Creating Products
The procedures for creating a product may differ slightly and depends on the type of product you want to create.
Prerequisites
•A product is created for a company so this company must already be created. See “Create a Company”
•A new product must match the characteristics (media type, page count, allowed order quantities, etc.) of an existing Product Template. These characteristics are inherited from the template. You may need to create a new Product Template. See “Product Templates”.
Create a product
1 On the menu bar, choose Products.
2 Select the company you want to create the product for in the Company drop-down list.
3 Click the Add button and choose a product type in the list.
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4 Enter the Product Name.
This is the title of the product as it is displayed on the storefront.
NOTE: Do not use the following forbidden characters: / \ : * ? " < > |
5 For Printed Stock Products, enter the number of units you have in stock and set an alarm level. You will be informed by e-mail when the stock reaches the alarm level or is out-of-stock. See also “Replenish low (alarm level reached) and out-of-stock products”.
6 Choose a Product Template from the list.
Some product templates can be used for different product types. Remember that the template must match the requirements for your new product: media type, page count, allowed order quantities, etc. However, templates that are not compatible with the product type are not displayed in the list. For example, Unbound - Flat - Variable - Size templates are only displayed for Uploadable Products.
7 Click Create to go to the next step.
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The Describe Your Product dialog is displayed.
8 Complete the Product Description:
Summary
This description is displayed when you hover over the product block on the Category overview page. It’s also used for the HTML meta description element on the Product page.
Product Description
Here you can use the HTML WYSIWYG Editor to write a longer description which is displayed under the preview image on the Product page. See “HTML WYSIWYG Editor” for more information on formatting the text.
Miscellaneous
Select the No Approval Required check-box to bypass the order approval process for this product; these orders will go immediately to the Pending tab.
Quantity
For a Variable Data Product, the quantity of the order depends on the Excel file that a shopper uploads. Here you set how the total number of units will be specified:
•Specified in the product page: The shopper specifies, on the product page, a quantity for each record in the uploaded Excel file. The quantity is the same for all records.
•Specified in the Excel file: The shopper uploads an Excel file that includes a column for the quantity of each record. The quantity can be different for each record.
•One copy per record: One unit is produced for each record in the Excel file. This option is typically used for direct mail products.
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SKU Code
Choose Single SKU if you want to use the same code for all versions of a product, or select an option category from the drop-down list and enter an SKU code based on the different product options, i.e. so-called multi-SKU products. For example, specify a code for the different color versions of a non-printed product. Selecting the option category is important when creating a Digital Product. See “Create a Digital Product”.
Backorder Allowed
Non-Printed and Printed Stock products only. Select the check box if you want to allow shoppers to order products even if they are no longer in stock. See “Set backorder quantity”.
9 Click Next.
The Upload Files dialog is displayed.
For Customizable Products and Variable Data Products:
Browse to the location of the StoreFront Package to upload a customizable document that matches the specifications of the selected product template (size, etc.), as indicated in the StoreFront Package panel. |
The package is a file with a .zip extension. Uploading a file is a requirement to continue the creation of your product.
NOTE: The ZIP file must be a StoreFront package with a document that matches the specifications of the selected product template, otherwise the product cannot be created. StoreFront packages are created in Adobe InDesign using the StoreFront Converter plug-in. See “Online Editor” for more information.
Browse to the location of a Data Excel file from which shoppers can select records when customizing the document, using the autofill feature: see “Use an Excel file for Autofill”.Choose the Online Editor that you want to make available for the shopper (see “Online Editor” for more information):Technology:
•HTML: means that the newer, HTML5-based version of the Online Editor is activated.
Workspace:
•Basic: the shopper can only edit or add text and images to existing text frames.
•Advanced: the shopper can add content and also create new frames, link text frames, add lines, etc.
•Forms: the shopper adds content using form fields and has no direct control over the layout.
•Expert: combines the Advanced and Forms workspaces.
NOTE: You can only choose the Forms or Expert workspace for Variable Data Products.
For each version of the Online Editor you can also fine-tune the user interface by showing or hiding the following panel items:
Image Panels:
•Show My Images
•Show Product Images: You also have the option to show External Locations which are folders outside the StoreFront server. Each location is identified with an alias. Click the Edit button to open the Select Locations dialog where you can select a location or add a new location. See “External Accounts”.
•Show Store Images
•Show Design Images
For example, you may want to prevent shoppers using their own images in a layout to prevent copyright issues.
Text Panels:
•Show Character/Paragraph Settings
•Show Character Styles
•Show Paragraph Styles
For example, you may want to give shoppers the option to change the font.
See “Images Tab” and “Text Tab” for more information about these features in the Online Editor.
Extra features:
•3D visualization
For On-Demand and Printed Stock Products:
Browse to the files you want to upload:•Low resolution PDF: This is the PDF preview file that can be downloaded by the shopper. Remember to upload a low resolution file for this purpose to ensure that a shopper cannot use the file for printing elsewhere. It is recommended to add a watermark. See “PDF Preview” for adding a watermark with StoreFront.
•High resolution PDF: The PDF file which is used for print production.
NOTE: These products can be Multi-Version, in which case you can specify files for each version.
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For Uploadable Products:
Browse to template files (maximum 4) that you want make available for downloading on the storefront. The templates can be any type of file (ZIP, PDF, Illustrator, InDesign, Word, etc.) to illustrate or explain the expected requirements of the uploaded product, or to be used by the shopper to create the publication he wants to upload. Providing a template is optional but the file extension must always be included in the file name. Examples of template files are envelopes, newsletters, point-of-sales materials. The maximum file size for uploading is 1 GB. |
For Non-Printed Products:
No production files need to be uploaded.10 Upload one or more preview images to illustrate the product on the storefront. If you don’t have a dedicated preview image, the first page of your document is displayed as the preview by selecting Generate from High-resolution PDF.
A dedicated preview image can be useful if you want to display a preview which is different than the first page of the uploaded document, e.g. a cover with a ‘New’ or ‘Special Offer’ banner. If the product is Non-Printed and multi-version, you can upload images per version.
These can be JPEG, GIF or PNG files. StoreFront creates a thumbnail of each image which can be clicked to its full size.
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You can provide several preview images to illustrate the cover and a selection of inside pages for example.
Click the Add button and browse to additional images.
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NOTE: For uploadable products, it is recommended to upload an informative preview image that, for example, indicates the expected orientation of the product.
For a Digital Product:
In the Digital Content panel, browse to the file or files you want to upload. A file can be uploaded for each SKU code. These are the files that a shopper can buy and download. See “Create a Digital Product”.NOTE: Digital Products can be Multi-Version, in which case you can specify files for each version.
For a Product Kit:
Upload images that illustrate the Product Kit, not the individual items. For example, upload one or more images of the kit packaging. See “Create a Product Kit” to add the individual products to the kit.11 Click Next.
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The Pick Your Options dialog is displayed where you can select which product options you want to display on the storefront.
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Follow the instructions as some product types do not allow multiple options. For example, only one color option and one media type option can be selected for Printed Stock products.
You can change the default options by selecting an option in the list and clicking the Make Default button.
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12 Click Next.
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The Create Product Specifications and Define Tags dialog is displayed. See “Add Product Tags”.
13 In the Product Specifications panel, you can choose from 3 options in the drop-down list for displaying information under the Place Order box on the storefront product page:
•System-generated: Choose this option if you want to show the product specifications as they are generated automatically by the system.
•Hide: Hides the system-generated specifications on the storefront.
•Customize: If you choose this option, the system specifications are displayed in the HTML WYSIWYG editor where you can add information or edit the existing specifications. This information replaces the system-generated specifications under the Place Order box. You can always go back to the system-generated specifications by clicking the Revert button. You may prefer to use customized specifications for more complex products that need further clarification (a point of sales display, large posters with grommets, etc.). You can format the text and even add images using the HTML WYSIWYG editor.
14 In the Product Tags panel, click an existing tag to add it to the comma-separated list of tags, or enter a new tag. Separate multiple tags with a comma.
See “Add Product Tags” for more information.
15 Click Next.
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The Set Product Restrictions dialog is displayed. Depending on the product template used to create the product, you will see one or more panels where you can set restrictions on certain template characteristics. For example, a template may provide quantities between 50 and 5000 copies but you can set a restriction to offer only quantities between 100 and 500. You can also set a Default Quantity if you want the lowest supported quantity to be higher than the lowest supported quantity of the template (see “Default Quantity”). Restrictions do not apply for a digital product.
16 Click Next.
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The Select Access Labels dialog is displayed.
17 Choose the labels that you want to assign to the product by selecting the check boxes.
The checked labels appear in the panel on the right.
See “Access Labels” for more information about using access labels to control who can see which products on the storefront.
NOTE: Access labels set on a Product Category override access labels set on a Product.
18 Click Next.
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The Set Price and Schedule dialog is displayed with the following settings:
Pricing
(VDP and multi-documents only) Select the check boxes to apply the set-up cost, quantity pricing and package unit cost for each individual record or document. Clear the check boxes to apply the cost and pricing once to the entire order item. For example, if you have lower prices for higher quantities of an ordered item, the total price will be higher if you select the Quantity pricing per seperate record/document check box. Selecting this option also affects the calculation method for shipping: when the Fixed Fee per Shopping Cart Item option is enabled, the fixed fee is multiplied for each separate record/document (see “Shipping Services”).
Discount/Markup
Applies a discount/markup (higher price) only to the product you are creating as opposed to an overall discount on the price list. Enter a Fixed or Percentage discount in the box for the selected price lists:
•Fixed: for example, enter 5 to apply a discount/markup of 5 euros (dollars, etc.) per copy or item
•Percentage: for example, enter 10 to apply a 10% discount/markup
•Discount/Markup: Choose whether you want to apply a discount or a markup (higher price)
Select the Also show the non-discounted price check box to display the original price on the storefront.
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NOTE: If the product is part of a Product Kit, the discount is only applied if the product in question is also available in the same store. Alternatively, use the Cost Weight option as described in “Create a Product Kit” to apply a discount for products in a Product Kit. See also “Create a Product Kit with Discounted Kit Items”.
Tax
For all countries except US. Choose one of the tax code resources in the drop-down list.
TIC
US only. Taxability Information Code (TIC) for US sales tax calculation by the TaxCloud service. Use this option to set a specific TIC which is different than the code set at the store level. See “TaxCloud Integration” for more information.
Shipping
Select the Free shipping (always) check box to always offer free shipping for this product, and choose whether or not the product can be combined with other order items for Combined Packing:
•None: do not combine ordered products with each other for shipping
•Same Template: the ordered product may be grouped with items based on the same product template
•Same/Compatible Size: group the item with any product that allows grouping, provided that product has the same size, with a tolerance of five percent (for boxes)/provided that the product’s dimensions fall within the minimum and maximum width constraints of the roll packaging unit dimensions (for rolls)
Scheduling - Limit Product Availability
Here you can set the product availability. A product which is not available is not displayed on the storefront.
•From and To are empty: the product is available immediately and no end date applies
•From: Enter the date from when the product will be available.
•To: Enter the date when the product will no longer be available.
19 Click Save and Close.
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The new product is added to the list with its details (grayed out).
At this stage, the product has not yet been assigned to a store and this is indicated with the Unassigned icon:
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This icon is no longer displayed once the product is being used in at least one store.
Create a Variable Data Product
Create a Digital Product
NOTE: This feature may not be included in your license pack.
This is the procedure for creating a digital product once you have created a template for a digital product. See “Creating Products”.
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1 Product title 2 Description 3 Options 4 Specifications (customized) |
1 On the menu bar, choose Products.
2 Select the company you want to create the product for in the Company drop-down list.
3 Click the Add button and choose Digital Product in the list.
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4 Enter the Product Name.
This is the title of the product as it is displayed on the storefront.
NOTE: Do not use the following forbidden characters: / \ : * ? " < > |
5 Select the product template in the list. The list is filtered and you only see templates that can be used for digital products.
6 Click Create to go to the next step.
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The Describe Your Product dialog is displayed.
7 Complete the Product Summary and Description.
8 In the Miscellaneous panel, enter the SKU code. This is your ID code for the file or files that you are going to upload.
Choose Single SKU if you only want to upload 1 file. In this case, an SKU code is also optional.
OR
Choose your option in the drop-down list if you want to upload more than one file. In this case you must enter a unique SKU code for each file you want to upload.
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NOTE: If you do not change the default Single SKU to your option, you will not be able to upload more than one file.
9 Click Next.
10 Upload one or more preview images.
11 In the Digital Content panel, upload the files for each option.
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The following file types are supported:
•Audio file types: MP3 (version 2.3.1 and later), WAV
•Compressed file types: ARJ, GZIP, TAR, TGZ, ZIP
•E-book file types: AZW, EPUB, MOBI, PRC
•General file types: HTML, PDF, RTF, TXT, XML
•Image file types: AI, BMP, DXF, EPS, GIF, ICO, INDD, JPEG, PNG, PSD, SWF, TIFF
•Office file types: DOC, PPT, XLS
•Video file types: AVI, FLV, MPEG, MPG, MP4, MOV, SWF, WMV
Other file types are best packaged in a ZIP file
12 Click Next. For Digital Products, the Product Specifications are set to Hide by default. However, if you want to show specifications such as the ISBN number on the product page, choose Customize in the drop-down list and enter the information using the HTML WYSIWYG editor.
13 Click Next. In the Set Price and Schedule dialog, you only need to select the Tax Code. The Shipping and Scheduling settings are not necessary because the files can be downloaded immediately by the shopper.
14 Click Save and Close.
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The new product is added to the list with its details (grayed out).
At this stage, the product has not yet been assigned to a store and this is indicated with the Unassigned icon:
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This icon is no longer displayed once the product is being used in at least one store.
Create a Product Kit
NOTE: This feature may not be included in your license pack.
A product kit is a bundle of products, i.e. kit items, that are sold together. Business cards, letterheads and envelopes are a typical example of a product kit. The kit items behave just like the original products, and the shopper can specify quantities and options for the individual kit items.
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A kit must contain at least two products and may contain up to sixteen of the same or different product types, including customizable products. The shopper edits the kit items in a step-by-step wizard. A product kit cannot contain another product kit as kit item.
This is the procedure for creating a product kit once you have created a product kit template.
1 Start by creating a product as explained in “Creating Products”.
2 In the Upload Files dialog, upload images that illustrate the product kit, not the individual items. For example, upload one or more images of the kit packaging. The individual items in the kit are illustrated with their respective preview images.
3 Click Next to display the Compose Product Kit dialog.
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4 In the Kit Items panel, click the Add button and select at least two products for your product kit from the list of products. Press and hold the CTRL key to select multiple products and click Add. You can add different product types to a product kit.
The products are added to the Kit Items list where you can specify a Cost Weight. The default cost weight is 100% which means that the full price of the kit item is added to the price of the product kit as specified in the product template. You can specify a lower cost weight (< 100%) if a kit item is less expensive when part of a kit, or increase its price (> 100%). It is not possible to show the original price of the kit item on the storefront if it is affected by the cost weight. See “Create a Product Kit with Discounted Kit Items” if you want to do this.
5 Select the Show price details for the kit items check box if you want to let the shopper see the prices of the different products in the product kit wizard and during the checkout procedure on the storefront.
NOTE: This kind of information is cached on the StoreFront server and is not updated immediately for shoppers to see. See “Caching”.
A product kit behaves like a regular product and can have access labels, discount, etc. You may also want to set restrictions, for example on the quantities, when a product is part of a kit.
NOTE: Don’t forget to add the product kit to your store. Orders for product kits are processed together as a whole, like regular products.
CAUTION: Be careful when changing the composition of product kits for kits that are already used in a store. Invalid kits will be removed from the shopping cart.
Create a Product Kit with Discounted Kit Items
A Product Kit behaves like a regular product and you can apply a price and a discount to the kit in the same way as you would for a product (see “Creating Products”). The price of the product kit is added to the price of the individual kit items. If the individual kit items have their own discount (percentage or fixed), these discounts are applied on top of the Product Kit discount. However, this is only true if the kit items are also offered as separate products in the same store. If you do not want to include the individual kit items in the same store, you have the following options:
•You can offer kit items at lower (or higher) prices using the Cost Weight option as described in “Create a Product Kit”, however, this is always a percentage discount and the discount is not displayed as such to the shopper on the storefront.
•To add a discounted product to a kit without making it available in the store, add it to the store but set it up so shoppers can’t actually buy it:
•Set the availability date in the distant future so the product never becomes available.
•Assign an access label to the product but not to any users (the Access Labels feature requires a MallPack Silver license).
•Put the product in a disabled product category.
NOTE: Disabling the product in the product list is not a solution because the product will no longer be available in the Product Kit.
Create multi-version or multi-SKU documents
To create multi-SKU versions of non-printed products, for example a USB memory stick that is available in multiple colors, see the procedure for creating a product and select an option category per code (see “SKU Code”).
You can also create multi-version products for on-demand products, for example publications in multiple languages or with international variations, and assign an SKU code to each version.
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1 Define options in the product template:
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2 In the product settings you can choose to make all options available or you can limit the number of available options. In the Product Description tab, you need to specify which option defines the versions. You can then give each unique version its matching SKU code.
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3 In the Upload Files tab, you can upload the files associated with each version.
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When users select a different version, this means the product image, PDF preview file and flipbook also differ per version. StoreFront will also send a different high-res production file to the Apogee Prepress or Asanti workflow, depending on the version ordered.
Add Product Tags
When defining a product, you have the opportunity to add invisible tags to the product specification. These can be existing tags which have been used for other products or new tags that you create as needed.
Tags are keywords which are not necessarily included in the title or description of the product but which you may want to include to improve searching effectiveness when shoppers are looking for a particular product on the storefront. These keywords can refer to the subject, language, etc. of your publication or product. It’s also good practice to include synonyms.
In the Create Product Specifications and Define Tags dialog of the product wizard, you can either:Click an existing tag to add it to your product.
OR
Enter one or more new tags, each separated with a comma. These new tags will appear the next time you use the wizard.
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Create a product with user-definable size
Some products can use a template that allows the shopper to choose the size. See “Preferred Sizes Tab” and “Customizable Product with User-Definable Size”.
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