Proposal: Syncing Datepickers in Squarespace product forms
The Problem
When customers add multiple items to their cart, they can select different delivery dates for each product. This happens because each datepicker on the product forms works independently. Unfortunately, Squarespace does not currently offer a built-in solution to unify these dates within the same order. This can lead to operational challenges and customer confusion, especially when different products have varying delivery dates.
Datepicker on product form
The Current Limitation
Independent Datepickers: Each product form's datepicker operates separately.
Lack of Cart-Level Datepicker: There's no option to create a datepicker that applies to the entire cart.
Checkout Form Limitations: Datepicker fields cannot be added to the checkout form.
Different date values - Preview on /cart page
Proposed Solution: Implementing a Sync Mode
To address this issue, I propose developing a sync mode that ensures all products in the same cart share the same datepicker value. Here’s how this can be achieved:
Shared Form or Datepicker Rule Name: Ensure all products use the same form or, at the very least, the same datepicker rule name. This creates a unified input field for the delivery date across all products.
Customer Notification: Inform customers that setting the date for one product will update the delivery date for all items in their cart. Clear communication will help manage customer expectations and reduce confusion.
Prefill with Latest Date Value: Prefill the datepicker on each product form with the most recent date value selected in the cart. This ensures that when a customer opens a product form, it displays the latest chosen delivery date.
Unified Datepicker Field: Although each product still has its own datepicker field, they will now be synced and share the same value. This synchronization will ensure consistency and simplify the order management process.
Proposed sync mode: unify date values in same cart
Proposed sync mode: add notification to datepicker field
Conclusion
This workaround provides a practical solution to the issue of independent datepickers for multiple products in a cart. By implementing a sync mode, you can ensure a unified delivery date for all items in an order, aligning with your operational preferences and enhancing the customer experience. Website owners should note that while each product still has its own datepicker field, they will now share the same date value, ensuring consistency across the order.
