Miva Merchant Manual Contents:
Add Products To Your Store
Getting Started
Users
Modules
Stores
Products
Upsale
Fulfillment Modules
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Add Products To Your Store
Now that you have created your store and made some formatting and module selections, it is time to add your actual products to the store. There are many different ways that you can go about doing this with Miva Merchant. We suggest you go over the different options available before deciding on the method that will work best for you and your products.
- Categories
You can create categories and sub-categories which you then add your products to. For example, a greeting card shop may have one Category called Birthday Cards, with Sub-Categories called Birthday Humor, and Birthday Sincere. Once the categories are created you will then add the products to their appropriate Category/Sub-Category.
- Products
You may simply add your products and then, if you wish, divide them into Categories later.
- Import Data Files
You may import existing data files. To import files from an existing KoolKat system, or generic flat files, see the section of this manual titled Import Data under Stores-Store Name-Utilities.
Before You Begin
Once you've decided which method of setting up your products works best for you, we suggest you spend some time going over the different forms you will need to fill out. Make a list of the different types of information you will need for each product such as product code, description, price, and product weight if applicable. If you want images of your products to be displayed, you will want to have those images ready before you begin so that you don't have to go back and add them later.
- Store Name
Click on the small blue arrow icon next to the name of your store to expand the menu below it. In addition to the Category and Product form links, you will find other items listed here, such as modules you will need to configure for your store. All items are listed here in the order they appear in the Miva Merchant menu. Skip those items that do not apply to you, or that you are not yet ready to complete.
- Groups
If you wish to add Users that do not have full Administrative privileges, you must first create a Group, and assign the Group privileges. Then you can add User(s) to the Group with the privileges you want them to have. Click on the small blue arrow next to Groups to expand the sub-menu.
- Add Group
Click on Add Group to pull up the form to create a group and select privileges for it.
- Group Name
This may be anything you like and will be used to identify the Group
- Privileges
You will see all of the different sections/forms of the Miva Merchant Admin page listed here. Check the boxes that correspond to the privilege level you wish assigned to this Group for each section.
- Add
Click on the Add button to create your new group. It will now be listed below the Add Group option.
- Users
After you Add the group, the form will return with a blank entry field so that you may add a User to the group. Use the Lookup option to display a list of current Users . Click the Add button to add the User.
- States
This file contains the existing code for all 50 states. If you wish to remove or add new code, you will do it from here.
- Categories
- Add Category
- Category Code
This will be used by Miva Merchant to identify your category and will also be used in the URL. You may use any name you like but it must be unique to this one category/sub-category.
- Category Name
This is the name that will be displayed on your web pages in titles, lists and headings
- Parent Category
If this is the Parent Category for a group which you will add sub-categories to, leave this field blank. Otherwise, enter the name of the Parent Category for this sub-category. You may click on the Lookup link for a list of current Parent Categories you have created.
For Example:
If you sell greeting cards, you may wish to create a Parent Category named Birthday Cards. You would leave the Parent Category field blank because it is itself a Parent Category.
You would then create a sub-category named Humor Birthday and enter the name Birthday Cards in the Parent Category field to make it a sub-category of Birthday Cards.
- Pagination
Do not paginate products...
If you select this option all products within the category will be displayed at once when selected. If you have many products this could cause a longer than desired download time.
Display products per page...
If you select this option you control how many products will be displayed at once on a page.
- Add
Once you have finished entering the information for your category click on the Add button to add it to your store.
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- Your New Category
Once you have added a new category click on the small blue arrow next to it to display it's sub-menu.
Add Sub-Category
The easiest way to add sub-categories to a Parent Category is to do it from here because the parent category is already entered for you. You fill in the Sub-Category form the same way as explained above in the section titled Add Category. When you are finished filling out the Add Sub-Category form, click on the Add button to add the sub-category or the Delete button to delete the Sub-Category.
You may continue in this manner, creating as many Categories and Sub-Categories as you like. You may also Delete Categories and/or Sub-Categories as well, so there is no need to worry about making mistakes or doing something "wrong". You can change your mind and redo any of this at any time. Again, you may wish to create all of your Categories and nested sub-categories before you add your products, or you may add your products first, and create your Categories afterward. You will find directions for both methods below.
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Add Existing Product(s)
If you added your products before creating your categories, use this option to add those existing products to your categories/sub-categories.
- Product Code
Since you are adding existing products the easiest way to enter your product codes here is to use the Lookup feature. This will display a list of all of your existing products. Simply click on the one you want to add, and the product code will be entered into the field for you.
- Match this product code exactly
If you are adding a single specific product, select this option.
- Match all product codes that begin with this value
If you wish to add a group of products that begin with a similar product code to this category, then select this option and enter the value the system will use to identify this group of products.
For example:
If you wish to enter all birthday cards to this category, and all of your birthday cards begin with a product code string of "brth" then enter that string into the Product Code field only and select this option.
- Add
Click on the Add button to add your product to the category.
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Add New Product
Whether you choose to enter your products before or after you add your categories, the form will be the same. By selecting the Add New Product link from the sub-menu of a Category, the product will automatically be entered into the selected category. If you wish to add new products without adding them to categories, skip to the Products section.
When you select the Add New Product link from the sub-menu of a category or sub-category the form will contain a title identifying the Category.
For example:
Add Product to Category: Birthday Cards.
Double check this to be sure you are adding your product to the correct Category/
- Product Code
Each product code should be unique. This will be used to identify a product within the system, and also for linking directly to the product from a webpage. You may wish to make this something you can recognize or understand, rather than a random set of numbers that may be easy to forget.
- Product Name
This is the name that will be displayed on the web page in titles, headings and listings.
- Thumbnail Image
A small image of the product will be displayed in product listings.
URL
If the image already exists in an online directory, select the URL option and enter the full URL for it in the URL field. Type carefully. If you make an error the image will not be displayed.
Upload File
If the thumbnail image is on your local computer, select the Upload File option, and click the Browse button to browse the files on your local computer. If you wish to Overwrite an existing file check the Overwrite box. Select the image file you wish to upload and click on the Upload button to upload it. Remember, image files MUST be in either .gif or .jpg formats.
- Full-sized Image
A full sized image will be used for full product displays, usually along with the product description.
URL
If the image already exists in an online directory, select the URL option and enter the full URL for it in the URL field. Type carefully. If you make an error the image will not be displayed.
Upload File
If the image is on your local computer, select the Upload File option, and click the Browse button to browse the files on your local computer. If you wish to Overwrite an existing file check the Overwrite box. Select the image file you wish to upload and click on the Upload button to upload it. Remember, image files MUST be in either .gif or .jpg formats.
- Price
Enter the price of the product here. Use only the decimal format. For example: one dollar would be entered as 1.00 Do NOT enter the dollar sign ($) This will be entered automatically by the system.
- Weight
Product weight is required for some shipping methods, such as UPS. Enter the product weight according to the unit of measurement you selected for your store. (Go to Edit Store to determine what unit of measurement has been selected if necessary.)
- Taxable
If you wish to have tax charged for this product check this box. If not, leave it blank.
- Description
This will be the full description of the product, typically displayed along with the full size image of the product. You may enter your description as either plain text or HTML.
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- Add Attribute
An "Attribute" is an option, or set of options available for a specific product. For example, you may offer a T-shirt in three sizes and two colors. Rather than enter that product repeatedly, once for each size and color variation, you can set up Attributes for Size and Color that your customers can choose from when they select the T-shirt.
You must add a product before you can add attributes. Once you have added a product click on the small blue arrow next to it to expand it's sub-menu. Each individual product you enter will have it's own sub-menu so that you can add attributes to it. Click on the Add Attribute link to pull up the Add Attribute form.
Attribute Code
Attribute codes are displayed on some reports as a sub-product code to help you identify the attribute(s) associated with a product.
Prompt
Enter a brief description of the attribute here, for example, Select Your Color. You may use either plain text or HTML.
Type
Select the display type for your attributes from the list.
- Radio Buttons
This display type allows only one item to be selected from the choices offered.
- Drop-Down List
This display type allows only one item to be selected from the displayed choices. This display type is recommended if you offer many choices.
- Checkbox
Allows the shopper to select more than one of the available choices.
You may also indicate an additional cost for a single attribute with this display type. (Or a lesser price if you enter a minus sign before the figure (-1.00).
- Text Entry Field
This allows the customer to input information, for example their initials or a name for engraving. You may also indicate an additional cost for a single attribute with this display type. (Or a lesser price if you enter a minus sign before the figure (-1.00).
Required
You may make a selection from this attribute group required by your shopper before they can add it to their basket. For example, you may wish to make selection of a Size Attribute required for a T-shirt since if no size is selected, you will not be able to fill the order without contacting the customer.
Add
Click on the Add button to add this Attribute.
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- Attribute Options
Once you have created the main attribute group using a display type of either radio buttons, drop down list or check box, you must enter the different options you offer.
For example, if you created the Attribute group Color, this is where you will create the individual color choices themselves, such as Red, Green, Blue, etc.
Option Code
Enter a code for the option. This will be displayed in the invoice and basket and should be simple if possible.
Prompt
This is the text that will be displayed for the option. For example, if this is a color choice, such as red, enter Red. You may use HTML with image references if you are creating a radio button list. Otherwise, plain text is recommended as only minimal HTML will be allowed on the other display types.
Additional Price (optional)
If you wish to charge an additional amount when this choice is selected enter it here in decimal format only. Dollar signs and other currency punctuation are entered automatically by the system for display.
For example, if you wish to charge an extra dollar for the product if the color Red is selected, enter 1.00 here.
Default
If you wish this option to be the default, (the one that is selected if the customer does not select one) check this box. Only one option can be designated as the default per attribute group.
Add
Click on the Add button to add the option to the Attribute group.
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- Edit/Delete Attribute Options
To edit or delete the options for an attribute group click on the small blue arrow next to the Attribute to expand it's sub-menu. All of the options you have added for the Attribute will be displayed. Select the one you wish to edit and click on it to display it. When you are finished making your changes click on the Update button to save your changes, or the Delete button to delete the option.
- Edit/Delete Attributes
To edit or delete an entire attribute group click on the title of the attribute itself to display it. When you are finished making your changes click on the Update button to save your changes, or the Delete button to delete the entire attribute group.
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