MW Quick-Shop

Complete User Manual for the Joomla E-Commerce Component

Version 1.4.5 | Joomla 4.x / 5.x

1. Installation & System Requirements

System Requirements

Component Minimum Recommended
Joomla 4.0 5.x (current)
PHP 7.4 8.1 or higher
MySQL 5.7 8.0 or MariaDB 10.4+
Memory 128 MB PHP Memory 256 MB or more

Step-by-Step Installation

  1. Download the ZIP file
    Download the current version com_shopengine-1.4.5.zip and save it to your computer.
  2. Open Joomla Backend
    Log in to your Joomla administration area and navigate to System → Install → Extensions.
  3. Upload the Component
    Select the ZIP file and click "Upload & Install". Wait for the installation to complete.
  4. Confirm Installation
    After successful installation, a confirmation message appears. MW Quick-Shop is now available under Components → MW Quick-Shop.
  5. Create Menu Items
    Create menu items for the main shop pages: Homepage, Products, Cart, Checkout, Customer Account.

Automatic Setup

During installation, the following default data is automatically created:

  • Tax classes: Regular (19%), Reduced (7%), Tax-free (0%)
  • Shipping zones: Germany, EU
  • Product types: Food, Textiles, Software, Audio Media, Digital Media

Performing Updates

Updates are automatically provided through the Joomla Update Manager. Navigate to System → Joomla Update and check for available updates.

Before Updating

Always create a complete backup of your website (files and database) before performing updates.

2. Basic Settings

All settings can be found under Components → MW Quick-Shop → Settings.

Shop Information

Contact Details

Shop name, email address, and phone number. This data is used in emails and on invoices.

Address

Complete business address: street, house number, postal code, city, and country.

Tax Information

Tax number and VAT ID for invoices and B2B transactions.

Currency

Currency code (EUR, USD, GBP, etc.) and symbol for price display in the shop.

Invoice Settings

Setting Description Example
Enable Invoices Automatic invoice generation for orders Yes / No
Invoice Prefix Prefix for invoice numbers INV-, RE-, 2024-
Next Number The next invoice number to be assigned 1001
Footer Text Text at the bottom of the invoice Payment due within 14 days
Bank Details Bank information for transfers Bank, IBAN, BIC

Email Configuration

Choose how emails should be sent:

Sending Methods

  • Joomla Mailer: Uses global Joomla settings
  • Custom SMTP: Individual mail server
  • PHP mail(): Standard PHP function
  • Disabled: No email sending

SMTP Settings

  • SMTP host (e.g., smtp.example.com)
  • Port (465 for SSL, 587 for TLS)
  • Encryption (SSL/TLS/None)
  • Username and password

3. Product Management

Manage your products under Components → MW Quick-Shop → Products.

Product Overview

The list view shows all products with filter functions:

Create New Product

Basic Information

Field Description Required
Product Name The name as displayed in the shop Yes
Alias URL-friendly name (auto-generated) Yes
Short Description Brief text for product lists (2-3 sentences) No
Description Detailed product description with HTML editor No
SKU Stock Keeping Unit for internal management No
EAN European Article Number (barcode) No

Pricing

Gross vs. Net

You can enter prices as gross (incl. VAT) or net (excl. VAT). Tax is automatically calculated based on the assigned tax class and displayed accordingly.

Field Description
Price Regular selling price of the product
Sale Price Discounted price for promotions (optional)
Cost Price Your purchase price for profit calculation (internal, not visible)
Tax Class Assigned tax rate (19%, 7%, 0%)

Product Images

Upload up to 5 images per product:

Image Recommendations

Use square images (1:1 ratio) with at least 800x800 pixels for best results. Supported formats: JPG, PNG, WebP.

Shipping & Delivery

Field Description
Weight (kg) Product weight for shipping calculation and unit price display
Delivery Time Options: 1-3 days, 2-5 days, 2-7 days, 3-7 days, 5-10 days, 7-14 days, 14-21 days, On request

Assignments

SEO Settings

Field Description Recommendation
Meta Title Page title for search engines 50-60 characters
Meta Description Description for search results 150-160 characters
Tags Keywords for internal search 3-5 relevant tags

4. Product Variants

Product variants allow you to offer a product in different versions (e.g., sizes, colors).

When to Use Variants?

Suitable For

T-shirts in different sizes, shoes in different colors, furniture in different finishes

Not Suitable For

Completely different products - these should be created as separate products

Creating a Variant

In the product editing view, you'll find the "Variants" section. For each variant, you can define:

Field Description
Attributes The properties of the variant (e.g., Size: L, Color: Blue)
SKU Unique article number for this variant
EAN Unique barcode for this variant
Price Different price (if different from main product)
Weight Different weight for shipping calculation
Stock Quantity Available quantity of this variant
Minimum Stock Alert when stock falls below this quantity
Image Variant-specific image

Example: T-Shirt with Sizes

Product: "Basic T-Shirt" (main product without own stock)
Variants: S (Stock: 10), M (Stock: 25), L (Stock: 15), XL (Stock: 8)

5. Categories

Organize products into categories under Components → MW Quick-Shop → Categories.

Create Category

Field Description
Name Category name for display
Alias URL-friendly name
Description Optional description text (HTML)
Image Category image for the overview
Parent Category For subcategories
Status Published / Unpublished

Category Structure

MW Quick-Shop supports hierarchical categories (main and subcategories):

Example of a Good Structure

  • Clothing
    • Men
      • T-Shirts
      • Pants
      • Jackets
    • Women
      • Blouses
      • Skirts
      • Dresses

6. Product Types

Product types define additional fields for specific product categories. Manage them under Components → MW Quick-Shop → Product Types.

Predefined Product Types

Food Products

Ingredients, allergens, nutritional values, best before date, storage instructions, origin, fill quantity

Audio Media

Artist, album, label, genre, release year, format, tracklist, edition

Textiles

Size, color, material, care instructions, target group, season, size chart

Software

Version, license type, platform, system requirements, file size, update period

Digital Media

Media type, author, duration, resolution, bitrate, file format, language

Create Custom Product Type

You can create custom product types with individual fields. Fields are defined in JSON format:

Field Type Description Example
text Single-line text field Country of origin
textarea Multi-line text field Ingredients list
number Number field Calories, runtime
date Date field Best before, release date
select Selection field Format (CD, Vinyl, Digital)

7. Manufacturers

Manage manufacturers and brands under Components → MW Quick-Shop → Manufacturers.

Field Description
Name Manufacturer or brand name
Alias URL-friendly name
Description Information about the manufacturer
Logo Manufacturer logo (image upload)
Website Link to manufacturer website
Status Published / Unpublished

Usage

Manufacturers can be assigned to products and appear on the product detail page. Customers can filter by manufacturer.

8. Tax Classes

Configure tax rates under Components → MW Quick-Shop → Tax Classes.

Predefined Tax Classes (Germany)

Tax Class Tax Rate Usage
Regular 19% Standard rate for most goods and services
Reduced 7% Food, books, magazines, artwork
Tax-Free 0% Tax-exempt services (e.g., exports, certain educational services)

Create/Edit Tax Class

Field Description
Name Name of the tax class
Tax Rate Percentage (e.g., 19.00)
Description Explanation of usage
Default Set as default tax class

Important Notice

Correct tax rates are country-dependent and may change. If unsure, consult a tax advisor. Incorrect tax rates can lead to legal problems.

9. Shipping

Configure shipping options under Components → MW Quick-Shop → Shipping.

Shipping Zones

Shipping zones define geographic areas with their own shipping costs:

Zone Countries Description
Germany DE Domestic shipping
EU AT, BE, BG, CY, CZ, DK, EE, FI, FR, GR, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, LU, LV, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SE, SI, SK, ES Shipping to EU countries

Shipping Rules

For each zone, you can define various rules:

Weight-Based

Shipping costs by total weight of the order. Min/max weight definable.

Price-Based

Shipping costs by order value. Min/max order value definable.

Free Shipping

Above a certain order value, shipping costs are waived.

Product Types

Special shipping rules for specific product types.

Create Shipping Rule

Field Description
Name Name of the rule (e.g., "Standard Shipping")
Zone Associated shipping zone
Min. Weight Minimum weight for this rule (kg)
Max. Weight Maximum weight for this rule (kg)
Min. Order Value Minimum order value for this rule
Max. Order Value Maximum order value for this rule
Shipping Cost Cost for this rule
Free Above Free shipping above this order value
Product Type Optional: Only for specific product types

Example Configuration

Germany:

  • Up to 50 EUR: 4.99 EUR shipping
  • Above 50 EUR: Free shipping

EU:

  • Up to 100 EUR: 9.99 EUR shipping
  • Above 100 EUR: Free shipping

10. Coupons & Discounts

Create discount codes under Components → MW Quick-Shop → Coupons.

Create Coupon

Field Description Example
Code The coupon code to enter SUMMER20, NEWCUSTOMER, DISCOUNT10
Discount Type Type of discount Percentage or Fixed Amount
Discount Value Amount of the discount 20 (= 20% or 20 EUR)
Min. Order Value Optional: Coupon only valid above this value 50 EUR
Max. Uses How many times redeemable (empty = unlimited) 100
Valid From Start date of validity 01/06/2024
Valid Until End date of validity 30/06/2024
Status Active or inactive Published

Discount Types

Percentage

Discount as percentage of order value. Example: 20% discount on a 100 EUR order = 20 EUR savings.

Fixed Amount

Fixed discount amount. Example: 10 EUR discount, regardless of order value (if minimum order value is met).

Usage Tracking

MW Quick-Shop automatically counts how many times a coupon has been used. You can see this in the coupon overview.

11. Order Management

Manage orders under Components → MW Quick-Shop → Orders.

Order Overview

The list shows all orders with:

Order Status

Status Meaning Next Step
Pending Order received, not yet processed Review and confirm
Confirmed Order confirmed by shop Forward for processing
Processing Order being assembled Prepare for shipping
Shipped Goods have been shipped Wait for delivery
Delivered Delivery successful Completed
Cancelled Order cancelled Possibly refund
Refunded Payment refunded Completed

Payment Status

Shipping Status

Edit Order

In the order detail view, you can:

12. Customer Management

Manage customer accounts under Components → MW Quick-Shop → Customers.

Customer Groups

Group Description Usage
Default Regular end customers Default group for new registrations
Wholesale Commercial customers Resellers, B2B customers
VIP Premium customers Loyal customers with special benefits

Customer Data

Field Description
Email Email address (login)
First Name / Last Name Customer's name
Company Company name (optional)
Phone Phone number
Customer Group Assigned group
Last Login Date of last login

Customer Addresses

Each customer can store multiple addresses:

Guest Orders

Customers can also order without registration:

13. Payment Methods

Configure payment methods in Settings.

Available Payment Methods

Bank Transfer

Classic prepayment by bank transfer. Customers receive your bank details and transfer the amount.

PayPal

Payment via PayPal account or credit card through PayPal. Sandbox mode for testing.

Stripe

Credit card payment directly in the shop. Supports all common cards.

Cash on Delivery

Payment upon delivery to the carrier. Additional COD fees possible.

Invoice

Customer pays after receiving goods by bank transfer. Trust basis required.

Setting Up PayPal

Setting Description
Enable PayPal Enable/disable payment method
Sandbox Mode Test mode with sandbox credentials
Client ID Your PayPal Client ID from Developer Dashboard
Secret Your PayPal Secret Key

Setting Up Stripe

Setting Description
Enable Stripe Enable/disable payment method
Test Mode Test mode with test API keys
Publishable Key Public key for the frontend
Secret Key Secret key for the backend

Use Test Mode

Always activate test mode (Sandbox) first to test payments before going live. This prevents accidental real transactions.

14. Frontend & Shop Pages

The shop consists of various pages that you create as Joomla menu items.

Available Views

View Menu Type Description
Homepage MW Quick-Shop → Homepage Start page with hero, featured products, new arrivals, offers
Products MW Quick-Shop → Products Product list with filter, search, and sorting
Product Detail (automatic) Individual product page with all details
Cart MW Quick-Shop → Cart Overview of items in cart
Checkout MW Quick-Shop → Checkout Order process with address and payment entry
Confirmation MW Quick-Shop → Confirmation Order confirmation after completion
Customer Account MW Quick-Shop → Account Profile, addresses, order history, downloads
Login MW Quick-Shop → Login Login form
Registration MW Quick-Shop → Register Registration form
Forgot Password MW Quick-Shop → Forgot Password Password reset
Withdrawal MW Quick-Shop → Withdrawal Withdrawal policy with form

Configure Homepage

In the menu item options for the homepage:

Hero Section

Product Sections

Checkout Process

The checkout guides customers through the following steps:

  1. Contact Details: Email address (or login)
  2. Billing Address: Complete address data
  3. Shipping Address: Optional different shipping address
  4. Shipping Method: Select shipping option
  5. Payment Method: Select payment method
  6. Coupon: Optional coupon entry
  7. Notes: Optional customer notes
  8. Legal: Accept T&C, Privacy Policy, Withdrawal
  9. Complete Order: Binding order

15. Digital Downloads

MW Quick-Shop supports selling digital products with download functionality.

Managing Download Files

For each product, you can add download files:

Field Description
File The file to be downloaded
File Name Display name for the customer
File Size Size of the file (auto-detected)
Download Limit Maximum downloads per customer (empty = unlimited)
Expiration Date Download link expires after this date

Customer Downloads

After purchase, customers can access their downloads in their account:

Download Tracking

MW Quick-Shop logs all downloads:

Tip

Set download limits and expiration dates to prevent abuse. For software updates, you can offer unlimited downloads without expiration.