PREPARING YOUR CATALOG FILE (or 'item file'):
You need to prepare your product information for your store by downloading the store's item file, using a spreadsheet program to add items, and then uploading the item file back into the store. Or if you do not have a spreadsheet program, you can use our 'NetStores E-commerce Toolkit' to do the downloading, editing, and uploading of the item file. For right now, let's add a couple of products to test your storefront using a spreadsheet program.
1. Downloading your item file: From the 'NetStores Merchant Administration Area':
Click on the 'Download Item File' link in the 'Products' section.
On the next page that appears, click on the 'Download Item File' button.
A dialog box should appear asking if you wish to save a file, say 'yes' to the dialog box. Another dialog box should now appear, asking you where to save the file. Pick a location and save the file (the store's item file). (Make sure that the item file has a name of 'itemfile.txt'.)
2. Editing your item file: Open your downloaded item file, 'itemfile.txt', in your spreadsheet program. Your spreadsheet program should recognize the item file as a 'tab-delimited' data file and create a new spreadsheet from it. Add new product information by following the column titles and the demo product examples.
Column (Fields) List: Note: The system only requires 'Code', 'Description', and 'Price' so the other columns (fields) are up to you.
Column 1: 'Code' - Enter a distinct product number using text or numbers or both (i.e., 1000 or A1). Note: Do not use spaces in the product number, and do not use the same product number twice.
Column 2: 'Price' - Enter the price of your product, i.e.: 4 or 4.99 (4 will default to 4.00). NOTE: Do not use a '$' or anything except numbers and a period in the price field, or it will show up as 0.
Column 3: 'Name' - Enter the name of your product.
Column 4: 'Description' - Enter a short description for you product.
Column 5: 'Category' - Enter a category name, i.e.: Apparel or Books.
Column 6: 'ThumbnailURL' - Enter the URL of your product image.
Column 7: 'ProductPageURL' - Enter the URL of your product page.
Column 8: 'UPSWeight' - Enter the weight of your product, i.e.: 2.5.
Column 9: 'TaxField' - If all items are taxable, leave blank
Column 10: 'FullDescription' - Enter a full description for the product.
Column 11: 'ProductPictureUrl' - Enter an URL to an image of the product. Note: an item file can be customized by clicking on the 'Search Fields' link after clicking on the 'Customize Your Store' link.
3. Uploading your item file:
Click the 'Upload Item File' link in the 'Products' section on the 'Merchant Administration Area' web page. At the 'Update Item File' page, go to the upload item file section (at the bottom of the page).
Make sure that the 'Tab' and the 'Remove Header Line' options are selected.
Click 'Browse...' to specify the item file to upload.
Note: If that file does not appear, be sure the file browser window is set to 'File Type' '.txt'.
Note: To upload an entire item file which was edited as a spreadsheet, the spreadsheet must have been saved as a '.txt' file. When the item file has been selected, click the 'Upload' button.
To ensure upload occurred, click on the 'Go to main menu' to return to the 'Merchant Administration Area' webpage.
Next, click on the 'Edit Your Item File (online editor)' link in the 'Products' section on this page. When the 'Edit Your Item File' page appears, the items in your store will be listed on the page's left hand side. [Note: You can use this page at anytime to fine-tune your store's items.]
