I am looking for a solution for multiple choice and pricing of a large number of products or services. Available studies are related, in my opinion, to small amount of items, hence I am asking for expert consultation.
User story: the user - the service provider or supplier of products has the ability to choose from a large amount of content (over 1000 products / services). After making a selection, user is evaluating the pricing of the selected services or products. The solution allows the user to quickly and easily select services and products and immediately price-check each product and service.
My thought process has evolved as follows:
a. Selecting a category of products and services and view all items in that category: A prototype showed that the list is very long - too long - even using accordion (dividing items into the subcategories). Smashingmagazine gave a good review of the type of long form that is used at Barleys Greenville but, in my opinion, such a list will not be comfortable.
b. As long as a long list is not comfortable, let’s think about making the list shorter. Finally, after testing several prototypes, we concluded that the solution is to:
step a: Choose a category or subcategory of products/servises and list products/services straight away
step b: Prompt the user to enter a keyword. Every time user enters the keyword, the system shortens the list to contain only services/products containing the keyword
Then, the user enters another key phrase and receives a new list.
Obviously, the user would change the category/subgategory any time, to view lists of different types of products or services. Listings contains input boxes to evaluate the price of the product/service. Every time user changes the category or uses the keyword input box products/services already priced are saved in the database.
I would like to ask you for a recommendation, or a suggestion containing another, better solution.
