Creating and Managing Private Products

Creating Products — One at a Time

How to Get There

1. From the main menu, go to Catalogs
2. Select the Private catalog tab
3. Click the New button in the toolbar

Step 1: Create the Product Group

A dialog opens with these fields:

Click Save to create the product group. The manufacturer is automatically created if it doesn't exist.

Step 2: Add a Product (Variation)

After saving the product group, a side panel opens to create the first product:

Click Save to create the product.

Step 3: Set Pricing & Inventory

After creating the product, open it from the catalog list to access the Pricing & Inventory section:

Click Save to apply pricing and inventory.

Important: This is a separate step from creating the product. Products created via the UI or CSV import do not have inventory set automatically. You must come back to each product (or use a bulk import) to set quantities and sale prices. Without inventory, products will not appear on your webstore if In-Stock Only is enabled.

Step 4: Add Vehicle Fitment (Optional)

In the Vehicle Fitment section of the product detail panel:

1. Enter the Year, Make, and Model (all three are required)
2. Click Add
3. Repeat for each vehicle the product fits
4. To remove a fitment entry, click the trash icon next to it

Fitment data helps customers find your products when searching by vehicle on your webstore.

Adding More Variations

To add more variations to an existing product group:

1. Click the product group name in the catalog list
2. In the Product Group dialog, click Create New Product
3. Fill in the variation details (different size, color, option, etc.)
4. Save

Creating Products — Bulk CSV Import

For adding many products at once, use the CSV import feature.

How to Get There

1. From the main menu, go to File Center
2. Click Import Products (Job Type: Private Catalog: Import Products)
3. Download the template CSV file
4. Fill in your data
5. Upload the completed CSV file
6. Click Submit

In the example the Product Group is CL-17 Punisher 2 Helmet.  MPN: 862-757 is the Product.

The import runs as a background job. When complete, a results report is available for download showing success/failure for each row.

CSV File Requirements

• Format: Comma-delimited CSV
• Maximum file size: 12 MB
• Encoding: UTF-8 recommended

CSV Columns

How the Import Works

• Manufacturers are matched by name. If a manufacturer doesn't exist, it is created automatically.
• Product Groups are matched by manufacturer name + product group name. If a group doesn't exist, it is created. If it exists, it is updated.
• Products are matched by manufacturer part number within the product group. If a product doesn't exist, it is created. If it exists, it is updated with the new data.
• Images from the Product.image_url       column are downloaded and attached to the product. Multiple images can be supplied by separating URLs with semicolons (;      ). Duplicate images (same file content) are automatically skipped.

Tip: You can use the CSV import to update existing products. Simply include the same Manufacturer Name and Manufacturer Part Number with updated field values. The importer will match and update instead of creating duplicates.

CSV Import Results

After the job completes, download the results file. It includes your original data plus additional columns:

• Notes       — "Success" or an error message for each row
• _Manufacturer.id       — The assigned manufacturer ID
• _ProductGroup.id       — The assigned product group ID
• _Product.id       — The assigned product ID

Review the Notes column to identify any rows that failed and why.

Importing Fitment Data

Vehicle fitment can be imported separately:

1. Go to File Center
2. Click Import Fitment (Job Type: Private Catalog: Import Fitment)
3. Download the fitment template

Exporting Products

To export your Private Catalog:

1. From the catalog list, select the products you want to export (or select all)
2. Click Export in the toolbar
3. Choose Shelf Quantities
4. The export runs as a background job and produces a CSV file

The exported CSV can be edited and re-imported to update products in bulk.

Deleting Products

1. Navigate to Catalogs > Private
2. Select the product(s) you want to remove
3. Click the red Delete button in the toolbar

Deleting a product removes it from the Private Catalog, the webstore, and any marketplace listings. If it was the last product in its group, the webstore product page is also removed. This action cannot be undone.

Maintaining Your Private Catalog

Unlike Aftermarket products that receive automatic inventory updates from distributors, private products require ongoing manual maintenance. Here's what your day-to-day workflow looks like after initial setup.

Setting Inventory After Adding Products

Creating a product — whether through the UI or CSV import — does not automatically set its quantity or sale price. After adding new products, you need to:

1. For individual products: Open the product from the catalog list, go to Pricing & Inventory, set the quantity and sale price, and click Save
2. For bulk updates: Use the Shelf Quantities import in the File Center to set quantities across many products at once

If you skip this step, your new products will have zero quantity. With In-Stock Only enabled, they will not appear on your webstore or marketplace listings.

Restocking & Quantity Updates

When new inventory arrives:

• Individual updates: Open the product > Pricing & Inventory > Update the quantity > Save
• Bulk updates: Export your current catalog (Catalogs > Private > Export > Shelf Quantities), update the quantities in your spreadsheet, and re-import through the File Center

Quantities decrement automatically when a customer purchases a product. You do not need to manually reduce stock after sales — only restock when new inventory comes in.

Price Updates

• Update sale prices through the Pricing & Inventory section on individual products
• For bulk price changes, re-import your products via CSV with updated MSRP values, then update sale prices through the Shelf Quantities import or individually

Monitoring Out-of-Stock Products

If In-Stock Only is enabled (Settings > Webstore), products with zero quantity are automatically hidden from your webstore. Regularly check your catalog for items that have sold out and either restock them or remove them if discontinued.

Removing Discontinued Products

When a product is no longer available:

• Set quantity to 0 if you may restock later (hides it from the webstore if In-Stock Only is enabled)
• Delete the product if it is permanently discontinued (Catalogs > Private > Select products > Delete). This removes it from the webstore and all marketplace listings and cannot be undone.

Best Practices

Planning Your Product Structure

1. Be consistent with manufacturer names. Pick a naming convention and stick with it. "Smith's Custom Parts" and "Smiths Custom Parts" will create two separate manufacturers. The system matches by exact name.
2. Think of product groups as your listing pages. Each product group becomes one page on your webstore. Group variations (sizes, colors) under the same product group name so customers see all options in one place.
3. Use meaningful part numbers. The Manufacturer Part Number is your primary SKU and cannot be changed after creation. Use a system that makes sense for your business (e.g., prefix by category: "HELM-001", "TIRE-BLK-SM").
4. Fill in size, color, and option fields. These fields become selectable variation options on your webstore. If you have a helmet in three sizes, create three products under the same product group with different Size values.

Using CSV Import Effectively

• Start with the template. Always download the template CSV first and follow its column structure exactly.
• Build your data in a spreadsheet. Use Excel or Google Sheets to prepare your data, then export to CSV.
• Watch for trailing spaces. Extra spaces at the end of cell values (especially manufacturer names, product group names, and MPNs) will cause mismatches. "Tucker Rocky" and "Tucker Rocky " are treated as two different manufacturers. Trim your data before importing.
• Import in batches. If you have thousands of products, break them into batches of a few hundred. This makes it easier to identify and fix errors.
• Use the import for updates. The importer matches existing products by Manufacturer Name + Part Number. You can re-import with updated MSRP, descriptions, or images without creating duplicates.
• Set inventory after import. The CSV import sets product details but does not set shelf quantities or sale prices. After importing, use the Shelf Quantities import (File Center) or set inventory individually through the product detail panel.
• Keep a master spreadsheet. Maintain a master spreadsheet of your private products. When you need to update, modify the spreadsheet and re-import.

Quick Reference