Hostinger AI Builder: Use Store as Catalog

To use the Hostinger AI Builder store as a catalog, you simply create products but disable the checkout and payment steps, turning the storefront into a browsable showcase. This lets you display items, prices, and descriptions without letting customers buy online. Below is the full process, along with settings, limitations, and workarounds.

Formula

The calculator above is a placeholder for this tech article; no formula applies. For the catalog setup, the relevant “formula” is the configuration logic: Catalog Mode = Products Published + Checkout Disabled + Payment Methods Removed.

What the Hostinger AI Builder Store Does

Hostinger’s AI Builder is a website builder that generates a full site—including a store—from a text prompt. The store component is powered by the built-in ecommerce system, which normally handles product pages, a cart, and checkout. However, you don’t have to use those selling features. The same product database can serve as a catalog: a visual index of what you offer, with prices and details, but no way to complete a purchase online.

This is useful for businesses that sell offline, take orders by phone or email, or simply want to display a portfolio of items without the overhead of payment processing. The catalog approach keeps your site clean and avoids confusing visitors with a dead-end checkout.

Step-by-Step: Turning the Store into a Catalog

Here is the exact process in the Hostinger AI Builder dashboard:

1. Create your store – In the AI Builder, choose a store template or generate one with a prompt like “minimalist product catalog.”
2. Add your products – Go to the Store section in the left sidebar, click “Products,” and add each item. Include a clear photo, a short description, and a price. Even if you don’t plan to charge online, a price helps visitors understand value.
3. Disable checkout – Navigate to Store Settings → Payments. Remove or deactivate all payment methods (credit card, PayPal, etc.). Without a payment gateway, the cart cannot proceed to a paid order.
4. Turn off the cart page – In the Pages list, delete or unpublish the “Cart” and “Checkout” pages. This prevents visitors from even reaching a dead end.
5. Add a “Contact for Purchase” button – On each product page, replace the “Add to Cart” button with a custom button that links to your contact page, email address, or phone number.
6. Publish and test – Preview the site and try adding a product to the cart. You should see no cart icon or a message that the item is unavailable. If the cart still appears, go back to Payments and ensure no method is active.

What Actually Changes in the Frontend

Once you remove payment methods, the behavior changes as follows:

• The “Add to Cart” button may still appear, but clicking it leads to an empty cart or an error.
• Product pages remain fully functional—photos, descriptions, prices, and custom buttons all work.
• Search and category filters still work, so visitors can browse by type, price, or tag.
• The store menu item still shows all products, giving a clean grid layout.

If you want a completely button-free experience, you can hide the cart icon via the theme settings and rely on a simple “Inquire” link.

Common Problems and Fixes

Users often hit a few snags when converting a store to a catalog:

• Cart icon still visible – Go to Theme → Header and remove the cart icon from the navigation menu.
• Checkout page still accessible – Delete the checkout page from Pages, or set it to “No index” so it doesn’t appear in search results.
• Products show “Out of stock” – Set inventory to “unlimited” or leave stock blank, so items never appear unavailable.
• Prices show “$0.00” – If you don’t want to display a price, you can leave it blank, but some templates will show a placeholder. Better to add a nominal price or use a “Request Price” text in the description.

Comparing Catalog Mode to a Regular Store

The key difference is intent. A store is built to convert visitors into buyers; a catalog is built to inform them. With a catalog, you lose the ability to collect payments, manage inventory, or send order confirmations. But you gain simplicity and trust—visitors know they must contact you, which can be ideal for B2B, custom work, or high-ticket items.

If you later decide to sell online, you can re-enable payment methods and the cart will work again. The product data you entered remains intact, so the transition is seamless.

Costs and Limits

Using the store as a catalog does not require a higher-tier plan. The AI Builder’s store feature is included in the standard website plans. You only need a paid plan to publish the site; the catalog functionality is not an add-on. There is no transaction fee because you are not processing payments.

One limit: the AI Builder’s store is designed for a limited number of products (typically a few hundred). For a very large catalog, consider a dedicated ecommerce platform or a custom database.

Safety and Best Practices

Since you are not taking payments, the security risk is lower, but you still need to protect your site from spam. Add a contact form with a CAPTCHA to prevent bots from flooding your inbox. Also, ensure your product images are compressed to keep the page load speed fast—Hostinger’s AI Builder optimizes images automatically, but you can also resize them before uploading.

If you display prices, be consistent and update them regularly. A catalog with outdated prices can harm trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hide the price on product pages?
Yes, you can leave the price field empty, but some templates will display a placeholder like “$0.00.” To avoid that, set a price and then use CSS to hide it, or simply don’t add a price and rely on the description to mention “Contact for pricing.”

Will customers still be able to add items to a cart?
If you remove payment methods, the cart may still appear but cannot be completed. To fully remove the cart, delete the cart page and hide the cart icon in the header. The product page button can be changed to a custom link.

Can I use the catalog for digital products?
Yes, but you must disable the download delivery. Since you are not selling online, there is no automatic delivery. Just list the product with a description and a contact link.

Does the catalog mode affect SEO?
No, product pages are still indexed normally. In fact, a catalog can be better for SEO because you avoid duplicate checkout pages. Just ensure each product has a unique title and description.

Can I switch back to a full store later?
Absolutely. Re-enable a payment method, restore the cart and checkout pages, and the store will function normally. Your product data and settings remain saved.

What if I don’t want to show prices at all?
You can leave the price field empty and use a custom button that says “Request Quote.” The product page will not display a price, but the listing grid may show a blank space—adjust the template or add a short text like “Price on request.”

Related

• Install Apache Maven on Debian: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Check OpenSSL Version on Linux, macOS, and Windows
• Standard Error to SD Calculator: Convert SE to SD

in t | Finish time | min | 50 | 0
in d | Distance | km | 10 | 0 | 100000
out pace | Average pace | min/km | t / d | 2
out speed | Average speed | km/h | d / (t / 60) | 2