Product codes and SKUs

[lancermedia]

Was wondering exactly how people handle Product Codes and SKUs in the latest version of Miva.

We have a client that today sells wallets....and each model of wallet comes in a variety of colors. The current store has each color as it's own product.....making the store have well over 100 products and management can be a pain.

We have a dev store setup and are re-creating the site with the latest Miva and using inventory variants. So now, instead of each color being a separate product, the wallet itself is a product, and the colors are inventory variants.

So far that's working fine, but I have a question as far as product codes go. This is not only for managing this store, but also we are going to be looking into fulfillment options next year.

Right now, each of his products have a unique UPC code...so every color has it's own code.

The way the store is done today with the separate products are....we don't use UPC in Miva at all....but we do have unique product codes like this:

Men's Wallet #1 would be:
PRODCODE1_BLK
PRODCODE1_RED

Women's Wallet #2 would be:
PRODCODE2_BLK
PRODCODE2_RED
PRODCODE2_GREEN

And so on.

In the new store, we are making the master product have the base code....so the Men's wallet would be listed as PRODCODE1. Then for each of the colors as variants, we use the color codes so, BLK, RED, etc.

However, we want to start using UPC codes in the system.....I figured we would use these in the SKU field.

1) I'm assuming that I would need to add the UPC code for each color to the inactive product variant?

2) Does anyone know what the best way to access this variable in templates in the BASK and checkout process would be? In the BASK template I am able to use &mvt:item:parts[1]:sku; to get the value of the SKU field....but is this the correct way? I'm afraid that the SKU won't always be parts[1] and that in the future this will break.

3) I responded to this thread on not having the SKU field available in the order export. Does anyone know if it's possible?
http://extranet.mivamerchant.com/for...h-Order-Export

4) Finally, is this how people setup their stores? Giving the "master" product a unique code, and then for each variant, they can get their own UPC or SKU which translates back to the actual product in inventory?

Thanks for any help.

-Kevin

[wcw]

Re: Product codes and SKUs

Relying on parts[1] for the actual variant may not be reliable. Let's say you decide sync the master inventory with the variants inventory. You have to add the master as a part with each option along with the variant. So each option will now have two parts. The first alphabetically in the array is the master. So in that case parts[1] would be the master. Take a look at this item in a test store http://www.pinemporium.com/mm5/merch..._Code=1AA00053 Put it in the basket. In fact put another of that item in the basket and choose a different option. Now look at the basket. In red you will see the code and name for each part for each line item.

That said, it is a goat rope to sync the master with the variants so few have done it. But suppose miva built it in or someone wrote a 3rd party module to do it. Your current parts[1] system may become obsolete.

[lancermedia]

Re: Product codes and SKUs

Ok, not sure why I missed this on a prior search, but I came across this post:
http://extranet.mivamerchant.com/for...&highlight=sku

I've emailed Miva to request the module in question to swap the inventory variant SKU for the master product code.

Relying on parts[1] for the actual variant may not be reliable. Let's say you decide sync the master inventory with the variants inventory. You have to add the master as a part with each option along with the variant. So each option will now have two parts. The first alphabetically in the array is the master. So in that case parts[1] would be the master. Take a look at this item in a test store http://www.pinemporium.com/mm5/merch..._Code=1AA00053 Put it in the basket. In fact put another of that item in the basket and choose a different option. Now look at the basket. In red you will see the code and name for each part for each line item.

That said, it is a goat rope to sync the master with the variants so few have done it. But suppose miva built it in or someone wrote a 3rd party module to do it. Your current parts[1] system may become obsolete.

Thanks Bill.....I'm still trying to wrap my head around how best to do this.....but in our case, there really is NO master product inventory....at least not at this point. Every wallet or accessory sold will always have an inventory variant of at least 1 color (or some other variable like magnification for glasses). So at least at this point, I'm not tracking inventory on the master product....only on the variants.

The client has UPC codes for every actual product he sells.....so whether it's a Black Men's wallet or a Red Women's or a pair of reading glasses at 1.5x magnification, there is never a case where a "master product" can be sold on it's own.

-Kevin

[wcw]

Re: Product codes and SKUs

The only time the inventory on the master matters is when you want to hide the completely out of stock product from CTGY, PLST, and SRCH results. For obvious reasons those queries do not analyze every variant stock level to determine if they are all out of stock in order to hide it. Hence, a complete out of stock item will show in the listings.

The current system is with adding parts for the master to each variant. It is tedious and probably not the best way to do it. I'd rather see miva build it in to debit the master during the order fulfillment when variants are sold. Likewise, any time a variant is modified (import or manually modified or order canceled) the stock level would be readjusted.

[lancermedia]

Re: Product codes and SKUs

The only time the inventory on the master matters is when you want to hide the completely out of stock product from CTGY, PLST, and SRCH results. For obvious reasons those queries do not analyze every variant stock level to determine if they are all out of stock in order to hide it. Hence, a complete out of stock item will show in the listings.

The current system is with adding parts for the master to each variant. It is tedious and probably not the best way to do it. I'd rather see miva build it in to debit the master during the order fulfillment when variants are sold. Likewise, any time a variant is modified (import or manually modified or order canceled) the stock level would be readjusted.

Ahh good point Bill. This will very rarely happen for us....but good thing to think about. Even if a product is out of stock....which is unlikely to have a product and ALL colors gone (we can only wish business was that good!)....we still want it shown on the site.

This brings up another question related to you and your Waitlist module (http://www.emporiumplus.com/1AA00094.html).....can this handle inventory variants? If you'd rather have this conversation offline, let me know and I'll submit a request on your site....but your point above made me think about this. We don't have the Waitlist module yet....but now that we are doing inventory variants....I wondered if it would still work.

-Kevin

[wcw]

Re: Product codes and SKUs

Not the wait list module. You need to use the Emporium Plus Tool Kit. Take a look at these two test products and how the wait listing is handled. It also works with both the desktop and mobile interfaces. The features on both of these pages are Tool Kit features.

http://www.emporiumplus.com/BOGUS.html This is the traditional PROD page. Note the 2 inventory messages as you click radio buttons. Then make a couple of the items out of stock. Click the wait list link for the popup to get on the wait list. This product has the master synched with the variants.

http://www.emporiumplus.com/SAMPLE5.html This is the bulk add where you can add quantities to each of the variants, fill in the non-variant text attribute, and then click on add to basket button. It shows the inventory of each variant. It also hides the button if all are out of stock.

[lancermedia]

Re: Product codes and SKUs

Thanks Bill....we have toolkit already and are using it so I'll take a look at these examples. Didn't realize this functionality was in toolkit.

-Kevin