How to display products on magento shop home page nicely

First of all here is a small explanation.
We can add magento blocks via special code through magento admin.
For example, this command:

{{block type="catalog/product_list" template="catalog/product/list.phtml" category_id="9"}}

That means we are taking class "catalog" with function "product_list" it takes parameter "category_id" = 9 and displays the results using template "catalog/product/list.phtml". This is absolutely awesome! First time I knew this trick I thought that I don't need to go coding magento anymore and can do everything from admin side.

So if we just put this code in the home page content block - we must see products from category with id=9 using regular template "catalog/product/list.phtml" (this template is common for product displaying in magento).

Here is the short to do list:

• 1. Creating a category for home page products, making it hidden just not to show it as a regular category.


• 2. Remembering the id of this category (you can see this id while editing category) {img of category edit}


• 3. Adding products to our home page category.


• 4. Adding code in home page content block
  {{block type="catalog/product_list" template="catalog/product/list.phtml" category_id="YOUR_CATEGORY_ID"}}


• 5. Seeing the result!

Mostly home page products should be displayed differently, i.e. we do not need paging, sorting, etc. Just 3-6 products. That is all.

What to do?

We need to make a template. Remember? "catalog/product/list.phtml" we will add new one!
If you are a webmaster and know php a little - you can do it for yourself. Just go to
/app/design/frontend/yourwebsite/yourtheme/template/catalog/product/list.phtml
Copy it to some other file (for example home.phtml) in the same dir and do with it whatever you want to.

If you are not a webmaster - you can download my home.phtml. it will generate something like this view on your home page - home page with products.

Here is another short list for advanced view:

• 1. Make every step from the first to do list if you still didn't.


• 2. Create a file "home.phtml" in the category /app/design/frontend/yourwebsite/yourtheme/template/catalog/product/ If you are a webmaster - you can make it for yourself, otherwise you can download my version.


• 3. Change the code in the home page content block in admin to
  {{block type="catalog/product_list" template="catalog/product/home.phtml" category_id="YOUR_CATEGORY_ID"}}


• 4. Seeing the result!

Take a look at this: another example of the home page with products. But it has completely different html and requires it's own css.

if you need a professional magento theme for your site - please take a look at this. For sale!