUCT_ in the _SKUProductType_ column. The related downloadable files are stored in the _COM\_SKUFile_ table, with the IDs of linked product for each file in the _FileSKUID_ column.
You can find links to the e-products already bought in [orders](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero) in the _COM\_OrderItemSKUFile_ table. | | Exchange rates | Exchange rates express the ratio for recalculating a sum of money from one [currency](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) to another. For this recalculating, Xperience uses exchange tables with all required rates in the tables. You can edit the exchange tables in the **Store configuration** or **Multistore configuration** applications on the **Exchange rates** tab.
Learn more in [Configuring exchange rates](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-currencies/configuring-exchange-rates.md). | Exchange tables are stored in the _COM\_ExchangeTable_ database table. You can see whether a specific exchange table is [global](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterg) or [site](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) by checking the value in the _ExchangeTableSiteID_ column. Global exchange tables have _NULL_ in the column; site exchange tables have the table's site ID.
A table's exchange rates are then stored in the _COM\_CurrencyExchangeRate_ table. They are connected to the table ID with the _ExchangeTableID_ column. | | **F**ormatted price | Formatted price contains not only the nominal amount but also a [currency](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) code or other text and styling configured in the settings. | Formatted price is suitable for any page where [customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) can see the price. Customers are not therefore confused about the [currency](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc). See [Configuring currencies](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-currencies.md) to learn more about configuring currencies and the **Currency formatting string** currency property. | | Formatted weight | Formatted weight contains not only the nominal amount but also a weight unit or other text and styling configured in the settings. | Weight is used mainly for [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) and [shipping option](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) price levels. See [Configuring products](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-products.md) to learn more about configuring products or see directly [Settings - E-commerce](https://docs.kentico.com/13/configuring-xperience/managing-sites/configuring-settings-for-sites/settings-e-commerce.md) to set the **Mass format string** setting. | | Free shipping offers | A type of [discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd). Free shipping offers enable [customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) to have free shipping for their [purchase](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). You can manage them through the **Free shipping offers** application.
You can limit a free shipping offer based on orders' properties ([prices](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), [currencies](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc), [billing](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterb) or [shipping addresses](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters), [shipping](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters), weight, etc.) or type of customers, duration, or enable the offer only when the customer types a [coupon code](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc).
Learn more in [Working with free shipping offers](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/discounts/working-with-free-shipping-offers.md). | To create free shipping offers, you need to use [a discount rule](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd) based on which the free shipping offer is applied. If your desired rule is not predefined, you can create your own, see [Configuring discount rules](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/customizing-on-line-stores/configuring-discount-rules.md). Free shipping offers, order discounts and gift cards use the same set of discount rules.
Free shipping offers are stored in the _COM\_Discount_ database table along with [catalog discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) and [order discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero). Free shipping offers are recognizable by having _Shipping_ in the _DiscountApplyTo_ column. | | **G**ift cards | Gift cards allow customers to reduce the final price of their [orders](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero). When a customer enters a gift card's [coupon code](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) during checkout, the system subtracts the gift card value from the total price (after calculating all other discounts, shipping costs and taxes). If the gift card value is greater than the order's price, the remaining amount is saved for the given coupon code and can be redeemed in future orders.
You can manage gift cards in the **Gift cards** application.
You can restrict application of gift cards based on order properties ([prices](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), [currencies](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc), [billing](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterb) or [shipping addresses](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters), [shipping](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters), weight, etc.), the current date, or the type of the customer.
Learn more in [Working with gift cards](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/discounts/working-with-gift-cards.md). | Gift cards are stored in the _COM\_GiftCard_ database table. The [coupon codes](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) used by gift cards are stored in the _COM\_GiftCardCouponCode_ table. | | Global objects | Global e-commerce objects are those e-commerce entities that are set for [all sites](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterm). For example, [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), [product options](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), [manufacturers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterm), [payment methods](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), [tax classes](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettert), or [currencies](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc). Some of them can be used along with [site objects](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters), some of them replace the site objects.
Learn more in [Choosing site or global e-commerce configuration](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/choosing-site-or-global-e-commerce-configuration.md). | Global objects have typically _NULL_ in the database where the site ID usually is, or a specific database column is used to label objects as global. | | Global settings | Global e-commerce settings are settings related to the E-commerce Solution and are used for [all sites](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterm). You can find settings under the **Store settings** tab in the **Multistore configuration** application. They serve as setting simplification for multisite stores.
Learn more in [Choosing site or global e-commerce configuration](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/choosing-site-or-global-e-commerce-configuration.md). | Settings are stored in the _CMS\_SettingsKey_ database table. Global settings have _NULL_ in the _SiteID_ column, where the site ID usually is. | | **I**nvoices | Invoice is a confirmation of a purchased order. The invoice appearance is editable in the **Store configuration** or **Multistore configuration** applications.
Learn more in [Configuring invoices](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-invoices.md). | Invoices are printable confirmations that you can browse in the system. If you want to send invoices by email, you need to specify it in the specific email notification. Learn more about e-commerce email notifications in [Configuring e-commerce email notifications](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-e-commerce-email-notifications.md). | | **M**ain currency | Main currency is a [currency](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) used by store administrators to set [prices](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) in the administration interface. Each [site](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterm) has its own main currency or a site can use a global main currency if the site uses [global](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterg) currencies. | Main currencies are distinguishable from other currencies by the _CurrencyIsMain_ column in the _COM\_Currency_ database table, where all currencies are stored. | | Manual payment methods | A type of [payment methods](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). Manual payment methods are basically only labels used as payment methods. All logic is manual and up to a store administrator. This type of payment methods is typically suitable for payment on delivery, i.e. when a salesperson or a shop assistant marks the order as [paid](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp).
Learn more in [Configuring payment methods](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-payment-methods.md). | From the technical point of view, manual payment methods are [payment methods](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) that do not have any payment gateway URL and payment gateway provider class. | | Manufacturer's recommended retail price | See [product list prices](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). | See [product list prices](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). | | Manufacturers | Manufacturers are "makers" of [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). When adding or editing a product, you can set the product's manufacturer.
They can serve either for further sorting in the [product listing](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) or for easier product management.
Learn more in [Managing brands and manufacturers](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/managing-brands-and-manufacturers.md). | Manufacturers are stored in the _COM\_Manufacturer_ database table. Every product has then a manufacturer's ID assigned (in the _SKUManufacturerID_ column in the _COM\_SKU_ table). If the product does not have a manufacturer assigned, the value in the column is _NULL_. | | Memberships | A special type of [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). Memberships are suitable when you offer your [customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) membership in a paid club. You can also link together customers' memberships to a membership section on your site, which only members can access.
For example, you want to provide some exclusive materials or products for your paid members. You create a membership, and customers who purchase the membership will be able to access a restricted section on the site. In the restricted section, you publish the exclusive materials.
Learn more in [Managing E-commerce memberships](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/managing-product-representations/managing-e-commerce-memberships.md). | One of the [product representations](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) in Xperience. Memberships are basically [standard products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) in the _COM\_SKU_ database table but have _MEMBERSHIP_ in the _SKUProductType_ column. | | Multisite store | A multisite store is basically an Xperience instance that runs more than one on-line stores. | When running a multi-site store, you can take advantage of division settings and objects to [global](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterg) and [site](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters).
See [Choosing site or global e-commerce configuration](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/choosing-site-or-global-e-commerce-configuration.md). | | **N**otification emails | Notification emails are emails that the system sends when some event occur. You can configure which events trigger sending a notification email.
Learn more in [Configuring e-commerce email notifications](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-e-commerce-email-notifications.md). | E-commerce notification emails can be sent to the [customer](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) who caused the event (created an [order](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero), paid an order, etc.) or to the administrator.
You can set the appearance of the notification emails. | | **O**ption categories | Option categories are logical categories of [product options](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). When you want a product to have some product options, you need to assign the product an option category that contains the desired product options.
This is particularly useful when you want to use the same set of product options for more products. Typically, it can be sizes of T-shirts. You define one option category for t-shirt sizes and then assign it to all T-shirt products.
You can manage option categories in the **Product options** application.
Learn more in [Working with product options](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/working-with-product-options.md). | Option categories are stored in the _COM\_OptionCategory_ database table.
The relationships between products and option categories are stored in the _COM\_SKUOptionCategory_ table. | | Order discounts | A type of [discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd). Order discounts reduce the price of entire orders. You can manage them in the **Order discounts** application.
You can limit application of order discounts based on order properties ([prices](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), [currencies](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc), [billing](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterb) or [shipping addresses](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters), [shipping](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters), weight, etc.), the current date, the type of the customer, or enable the offer only for customers who enter a [coupon code](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) during checkout.
Learn more in [Working with order discounts](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/discounts/working-with-order-discounts.md). | Order discounts are stored in the _COM\_Discount_ database table along with [catalog discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) and [free shipping offers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterf). Order discounts are recognizable by having _Order_ in the _DiscountApplyTo_ column.
For advanced order discounts, you need to use [discount rules](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd) based on which the order discount is applied. If your desired rule is not predefined, you can create your own. See [Configuring discount rules](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/customizing-on-line-stores/configuring-discount-rules.md). Order discounts, free shipping offers and gift cards use the same set of discount rules. | | Order statuses | Order statuses label [orders](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero) to describe in which phase the orders are. For example, you can assign new orders to the _New_ order status, [paid orders](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) to the _Paid_ order status or delivered orders to the _Finished_ order status.
With order statuses, you can also automatically mark orders as paid.
You can edit order statuses in the **Store configuration** or **Multistore configuration** applications.
Learn more in [Order statuses](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/orders/order-statuses.md). | Orders statuses are stored in the _COM\_OrderStatus_ database table. You can see whether a specific order status is global or site by checking the value in the _StatusSiteID_ column. Global order statuses have _NULL_ in the column whereas site order statuses have the status's site ID in the column.
You can also see the history of order status changes in the _COM\_OrderStatusUser_ table. | | Orders | When [customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) want to [purchase](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) in your on-line store, they need to create an order, which you can then process and deliver the products to the customer.
An order is created when the customer adds products to their shopping cart, goes through the [checkout process](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) and clicks the final button that creates an order (such as _Make an order_, _Finish the order_ or _Submit_).
Learn more in [Orders](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/orders.md). | Torsos of orders are stored in the _COM\_Order_ database table. In the _COM\_OrderAddress_ table, you can see addresses used in orders. In the _COM\_OrderItem_ table, you can see every [product](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) item bought with the order (items that were in the [shopping cart](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) before creating an order). Finally, you can see links to the bought [e-products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettere) in the _COM\_OrderItemSKUFile_ table. | | Original price | The highest [price](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) of a [product](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). The original price is suitable for showing visitors of your store how much money they can save. | Original prices can be either [product list prices](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) or [product prices](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) before applying [discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd) depending on which is a bigger number. | | **P**aid orders | Paid orders are [orders](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero) that are marked as paid. You can mark an order as paid either one by one manually when editing an order or automatically by creating an [order status](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero), which marks orders as paid for you.
Learn more in [Orders](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/orders.md). | Paid orders are stored in the _COM\_Order_ database table as well as not paid orders. You can find out whether an order is paid by looking at the _OrderIsPaid_ column. Unpaid orders have _NULL_ as the column's value whereas paid orders have _1_ as the value. | | Payment methods | Payment methods are options that [customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) can use to pay for their [orders](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero). You can use either [site](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) or [global](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterg) payment methods. Therefore, you can edit payment methods in the **Store configuration** or **Multistore configuration** applications.
Learn more in [Configuring payment methods](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-payment-methods.md). | Payment methods are stored in the _COM\_PaymentOption_ database table. You can see whether a specific payment method is [global](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterg) or [site](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) by checking the value in the _PaymentOptionSiteID_ column. Global payment methods have _NULL_ in the column whereas site payment methods have the method's site ID in the column. | | Permissions | By configuring permissions, you can limit access or ability to modify specific content of your on-line store. For example, you can enable specific users to create products but prevent them from deleting products.
See [Configuring permissions](https://docs.kentico.com/13/managing-users/configuring-permissions.md) to learn more about permissions in Xperience generally, or see [Configuring e-commerce permissions](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-e-commerce-permissions.md) to learn more about permissions in the E-commerce Solution. | You can set different permissions for different [roles](https://docs.kentico.com/13/managing-users/role-management.md) (for the purposes of store managers and more). | | Prices | Prices in Xperience express the sum of money for which [customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) can buy a product, with other costs such as shipping, etc. | There are several types of prices:
[Product prices](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp)
[Product list prices](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp)
[Original prices](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero) | | Product coupons | A type of [discount](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd). Product coupons reduce the price of [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) after customers enter a [coupon code](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc). You can manage product coupons in the **Product coupons** application.
Learn more in [Working with product coupons](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/discounts/working-with-product-coupons.md). | Product coupons are stored in the same database tables as [Buy X Get Y discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterb):
_COM\_MultiBuyDiscount_ – the main records representing product coupon discounts and their core properties
_COM\_MultiBuyDiscountSKU_ – the bindings to assigned products (if the coupon applies to specific products)
_COM\_MultiBuyDiscountDepartment_ – the bindings to assigned departments (if the coupon applies to whole departments)
_COM\_MultiBuyDiscountBrand_ – the bindings to assigned brands (if the coupon applies to brands or has excluded brands)
_COM\_MultiBuyDiscountCollection_ – the bindings to assigned product collections (if the coupon applies to collections or has excluded collections)
_COM\_MultiBuyDiscountTree_ – the bindings to assigned sections within the Product structure (if the coupon applies to product sections or has excluded sections)
_COM\_MultiBuyCouponCode_ – the [coupon codes](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) of product coupon discounts
Product coupon records can be recognized in the _COM\_MultiBuyDiscount_ table by having the _MultiBuyDiscountIsProductCoupon_ column set to 1 (true). | | Product detail pages | See [Product details](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). | See [Product details](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). | | Product details | Product details are [pages](https://docs.kentico.com/13/managing-website-content/working-with-pages.md) that display a specific [product](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp)'s properties (details). It is typically the page where you get when you click on a product in the [product listing](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). | Learn more on [Displaying product details](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/developing-on-line-stores/displaying-product-details.md). | | Product list prices | The [price](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) specified in the **List price** field when editing a [product](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). Often abbreviated as a "list price". In other systems, you can find list prices also as retail prices, recommended retail prices or even manufacturer's recommended retail prices.
With list prices, you can show visitors of your store, how much money they can save by [purchasing](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) the [product](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) in your store. | List prices are stored in the _COM\_SKU_ database table in the _SKURetailPrice_ column. | | Product listings | Product listings are [pages](https://docs.kentico.com/13/managing-website-content/working-with-pages.md) that display a list of [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) (all of them or a part of them). It is typically a [department](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd)'s page with department's products. After clicking on a product, you usually get to the [product detail](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) of the clicked product. | Learn more on [Displaying product listings](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/developing-on-line-stores/displaying-product-listings.md). | | Product options | Product options are selectable parts of products. For example, T-shirts can have different sizes or cups can have inscriptions. They are divided into three types:
Attribute (e.g._, Color of clothing_)
Products (e.g., _Portable PC accessories_, _Configurable PC – Operating system_)
Text (e.g., _Book – Inscription_)
Learn more in [Working with product options](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/working-with-product-options.md). | Product options of all types are stored in the _COM\_SKU_ database table among [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). In the _SKUOptionCategoryID_ column, they have the ID of their [option category](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero). Every product option category is then saved in the _COM\_OptionCategory_ table.
Unlike product options of the attribute and products type, product options of the text type have by default one option in the _COM\_SKU_ table. | | Product prices | The [price](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) specified in the **Price** field when editing a [product](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). It is the price from which [taxes](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettert), [discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd), etc. are calculated. | Product prices are stored in the _COM\_SKU_ database table in the _SKUPrice_ column. | | Product representations | Product representations are basically different types of [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). For example, some products are classic tangible items (food, computers, etc.), some of them are electronic or some of them are special, like memberships, bundles, etc. Xperience divides product representations into:
[Standard products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters)
[E-products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettere)
[Memberships](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterm)
[Bundles](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterb)
Learn more in [Managing product representations](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/managing-product-representations.md). | Product representations in Xperience are a partially centralized system. Some of the representations are stored in the _COM\_SKU_ database table with [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) and some of them are stored in another table.
See the specific product representations to find out more details about each representation. | | Product structure | [Products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) can be organized within a so called product tree. The tree contains a hierarchy of sections, and individual products. The **Products** application and also the product part of the **Pages** application reflect the product structure.
Learn more in [Configuring product structure](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-products/configuring-product-structure.md). | The system also provides additional ways of dividing products based on other factors (see [Categorizing products](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/categorizing-products.md)). | | Product types | Product types are [page types](https://docs.kentico.com/13/developing-websites/defining-website-content-structure/managing-page-types.md) for products.
Learn more in [Configuring product page types](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-product-page-types.md). | Apart from product page types, there are also [product section types](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-product-page-types.md#working-with-product-section-types). | | Product variants | Product variants are basically [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) with preselected [product options](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) of the attribute type. You can assign all properties to product variants as if the variants were products.
Learn more in [Working with product variants](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/working-with-product-variants.md). | Product variants are stored among other products in the _COM\_SKU_ database table. The _SKUParentSKUID_ column contains the parent product from which the product variants were created. Product variants are also connected with the preselected product options in the _COM\_VariantOption_ table. | | Products | Products are items (stuff) which your [customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) can buy. For example, you can offer books, food, computers, audio, video, etc. You can find your products in the **Products** application.
Products can be divided based on several points of view, for example:
Based on their [product representation](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp)
Whether they are created as an SKU object with an assigned page (the standard way) or as [an SKU-only product](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters)
Learn more in [Products](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products.md). | Products are stored in the _COM\_SKU_ database table where SKU (stock keeping unit) objects are kept. By default, the SKU is created along with a [page](https://docs.kentico.com/13/managing-website-content/working-with-pages.md) (in the _CMS\_Document_ table) to embrace also page properties and their advantages.
However, it is possible to create products just as [stand-alone SKUs](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters). It speeds up the system when you have many products but you cannot, for example, [categorize products](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/categorizing-products.md) with categories or tags.
Based on every product's [product representation](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), more database tables can be used (for example, _COM\_Bundle_ or _COM\_SKUFile_). Similarly, to get all information regarding [product options](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) or [variants](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), you also need to see more database tables.
Learn more in [Configuring products](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-products.md). | | Purchase | To purchase something is to actually buy it in the on-line store. When a [customer](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) puts [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) into their [shopping cart](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters), goes through the [checkout process](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) to the state when they finally make an [order](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero), it is considered as a purchase. | Purchasing something does not mean any special system entity or object. It is just a state where an [order](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero) is created. | | **R**ecommended retail prices | See [product list prices](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). | See [product list prices](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). | | Retail prices | See [product list prices](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). | See [product list prices](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). | | Registered customers | [Customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) who have purchased something and have registered user accounts on the site.
Learn more in [Customers](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/customers.md). | Registered [customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) are stored (as well as [anonymous customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettera)) in the _COM\_Customer_ database table. In the _CustomerUserID_ column, they have their [user](https://docs.kentico.com/13/managing-users/user-management.md)'s ID.
Customers' properties are synchronized with their user accounts. Learn more in [Synchronizing customer and user properties](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/customizing-on-line-stores/customer-related-customizing/synchronizing-customer-and-user-properties.md). | | Shipping address | Shipping and [billing addresses](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterb) are addresses used for [orders](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero). The shipping address is an address that sets where the order is shipped after the [purchase](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). The shipping address is used only when at least one [product](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) of the order needs shipping.
Based on the shipping and billing addresses, you can set shipping prices or further alter [orders](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero). See [Auto-filling addresses of existing customers](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/developing-on-line-stores/implementing-a-checkout-process/gathering-customer-details-during-checkout/auto-filling-addresses-of-existing-customers.md). | Shipping addresses are (as well as [billing addresses](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterb)) stored in the _COM\_Address_ database table. Technically, the shipping and billing addresses are the same and are interchangeable. If the address has already been used in an order, you can find the address also in the _COM\_OrderAddress_ table.
The potential "duplication" of information is to prevent retroactive changes of orders. Customers are enabled to change their saved addresses (in _COM\_Address_). If orders had used the same table and customers had changed their address, the order's address would also change. Therefore, orders use their own address table (_COM\_OrderAddress_), which can be changed only through the administration interface while editing an order. | | Shipping carriers | Shipping carriers contain the functionality of [shipping options](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters). To enable any shipping option for your customers, you need to install shipping carriers to your system first.
Learn more in [Configuring shipping carriers](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-shipping-options/configuring-shipping-carriers.md). | Shipping carriers are installed in the system through shipping carrier providers, a source code that provides running of its shipping carriers (and in the end their shipping options).
Learn more in [Implementing custom shipping carrier providers](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/customizing-on-line-stores/shipping-related-customizing/implementing-custom-shipping-carrier-providers.md). | | Shipping options | [Customers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) can choose from shipping options, you offer in your store, to choose how you send the [order](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero) to the customer. You can edit shipping options in the **Store configuration** application.
Learn more in [Configuring shipping options](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-shipping-options.md). | Shipping options are directly dependent on [shipping carriers](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) and basically connect shipping option's settings with shipping carrier's functionality. They are stored in the _COM\_ShippingOption_ database table.
Shipping options can be only [site objects](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters). | | Shopping cart | Shopping cart is a page on which your customers see all [shopping cart items](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) and can continue with the [checkout process](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc) and make an order. | Shopping cart verification is often a step in the [checkout process](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc). Typically, you can have a one-step checkout process or a multi-step checkout process.
Shopping carts are stored in the _COM\_ShoppingCart_ database table. | | Shopping cart item | Shopping cart item is one [product](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) in a [shopping cart](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) (any number of units of the same product is considered as one item). | Shopping cart items of each saved shopping cart are stored in the _COM\_ShoppingCartSKU_ database table. | | Shopping cart preview | Shopping cart preview is a part of [pages](https://docs.kentico.com/13/managing-website-content/working-with-pages.md) that displays how many [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) are in the [shopping cart](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters), what the shopping cart's total price is, or any other desired information. Clicking the shopping cart preview usually leads to the shopping cart. | You need to implement your own content for displaying the shopping cart preview (for example using a partial view). See [Integrating the shopping cart](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/developing-on-line-stores/implementing-a-checkout-process/integrating-the-shopping-cart.md). | | Site objects | Site e-commerce objects are those e-commerce entities that are set for one site only. For example, [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), [product options](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), [brands](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterb), [collections](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc), [payment methods,](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp)[tax classes](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettert), or [currencies](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc)[.](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) Some of them can be used along with the [global objects](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterg), some of them can be used only without global objects.
Learn more in [Choosing site or global e-commerce configuration](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/choosing-site-or-global-e-commerce-configuration.md). | Site objects have typically their site's ID in their database record (opposed to global objects' _NULL_), or a specific database column is used to label the object as site-related. | | Site settings | Site e-commerce settings are settings related to the E-commerce Solution and are used for one site only. You can find settings under the **Store settings** tab in the **Store configuration** application.
Learn more in [Choosing site or global e-commerce configuration](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/choosing-site-or-global-e-commerce-configuration.md). | Settings are stored in the _CMS\_SettingsKey_ database table. Site settings have site's ID in the _SiteID_ column. | | SKU-only products | [Products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) consist by default of an SKU object and a page. SKU-only products are products that do not have any bound page.
Such products therefore cannot use some advantages of pages.
Learn more in [Managing stand-alone SKUs](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/managing-stand-alone-skus.md). | SKU-only products are stored in the _COM\_SKU_ database table as well as default products. SKU-only products speed up the system when you have many products, but you cannot, for example, [categorize products](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/categorizing-products.md) in categories or tags.
Based on every product's [product representation](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), more database tables can be used (for example, _COM\_Bundle_ or _COM\_SKUFile_). Similarly, to get all information regarding [product options](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) or [variants](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), you also need to see more database tables.
Learn more in [Configuring products](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-products.md). | | Standard products | A standard type of [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp). Standard products represent usual tangible products, such as books, computers, food, cars, etc. On the other hand, standard products are not suitable for electronic files – [e-products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettere) (e-books, audio, video, etc.) or other intangible "products" (like [memberships](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterm)).
Learn more in [Managing Standard products](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/managing-product-representations/managing-standard-products.md). | One of the [product representations](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) in Xperience. Standard products are stored along with other [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) in the _COM\_SKU_ database table and have _PRODUCT_ in the _SKUProductType_ column. Other product representations are derived from standard products. | | Suppliers | Suppliers are "providers" of [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp), they typically bring the products to the store (or its stock). When adding or editing a product, you can set the product's supplier. They can serve for easier product management when tracking which supplier takes care of which products.
Learn more in [Managing suppliers](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/products/managing-suppliers.md). | Suppliers are stored in the _COM\_Supplier_ database table. Every product has a supplier ID assigned (in the _SKUSupplierID_ column in the _COM\_SKU_ table). If the product does not have a supplier assigned, the value in the column is _NULL_. | | **T**ax classes | Xperience uses tax classes to express tax properties for products and other entities (e.g. shipping options). You can use either [site](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letters) or [global](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterg) tax classes. You can edit tax classes in the **Store configuration** or **Multistore configuration** applications.
Learn more in [Configuring taxes](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/configuring-on-line-stores/configuring-taxes.md). | Tax classes are stored in the _COM\_TaxClass_ database table. You can see whether a specific tax class is global or site by checking the value in the _TaxClassSiteID_ column. Global tax classes have _NULL_ in the column whereas site tax classes have the class's site ID in the column.
Specific tax amounts are different for [countries and states](https://docs.kentico.com/13/configuring-xperience/configuring-countries.md), they are stored in the _COM\_TaxClassCountry_ and _COM\_TaxClassState_ tables. | | **U**sers | Users are those visitors of your website that have a user account.
Learn more in [Enabling user registration](https://docs.kentico.com/13/managing-users/user-registration-and-authentication/enabling-user-registration.md). | Users are not an e-commerce functionality and are therefore stored in the _CMS\_User_ database table (the table does not have the _COM_ prefix).
Users have a [contact](https://docs.kentico.com/13/on-line-marketing-features/managing-your-on-line-marketing-features/contact-management.md) assigned for the on-line marketing purposes (as well as a visitor without a user account) and users can also have a [customer](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterc). They have a customer when they have already made an [order](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-lettero). | | **V**olume discounts | A type of [discounts](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterd). Volume discounts cheapen products based on the number of purchased items. You can manage volume discounts through the **Products** application. Edit a product and switch to the **Advanced -> Volume discounts** tab.
Learn more in [Working with volume discounts](https://docs.kentico.com/13/e-commerce-features/managing-on-line-stores/discounts/working-with-volume-discounts.md). | Volume discounts are stored in the _COM\_VolumeDiscount_database table. They are bound to their [products](#gettingfamiliarwiththeecommercesolution-letterp) with the product's ID. |