Several questions

Several questions:

We are building a niche classifieds site and need a directory type function for related service businesseses. Can this be done?

If so, how?

And if so, is it possible to charge for this service with tiered prices (gold silver platinum - free, basic, premium, showcase etc)?

Regards,

Jer

[Mike-N-Tosh +]

Many folks use 68 Classifieds as a directory service. The nature of a classifieds site vs a directory are very similar. The features and functions that are built into 68 Classifieds translates well to a directory. There are also several modules available to enhance the functionality of 68 Classifieds available here classifiedmods.

In the administration, you set the prices for the ad listings (directory listings) and have full control over what categories they are available to and whether they have upgrades such as bold, highlighted or featured as well as to which user groups they are even presented to.

I am actually currently building both a classifieds site and a business directory for a client in subdomains for a high traffic site in a niche market. Although I can't disclose the URL for the site at this time.

Mike-N-Tosh
Does this site you are working on have two separate functions, a directory and a separate classifieds?
Are you using one instance of the software or two?

I just want to find a way for services to be able to have their ads as well as others that want to sell items. In other words a way for a plumber, an electrician etc, to advertise along with garage sales, cars and furniture without having a separate directory script. Can these types of ads be mixed simultaneously with 68Classifieds?

[Lhotch +]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Mike-N-Tosh
Does this site you are working on have two separate functions, a directory and a separate classifieds?
Are you using one instance of the software or two?

I just want to find a way for services to be able to have their ads as well as others that want to sell items. In other words a way for a plumber, an electrician etc, to advertise along with garage sales, cars and furniture without having a separate directory script. Can these types of ads be mixed simultaneously with 68Classifieds?

The only real difference between a classified ad and a directory listing is a price field. They both have titles, descriptions etc etc. 68C allows you to ad "extra fields" based on category and modules allow you to selectivly hide the price field based on category.

The end result is you can use one instance of the classifieds to do both list ads and list services.

[Mike-N-Tosh +]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Mike-N-Tosh
Does this site you are working on have two separate functions, a directory and a separate classifieds?
Are you using one instance of the software or two?

I just want to find a way for services to be able to have their ads as well as others that want to sell items. In other words a way for a plumber, an electrician etc, to advertise along with garage sales, cars and furniture without having a separate directory script. Can these types of ads be mixed simultaneously with 68Classifieds?

Well, first for a directory only install, I just turn off the price field universally in the admin.

For this particular case, I have two installs, one on each subdomain but one database with two separate table prefixes. class_ prefix for the classifieds and dir_ for the directory. I'm using the developer's version and replaced all the calls to the user table in the directory install to use the class_users table therefore both installs use the exact same users/registrations. That also allows seamless integration between the two sites. It's still in development, but the custom template is going to be exactly the same only the logo has this-site.com/Classifieds and this-site.com/Directory. There is cross display advertising between the two as well as a hard cross link in the menu as well as the main site (not a classifieds/directory).

You could still do what you are wanting in one install by using the Custom Cats module to turn the price off for a directory listing or using smarty to hide the field. I've seen some that just run one install and have one category called directory and then sub categories under it. One clever thing to do is make a hard link that is a "Search Directory" link/button and have it set to only search the "Directory" category.

Bottom line is that the 68 Classifieds is flexible enough to do what you want in different ways and if you have a decent knowledge level of php with the developers version, you can do even more.