We are excited to announce the upcoming release of Marketplaces V2, a significant upgrade designed to improve the usability and functionality of Channable's marketplace APIs. This article provides an overview of the transition, the key differences, and how these changes will benefit you.
- How will our APIs change in Marketplaces V2?
- What does the new interface look like?
- The Build step
- The Quality step
- The Preview step
- Navigation Between Steps
- How can I make use of the new interface?
- When will Marketplaces V2 be rolled out?
How will our APIs change in Marketplaces V2?
The new interface includes significant improvements in the flow of APIs. We revamped the Build step and added Quality and Preview steps, allowing you to navigate easily and set up your APIs more efficiently. You will notice that we removed the Attributes step from the interface, and split up its previous functionalities over these new steps, as seen below.
- Build step: A centralized mapping layout, displaying mandatory and optional attributes and indicators for them. Read more about the new Build step here.
- Quality step: Provides instant feedback on the setup quality and highlights errors sorted by mandatory and optional fields. It also allows for quick navigation to the Preview or Build steps to address specific errors. Read more about the new Quality step here.
- Preview step: A detailed product preview showing mapped attributes for multiple items and individual item views, highlighting errors before the export with features like an “Error” column, error filters, and customizable displayed columns. Read more about the new Preview step here.
What does the new interface look like?
In this section, we'll provide a comprehensive overview of each part of the upcoming changes. Our goal is to give you all the context and details you need to make the most of the new interface and its possibilities. We’ll break down each step below and highlight the improvements to ensure you have a clear understanding of how to navigate and utilize the new features effectively.
The Build step
In the previous version of the Build step, only 'shared attributes' were available and the 'attributes per category' would be found in the Attributes step.
In the new version of the Build step, we combined all attributes into one step, distributed over two tabs.
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Shared attributes: here you find the attributes that are shared between all your items, which is very similar to how the previous version of the Build step was set up. Some new additions were added, like the 'Hide optional fields' option and a more clear indication for fields that are 'Mandatory' (pink) and 'Optional' (orange).
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Attributes per category: The category-specific attributes can now be found here. When clicking on the tab, you'll first see the following screen.
This is very similar to how the previous version of the Attribute step was set up, divided by categories. You will now get to experience the same lay-out as the 'Shared attributes' screen, with the same clear indicators for ‘Mandatory’ and ‘Optional’ fields.
Besides the 'Save' button, there also is the 'Save & preview' button. This button will save your changes and take you to the new 'Preview step', more on this later on.
The Quality step
If you've set up a feed before, this new step will be very recognizable, as this step provides instant feedback on setup quality and highlights errors for mandatory and optional fields.
A detailed list of current errors will be shown, indicating how many items are affected and including a description of the error and how you can fix it. Additionally, there are 'Action' buttons to quickly address these issues, the 'Action' buttons function as follows:
- View items: See an overview of the products related to the mentioned error. This will take you to the new Preview step, about which more info can be found here.
- View in build: Redirects you to the Build step where you can add missing information or adjust existing info.
- Set categories: This takes you to the categories step where you can categorize possible missing categories.
The Preview step
The Preview step shows mapped attributes for multiple items and detailed views for individual items, highlighting errors before the export takes place. It includes features such as an 'error column', a filter for items with errors and customizable displayed columns.
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Search & filter bar: By using this bar you can find what and where information is missing.
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Item overview: The item overview shows you all the items that contain errors, based on how you set the filter.
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Detailed product preview: When you click on a specific item in the 'Item Overview,' you will see a detailed product overview highlighting what information is missing. The actions you can take are dynamic, depending on the missing information. Listed below are a few of these actions.
- Only errors: This option lets you only display the errors in the product preview.
- View in build: Clicking this button re-directs you to the 'Build' step.
- Categories: This will take you to the part of the build where the error is happening.
Navigation Between Steps
Seamless navigation is a core principle in the Channable tool, so we integrated the new and redesigned Build, Preview, and Quality steps in the navigation bar, which allows you to move effortlessly through the API. This ensures a smooth and guided setup process.
How can I make use of the new interface?
To ensure a smooth transition to the new Marketplaces V2 interface and allow you to adapt to this change in environment at your own pace, we are introducing an opt-in toggle. This will be available as soon as the first APIs are updated. Below you'll read how you can activate the toggle.
Activating the Opt-In Toggle
- Navigate to the settings page: Go to the settings page of the updated API channel.
- Select the Opt-In check Box: Find the checkbox next to "Opt-in" and toggle it.
- Save your changes: Click the save button located at the bottom left of the API settings page.
Key Features of the Opt-In Toggle
- API-Level Control: You can choose to opt into the new interface for specific APIs while keeping others on the old interface. This flexibility allows you to experiment with Marketplaces V2 without disrupting your entire setup.
- Ease of Transition: The opt-in toggle provides a simple way to switch between the old and new interfaces, giving you time to adapt and familiarize yourself with the changes.
We understand that sudden changes can be challenging, especially for your most used API channels. Therefore, this opt-in toggle allows you to explore and get comfortable with the new interface at your own pace.
When will Marketplaces V2 be rolled out?
To ensure a smooth and efficient transition for all our customers during the rollout of Marketplaces V2, we will adopt a phased approach. Below is a detailed timeline outlining when specific marketplaces will be updated:
June:
- Miravia
- AliExpress
July:
- TikTok
- Allegro
- Zalando
- Winkelstraat
- FNAC Offers/Products
- OTTO
- Walmart
- Google Shopping
August:
- eBay
- Kaufland
- All Mirakl-based Marketplaces
- CDiscount
September:
- Bol
- iCas (Marktplaats pro & 2ehands.be)
October:
- Marketplaces V2 will become the default interface for all users. This final phase will ensure that all remaining APIs are transitioned to Marketplaces V2 (except for Amazon), benefiting from the improved user experience and new features.
Before the end of the year
- Amazon
This approach allows us to implement Marketplaces V2 in steps, ensuring that each stage is carefully managed.
What’s next?
We appreciate your patience as we roll out these exciting improvements and are confident that Marketplaces V2 will significantly enhance your Channable experience.
What's next? Our mission is to make Channable as intuitive and user-friendly as possible. The next addition to this interface will be an API Quality score, reflecting the overall health of your setup.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our Technical Support team. Additionally, if you have any suggestions or feedback, please reach out to product.feedback@channable.com. We would love to hear your thoughts!