Key Concepts
This section provides a foundational overview of key concepts essential to the pricing feed system within UpStart Commerce. These concepts are the fundamental building blocks that enable businesses to manage and optimize their pricing processes effectively. By understanding these core elements, businesses can ensure accurate price calculations, manage different prices across pricing zones, and streamline operations, saving time and reducing the risk of errors.
Pricing is the fundamental service responsible for managing all product pricing. However, updating a single field within the pricing service can be time-intensive, necessitating updates across all related fields, and resulting in slow response times
In response to these challenges, we have introduced Pricing Feeds as an advanced feature designed to streamline and expedite data updates. Pricing Feed facilitates quicker updates by allowing users to upload files containing pricing data. This approach significantly simplifies the implementation process, reduces the time required for updates, and enhances overall responsiveness.
In the UpStart Commerce Portal, we manage three primary types of prices: Sale Price, Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP), and List Price. Each type serves a specific role in defining our pricing strategy. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for effective price management and optimization. Our prices are as follows:
The Sale Price is the discounted rate at which a product is offered during a promotional period. This temporary price reduction aims to boost sales and attract customers by offering a perceived value deal.
The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) is the price recommended by the manufacturer for retail sales. It serves as a guideline for retailers, helping to standardize pricing across different sellers.
The List Price is the standard price set by the retailer, serving as the baseline before any discounts or promotions are applied. It provides a reference point for customers and helps in calculating discounts and promotional prices.
A CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file is a simple text file used to store tabular data. Each line in the CSV file represents a single record, and each field within a record is separated by a comma. CSV files are commonly used for data exchange between different applications because they are easy to read and write.
To update the data in the Pricing feed, you will use a CSV file. First, you will create a CSV file, then store the pricing data in the following format:
NOTE: The first row in the pricing feed file is always ignored as headers.
When preparing a CSV file for the Pricing Feed, it is essential to comprehend each attribute thoroughly due to its significance in accurate pricing management. The key attributes include:
This attribute specifies a unique identifier assigned to each SKU within your system. It serves as a consistent reference point for identifying and managing products across various platforms and operations. For example, DL-ABCDE could be the ASSET_ID for a specific model of laptop.
The ZONE attribute allows you to define specific geographical areas where your pricing strategy applies. This can include cities, states, or any other market segments you define. For instance, TEXAS and NEW YORK could be designated zones where different pricing strategies are implemented to account for local market conditions.
Specify the currency in which the product price is denominated. This attribute is crucial for international businesses to reflect pricing in different global markets accurately. For example, USD denotes U.S. dollars, EUR denotes Euros, and so on. You will use the ISO Alphabetic Currency Code to specify the currency. To see how ISO specifies currency codes, go to the ISO Currency Code guide.
This attribute defines the type of pricing for the product, such as Sales, MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price), or List Price. It distinguishes between different pricing strategies to suit various business needs. For example, use 'salePrices' for promotional pricing and 'msrpPrices' for the manufacturer's suggested retail price. The allowed values for Price Type are 'salePrices,' 'listPrices,' and 'msrpPrices.'
Specify the numerical value of the product's price. This field ensures clarity and consistency in pricing across all products, helping customers and stakeholders understand the cost of your offerings. For example, a product priced at 500 dollars.
Optionally, specify the start date for any sale pricing. This field allows you to automate price changes at specific times, such as during seasonal promotions or marketing campaigns. For example, you will specify the Sales Price Start date in the format YYYY//MM/DD (e.g., 2023-10-03)
Optionally, specify the end date for any sale pricing. This field complements the start date, ensuring that promotional pricing changes automatically revert to regular pricing (list price) after the specified period. For example, you will specify the Sales Price End date in the format YYYY//MM/DD (e.g., 2023-10-05).
NOTE: After adding a start date, it is mandatory to specify an end date for the sales price; otherwise, the system will prompt an error: MISSING DATE.
When you upload the CSV File in the Pricing Feed, you will see the following statuses on the screen.
- Scanning: The file has been received and scanned for initial validation. For example, when you upload a CSV file, the system scans it for proper format and structure.
- Scanned: The file has been successfully scanned and is ready for further processing. For instance, after the scanning phase, the system confirms that the file is structured correctly and moves to the next stage.
- Importing: The file is currently being imported into the system. For example, the data from the file is being loaded into the UpStart Commerce database.
- Imported: The file has been successfully imported, and the data is now in the system. For instance, the product prices from the file are now available in the system for further action.
- Processing: The imported data is being processed. For example, the system is now updating the prices of products based on the imported data.
- Processed: When a file reaches the Processed state in the pricing feed cycle, it indicates that the system has completed its evaluation. During this phase, the system thoroughly reviews the file, applies any necessary updates, and checks for errors. Fields containing valid data are processed and updated in the feed without issues. However, if any fields within the file contain errors, the system will flag them. In such cases, the file is Partially Processed- valid data is updated, while some erroneous data requires further attention. You will address the errors and re-upload the erroneous fields to the pricing feed.
- Error: When a file reaches the Error state in the pricing feed cycle, it signifies that none of the fields were processed successfully. This status indicates that the file contains errors, preventing the successful completion of the process. To proceed, you must address the errors, correct the data, and re-upload the file.