What can we help with?

💲The eTailPet system allows you to add and update vendor-specific unit costs, as well as your store's retail prices. This article will provide an overview of how to set up vendor accounts, update vendor costs, and change retail prices, so keep reading to see how to do all of that yourself!

😸Please Note: This article gives an overview of working with products on the My Products page and the Product Vendors page to update Price and Cost. If you want to learn about updating price and cost using the Private Product Setup page, click here.

Click a link in the list below to jump to a section.

• How to Update Vendor Costs
  • Manually Add Vendor Costs
  • Import Vendor Costs
  • Change Vendor Costs in Product Manager
    • Manually Update Costs in Product Manager
    • Import Cost Updates in Product Manager
• How to Update Retail Prices
  • Manually Update Prices
  • Import Price Updates
  • Update Prices in Product Manager

Diagram

If you need to add your Vendors to the system, you can learn how to do so here.

Vendor Contacts are accessible through My Products > Product Vendors, where you can view vendor names, vendor IDs, and contact information.

My Products includes your customized Product Universe catalog and Private Products. Most products will have a default Price. Please read this article for more information on setting up your catalog: Adding Products

Vendor Cost includes the cost a store will pay from a vendor for a product. More than one vendor can sell the same product, and each may have a different cost for each store.

Retail Price can be applied differently by store. Since the system is designed for multiple stores, you can set up the retail Price to be unique for each store, if needed. When you set a retail Price for a store, it overrides the default retail Price that is tied to the product from the Product Universe.

How to Update Vendor Costs

When a Vendor updates their prices, you will also need to update the costs in the eTailPet system. You can do so manually or import a file to update costs.

Manually Add Vendor Costs

1. Go to Manage Catalog > My Products.
2. Click on the Name of the item you want to edit. This will direct you to another page where you can view and edit full product details.
3. Click on the Vendor Details tab.
4. Select the Vendor from the drop-list in the table.
5. Enter the Vendor SKU.
6. Enter the Default Cost.
7. Enter how many units of the item you want to order from the Vendor under Order Multiple.
8. Check the box under Is Default Vendor if you want this to be the default vendor option for this product.
9. Click on the Trash Can icon on the right of the Vendor to remove the Vendor for this product.
10. Click on the Add button to add another Vendor entry for this product.
11. Click on Save to save and update your changes.

Import Vendor Costs

Step 1: Export Vendor Template File

In order to import Vendor Costs so you can update them, you first need to download the import template file. Here's where you can download a sample file:

1. Click on Manage Catalog in the eTailPet main menu.
2. Click on Product Vendors.
3. Click on Export Product-Vendor Sample.
4. Save the file to your device.

Step 2: Fill Out the Vendor Import Template

Open the file so you can edit information in the default_cost column and any other columns as needed. Make sure to save your changes. Here is an example of how the template's columns look in Microsoft Excel:

1. system_id — You can get the System ID by exporting products from your catalog. However, as long as you have a UPC, you can leave this blank. If you include system_id, be sure to check out the Tips section near the bottom of this article to make sure they are formatted correctly. Please Note: You must include either system_id OR UPC.
2. upc — If you have the system_id from a product export, you can leave the UPC field blank. If you include UPCs, be sure to check out the Tips section at the end of this article to make sure they are formatted correctly.
3. vendor_id — There is a tab in your template called Vendors that includes a list of your vendors and their IDs.
4. vendor_sku — This column is for the vendor SKU, which is supplied by the vendor. This could also be the manufacturer product ID.
5. default_cost — This column is for the default Cost for a product you purchase from this Vendor without discount.
6. is_default_vendor — Enter Yes if the Vendor is a default vendor for your store. Enter No if not.

Step 3: Import the Vendor Template

After you've finished filling out the Vendor template, you can upload it into the eTailPet system. Here's how:

1. Click on Manage Catalog in the eTailPet main menu.
2. Click on Product Vendors.
3. Click on the Import / Update Product-Vendors in the upper right. This will open two options.
4. Click on Upload Excel File.
5. Upload the file from your device.

Change Costs in Product Manager

You can use the Product Manager in the eTailPet system to apply bulk changes to product costs.

To access the Product Manager, go to Manage Catalog > Product Manager > Change or Remove Things on My Items. Each function is highlighted in the image below.

You can change products by finding them according to filters, then performing bulk actions using a drop-list. These actions will apply to all items you've selected. When you click on Change or Remove Things on My Items, you'll be directed to the Find Items to be Changed form, where you can set up filters to select items for bulk actions. Here is how to search for items using this form:

1. Search — Enter a keyword, UPC, or System ID.
2. Brands — Select a brand or multiple brands from the drop-list.
3. Categories — Select a category or multiple categories from the drop-list.
4. Item Type — Select an item type from the drop-list. Your options are:
   • Single — This is for items sold as individual items.
   • Fractional — This is for items that can be sold in varying or partial amounts, like bulk weight items.
5. Vendor — Select a Vendor of the items from the drop-list.
6. Custom Field 1 — If you've set a custom filter, you can select an option from the drop-list.
7. Custom Field 2 — If you've set a custom filter, you can select an option from the drop-list.
8. Store table to display and base changes on — Select the store for which you'll be changing items. Any actions you make towards items will only apply to the items of this store. This field is required to search for and select items.
9. Taxable — Select an option for items that are taxable or not. If you want to all taxable options, keep the selection at All.
10. Select — Click on the Select button in the upper right to pull results for items that match your filters.

Once you're redirected to your list of filtered products, you have two methods to apply changes: manually or by import. Both are explained below.

Method One: Manually Update Costs in Product Manager

1. Select the item you're updating the Vendor cost for using the checkbox. You can also select all items in the results list by checking the box in the column header.
   

2. Manually update the costs in the Vendor Cost column of the data table.

   

3. Click on Save Selected.
   

Method Two: Update Costs by Importing in Product Manager

1. Select Change Vendor Cost in the bulk actions drop-list.

2. Export the data of your results list by clicking on the Export button above the table.

3. Change your costs in the spreadsheet and save the file.

4. Import the file using the Import button above the table.

How to Update Retail Prices

Like the Vendor costs, you can update your store's prices manually, or you can import them in a file. This works for Public and Private products.

Manually Update Prices in the Main Catalog

1. Click on Manage Catalog in the main menu.

2. Click on My Products.

3. Click on the Item Name in the data table.
   
   

4. Click on the Product Details tab.

5. In the Store Price field, update the retail price.

6. Click on Save in the upper right to update the price.

Import Price Updates

You can also update prices by uploading a spreadsheet. Here's how:

1. Click on Manage Catalog in the main menu.

2. Click on My Products.

3. Click on Import / Update Products. A drop-list will open for you.

4. Click on Get Sample Excel.

5. Save the template spreadsheet file to your device.

6. If you need a list of product UPCs, you can select products by clicking on the Checkboxes.

7. Use the Export button to export them in a file.

8. Select the format for your file: CSV or XLSX.
   
9. If you want to use the internal eTailPet System ID instead of the UPC, change the header in column A from upc to internal_item_number. You can copy and paste this from the instructions tab. 
   

10. You only need to fill out the columns for upc (or internal item number, like in step 9), price, and stores. Please Note: This applies only to UPDATING prices. If you're adding new products via import, read our article on Adding and Importing Products linked below.

    • upc — Read the Tips section at the end of this article for proper formatting of UPCs.
    • price — This is the retail Price specific to your store. If the same product has different prices for different stores, then include a separate line for each store ID and price.
    • stores — Separate store IDs by commas.

Update Prices in Product Manager

You can use the Product Manager of the eTailPet system to apply bulk price changes to your products.

To access the Product Manager, go to Manage Catalog > Product Manager > Change or Remove Things on My Items. 

You'll be directed to the Find Items to be Changed form, where you can set up filters to select items for bulk actions. Here is how to search for items using this form:

1. Search — Enter a keyword, UPC, or System ID.
2. Brands — Select a brand or multiple brands from the drop-list.
3. Categories — Select a category or multiple categories from the drop-list.
4. Item Type — Select an item type from the drop-list. Your options are:
   • Single — This is for items sold as individual items.
   • Fractional — This is for items that can be sold in varying or partial amounts, like bulk weight items.
5. Vendor — Select a Vendor of the items from the drop-list.
6. Custom Field 1 — If you've set a custom filter, you can select an option from the drop-list.
7. Custom Field 2 — If you've set a custom filter, you can select an option from the drop-list.
8. Store table to display and base changes on — Select the store for which you'll be changing items. Any actions you make towards items will only apply to the items of this store. This field is required to search for and select items.
9. Taxable — Select an option for items that are taxable or not. If you want to all taxable options, keep the selection at All.
10. Select — Click on the Select button in the upper right to pull results for items that match your filters.

Once you're redirected to your list of filtered products, select products you want to change prices for by checking boxes on the left. You can also check the box in the column header to Select All or Deselect All. Above the product list, where it says I want to, select Change Retail Price from the drop-list. Click the Go button to open another window where you'll configure the price change.

Use this action to change the retail prices of all selected items from the results list, meaning the prices your customers pay for these items. Each field and function of the Change Retail Price action window is explained below:

1. Set All Prices To — If you want to set the prices of all items from the results list to the same price, enter the dollar amount here.

2. Increase All Prices By — If you want to increase the prices from the results list according to a set amount, you can enter the percentage increase on the left, or set a dollar amount increase on the right.

3. Decrease All Prices By — If you want to decrease the prices from the results list according to a set amount, you can enter the percentage decrease on the left, or set a dollar amount decrease on the right.

4. Set All Prices To — Mark up the prices from the results list based on a margin you select. Set the margin in Margin On, which is explained more below.

5. Margin On — You can choose whether to mark up the margin based on your Vendor Cost or based on average cost. Vendor Cost is the per unit cost from the default Vendor. Average Cost is the average unit cost for all purchased units

6. Round Up Prices To — Enter a dollar amount to round up all prices according to that amount. For example, if you enter 0.99 here, an item's price could be rounded up to $5.99.

7. Apply Only to Prices Over — If you choose to round up prices, you can apply that roundup to items over a certain price by entering that dollar amount here. For example, if you enter $5 in this field, the roundup would only apply to prices over $5.

8. Change on Stores — Select from the drop-list which store or stores to which this price change will apply.

9. Change Button — After you've configured your price change settings, click on Change in the bottom right to update all prices in the results list. Please Note: You cannot undo bulk actions, so be sure to double-check your items before you apply an action.

Tips for Working in Microsoft Excel

Reformat Scientific Notation in Excel

If your Product or System ID appears to have a Plus Sign symbol (+) in it, then Microsoft Excel has formatted it as scientific notation. This will cause issues with the import process, so these need to be reformatted.

1. Highlight the cells or column that you will reformat.
2. Right-click inside the highlighted cells and click on Format Cells.
3. Under Category, click on Number.
4. Set the Decimal Places to 0.
5. Click OK.

Format UPCs to Avoid Missing Leading Zeros in Excel

Excel often removes leading zeroes from a number. Since UPC is usually a 12-digit number, we can use a formula to make sure they are not deleted.

1. Insert a blank column next to the UPC column to create a temporary workspace where you can add the leading zeroes
2. In the first row of the temporary column, in the cell adjacent to the first UPC row, enter the following formula:
   =text(A2, “000000000000”)
   • Replace A2 with the cell where the first adjacent UPC is found. In the image above, for example, the formula uses E3 instead of A2. “000000000000” is 12 zeroes to represent the 12-digit UPC number.
3. Copy and past the formula into the temporary column.
4. Copy and paste the corrected UPCs from the temporary column back to the UPC column. Be sure to right-click and paste values only. (See instructions in the Change Formulas to Text section below).

Change Formulas to Text

In order to avoid having any formulas in your import sheet, you need to make sure they're converted to text.

1. Highlight the cells you want changed to text.
2. Copy the cells.
3. Right-click in the cell where you will paste the cells.
4. Click the clipboard icon with 123 in it to paste only values only. This removes formatting and pastes text.

Related Topics

Adding and Importing Products

Product Universe

Export Products

Private Product Setup

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What's the difference between Vendor Cost and Retail Price?

A: Vendor Cost is what your store pays a vendor for a product. Retail Price is what you charge customers. Retail Price can be set per store and overrides the product's default price when you do.

Q: Can I have more than one vendor for the same product?

A: Yes. Add each vendor under the Vendor Details tab for that product, then check Is Default Vendor for the one you want to use by default.

Q: Do I need both a System ID and a UPC to import vendor costs?

A: No, just one. Include either system_id or upc in your import file, not both, and make sure whichever one you use is formatted correctly (see the Excel tips section).

Q: Why does my Product or System ID show a plus sign after I open it in Excel?

A: Excel automatically converts long numbers to scientific notation. Reformat the column as a Number with 0 decimal places to get the actual ID back.

Q: Can I set different retail prices for the same product at different stores?

A: Yes. When importing, add a separate line for each store ID and price. To update manually, edit the Store Price field on that product for each store.

Q: I have a question, but I can't find my answer here. How do I get more assistance?

A: You can ask any question at the number listed here. Contact our support team at (323) 370-0738 for the U.S. and (888) 370-2363 for Canada.