- All
- About Valigara
- VCatalog
- Multi-channel Marketing
- Magento
- Inventory management
- eBay
- Listing management
- Orders management
- Clients management
- Statistics and analytics
- Best practices
About Valigara
Multiple users and access levels
What makes Valigara different?
- It's all about jewelery. We know that selling a chair, an iPhone or a diamond ring is not the same. All everythig we do takes into account that we deal with jewelery. Want some examples?
- Valigara integrates with the jewelery relevant marketplaces. Now Valigara is integrated with eBay, Etsy, Amazon, Sears, Bonanza, Rapnet, Alibaba and Rakuten. We know that Etsy is times smaller than NewEgg, but we prefer the first one because it's more relevant for selling jewelery online. And we are sure you won't find a multi-channel solution with GIA or Rapnet integration.
- The inventory tree is based on Models, Metals, Purities, Gemstones, Sizes, Karats, Clarities and much more. It doesn't help us sell carpets online, but when it gets to posting your jewelery on eBay or Amazon, your products will get best exposure because Valigara cares to automatically put all the jewelery data in the marketplace search algorithm.
- Even the order management and statistics are adjusted, the former one with the ability to accept custom orders (f.i. if your engagement ring was sold with the emerald and not ruby) and the later one with analysing the performance based on Models, Metals, Gemstones, Ring sizes etc.
- We handle Products stock, Gemstones stock and Metal stock separately. Because if you're out of the unique Black Onyx you've bought in Argentina, it's important to instantly remove the relevant jewellery from all selling channels. No matter was it earrings, rings, necklaces or a brooch that all your stones were sold with.
- Variations. With Valigara, managing variations is easy. If you can produce your jewelry in 925 sterling silver, 18k yellow gold and gold plated, with 10 different stones, and in 10 different sizes - creating all the variations and posting them for sale would be a matter of few clicks. And having your items based on the same model, it would be easy to remove all variations of the ring from your stores , once your 4-prong engagement solitaire ring was sold in size 5 (assuming you can't reproduce it). And if your unique pendant was sold with the 18 inch chain, you will most probably prefer all variations of this jewellery to disappear from all your online stores.
- Valigara has a tremendous amount of tools for photo management (inline photo editor, multiple pictures upload, ability to adjust pictures to each marketplace, set separate pictures order to each selling channel and many more). Why? Because jewelery is a visual product, and photography means a lot. When you buy an iPhone, you don't really care about the photo, right?
- High precision tools. Jewelry is one of the most competitive eCommerce industries, so one can't afford being mediocre. Putting your jewelery on sale at the right time, in the right format, with the right parameters is critical. And Valigara's algorithms (such as smart re-post, posting tolerance, re-listing tolerance and other) make the best by adding very smart automation into your eCommerce performance.
- It's all about diamonds and gemstones
- Valigara has 13 built-in gemstones parameters. Because if you want to sell your diamond on eBay, it should appear with as much technical specification as possible, as it will be used for its Best Match algorithms.
- Will your diamond be sold as a loose diamond or in a jewelry? Maybe both? Maybe in a pair? How should your stock managed in each case? Is your gemstone considered semi-precious or non-precious while selling it on Amazon? All this is managed in Valigara, to improve your gemstone visibility on the marketplace.
- Does your gemstone have a certificate from a gemological institute? Starting with the GIA integration, we make a lot of adaptation to let the certificates work best for you.
- Valigara is a professional tool. There are many multi-channel systems, providing only the basic functionality for the eCommerce needs. Valigara makes the drill-down into each component of the online sales, whether its the stock management, posting and bulk editing, orders fulfillment or clients management etc.
- We use our software ourselves. Valigara has the one of a kind unique trading team, selling jewelry and diamonds in few dozens of top-performing accounts on eBay, Etsy, Amazon, Sears, Bonanza and other marketplaces. This means we totally understand what is needed to succeed in selling jewelry online,and implement it in our software. This also ensures we immediately have to react to all changes happening in the eCommerce world, as we have to support our stores. And finally, once something happens in our software (and it does to every software), our traders' team is affected by it exactly as all our clients, and immediately involves our technology department to get things fixed.
How to setup my Valigara account?
Valigara quick-start
How much does Valigara cost?
There are several monthly plans available, to match different needs of small and large businesses. Plans are basically defined by the amount of items stored in our system, the number of marketplaces and stores you sell into, the amount of pictures and videos you upload and several additional parameters.
You can see exact rems in Plans and Pricing page. We encourage you to learn Valigara first , by using the 15 day free trial, so you are sure it matches your needs.
Does Valigara support multiple languages?
What is Valigara Online Jewelry Manager?
Valigara Online Jewelry Manager is the one-of-a-kind online catalog and sales system, adjusted to jewelers and diamond sellers needs. It manages the whole online jewelry sales process, from the creation of online jewelry catalog, to jewelry distribution to leading marketplaces, the complete orders management process and analytic element.
Multi-channel Marketing
How can I add hashtags to my Social posts?
Opening accounts on marketplaces
http://paypal.com/
Sign Up=>Business=>Open an account
After you filled in all the required company information and credit card information, you'll be asked to confirm your email address. After the email address in confirmed, the PayPal account will be opened in status "not verified".
To verify the account, you can click on "Get verified" link on the My account page. The verification code will appear in your credit card recent operations list in several business days, and after you enter the code inPayPal verification window, the PayPal setup will be completed.
After you filled in all the required information, you can post first product for sale manually following eBay instructions:
After the first product is successfully posted and eBay store is open, your eBay seller account should be completed and ready to be connected with the Valigara management system.
Etsy registration
https://www.etsy.com/
Sign In=>Register
After you filled in all the required information, you can click on "Open shop" button (usually it appears at the bottom of page), and post first product for sale manually following Etsy instructions.
After the first product is successfully posted, your Etsy shop is completed and ready to be connected with the Valigara management system.
VCatalog Co-branding
The Co-branding feature enables the integrated VCatalog - jewelry eCommerce mini-site function under your business domain (URL), instead of using the standard Valigara address. Running your own online store under your Brand name is extremely useful, as it adds credibility to your website and develops your company's online brand.
For example, you have selected the subdomain "myjewelrybusiness" while registering in Valigara. And you own the domain myjewelrybusiness.com
Your default Valigara mini-site address is http://myjewelrybusiness.valigara.com
With co-branding enabled, you can make your Valigara VCatalog mini-site operate under the address http://www.myjewelrybusiness.com or any other subdomain on your proprietary domain. For example, one might prefer setting http://store.myjewelrybusiness.com for the VCatalog minisite, if he has an existing and well-promoted informative website of his company.
Setting up Co-Branding is done in Valigara Channels -> Catalog settings page
Etsy basic tips
Working with Etsy marketplace, we accumulated an experience of using features the site offers to promote jewelry items.
There is a list of basic tips that can improve your items performance on this marketplace and as a result might increase sales volume.
Listing management
- Titles
To improve search results for your products, you can create Etsy titles from exact expressions and keywords that clients often use while searching for jewelry items.
To know what search keywords are the most popular, you can start typing some keyword in the Etsy search field and you'll receive a drop-down list of relevant search expressions. For example, for "gold earrings" you can see the following: rose gold earrings, 14k gold earrings, solid gold earrings and so on.
Putting the most important keywords at the beginning of a title also can improve search results for your item.
Etsy allows to use up to 140 symbols in product title, with that it's not necessarily to use all of them. A correctly defined 80-symbols title can receive more hits than a 140 symbols title with irrelevant keywords.
Even if there are some very similar items in your collection, Etsy still suggests to create different titles for them.
- Product tags
Etsy allows to use up to 13 product tags for each item and the suggestion is to fill all of them to improve search results. For your convenience there is a "Missing Etsy tags" block in the system Dashboard that shows in what items there are less than 13 Etsy tags, so that you can easily find and improve them.
As in the titles, in tags you can also use expressions, just please pay attention that a tag length is limited to 20 symbols. To optimize tags adding process, in Valigara system you can create beforehand a stock of most used products tags and check the relevant ones for each item.
While posting an item to Etsy, you can choose relevant site category as well as sub-categories to improve item search results. In addition to 13 tags allowed, Etsy automatically creates more product tags according to the selected category. For example, if you post an item to Jewelry=>Ring=>Gold, so the following three tags are added by Etsy: Jewelry, Ring, Gold and you still have 13 more tags to fill.
- Product materials
Etsy allows to define up to 13 product materials for each item and the suggestion is to describe each material in several ways to improve search results (White Gold, 14K Gold, Black Onyx, Natural Onyxes...).
As in the titles, in materials you can also use expressions, just please pay attention that a material length is limited to 40 symbols. To optimize materials adding process, in Valigara system you can create beforehand a stock of most used products materials and check the relevant ones for each item.
- Product template
Valigara system allows to create a posting template for Etsy products. In this template you can define all the relevant system fields you are interested to show for your items as well as links to your other products or pages to increase the shop traffic.
Social activity
Social activity is an important part of Etsy marketplace management. The more connections you create with other sellers and buyers, the more promotion you can get for your items.
You can increase the activity by:
- creating treasury lists
- favoring items and shops of other sellers
- following different sellers and buyers
- introducing yourself by creating "About me" page in your shop
SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a powerful process that can help improve the visibility of your shop and item listings in search engine results for sites like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
You can optimize the shop title and shop announcement blocks in addition to products titles and tags optimization. More info about SEO issue you can find here.
Posting and Promotion
It's very important to keep your shop active all the time. You can do it with posting of new items, renewing of existing ones and use of search ads:
- Scheduled post
This Valigara feature can help you to plan your future activity and create uniform distribution of items appearance in the shop. For example, you can schedule 3-4 new items to be posted to site each Etsy evening 17:00-20:00 during the next month.
Choosing the most optimal hours and days for posting also can improve your items performance.
- Renew
According to the Etsy search engine, renewed items as well as newly posted and relisted ones receive more boost in search results that can increase their chances for selling. Valigara system allows to renew a single item or a group of items according to a defined schedule similarly to scheduled post feature.
- Sales
Putting your items on sale can attract more buyers. You can manage Etsy sales through Valigara Channels=>Etsy sales page.
- Coupons
In your Etsy shop you can create discount coupons and offer them to your return or/and potential buyers to make them purchase more of your products.
- Promotions
This Etsy feature offers a promoted appearance in search results for selected items according to the defined bids and your budget. More info about this feature you can find here.
Can I link several eBay or Etsy stores to Valigara?
Yes.
Valigara allows you to link as many stores in each marketplace, according to your subscription plan.
Important: please make sure you read and understand the rules and restrictions for running several stores simultaneously on the marketplace you're selling. For example, running several jewelry stores on the same marketplace for separate companies and different kinds of jewelry might be fine, while creating stores to post duplicate items would violate the rules. There are acceptable and forbidden use cases in each marketplace, so please be sure your stores run in compliance with these rules. We strictly recommend creation of sustainable long-run business on eBay, Etsy, Amazon and other channels to some short-run benefits of forbidden manipulations.
How do I connect my eBay / Etsy / Amazon account to Valigara
Integration of your selling channels with Valigara is done during the Setup process, or later by managing accounts in the desired Channel Settings page.
For example, if you want to link an additional eBay account, go to Channels => eBay => eBay Settings and enter the Accounts selection. Here you can add more, manage and unlink your eBay accounts.
Linking the account is not forever. According to the marketplace rules, your external account will be linked for some time period, (half a year or more). We will remind you to renew the link once it expires.
* Go to eBay accounts
* Go to Etsy accounts
What is the Online Jewelry Catalog?
Valigara offeres and Online Jewelry Catalog, which is automatically created from the items you upload into the system. Basically, Valigara Catalog provides you with your own eCommerce website that showcases your jewelry. By this you can make your jewelry accessible to millions online buyers, without a need of creation of an expansive website.
Why use it?
- Your jewelry e-commerce website. Online presence is the key of each business these days, and showing up to the meeting, without having an website on your visit card might look strange. Valigara catalog is a well-balanced website, with all your jewelry and gemstones catalog and integrated shopping cart and wholesales module. With no effort you get the branded website that will represent you online 24/7!
- Manage and expand your wholesale business. By creating registered users in Valigara, you will be able to adjust catalogs and even pricing for groups and individual distributors and resellers you work with.
- Integrate Valigara catalog into your main website. Sometimes we get stuck with some website we don't want to invest time, money and attention in it. But it is clear that jewelry business requires an accessible shopping channel for the clients who already know you. Integrate Valigara into your website, as part of it, and upgrade your website from the money-losing paragraph in your business to the most important line on the incomes side!
Can jewelry be sold on my website and external marketplaces at the same time?
On what marketplaces can I sell my jewelry with Valigara?
Magento
Installing Magento plugin for Valigara
app/code/local
Inventory management
Setting the default field values for the model
Using Product tags
Use different images for different channels
Shuffling images
- Bulk action for multiple products (Catalog -> Product Images -> Shuffle images)
- Specific product (Catalog -> Product edit -> Shuffle images)
- Specific integrated account(Catalog -> Product edit -> Product images -> Shuffle images at the specific account)
Multiple warehouses and stock locations
Copying data from one product to another
- In the Model page, set the "Main product" as the Source, and "All products from this model" as the Destination jewelry
- In the Catalog page, use the existing results to select the Source product.
- On any stage, use the multiple item IDs separated by "," to select the destination products
How do I duplicate my product in Valigara system?
Sometimes you may want to offer some of your products in a variety of colors, with different gemstones or/and metal options.
You can easily create all these variations based on current model by duplicating your product.
To duplicate a product in the Valigara, you need first to check if you have all required materials defined in the system. On the Inventory pages you can check and edit existing metals, metal purities and gemstones lists. On each one of these pages there is an "Add New" button for creating a new material if needed. In addition, on the Inventory Gemstones page you can create duplications for your existing stones, and this feature can save you time working in the system.
When the materials are ready, you can find your product in the Catalog and click the "Duplicate" icon in the Tools on the right. In the page opened you can edit "Catalog code" - SKU for your product, make desired changes in the metals and gemstones list, also you can replace photos, edit titles, description, prices and other information. After you successfully save your changes, new product is completed.
If you use Excel for preparing products list, you can copy the product details to a new row and make all desired updates to it, including product code, metals, gemstones and commercial information as titles, prices, description and so on.
What are complementary items and how can I manage them in Valigara?
Sometimes different jewelry items in your collections can be united by the same theme or same design line and they can come together as jewelry set. When you offer one of these items to buyers, you may want to draw their attention that there are other matching (complementary) items in your store, and in that way you can increase chances for a multiple purchase.
In Valigara system there is an ability to define up to 5 complementary items for each one of your products. You can select matching items in the "Complementary" tab of each product page or can use Excel file for bulk update.
After some product and its complementary items are posted to eBay/Etsy marketplaces, the links to complementary items can be visible on the product page.
Import and Update products from Excel
- Import - is used for adding of new products in the system. When using this form, it will be necessery to provide minimal required information about your jewelry.
- Update - update of information regarding the existing products in the system. In this case, the only required field is Valigara's catalog code. The update file can include any partial information about your products, f.i. pricing only, commercial titles only , Etsy keywords etc.
- You can choose/create as many import formats for your file that will define the relation between each one of your Excel fields and appropriate field in the system. These formats will be automatically saved both for Import and Export so it is easier to use.
- For your convenience, there are several pre-made import formats. You can download examples of Excel formats targeted for different product types, including "Valigara-default", based of the example Excel Import file, "Fine Jewelry", "Fashion Jewelry" etc. For loose stones you can use the "Fine Jewelry" format. If you made some updates to the example Excel, you'll need to adjust this import format accordingly.
- To define more info in your file, you can add new columns in Excel and fill them with required data, just remember to update system import format accordingly and save your changes for further use.
- Excel formatting (Format cells) and formulas are not supported by Valigara. Before importing the file, please check that it contains values only.
Does the Valigara system alert me when my stock is about to end?
In general, System Alert module is built to announce you about issues that require immediate attention, including stock quantity alerts.
When you receive a system notification saying your product/gemstone reached quantity alert value, you should take one of the suggested actions to solve the issue:
- Ignore/No action
By clicking the "Ignore/No action" button you let the system know you've already handled the issue (updated stock or removed the relevant product from selling etc.) and no additional action is needed.
- Remove from all channels
If one of your gemstones is ended in stock and you don't have it anymore, by choosing this action you will remove all the products using this gemstone from all the marketplaces in order to avoid overselling.
The same action can be chosen if some of your products is ended in stock and should be removed from selling.
After the appropriate action is taken, the alert for this specific product/gemstone is marked as read in the alerts list, and you'll not receive it again.
If you are used to take the same action each time your products/gemstones reach quantity alert value, you can define it beforehand in the stock settings:
http://manager.valigara.com/module/Stock/stock_settings/
- Ignore
This action is defined by default, it means that stock alerts will not appear on the system pages, and you should constantly review your stocks to keep them updated.
- Alert for action
Choosing this action you'll keep receiving system notifications about products/gemstones reached quantity alert value.
- Remove from all channels
If this action is defined, products/gemstones reached quantity alert value will be removed from the selling automatically and you'll not receive the system alert on them.
How do I add bulk images to products?
There are several ways to upload products images in Valigara system:
- If you have your jewelry pictures on a remote server, you can define URLs (links) to them in Excel file
- If your jewelry pictures are stored on your computer, you can upload them via "Product images upload" page:
http://manager.valigara.com/products_bulk_images.php
Please pay attention to the instructions for creating matching pictures names to allow bulk images upload.
How do I manage my stocks?
One of the main advantages of Valigara system is the ability to manage common stock of catalog products on different marketplaces together with materials stock management.
Inventory - products stock
Stock management is available on the Inventory page:
http://manager.valigara.com/module/Stock/stock_products/
For each one of the catalog products quantity of currently available items in stock can be defined in the "Quantity" field. Also, you can define the "Quantity alert" for each product that will send a reminder to the system Dashboard screen when a specific item is about to end, so that you'll be able to keep your stock updated all the time.
For mass quantities update the function "Update quantities" can be used.
Products - Unrepeatable items
From our experience, not all the jewelry items can be repeated, some of them are unique and one-time products only. It's very important to avoid an overselling for this type of products, especially if they are presented on several marketplaces simultaneously.
Valigara allows to define such a product as "Unrepeatable item" and when the last one of available items in stock is sold, the product will be removed automatically from all the marketplaces.
Please pay attention, that there are some situations when a marketplace doesn't allow to remove a listing, for example, when an eBay auction listing has a bid. In the case of marketplace restrictions, the overselling for "Unrepeatable item" should be managed manually.
Inventory - metals stock
In addition to products stock the system allows to manage materials (metals and gems) stock.
In the same way as you can define "Quantity" and "Quantity alert" for ready products, you can define available "Weight" for each one of the metals you use in your work and receive low stock alerts using "Weight alert".
Inventory - gemstones stock
Valigara system offers an exclusive possibility for managing common stock of loose gemstones and jewelry items that allows you to offer the same gemstone as a loose gemstone and as a part of a jewelry item at the same moment.
For example, you have a single round diamond 0.5ct SI1 F in your stock (checked as Unique) and you posted it as a loose diamond for sale. Also, you offer for a sale a solitaire ring with this diamond. At the moment your ring is sold, the loose gemstone listing also removed from sale (if there are no marketplace restrictions).
The full information about gemstones stock settings you can find here:
http://manager.valigara.com/module/Stock/stock_settings/
Orders - Sold products
An important part of efficient stock management is revision of sold products. For each one of them you can choose a system action that seems you the most suitable for this moment. For example, you can remove the product from all marketplaces, re-post again to the marketplace it was sold on and so on.
The system also allows to define an automatic product stock management settings:
http://manager.valigara.com/module/Stock/stock_settings/
When the automatic products stock update is active and new order arrives, the available quantity of this product will be reduced automatically on all marketplaces according to the ordered quantity. For example, if you have a specific ring with available quantity 3 on eBay and Etsy and 1 is sold on eBay, so after the auto-update this ring will be in quantity 2 on eBay and Etsy.
To make automatic products stock more flexible, there are additional options:
- Order status for quantity update - you can define that the quantity update occurs or when a new order arrives or just when a paid order arrives or when your order is marked as sent so on.
- Automatic stock refill - for repeatable products you can define that when your stock for such product comes to zero, it's automatically increased up to the refill value on all marketplaces. If auto-refill is not defined and your stock for some product comes to zero, this product is removed from all marketplaces (if there are no marketplace restrictions).
How do I import loose stone products to system?
In Valigara system you can manage loose gemstone products as well as jewelry products.
To import a loose gemstone product, you need to define in the Excel a type "Loose" for it together with all other required information including title and price for each channel.
Calculating product prices
How do I import my products to Valigara?
If your catalog is not presented on an online marketplace as eBay or Etsy, you can prepare the products in Excel file and import them into the Valigara manager.
Preparing Excel file
On "Products import/update" system page you can download an example of Excel format to start working with:
http://manager.valigara.com/products_bulk.php
In this file you can find most of fields that can be used to define your products technical details in very accurate way (metals and gemstones information, weights, sizes...) as well as information for marketplace listings (description, titles, prices...). Also, it's possible to add more fields to this format if needed.
To make the work with Excel more convenient, we marked all mandatory fields in red, added explanations for each field in comments and also prepared several products for example.
Importing Excel file
After Excel is ready, you can go to the "Products import/update" page and upload it using Import option.
Please pay attention that Excel formatting (Format cells) and formulas are not supported by Valigara. So before you import your file, please check that it contains values only.
On the next step you are asked to choose/create the import format for your file that will define the connection between each one of your Excel fields and appropriate field in the system. For your convenience, we prepared an import format "Valigara-default" based of the example Excel file. If you made some updates to the example Excel, you'll need to adjust this import format accordingly.
Generally, Valigara allows to define as many Excel formats as you may need. For example, format for rings that contains fields with info about ring size and sizes range, format for earrings that provides details for fastening type, earrings style and so on. For each one of the Excels you can define a matching import format in the system.
Managing products images
There are several ways to upload products images in Valigara system:
- If you have your jewelry pictures on a remote server, you can define URLs (links) to them in Excel file
- If your jewelry pictures are stored on your computer, you can upload them via "Product images upload" page:
http://manager.valigara.com/products_bulk_images.php
Please pay attention to the instructions for creating matching pictures names to allow bulk images upload.
- If you prefer to upload images to your products one by one, you can use the "Products images" option:
http://manager.valigara.com/products_images.php
You are welcome to choose the most suitable way for your products images managing.
How can I add additional field to product?
- String - short text/note, a single line. Examples of system fields: "Dimensions", "eBay title".
- Text - large amount of text. Can include special characters, end of lines etc. Example: "Description" field.
- Whole number - Example: "Quantity".
- Fractional number - Examples: "Width", "Length".
- Yes/No - Examples: "Unrepeatable", "Not for sale".
- Select Multiple - used for fields in them several values can be defined at the same time. Example: "Tags", "Etsy materials".
- Select Single - used for fields in them only one value can be selected from a pre-defined list. Examples: "eBay category", "Etsy category".
- Price - field type participating in prices calculation or pricing formulas application. Example: "Reseller price", "Amazon price".
- Length - field type for defining the lenght parameters. This field can be automatically recalculated according to different channels requirements, in MM, INCH, FEET etc.
Managing multiple price levels for your jewelry
In addition to having unique prices for your online marketplaces (eBay, Etsy, Amazon, Bonanza etc), Valigara allows setting additional price levels: for example for distributors, shops, large networks and small retailers, your dedicated online catalog and many other...
It is possible to define as many prices as needed, by creating additional fields in Catalog->Additional Fields. Simply define "prices" in new field's set, and it will appear with all other prices.
To create prices easily, use "Calculate prices" in System menu in the Catalog page.
For example, set "Shop price" = "Purchase price" + 30%
What is Image storage page?
Image storage page allows adding images to system to future use with import.
Sometimes we require the same image to be used in several products. For example, putting for sale a ring in many sizes, when we prefer to have each size to be a different product in our jewelry catalog. Or adding a beautiful jewelry box picture to each product in the catalog... The simple way would be posting the image to each product. Which is
- bulky
- requires lot of work
- in case we decide to use a different picture, we must go one-by-one to update it in all products.
This is why we created Image storage page. Instead of uploading the picture to each product, it is possible to store it in central place. On uploading it receives it's own link, accessible from everywhere on the Internet. Using this URL, it is possible to re-use it in any place you want, including products, templates, emails and more!
eBay
Can I list to international eBay sites?
How does eBay Smart Repost work?
Can I automate eBay Best Offer acceptance?
You can easily automate eBay Best Offer acceptance or decline on an account level in a simple one-time setting in Channels > eBay settings > Account settings.
Make sure the 'Best Offer' option is 'Enabled' and set Min/Max values to accept or to decline the offer automatically for all listings in this account.
In addition, there is an ability to set different Min/Max values on a product level while posting/revising.
eBay basic tips
- Titles
- Pictures
- Item specifics
- Scheduled post
- Renew
- Sales
- Auctions
What is eBay Store mapping on eBay account settings?
eBay Store categories mappings make it easier to post your jewelry and gemstones to eBay. Select any field in your Valigara catalog, which will define in which category of your eBay Store your items will be posted. Note that eBay allows each product to appear in 2 Store categories, therefore it you can define 2 different Valigara fields for "eBay Category 1" and "eBay Category 2".
F.i.: 1) for Store Category 1, select Model Type to be the local field. 2) for each eBay store category, select the local value in Type, e.g. all products with Ring in Type will go to "Rings" category in your eBay store etc.
What is Item Specific mapping on eBay account settings?
Item Specific mapping allows you to define what Item Specific values will be used for each eBay category you post your jewelry in. Select the desired eBay category, click "Add Mapping" and change from "Automatic" to define what system field or specific value will be used to fill this Item Specific. This will override the default Valigara settings. For every category, set the desired eBay value / local system field to fill in all eBay suggested Item Specifics. Also, you can add your own Custom Item Specific.
Use "Value" to select the specific value into the item specific;
Use "System field" to select, from where Valigara will automatically take the values while posting the items.
Use "custom" to add your own eBay Item Specific to the list of eBay-suggested Item Specifics
Listing management
Handling certificates and packaging images in listings
How Posting Templates work?
Linking social networks to online stores
What is Relisting Tolerance?
How does the Posting tolerance work?
In some cases jewelry can't be posted to the external marketplaces as eBay, Amazon or Etsy exactly at the scheduled time. Valigara will keep trying until it succeeds. Posting tolerance defines the precision in time, how your items should be posted. The system calculates the difference between the planned time and the current time and stops once the difference is larger than the defined posting tolerance.
For example:
Scheduled posting time to eBay: 18:30
Posting tolerance: 60 minutes
Valigara will retry posting your jewelry till 19:30, and stop pushing your jewelry to eBay at 19:31
How to schedule tasks in Valigara?
Valigara's power is the unique ability of automation for all channels-related processes.
Valigara offers an extensive scheduling system, which will allow you to run the selected operation in the desired time. This might include almost any task performed in Valigara, f.i. posting your jewelry to eBay, Etsy or any other marketplaces, mass-revise or remove jewelry on the marketplace etc.
To make scheduling more powerfull, create scheduling templates that will run automatically until cancelled. Schedulers can run daily / weekly / monthly / on selected days of the week. For every scheduler you might define how many times the scheduler will run.
1. Create Scheduling task. F.i. "Daily Etsy random items renew" or "New items eBay post - Sunday 17:00 - 21:00"
2. While performing operation in Valigara, use the predefined or custom scheduling template, f.i. use the "New items eBay post - Sunday eve" while performing mass-post to eBay, so that your jewelry will get to eBay on Sunday evening in the desired posting hours.
How can I import existing listings from my eBay/Etsy/Amazon stores?
After the desired eBay/Etsy/Amazon/Rapnet or other account is connected to Valigara system through the setup process, you can import your active listings from these accounts into the system.
To do this, use the appropriate system action from the Catalog page, f.i. Etsy=>Import from Etsy
If you have defined several accounts for the channel, you need to import listings from each account apart. For example, if you connected your 2 Etsy shops to Valigara (created 2 accounts on Etsy channel), in Catalog page go to import action and select the shop you want to select your jewelry listings from. Valigara will automatically create products from the listings and link the original listings.
* Go to Catalog page
Can I create PDF version of my jewelry catalog?
Yes!
Valigara allows you to create the printed version of your catalog directly from the system. The exported catalog is very agile. For each catalog You can define
- what jewelry to include into the specific catalog. you can select items manually or use your inventory parameters (title, jewelry type, metals and gemstones, categories etc.) for bulk selection of your jewerly.
- how to sort your jewelry in the printed catalog - by title, price or other parameter
- price - you can use both one of the existing price levels, f.i. eBay price, Etsy price etc., or create
- show / hide the detailed information about your jewelry
How do I bulk insert my jewelry items into Valigara?
Valigara provides several import options of your jewelry. Except of creating your online jewelry catalog one-by-one in the system, you can:
- Import your items from Excel or other data file, using the our integrated importing system. Not only the technical information can be imported but also prices, commercial information and even product images. Images can be both copied from an online storage or uploaded directly from your computer and automatically assigned to your jewelry by our Picture Manager.
- Import your jewelry catalog from your online jewelry stores on Etsy, eBay, Amazon or loose diamonds catalog from Rapnet. Valigara will keep existing items active, while linking them to the system, so you can migrate smoothly, without having any downtown in your online store.
Can I import existing items from my eBay/Etsy/Rapnet account?
How do I add products catalog to Facebook?
To add the products catalog to your Facebook, enter CHANNELS page in your administration page and click "Facebook settings" in the left menu bar. The current status of Facebook Link (at the top of the page) is Not Linked. After you click "Change" button, you'll be able to choose the Facebook page you want to add catalog to. Please make sure that you have the administrator's permission on the desired page. When the integration process is finished, the status of the Facebook Link will be updated. On your Facebook page you will see the "Valigara Jewelry Catalog" link to the catalog in Links list.
Orders management
Can i print barcodes of my products?
Can I print Packing slips for orders?
Yes.
In orders list, select the orders you would like to print Packing slip for, and use the "Print packing slips" under System actions. Packing slips can save a lot of routine work an mistakes , while sending your jewelry. To use packing slips better, remember to complete all your company details, including the logo if you have one, because they will appear on the slip.
Can I print Shipping labels for packages?
Yes!
Shipping labels for packages can save a lot of routine work an mistakes , while sending your jewelry. To use labels better, remember to complete all your company details, because they will appear on the label.
Can I export all my orders to Excel?
Yes.
1. In orders list, select the desired orders.
2. Under System action, choose the "Export to Excel"
Voila! :)
Can I manually add an order to orders list?
Yes.
In orders list, click "Add order manually" and enter all the required information, including client name, purchased jewelry etc.
How can I identify fake offers on eBay / Etsy?
Since jewelry items are expensive, you'll receive fake purchase offers from time to time. Following are some characteristics that will help you to identify them:
- You received it immediately after posting the item, usually an expensive one
- The "buyer" is new on Etsy /eBay - you can see that he joined the marketplace on the day of "purchase". User has no purchases, no favorites and no items for sale.
- "Buyer" doesn't call you by name, just "Seller"
- "Buyer" doesn't mention any specific item, just common words
- "Buyer" asks to contact him by personal mail and finish the purchase outside the marketplace
- "Buyer" asks for your PayPal details On Etsy fake offers usually arrive to the "Spam" folder.
Clients management
- search and filter clients by purchase history, related products and products-related data
- view buyers information and orders history
- manually add clients to the list
- export and import clients from / into Excel
- add internal comments to clients
- save wholesale-related settings for clients
- create specific catalogs for each distributor
- set specific price levels based on existing pricing or create unique pricing for specific distributor
- export catalogs to PDF for easy communication with resellers
Importing marketplace history to Valigara
Can I import my existing clients into Valigara?
Using email templates for automatic emails
- automatic emails sent to the client on the specific action, f.i. new order received, order shipped etc.
- There are pre-defined email template for each action(trigger).
- It can be customized, including Subject and HTML content, and set active / inactive.
- Use integrated hashtags (such as #Client_name#) to make the email personal and effective.
- CRM emails for communication with your existing clients: email marketing, updates on new products and offers etc
- For the effective email marketing work with your clients base you can create as many templates as needed by pressing ‘Create new’ and Save templates for later use.
- The fully customize-able HTML format, including the integrated hashtags (such as #Client_name#) allows you to create more personalized and appealing email.
- Use templates by making the selection of the relevant clients in the Clients List page -> "Compose email to selected"
How can I contact my existing clients using Valigara?
VCatalog – Valigara online jewlery catalog and mini-site
What is VCatalog
VCatalog - Valigara online jewelry catalog - is a mini-site, automatically created by Valigara system for instantly showcasing your jewelry online. VCatalog is a basic eCommerce website for your jewelry. It creates your own Point Of Presence (POP) and allows you to start selling your jewelry online with no additional efforts and expenses.
VCatalog is developed for work both with resellers and private buyers. VCatalog allows you to:
- create variety of online and printable catalogs of your jewelry
- set different prices levels and currencies for different clients types
- define customized catalogs according to special reseller needs
- provide discounts to your registered clients
- target additional audiences with more relevant catalogs
- other settings that can help you to market your products in the most optimal way.
The default online catalog (for Anonymous client) displays all of your jewelry in automatic mode, having the ability to make purchases online disabled. You can find a link to this catalog on the My Account page or at Channels=>Catalogs page.
VCatalog operates at the Valigara domain, or can be connected to your dedicated business domain by enabling the Co-Branding feature.
Setting up the main catalog
1. Add a top banner for the catalog, define policies, SEO and other settings on the Channels=>Catalog Settings page.
2. Set up price type, currency and payment terms for your default catalog by editing the Anonymous client settings (clicking the EDIT tool on the right).
Automatic / Manual products selection
Anonymous client page settings allow you to switch the catalog display mode from automatic to manual.
- If the checkbox "Show all products" is checked in Anonymous client, all products in Valigara system (except of "NOT FOR SALE" products) are shown automatically in the online catalog, with the most recent products shown first.
- If the checkbox "Show all products" is not checked, you can select manually the jewelry to appear in VCatalog (clicking the VIEW CATALOG tool on the right of Anonymous client) and also set the order for each one of the selected products in the catalog. Therefore, in the manual mode, each time you create new products in Valigara system, you need to add them to VCatalog manually.
3. Your clients can make purchases directly from VCatalog. This requires the integration of PayPal payment system into Valigara. To do this, PayPal API signature has to be created in Dashboard=>My account -> PayPal tab. The orders from VCatalog will appear in the Orders page together with all other integrated sales channels.
When your default catalog is ready, you can send it's link to your potential clients as well as start promoting it as any website.
Creating online/printable jewelry catalogs
In addition to the main catalog, VCatalog allows creating customized online catalogs of your jewelry and gemstones, according to your resellers' and marketing needs. These catalogs can be used by targeting new potential distributors and sales channels, providing information regarding new products in your catalog to existing customers etc.
Valigara automatically creates an unique link (URL) to each online catalog you create. Each catalog can be available publicly or only to the specific person, f.i. your preferred client.
It is also easy to create the printable PDF version of your catalog right in the system.
Use the Channels=>Catalogs system page to create catalogs of your jewelry.
How do I define prices for resellers in my VCatalog?
In each distributor's profile you can choose if to use one of the existing prices in the system, or create his own independent prices level. This might be useful if you have both pre-defined levels of discounts for your jewelry resellers, and also have special agreements with some of your jewelry distributors.
If you want to provide the specific discount rate from one of your existing prices in the system, type the desired value in "Discount" field and select the base price from the list of prices the "Price to show" list. Valigara will automatically calculate the updated price, which your reseller will see after he enters his private area in your VCatalog.
If you want to define independent prices for specific reseller, you can add a stand-alone price field. Go to Catalog -> Additional Fields. Create additional numeric field and attach it to Prices set. Save the change, and the field will appear in all products in your jewelry catalog. Fill the required values in the new field. Select the new price in "Price to show" field in the distributor's profile.
Examples:
- define a 15% discount from eBay price.
- Create the additional field "Wallmart price" and select it in "Price to show" field.
*Go to Clients
*Go to Additional Fields
Statistics and analytics
What is Online Health?
Valigara's main goal is to help jewelers improve their online sales. For this purpose we've created a unique ONLINE HEALTH algorithm, which takes into account most factors, influencing the online sales level. Some of them relate to your work with the system, such as missing information about products. Some are more general such as changes in your potential clients' visits in online stores. Following the Online Health suggestions helps staying tuned to your online stores' needs, and to improve and maintain good sales level.
The parameters, monitored by our Online Health algorithm are visible on the system Dashboard, according to the active channels. The algorithm defines the current state: well-performing parameters are colored GREEN, the YELLOW color means that the performance by this parameter needs some attention, and RED alerts that the requirements are not filled and can significantly harm your online performance.
Best practices
What are Content Generators (Templates)?
- Title generators create clear text. They offere very advanced options like Lengts limiting, Priority, Upper Case automation, Scramble and other. This is useful for eBay titles, Etsy tags, Amazon bullets.
- Description generators are able to create full HTML. The fully visual integrated editor allows to create any type of HTML, including links, pictures or any other media. This is useful for eBay templates, Website content etc.
- You can built as many templates as needed, and apply them on products from Catalog -> System actions menu.
- Use Title Generators to easily create content for similar items (f.i. different size / metal / gemstone variation of one Solitaire Ring)
What is Valigara Social Module?
Linking Valigara to your social accounts allows you for automatically posting the information about your jewelry to your social pages.
For example, Valigara can automatically post 3 most popular items from your eBay shop, each Friday at 18:00 PM, to your Pinterest board. Or post 2 random items form your Etsy jewelry collection to your Facebook page, each Monday 12:00. Your jewelry picture, eBay/Etsy price and link to the active eBay/Etsy listing will be shown in your Pinterest board / Facebook timeline.
The Social marketing module plays an important role in creating the engagement with your existing clients and helps converting them into returning customers. Use the social module to cross-promote your products in your social networks. By creating the continuous inflow of your jewelry in your fan pages, you keep your fans and their networks aware of your most relevant offers, new / popular products etc. This engagement process supports your brand, your social activity, and prepares the background for the next sale.
The Valigara supported social networks are:
- Google +
- Tumblr
- Flicker
Social marketing converts buyers into returning buyers, and utilizes their networks to expand your market reach to more then 2 Billion social network users!
How does Valigara help the wholesale jewelry business?
Wholesale plays an important role in online jewelry sales. We at Valigara identify and address two ways of finding the jewelry wholesale business partners:
- Finding new re-sellers and distributors for your products. There are many ways to do this online, like professional social networks such as LinkedIn, wholesale marketplaces and business indexes such as Alibaba or Rapnet, and simple search engines which provide information about local jewelry stores, jewelry distribution networks etc.
- Conversion from retail clients to wholesale. This is quite common on large marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon. Local businesses and boutiques start the relations by placing small orders, learning the products quality, communication and clients service, and later initiate the larger wholesale orders of your jewelry or gemstones.
Valigara provides complete set of tools for wholesale jewelry and diamond sales online.
- Integration with Alibaba.com - the leading international wholesale trading platform online in the world. With Valigara you can showcase your jewelry and diamonds on the B2B platform, and stay synchronized with your retail sales.
- Integration with Rapnet.com - the central online diamond trading platform. Showcase your diamonds on the B2B platform, leaving your diamonds and gemstones on all major marketplaces and your website.
- Regular / reseller clients - Valigara CRM supports separation for retail / wholesale clients. Define custom prices, discounts and catalogs for each reseller to create the unique and effective proposal.
- The integrated VCatalog jewelry minisite allows the online purchase for registered users, with online payment and advanced tools for following up the purchase process.
- VShop - the Valigara based jewelry eCommerce website for professionally selling your jewelry and diamonds online allows you to create and promote your online brand. This selling channel is critical for working with your existing clients and for promoting your wholesale jewelry business to new markets.
- Use the Catalogs selection to create unique online / PDF / printed catalogs of your jewelry. This can be an excellent tool for marketing your jewelry and gemstones collection online, trade shows, in email marketing etc. Use catalogs and VCatalog to effectively address thousands of distributors on LinkedIn and other professional networks, answers the inbound requests, execute effective email marketing and more.
- Valigara dropshipping module is unique interface which automates the work in this alternative sales and marketing solution.
- The Social marketing module plays an important role in creating the engagement with your existing clients and helps converting them into returning customers.
These tools cover multiple possible strategies, and add your wholesale business new directions. Important is that all this happens under one roof with your retail business, making the distribution of your jewelry much more effective.
Photographing your jewelry for eCommerce
Good photos of your jewelry are the must-have for online sales. Considering the fact that the potential buyer cannot try and feel the jewelry on his body , visual information is the only one he can use to create his impression.
Your jewelry photography for eCommerce varies from taking pictures for the fashion catalog. It might not require the top-level processing and chick quality, with that there are few very important points:
