managing unlimited ecommerce product catalogs in znode
The Solution for Multiple Ecommerce Product Catalogs
The ability to provide product catalogs to each customer is a common requirement in most B2B ecommerce use cases. Merchants need the ability to curate products and categories into catalogs for customers or accounts, channels, segments, and sometimes individual users.
Many Ways to Apply Product Catalogs in Znode
Web Stores
Znode enables administrators to build unique product catalogs by web store. A product catalog must be selected from existing catalogs within the native Znode PIM system as part of a web store configuration. A manufacturer or distributor can simply utilize a single product catalog for all customers. However, a single catalog to single audience relationship is extremely rare in B2B ecommerce.
Merchants typically want to showcase different products and categories to diverse audiences. Therefore, the product catalog will determine what categories and products are available when set for a web store.
Drew Shoe, a multi-brand manufacturer involved in the footwear industry since 1875, required a solution to manage product catalogs for each brand in its portfolio. Drew Shoe leveraged Znode to create a hub for the brand portfolio websites utilizing the multi-catalog and multi-store capabilities native within the ecommerce platform. Read the Drew Shoe customer profile.
User Profiles (Segments)
User Profiles are an invaluable entity for managing B2B ecommerce catalogs. A mandatory step of setting up a web store on Znode is the configuration of user profiles.
Administrators can use user profiles for many configurations within the platform, including catalog assignment. In addition, administrators can use user profiles to provide segment-specific catalogs to showcase products only relevant to that user group (For example, a contractor that buys only a specific brand of air conditioning units from an HVAC distributor).
Accounts
B2B sales commonly use account-specific product catalogs. A merchant’s sales team can create personalized catalogs to include products specified by buyers. Administrators can assign a catalog to an account within Znode, and account users can view and shop the catalog.
A leading manufacturer of innovative boots, shoes, and clothing for work, farm, and ranch, Ariat created the Ariat Crew division, serving companies with uniform needs. Ariat desired to deliver a tailored uniform program catalog to prospects and customers. Znode enabled Ariat to personalize customer accounts' uniform programs and specifications with account-specific catalog functionality. Read the complete Ariat customer profile.
Building Catalogs with Pre-Built Categories (Merchandising)
When the need arises to quickly onboard customer accounts, pre-built product categories are a great way to support this demand. With the ability to independently manage products, categories, pricing, and more, ecommerce administrators can quickly create customer-specific product catalogs.
In ecommerce platforms, products are typically organized in product categories regardless of customer experience. Znode’s ability to organize products into categories regardless of product catalog allows administrators to quickly build new catalogs for new web stores, accounts or channels.
Importance of Separating Pricing and Catalogs
The process of price lists controlling product accessibility is a relic of the ERP system. Many modern businesses have adopted sales agreements to manage pricing, payment terms, inventory constraints, and more at an account level. Leveraging business systems, like an ecommerce platform, to align to business practices, like sales agreements, is essential.
Znode’s product information management (PIM) system provides the flexibility to decouple pricing from products. This system enables sales agreement style pricing controls for products, categories, and more. Without this flexibility in an ecommerce platform, businesses will need to rely on the handicap of platform customization, a path that is rarely sustainable.
Importance of Separating Inventory and Catalogs
Large accounts require large requests. With account-specific product catalogs being the standard for businesses selling into multiple channels, the ability to allocate inventory for select accounts can be challenging. Znode does not control product inventory at the product level.
Znode completely decouples inventory from product catalogs enabling box store retailers that demand inventory allocations to have specific warehouse inventories set aside for ecommerce purchases. In addition, Znode’s OMS (order management system) allows for inventory management by warehouse with unlimited warehouses available for configuration.