Let’s start by creating a new supplier store that will supply new products to the main marketplace.
Please check the Getting Starter documents before creating a new supplier store.
Prerequisites: #
- Access to React Administration pages.
- User Credentials to the MCW admin role.
Follow these steps to create a new supplier store: #
1. Log in to the react admin pages using the MCW admin user and click on Continue. #
The dashboard will open in the same window. As an MCW admin, you will have access to the Marketplace menu.
2. Go to Marketplace > Manage Suppliers. #
The Manage Suppliers admin page will open showing a list of Suppliers that have been already created.
The main important features of this page are:
- Search: Use the search bar to find a particular supplier store. Here you can determine the parameter to search for, such as:
- Company Name
- Supplier code
- Vendor ID
- City
- Country
- Create a new supplier: Click on the ‘+’ button to add new suppliers. We will cover this feature in step 3.
- Enable suppliers: Use the checkbox to enable or disable suppliers from the MCW and the Marketplace stores. When the supplier is disabled, the products that belong to that supplier will no longer be available in the marketplace and won’t be shown in any store in the marketplace.
3. Click on the ‘+’ button to create a new supplier. #
Now, let’s create a new supplier. On the Manage supplier page, go to the right corner of the table and click on the ‘+’ button.
The Create modal window will be displayed on the page
| Field | Definition |
| Type (Store Type) | Available options: -Supplier -Wholesaler Define the type of store to create. Based on what is chosen here, different properties will be attached to the store and the functionality will change. |
| Does this supplier need a separate checkout? | Use this checkbox to enable or disable the creation of a supplier marketplace also known as an independent checkout marketplace. It is very important to know if the supplier will have an independent checkout, so make sure this checkbox is considered before submitting the creation of the new supplier store. |
| Supplier Name | The website name is a mandatory field and it will be used to create the store item of the new supplier store. It will also be used to create a multi-value property called ‘Sellers’, which will control the visibility of the products in the vendor category in the marketplace. |
| Supplier Company Name | The company name of the supplier will be displayed on the item description page and the order confirmation emails. |
| Phone Number | The phone number of the supplier will be displayed on the item description page and the order confirmation emails. |
| Parent Supplier | This dropdown menu will show all available suppliers that have been created and that can be parents of the new supplier. A parent supplier is also known as an ‘Importer’ and the child suppliers are’ Containers’. The parent supplier will have a listing of all the child suppliers and will be able to log in to each of the child suppliers to view orders, respond to chats, add products, and update the inventory. etc. If your new supplier does not need to be linked to a parent supplier, do not select any store from the dropdown. NOTE: When creating a supplier this parent vendor ID will be added to the parent_vendor_id column of the new supplier on the vendor table in the database. Also, the Supplier Catalog Role with the new store VID will be added to the parent roles. |
| Supplier Address | Enter the supplier address in this field, using the Google API search as you type is available to make it easier for you to select the correct address. If the address that you need to specify does not show up in the results, click on ‘Add address manually’, which will open a new section with the necessary fields for the address, such as: -Address (required) -City (required) -Region (required) -Postal Code -Plus Code -Lat -Long -Country (required) You can always go back to the Google API mode by clicking on the ‘Automatic Mode‘ link. This address will be saved as a store item property and will be displayed in the front end for the customers to view. |
| Marketplaces | This dropdown menu will show all available marketplaces on the server. This is where you need to specify which marketplaces the new suppliers will supply its products. Select the marketplace vid by clicking on it from the list or search for the marketplace name. Note: Multiple marketplaces can be selected here. When the new supplier is created, it will automatically be enabled as a distributor of the MCW and all the marketplaces you specified in this field. When there is an independent checkout store created, the domain alias will be taken from this marketplace, so the new store will have this domain + the URL identifier. |
| Select supplier template | Use this field to choose the store template (if needed). Selecting a store template will pull all the store item properties of that store template and display them as new fields here for you to fill out for this new supplier store. This is usually used for new ‘Container’ stores which need specific properties to function. If you select the supplier template and new fields are displayed you can always go back to the way it was before by clicking on the ‘x’ icon. |
| Admin Username | The admin user is auto-generated using the word ‘admin’ + the supplier code specified above, and it is required when creating a new supplier. The admin user will be used by the admin to log in to the React Admin pages of the new supplier. Note: You can change the Admin User here if you would like to have one of your choosing, just go to the field and enter a new admin username. |
| Admin Password | The password is auto-generated as well, but you can also change it here. Please take note of the password before submitting the form. This will allow you to log in to the new supplier store after it is created. |
| Admin First Name | This is information to use to generate the user admin credentials |
| Admin Last Name | This is information to use to generate the user admin credentials |
| Admin Email | Enter the email address you would like to receive admin emails. This email will also be displayed in the front end and will also be used to reset your password. |
4. Fill out the Create Supplier form and click on Save #
Enter the required data for the creation of the new supplier store. What will be included in the process of creating a new supplier store?
- A new supplier store will be created as a copy of the retailer/wholesaler default template store.
- A supplier admin user will be created with the ‘Supplier Catalog’ admin role
- The ‘Supplier Catalog’ admin role will be added to the parent supplier/importer (if specified)
- The supplier marketplace (independent checkout) store will be created (if specified)
- The store item will be created using the Supplier Code
- The store properties will be attached to the new store item
- The Seller’s multi-value property will be created using the Supplier Name and code.
- The Seller’s multi-value property will get attached to the store item
- The About Us information will be automatically filled out for the new supplier store (this is the address and store information)
- The new supplier store will be enabled in the MCW and Marketplace stores specified in the form.
5. Verify the new supplier store is being created #
After the Create New Supplier form is submitted, verify:
- The ‘Sucess!, Task created successfully’ toaster pop-up message is displayed.
- A new task record is created at the top of the list with the supplier code and a loading icon on the Vendor ID column
6. Verify the new store was created successfully #
After a few minutes (5 approx), go to the new task record that was shown when the supplier was created.
The record must display the correct Supplier Code, Company Name, Location, and Vendor ID of the new supplier.
The Enable checkbox must be checked for the new supplier, this will ensure that the supplier es enabled on the MCW and the marketplace stores.
Go to the Action column and click on the eye icon to view the supplier properties. The supplier properties will display the information that was entered in the Create Supplier store modal dialog.
7. Enable the approval level of the new supplier #
Go to the Action column and click on the gear icon to view the Supplier Settings. The supplier settings pop-up will display two Experience level radio buttons.
- New Supplier: When a new supplier has been created the level of trust for that supplier is unknown, so the MCW admin should not allow all changes and product updates of that supplier to be published directly to the marketplace until they are reviewed and approved by the MCW admin. When the supplier has enough knowledge and experience of the system, the experience level can change the Experienced supplier, until then the new supplier experience level needs to be enabled.
- Experienced Supplier: This experience level allows all changes of the supplier to be published to the live instance without any approval needed by the MCW admin.
8. Inform the Supplier admin that the new store has been created #
After the create supplier process is finished a Welcome email will be sent to the supplier email specified on the Create supplier form. The email will include the new username and a link for the new supplier admin to reset the password.
If you as an MCW admin wouldn’t like the supplier admin to change the password, just inform him and share with him the automatically generated password that was added when creating the new supplier store. The supplier admin will be able to log in using the username and password for the new supplier store right after it was created.
