posted on November 22, 2005 04:12:33 PM
Hi
I sure hope you can help!
I set my shipping preferences on line and then synchronized SMP. I then imported a text file. Of 44 items NONE went directly to the batch. Instead they remained open and required me to enter my zip code, shipping mark-up and all my shipping options again.
Where and how can I set preferences so that my zip code, shipping mark-up and my shipping choices will synchronize and I don't have to enter them in every file???
This is a tedious and time hogging problem. I hope I just missed something and this isn't the way the upgrade was planned?
Thank you
Paula ny-baglady
from what you told us, it seems that you tried to import an external file ito a SMPro batch, and you use our latest version V7.0 build 1369. I assume that during the process, the importer reported items with error (unfortunately all of them), and they were displayed with yellow background, prompting for manual correction.
Your preferences seem to be right. One note though: you specified USPS First-Class MailŪ as a calculated carrier. Please be aware that weight of an item should not be more than 13 ounces when you select this carrier. In order to correctly import items that have calculated shipping options, you must also specify item weight.
The new version of Pro has changed a lot in what regards batch/inventory importer. Note that this version supports all the shipping options online. For previous versions, the text file should have a maximum of 24 columns in the header, while the latest version has 84! Of course not all of them are needed, and most of them default to your preferences. If you need further assistance for batch importing, do not hesitate to contact us. I can provide you a template file with the header for the latest version of Pro, in either Excel or text format.
Note that during import you are prompted to select a profile to apply. This is very important, as some shipping information is related to venue specific data present in profiles. It is advisable to have different profiles for eBay checkout enabled (for example). Also, if you apply a profile that has eBay checkout enabled, you should have separate import files for items with calculated shipping and items with flat shipping rates (and perhaps different profiles).
The simplest workaround for your problem would be to include in the input file columns for zip code, shipping mark-up and shipping options, then run the import with a new association. Please note that one shipping option actually requires 4 columns, namely:
- Ship. option # (which is a boolean value, which may contain values such as 1, Y, yes, t, true, on)
- Ship. carrier # (name of the shipping carrier)
- Ship. amount # (flat rate amount)
- Ship. amount when combined #
Substitute # above with the actual shipping carrier number (1-5). The carrier names must be recognizable, so you may use the following scenario to get a list of valid carriers:
- click to open/edit/create a batch item
- go to shipping tab
- in the US (same for international) carriers subtab, click one of the lists. As a result the list of all supported carriers is displayed.
- click Ctrl+Shift+X
As a result, the whole list of carriers is now in your clipboard. Simply start notepad (for example) and paste them.
posted on November 23, 2005 05:22:53 PM
Hi, Thank you for such a promp support. Let me answer some questions you had and give you a couple of my own.
Yes, I imported a text file. I use to import carrier fields but took them out because I thought the preferences would fill in the blanks. I do import fields for weight... I just opened SMP and if I create a listing in a new batch, the preferences are there. However, if I import a file the preferences need to be filled in.
"the importer reported items with error (unfortunately all of them), and they were displayed with yellow background, prompting for manual correction" Almost, the files were kept open and it was noted in red what needed to be changed.
So if I understand you correctly, I need to add fields for USPS Priority or Express (this is all I want to use there) and a field for offer international shipping... if this is correct, is the field for offering international shipping a true or false field? If yes, do I use a T & F or 1 & 0 for my field? Then what do I do with the shipping fields i.e. carrier 1? It use to be carrier 1; my field would be: USPS Priority (calculated) What should be entered in my field for international shipping?
I can figure out the zip code now no problem.
When you say profile... All I see when I go to edit profile is eBay site specifics. I can't see where to enable eBay checkout or eBay redirect. Can you help here to.
Thank you so much and Happy Thanksgiving! Paula ny-baglady
during file import process, you have to specify:
- type of the file to import
- name of the file to import
- venue and listing type
- user profile to apply
The last is a drop-down list with all your saved profiles in your local copy of SMPro. The profile indeed contains only venue specific information. In the eBay tab, you can click on Payments button in order to set eBay Checkout (on or off). If you specify eBay checkout on, then you will also have to specify whether you use flat rate or calculated shipping. I do use 3 different profiles for eBay:
- No eBay Checkout
- eBay Checkout with flat rate shipping
- eBay Checkout with calculated shipping
And I apply at import time one of them according to data in the file.
Note that with this approach, you cannot mix in the same input file items with flat rate and with calculated shipping IF you use eBay checkout.
