Order options vs. quantity and inventory management

[Anthony]

We have just started building our store with ShopSite 6.3. We are having a
problem figuring out how to create a drop down list with sizes (like
t-shirts) that has associated links to the product database to control
quantity on hand. If we run out of a size, we don't want that specific size
option to be displayed.

Our only work around seems to be using discrete purchase items per size (not
a drop down menu). So, by the picture of a t-shirt, I would be required to
have a unique "add to cart" button for each available size. Can this be
done with ShopSite or do we need to use a script to manage this function
(i.e. Java or PHP)?

We have also purchased Product Manager from Stone Edge. I'm not sure the
answer is in that tool, but the product is already helping us build the
store.

David Martin
Connections Skate Shop
DavidLMartin11@aol.com

Connections Skate Shop
14611 Burnet Rd. Suite #110
Austin, Texas 78728
(512) 828-3032

[Gary Kennedy]

You are on the right path. I run a shoe store and use the same idea. When
we sell out of something, we remove the size. If you do product uploads
with Stone Edge Product Manager, the size can change based on what you did
in Product Manager. You can delete the option or check it so that option
won't be uploaded. If you want to see the drop downs in my site, visit
www.martyshoes.com

Gary Kennedy
VP Internet

Marty Shoes Inc.
http://www.martyshoes.com
gkennedy@martyshoes.com

Marty Shoes Inc.
60 Enterprise Ave. N.
Secaucus, NJ 07094
Toll Free: 800-262-7897
Fax: 201-319-1446
"Anthony" <argant@gbronline.com> wrote in message
news:bekpt8$sm9$1@support.shopsite.com...

We have just started building our store with ShopSite 6.3. We are having
a
problem figuring out how to create a drop down list with sizes (like
t-shirts) that has associated links to the product database to control
quantity on hand. If we run out of a size, we don't want that specific
size
option to be displayed.

Our only work around seems to be using discrete purchase items per size
(not
a drop down menu). So, by the picture of a t-shirt, I would be required
to
have a unique "add to cart" button for each available size. Can this be
done with ShopSite or do we need to use a script to manage this function
(i.e. Java or PHP)?

We have also purchased Product Manager from Stone Edge. I'm not sure the
answer is in that tool, but the product is already helping us build the
store.

David Martin
Connections Skate Shop
DavidLMartin11@aol.com

Connections Skate Shop
14611 Burnet Rd. Suite #110
Austin, Texas 78728
(512) 828-3032

[Brandon Eley]

Unfortunately we haven't found a work around for this either... we sell
shoes just as Gary does and have had the worst time trying to integrate
some sort of inventory system. They've said that you can use the
cross-sell feature and actually have an individual SKU for each
color/size combination but that would lead to 20X the number of products
(or more).

I hope ShopSite addresses this issue soon as we're currently having to
look at other options for shopping carts due to the time involved in
updating the inventory and keeping up with the customer service requests
associated with it.

I even contacted ShopSite directly, who pretty much gave me the run
around for a while and said I'd have to do it with the cross sell
feature. I've never been able to get it to work sufficiently.

Oh well...

[Jim Stavast]

Brandon or Gary

Out of curiosity does the shoe manufacturer have a different SKU for
each color of a style of shoe or do they use the same SKU for all colors
and have some other way to specify which ones you order?

Jim

Brandon Eley wrote:

Unfortunately we haven't found a work around for this either... we sell
shoes just as Gary does and have had the worst time trying to integrate
some sort of inventory system. They've said that you can use the
cross-sell feature and actually have an individual SKU for each
color/size combination but that would lead to 20X the number of products
(or more).

I hope ShopSite addresses this issue soon as we're currently having to
look at other options for shopping carts due to the time involved in
updating the inventory and keeping up with the customer service requests
associated with it.

I even contacted ShopSite directly, who pretty much gave me the run
around for a while and said I'd have to do it with the cross sell
feature. I've never been able to get it to work sufficiently.

Oh well...

[Gary Kennedy]

Each color has the same SKU but individual UPC codes. Colors I guess would
be considered sub-sku's. Having quantities available by sub-sku's would be
very helpful for anyone with sizes, colors etc.

Gary Kennedy
gkennedy@martyshoes.com
www.martyshoes.com
Toll-Free 800-262-7897
Fax 201-319-1446

Marty Shoes Inc.
60 Enterprise Ave. N.
Secaucus, NJ 07094
"Jim Stavast" <jstavast@xmission.com> wrote in message
news:bet2c9$93a$1@support.shopsite.com...

Brandon or Gary

Out of curiosity does the shoe manufacturer have a different SKU for
each color of a style of shoe or do they use the same SKU for all colors
and have some other way to specify which ones you order?

Jim

Brandon Eley wrote:
Unfortunately we haven't found a work around for this either... we sell
shoes just as Gary does and have had the worst time trying to integrate
some sort of inventory system. They've said that you can use the
cross-sell feature and actually have an individual SKU for each
color/size combination but that would lead to 20X the number of products
(or more).

I hope ShopSite addresses this issue soon as we're currently having to
look at other options for shopping carts due to the time involved in
updating the inventory and keeping up with the customer service requests
associated with it.

I even contacted ShopSite directly, who pretty much gave me the run
around for a while and said I'd have to do it with the cross sell
feature. I've never been able to get it to work sufficiently.

Oh well...

[Brandon Eley]

Shoes usually come with a main SKU and sub-skus or slightly different
skus for each color/size combination... ex:

Brown Oxford Size 16 Wide = 12345Brn16W
Brown Oxford Size 15 Med = 1234Brn15Med

They have different UPC codes too... which could be used as a "SKU" or
sub-sku for our purposes... as long as we could have it associate them
together based on the name or main sku we create.

We HAVE to find a workaround for this and ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT! I
have talked with ShopSite about our needs but they weren't really
willing to help us develop a solution that would work - they just
suggested to use the cross-sell feature and pretty much hack it together
which would screw up our backend b/c we use Ordermanager /
Productmanager from Barney Stone.

Maybe if those of us who need the functionality pool together we can
convince ShopSite to do this and we could split the costs between the
participating apparel retailers. Is anyone interested?

If you want more info, want to know what we need or just want to
brainstorm you can email me at brandon@2bigfeet.com or catch me on AIM =
netbizowner or MSN = brandoneley@hotmail.com

Thanks,
Brandon Eley
2BigFeet.com

Gary Kennedy wrote:

Each color has the same SKU but individual UPC codes. Colors I guess would
be considered sub-sku's. Having quantities available by sub-sku's would be
very helpful for anyone with sizes, colors etc.

Gary Kennedy
gkennedy@martyshoes.com
www.martyshoes.com
Toll-Free 800-262-7897
Fax 201-319-1446

Marty Shoes Inc.
60 Enterprise Ave. N.
Secaucus, NJ 07094
"Jim Stavast" <jstavast@xmission.com> wrote in message
news:bet2c9$93a$1@support.shopsite.com...

Brandon or Gary

Out of curiosity does the shoe manufacturer have a different SKU for
each color of a style of shoe or do they use the same SKU for all colors
and have some other way to specify which ones you order?

Jim

Brandon Eley wrote:

Unfortunately we haven't found a work around for this either... we sell
shoes just as Gary does and have had the worst time trying to integrate
some sort of inventory system. They've said that you can use the
cross-sell feature and actually have an individual SKU for each
color/size combination but that would lead to 20X the number of products
(or more).

I hope ShopSite addresses this issue soon as we're currently having to
look at other options for shopping carts due to the time involved in
updating the inventory and keeping up with the customer service requests
associated with it.

I even contacted ShopSite directly, who pretty much gave me the run
around for a while and said I'd have to do it with the cross sell
feature. I've never been able to get it to work sufficiently.

Oh well...

[Barney Stone]

Brandon -

Here's a proposed solution:

The Order Manager can already keep a Web-accessible database of quantity on
hand info in synch with your actual inventory. That system, which we use
with a different shopping cart, will track inventory at the sub-SKU (color,
size, etc.) level. What if we developed a system that worked like this:

1. The Add to Cart button would actually go to our server, where an ASP
script would check what was ordered against your inventory.

2. If the item is out of stock, the customer would see a message to that
effect, then be directed back to the shopping page where they could make
another choice.

3. If the item is in stock, they would be re-directed to the normal shopping
cart page.

You could also have a "see if it's in stock" button wherever appropriate
that would check the QOH and display it in a small popup window.

Comments?

- Barney Stone, President
Stone Edge Technologies, Inc.
215-641-1837
www.ECommerceUtilities.com




"Brandon Eley" <brandon@2bigfeet.com> wrote in message
news:bfu237$2ij$1@support.shopsite.com...

Shoes usually come with a main SKU and sub-skus or slightly different
skus for each color/size combination... ex:

Brown Oxford Size 16 Wide = 12345Brn16W
Brown Oxford Size 15 Med = 1234Brn15Med

They have different UPC codes too... which could be used as a "SKU" or
sub-sku for our purposes... as long as we could have it associate them
together based on the name or main sku we create.

We HAVE to find a workaround for this and ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT! I
have talked with ShopSite about our needs but they weren't really
willing to help us develop a solution that would work - they just
suggested to use the cross-sell feature and pretty much hack it together
which would screw up our backend b/c we use Ordermanager /
Productmanager from Barney Stone.

Maybe if those of us who need the functionality pool together we can
convince ShopSite to do this and we could split the costs between the
participating apparel retailers. Is anyone interested?

If you want more info, want to know what we need or just want to
brainstorm you can email me at brandon@2bigfeet.com or catch me on AIM =
netbizowner or MSN = brandoneley@hotmail.com

Thanks,
Brandon Eley
2BigFeet.com

Gary Kennedy wrote:
Each color has the same SKU but individual UPC codes. Colors I guess
would
be considered sub-sku's. Having quantities available by sub-sku's would
be
very helpful for anyone with sizes, colors etc.

Gary Kennedy
gkennedy@martyshoes.com
www.martyshoes.com
Toll-Free 800-262-7897
Fax 201-319-1446

Marty Shoes Inc.
60 Enterprise Ave. N.
Secaucus, NJ 07094
"Jim Stavast" <jstavast@xmission.com> wrote in message
news:bet2c9$93a$1@support.shopsite.com...

Brandon or Gary

Out of curiosity does the shoe manufacturer have a different SKU for
each color of a style of shoe or do they use the same SKU for all colors
and have some other way to specify which ones you order?

Jim

Brandon Eley wrote:

Unfortunately we haven't found a work around for this either... we sell
shoes just as Gary does and have had the worst time trying to integrate
some sort of inventory system. They've said that you can use the
cross-sell feature and actually have an individual SKU for each
color/size combination but that would lead to 20X the number of
products
(or more).

I hope ShopSite addresses this issue soon as we're currently having to
look at other options for shopping carts due to the time involved in
updating the inventory and keeping up with the customer service
requests
associated with it.

I even contacted ShopSite directly, who pretty much gave me the run
around for a while and said I'd have to do it with the cross sell
feature. I've never been able to get it to work sufficiently.

Oh well...