IndieCommunication #6: Spring Cleaning Tips for IndieCommerce Stores

Highlights from the IndieCommunication newsletter sent to participating stores on Monday, March 3, include an update on the Authorize.net CIM gateway upgrade, tips for order queue maintenance, and more.

Authorize.net CIM Gateway Upgrade

Most IndieCommerce stores have moved to the updated CIM shopping cart. The few stores that have not met the March 1 deadline for the new — better functioning — feature will now see a warning block when logged in as an admin. Those stores should contact IndieCommerce staff at [email protected] or (800) 637-0037, ext. 2, to schedule the switchover. Waiting may result in canceled customer orders. For stores with their own Authorize.net account, failure to switch means their sites will revert to ABA’s shared Authorize.net account. For additional details, see the IndieCommunication of January 10.

Order Queue Maintenance and Closing Out Old Orders

Based on an audit of the active order queues of a number of IndieCommerce stores, IndieCommerce staff has put together a few tips for avoiding common errors and for keeping a neat and tidy queue:

• Orders that are marked as Payment Received are not complete. While the customers have been charged, the funds are not transferred to a store until the order has been moved to the completed status. For a review, see the following help articles: 

 How to properly process pending orders

Order status overview

• If an order is paid for in-store, booksellers should be sure to mark the order as completed when the books are picked up. While this does not initiate a charge, it will keep the order queue from becoming cumbersome.
• If a store is unable to fulfill an order, the order should be marked as canceled and not be left as pending. If the store is unable to cancel a credit card order, the original authorization will likely expire. Steps to close an order with an expired authorization are available here.
• Stores should check their order queue daily and leave order or admin comments for all admins to see.
• Questions and problems should be resolved promptly. It is much easier to resolve an issue when everyone’s memory is fresh rather than six months down the road, when critical details may have been forgotten. 

Uploading Inventory

Many IndieCommerce stores currently upload inventory files daily to flag titles they have in stock with an On Our Shelves Now availability status.

In addition to letting customers know what is readily available in the store, items in stock will appear first in search results and in the browse module.

There are two ways to upload inventory files to an IndieCommerce site:

1. Upload a simple text file with the specs.
2. Use Above The Treeline and provide IndieCommerce with permission to access to store data. Above The Treeline offers a variety of packages starting at $10 monthly.
    

Inventory files are processed five times daily.

New Spring DIY Available

Welcome spring with cheerful new DIY material from the Designs and Downloads section of BookWeb.org.  New items are available in print and web formats to brighten both websites and storefronts.

For more on this and past newsletters, visit the IndieCommunication Archive.