Creating and Using SynSets

Creating and Using SynSets

What Are SynSets?

SynSets(tm) is a word that was created for Shipedge and is a combination of the words Synonym (aka alias) and Sets (aka bundle). They serve two very important purposes when it comes to doing eCommerce online and the way some merchants and vendors market and sell their products. SynSets allows you to sell bundles of the same product or even to sell the same product in multiple different ways. Shipedge provides this flexibility to understand the marketing tactics used by online retailers by setting up the SKU synonyms and sets of multiple SKUs (bundles).

Using SynSets In Shipedge – Example

Now that you understand what a SynSet actually is and the thought process that lead to the creation of its function you are probably wondering how you would use this feature in your own store or Shipedge account. I will give you an example of a couple of situations where using SynSets would be best.

Example 1: Selling A Bundle/Special Package Giveaway on your site

Synsets are ultimately a way of translating inventory, and that can mean translating three separate SKUs into one synset. If you sell hot sauce (JALSAUCE1, HABSAUCE1, GHOSTSAUCE1), you will want to have each as a separate SKU in Shipedge to track their inventory, but in the shopping cart, these could also be sold as a bundle (SAUCEBOX). In this case, you can create a synset titled SAUCEBOX, and associate these three SKUs with the Synset. Orders can then enter the system with one SKU: SAUCEBOX and the synset will automatically translate it in the order to the three SKUs in the box.

Example 2: Selling The Same Product On Different Selling Channels

Another use of Synsets is the first part: Synonyms. This is valuable when the SKU in the cart, or carts, does not match the SKU in Shipedge. For example, if you ghost pepper sauce in Amazon as AMZGHOST, Etsy as ETSYGHOST, and Ebay as EBAYGHOST, but the SKU in Shipedge is just GHOSTSAUCE1, you can create synsets to translate the correct SKU into the order. For Amazon, you would title the synset AMZGHOST and associate GHOSTSAUCE1 with it. For Etsy, the Synset will be titled ETSYGHOST, and for Ebay it would be EBAYGHOST. When orders come into Shipedge through the integration server, the SKU names will automatically be translated into Shipedge showing GHOSTSAUCE1.

1. Deciding What You Want To Do

The first step is deciding what exactly it is you want to accomplish with your SynSets and then organizing the different types of products you will be offering on your Shopping Cart/Selling Channel. Organize it so you know how many different options you will offer online and then also organize how many actual different products you will have.

In the picture/example above we have 2 different SKUs and will be offering it 3 different ways each so I would need 6 total SKUs on my shopping cart and 2 actual SKUs in Shipedge. I’ll try and make it simple by naming my two actual Shipedge SKUs = SKU1 and SKU2. I would then name the different options in my Shopping cart as the following: SKU1_A, SKU1_B, SKU1_C, SKU2_A, SKU2_B, and SKU2_C.

2. Creating SKUs In Selling Channel/Shopping Cart

Using the example above we would now know that we need to have 6 different SKUs created in our selling channel/shopping cart. Each channel and cart is different but you should be familiar with how to create SKUs and products within them. Go ahead and create the number of SKUs that you will be needing within your own channel.

3. Going To SynSet Page In Shipedge

Now you will log on to your Shipedge account and go to the Inventory tab in the main menu and select SynSets from the drop-down.

3.1 Click Add SynSet on SynSet Page

Click on Create Synset on the SynSet Page sub-menu.

3.2 Enter A SynSet Title/Description

You can enter the title of your SynSet on this page as well as a quick description letting your own team and the warehouse know a little about the reasoning behind this SynSet and then hit Continue to move forward. 

3.3 Selecting SKUs that will be included/associated with this SynSet

1. Search & Insert Necessary SKUs – You will be shown a list/table of all the SKUs that are in your account along with their current stock level/UnitsInStock. You can filter or search for certain SKUs and when you find the ones that will be associated with this SynSet just click on the INSERT button for that SKU.
2. Review/Edit Associated SKUs – The 2nd table in the middle is where the associated SKUs will appear after you click the INSERT button on the table below. You can review to make sure you have all the necessary SKUs as well as edit or Delete them if you make a mistake.
3. Submit SynSet – The first yellow table at the top just shows the title and description of the current SynSet you are creating/mapping and is where you will go when you are finished associating and inserting SKUs. Click the Submit when you are completely finished and ready to create the SynSet.

4. Viewing Current SynSets

When you have hit the Submit button on the last screen you will be taken back to the initial SynSet page in Shipedge where you will be able to view all your current SynSets. The newer ones are near the bottom and you can View, Edit or Delete any SynSet you wish to. You can also see the first couple of SKUs associated with a SynSet in the second column. The Available column just shows the quantity of the SKUs within that SynSet that are available to ship.