Managing Retailer Connections

Learn how to configure and manage your retail partner connections to distribute product information efficiently

Overview

One of VendorSauce's core strengths is its ability to distribute your product information to multiple retailers, each with their own unique data requirements. This guide explains how to set up, manage, and optimize your retailer connections.

Understanding Retailer Requirements

Before setting up connections, it's important to understand what each retailer needs:

Each retailer has specific requirements regarding product data format, completeness, and delivery method. Understanding these requirements is crucial for successful data distribution.

Common retailer requirements include:

Data Format: CSV, Excel, XML, JSON, or API
Field Mapping: Specific field names and structures
Required Attributes: Mandatory product information
Media Requirements: Image sizes, formats, and naming conventions
Delivery Method: FTP, email, API, or direct download
Update Frequency: How often product data should be refreshed

Setting Up a New Retailer Connection

Navigate to Connections

Go to Settings > Retailer Connections in the main navigation menu.

Click "Add New Connection"

This will open the connection creation wizard.

Enter Basic Information

Provide a name for the connection and select the retailer from the dropdown or create a custom retailer profile.

Select Connection Type

Choose the appropriate connection type based on your retailer's requirements:

Direct Export (CSV, Excel, XML)
FTP/SFTP Upload
API Integration (Pimberly, Akeneo, etc.)
Email Delivery

Configure Connection Details

Enter the necessary connection details, which will vary depending on the connection type:

For FTP: Server address, credentials, directory path
For API: Endpoint URLs, authentication keys
For Direct Export: File format, output settings
For Email: Recipient addresses, subject line format

Test Connection

Click "Test Connection" to verify your settings.

Save Connection

Once testing is successful, click "Save Connection" to finalize.

Creating Export Mappings

After setting up the connection, you need to define how your product data maps to the retailer's expected format:

Go to Retailer Connections

Navigate to Settings > Retailer Connections and select your retailer.

Click "Configure Export Mapping"

This opens the mapping configuration interface.

Select Product Type

Choose which product type(s) this mapping applies to.

Map Fields

For each retailer field, select the corresponding VendorSauce attribute.

Configure Field Transformations

If needed, apply transformations to fields (e.g., unit conversion, text formatting).

Set Default Values

Configure default values for fields that don't have a direct mapping.

Validate Mapping

Run a validation check to ensure the mapping meets retailer requirements.

Save Mapping

Save your mapping configuration.

Create a spreadsheet documenting each retailer's field requirements and corresponding VendorSauce attributes for reference.

Retailer-Specific Validations

Ensure your product data meets each retailer's requirements by setting up custom validation rules:

Required Fields

Set which fields are mandatory for each retailer:

Go to your retailer connection
Click "Validation Rules"
For each field, toggle "Required" as appropriate
Save your configuration

Products missing required data will be flagged before export.

Data Format

Configure format validation for specific fields:

Go to your retailer connection
Click "Validation Rules"
For each field, set format requirements (e.g., date format, number format)
Save your configuration

Example formats:

Dates: YYYY-MM-DD, MM/DD/YYYY
Numbers: Decimal places, thousands separators
Product codes: Specific patterns or prefixes

Character Limits

Set character limits for text fields:

Go to your retailer connection
Click "Validation Rules"
For text fields, configure minimum/maximum character limits
Save your configuration

Text that exceeds limits will be flagged during validation.

Scheduling Exports

Automate your product data distribution by setting up scheduled exports:

Go to Retailer Connection

Navigate to your retailer connection.

Click "Schedule Export"

Open the scheduling interface.

Set Frequency

Choose how often the export should run:

Daily
Weekly (select days)
Monthly (select dates)
Custom interval

Set Time

Choose the time of day when the export should run.

Configure Product Selection

Choose which products to include:

All products
Products updated since last export
Products matching specific criteria
Products with specific workflow status

Configure Notifications

Set up email notifications for successful exports and failures.

Save Schedule

Click "Save Schedule" to activate automated exports.

Managing Multiple Retailers

When dealing with numerous retail partners, organization becomes crucial:

Retailer Groups

Create logical groups for your retailers based on:

Region or country
Product categories they carry
Update frequency
Integration type

To create a retailer group:

Go to Settings > Retailer Groups
Click "Add Group"
Name your group and add retailers
Save the group

Batch Operations

Apply changes across multiple retailer connections:

Go to Settings > Retailer Connections
Select multiple retailers using checkboxes
Click "Batch Actions" to see available operations:
- Update connection schedules
- Copy export mappings
- Update notification settings
- Trigger exports

Export Calendars

View and manage all scheduled exports in a calendar view:

Go to Reports > Export Calendar
View upcoming exports by day, week, or month
Adjust schedules directly from the calendar interface

Monitoring Distribution

Track the status and performance of your retailer connections:

Export History

View detailed logs of all exports, including successes and failures

Retailer Dashboards

See performance metrics for each retailer connection

Validation Reports

Review data quality issues by retailer

Distribution Status

Check the current status of product distribution across channels

Key Metrics to Monitor

Export Success Rate: Percentage of successful exports
Validation Pass Rate: Percentage of products passing retailer validation
Distribution Completeness: Percentage of products distributed to each retailer
Update Recency: How recently each retailer received updates

Troubleshooting Connection Issues

Connection issues can prevent your product data from reaching retailers. Here are common problems and solutions.

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue	Possible Causes	Solutions
Export Fails	- Invalid connection credentials - Server unavailable - Permission issues	- Verify credentials - Check server status - Confirm directory permissions
Validation Errors	- Missing required fields - Incorrect data format - Character limit violations	- Review validation report - Update product data - Adjust field mappings
Partial Export	- Some products fail validation - Timeout during export	- Address validation issues - Break export into smaller batches
Incorrect Data	- Mapping configuration errors - Transformation rules not working	- Review field mappings - Test transformations with sample data

Diagnostic Tools

VendorSauce provides several tools to diagnose connection issues:

Connection Test: Verifies basic connectivity
Mapping Validator: Checks mapping configuration
Sample Export: Generates a small test export
Log Analyzer: Identifies patterns in error logs

Best Practices

Retailer Onboarding Checklist

✅ Gather retailer's data requirements documentation ✅ Create a field mapping spreadsheet ✅ Configure connection settings ✅ Set up export mapping ✅ Configure validation rules ✅ Run test export with sample products ✅ Verify data with retailer ✅ Set up regular export schedule ✅ Configure monitoring and alerts

Optimizing Distribution Efficiency

Standardize Product Data: Establish internal standards that satisfy most retailer requirements
Create Retailer Templates: Build reusable export templates for similar retailers
Prioritize Critical Data: Focus on data quality for the most important attributes first
Batch Similar Retailers: Schedule exports for similar retailers together
Monitor Retailer Requirements: Stay updated on changes to retailer data specifications

By efficiently managing your retailer connections, you can ensure your product information reaches all your sales channels accurately and on time, reducing manual work and improving time-to-market.

Next Steps

Now that you understand how to manage retailer connections, you might want to explore:

Managing Retailer Connections

Export History

Retailer Dashboards

Validation Reports

Distribution Status

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