New Products Setup with options / variants

-- HikaShop version -- : 2.3.4
-- Joomla version -- : 3.3.6
-- PHP version -- : 5.4.16
-- Browser(s) name and version -- : Chrome 39.0.2171.71

I've been playing around with Hikashop for a little while now and thought that everything would work as I needed it to. I've ran into a snag though and need some advice. My client is selling products that have 7-10 categories of options for each product and then anywhere from 2-7 items in each category. So for instance I have the following:

Product 1 - category 1 with 3 options, category 2 with 2 options, category 3 with 5 options, category 4 with 7 options, category 5 with 7 options, category 6 with 5 options, category 7 with 3 options.

My thought at first would be to create the characteristics and then add them to each of products. This would allow the customer to select the product that he or she wanted, and then select the option in each category that he or she wanted with the product. I found that this works okay with 3 characteristics but when I added all 7, I ran into issues. I've increased my memory size, but then I still run into a time limit exceeded creating a 550 error. So I'm trying to understand the best way to accomplish this without creating characteristics. Based on the option in each category changes the price of the product. I tried the custom fields, but I either didn't do it right, or don't understand how to make it work. I also looked at the options, but that keeps everything separate and then the customer has to select yes and no for each option. Any advice would be great. Thanks.

Hello,

but when I added all 7, I ran into issues. I've increased my memory size,

Ok. So I have tried to do a custom field. I have attached an image of my settings. When I open the product page, on the front end, not logged in, I do not see the option that I added. Is there something I need to do on the product page to include the custom drop down field into the page for the customer to see? Also I see two options when I add things to the custom drop down. Is the value the price that is added to the product and the title what is shown to the customer? Thanks.

Okay. I've been able to get the custom field to show on the item on the front end, but how do we assign a price to go with each custom field?

I have been able to get a work around to make everything work. I ended up breaking the products down more than the initial plan. A little more work but will be better in the end. I was able to find in the forums the answers to my previous questions. Thanks.