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eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex

eBay extends its fulfilment program with the logistics partner Orange Connex. eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex offers eBay vendors easy, reliable and affordable fulfilment services that are specially tailored to eCommerce service standards.

Be part of the beta phase

You want to use eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex? Apply now for the beta phase.

What does outbound mean?

The term Outbound describes the sales and distribution process that the fulfilment service provider takes over for you: It packs the items, stores them temporarily and then sends them to your customers. eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex takes over the entire process for you.

1. Preparatory settings in the plentymarkets back end

Carry out the settings in the plentymarkets back end described in the following sub-chapters.

1.1. Activating an order referrer

The order referrer eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex is already available in the Setup » Orders » Order referrer menu. You only have to activate this order referrer.

Note for sellers who are already using the eBay Fulfillment solution with Fiege

If you are already using the eBay Fulfillment solution with Fiege, it is important that activate the correct order referrer eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex. You should not deactivate the order referrer for eBay Fulfillment that you used previously until the stock has been completely moved.

Activating an order referrer:

  1. In your plentymarkets back end, go to Setup » Orders » Order referrer.

  2. Search for eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex.

  3. Select the option by placing a check mark.

  4. Save () the settings.

1.2. Activating countries of delivery

eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex offers shipment to the following countries:

  • Belgium

  • Bulgaria

  • Germany

  • France (except overseas territories)

  • Greece

  • Ireland

  • Italy (except Campione d’Italia, Livigno, San Marino, Vatican City)

  • Croatia

  • Luxembourg

  • Malta

  • Netherlands (except overseas territories)

  • Austria

  • Portugal (except Azores, Madeira)

  • Romania

  • Slovakia

  • Slovenia

  • Spain (except Canary Islands, Ceuta, Melilla)

  • Czech Republic

  • Hungary

  • United Kingdom and Northern Ireland (except overseas territories)

  • Cyprus

To work correctly with these countries in plentymarkets, these countries of delivery have to be activated in your plentymarkets system.

Note

Due to the limited number of active countries of delivery, delivery restrictions via other markets might occur.

Activating countries of delivery:

  1. Go to Setup » Orders » Shipping » Settings.
    → The Countries of delivery tab opens.

  2. Use the drop-down list in the Active column to set countries of delivery to Active or Backoffice is active.
    → Note: When selecting the option Active, the country of delivery is also visible in the online store. When selecting the option Backoffice is active, the country of delivery is only visible in the plentymarkets system, but not in the online store.

  3. In the Language column, select the language you want to activate for the country of delivery.

  4. Save () the settings.

1.3. Saving the email server’s login details

In order that you send emails to your customers from your plentymarkets system, it is required that the login details of the email inbox from which you want to send the emails are saved in the plentymarkets back end.

Saving the email server’s login details:

  1. In the plentymarkets back end, go to Setup » Client » Select client » Email » Login details.

  2. Carry out the desired settings. Note the explanations in Table 1.

  3. Save () the settings.

Table 1. Saving the login details of the email server

Setting

Explanation

Test mode

Active = The test mode is activated. All emails are only sent to the saved email address. This allows you to test the settings before switching to the live mode.
Inactive = The live mode is activated.
Important: The test mode is only applied to this online store. The settings for additional clients (stores) are carried out in the client’s menu.

Name of sender

Enter your name or the name of the online store. This name is displayed to the recipient. Avoid using special characters in order to allow for correct display.

Email address

Enter the email address as it is listed in the email programme.

Outgoing mail server/SMTP server

Enter the outgoing mail server as specified by the provider (usually smtp.domain.co.uk or mail.domain.co.uk).

User name

Enter the user name that matches the email address.

Password

Enter the password that matches the user name and email address.

Port

Enter the value 465 if SSL is used as encryption method.
Enter the value 25 if no encryption is used.
Note: Otherwise, ask your provider about the correct port.

Encryption

Select SSL, TLS or No encryption.

1.4. Assigning user rights for back end users

Users of the type Back end can only access limited areas and menus in the plentymarkets back end. Thus, their access to the system is limited. If users of this type should be able to work with eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex, a user of the type Admin has to assign at least the rights listed in Table 2 to users of the type Back end.

Assigning user rights for back end users:

  1. Open the Setup » Settings » User » Rights » User menu in your plentymarkets back end.

  2. Use the search function () and open the account that should be edited.

  3. In the Authorisations area, activate the rights as listed in Table 2.

  4. Save () the settings.

Table 2. Assigning rights for back end users

Setting

Explanation

Orders > Show

Authorises back end users to see orders.

Orders > Order status > Show

Authorises back end users to see order statuses.

Orders > Order status > Update

Authorises back end users to update order statuses.

2. Settings in the assistant

The following sub-chapters describe which settings you can carry out in the single steps of the eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex assistant. You find the assistant in the Setup » Assistants menu in the Integration area.

2.1. Authentication

In the first step of the assistant, you authenticate to be able to use eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex. Open the website by clicking on the button Authenticate. Enter your login details that you received from Orange Connex.

If you then click on the button I agree on the authentication website, you receive a message that authentication was successful and you can close the browser tab and return to the assistant.

Once you are successfully authenticated and clicked on Next in the assistant, the step Authentication is no longer visible in the assistant.

2.2. Data transfer and warehouse settings

In the step Data transfer and warehouse settings, you determine whether your items and the stock shall be transferred. If you activate these options:

  • item data is automatically transferred from plentymarkets to Orange Connex at regular intervals

  • stock is automatically returned from Orange Connex to plentymarkets at regular intervals

Furthermore, you can decide whether you want to create a new warehouse for eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex or use an existing warehouse. If you create a new warehouse here, the type Sales is automatically selected and all order referrers are activated for this warehouse. The name of the warehouse is eBay Fulfillment. Creating a second warehouse is not necessary. If you select an existing warehouse, only warehouse of the type Sales are shown here.

Afterwards, you select the standard services for domestic shipment and international shipment. The services selected here are then transferred as standard service for all shipping profiles, unless you explicitly select another service in the shipping profile.

2.3. Statuses: Send/cancel outbound orders

In the step Statuses: Send/cancel outbound orders, you can save two statuses: one status for outbound orders that are ready to be sent to eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex and one status for outbound orders that were successfully sent to eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex, but that you would like to cancel again.

You can either select existing order statuses or create new statuses.

If you select an existing order status, make sure that this status is not used in any other process nor in any other event procedure. Otherwise, this may cause problems.

Create an order status for the following two occasions:

  • Send outbound order

  • Send request to cancel outbound

2.4. Statuses: reaction from eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex

In the step Statuses: reaction from eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex, you can save the statuses for outbound orders that return to your plentymarkets system as reply from eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex. The reaction from eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex always refers to outbound orders that you have already sent before.

You can either select existing order statuses or create new statuses.

If you select an existing order status, make sure that this status is not used in any other process nor in any other event procedure. Otherwise, this may cause problems.

Create a new order status or select an existing order status for the following four reactions:

  • Outbound order sent successfully

  • Outbound order rejected

  • Outbound order cancelled

  • Outbound order exception

Table 3. Order statuses for eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex

Status

Explanation

Outbound order sent successfully

If the outbound order with this status is in your plentymarkets system, the transfer to Orange Connex was successful.

Outbound order rejected

If the outbound order with this status is in your plentymarkets system, the outbound order was rejected by Orange Connex.
A reason for that might be missing item data. The reason is saved as order note.

Outbound order cancelled

If the outbound order with this status is in your plentymarkets system, Orange Connex accepted the cancellation of this outbound order.

Outbound order exception

If the outbound order with this status is in your plentymarkets system, the outbound order was rejected afterwards. This means that Orange Connex first accepted the outbound order and then rejected it afterwards.
Reasons for that might be the wrong quantity in the warehouse or a damaged item. The reason is saved as order note.
Only use free, unused order statuses

Search for free, unused order statuses and use them. Do not overwrite in any case order statuses that are already in use because they might be used in other places in your plentymarkets system (e.g. in event procedures or processes). This might cause problems.

Tip: Select the statuses between 5 and 8.

2.5. Shipping profile mapping

In the Shipping profile mapping step, you link the eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex service providers with the plentymarkets shipping profiles.

eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex determines the service providers

The service providers are determined by eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex. You cannot delete them or add new service providers. eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex decides which service provider is used for the fulfilment process. Currently, DHL, DPD, GLS, Hermes, UPS and Deutsche Post are used.

In order that you can correctly track your shipments, you have to assign a plentymarkets shipping profile to each eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex service provider. You can select an existing shipping profile or create a new shipping profile.

Creating a new shipping profile

Click on the drop-down list Shipping profile and select the entry + Create new shipping profile. plentymarkets will then automatically create a new shipping profile and a shipping service provider for you. The name of the shipping profile is composed of the name of the shipping service provider and the supplement eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex, e.g. Hermes eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex.

2.6. Summary

In this step, a summary of all entries that you made in the single steps is listed. You can take a look at all the settings that you carried out, adjust setting within the steps, if needed and complete the assistant afterwards via the summary step.

3. Setting up items and obtaining the SKU

Set up the items respectively variations that you would like to send via eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex. The variation is transferred to Orange Connex if the following requirements are met:

  • The market (order referrer) eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex was activated in the variation’s Availability tab.

  • The sales price for which the order referrer eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex is activated was saved in the variation’s Settings tab.

Orange Connex checks the variation. Once the check was successful, Orange Connex transfers the SKU automatically to plentymarkets.

Hourly check of the SKU

Note that after a positive check of the variation, it might take up to one hour until the SKU is visible at the item respectively the variation.

The following describes how to set up sales prices and the availability manually. Refer to the Using the group function chapter to learn how to use the group function to carry out these settings for all variations.

Setting up items:

  1. In the plentymarkets back end, go to Item » Edit items.

  2. Open the variation that you would like to send via eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex.
    → The main variation opens.

  3. In the Sales prices area, enter the desired sales price.

  4. Click on the Availability tab.

  5. In the Markets area, activate the options eBay, eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex and WEB API.

  6. Save () the settings.

  7. Go back to the Settings tab.

  8. In the Availability area, select the option Active.

  9. Save () the setting.
    → The item is activated and the SKU is automatically transmitted to plentymarkets.

Availability and eBay sales price have to be saved

Item master data is only transmitted from plentymarkets to eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex if the availability and the sales price for which the order referrer eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex is activated are set.

3.1. Setting up item packages (bundles)

A bundle, a so-called item package, consists of several items. The bundle price may be lower than the sum of the individual prices.

If you have already set up item packages in your plentymarkets system, there are still 2 setting options for the items that you have to carry out so that they can be processed by eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex.

3.2. Bundle of several items as a unit

The bundle consists of several items that form a unit. This means that the bundle is offered as such a unit and is sent to eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex in a single package. An SKU is assigned to the complete package.

Example of a bundle of several items as a unit

A somewhat abstract example of a "fixed" bundle is a car. The car is sold as a unit and it is not planned, for example, to just remove the steering wheel and then sell it, although the steering wheel can still be a single items.

3.2.1. Bundle of several individual items

The bundle consists of several individual items. This means that you have to set the availability in each component of this package as described in chapter Setting up items and obtaining the SKU. This means that each item in the package has its own SKU. When submitting an order to eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex, each component of the item package is treated like an individual item order.

Example of a bundle of several individual items

You sell dining room chairs and dining room tables. You also offer a combination of the items as a bundle (1 dining room table and 4 dining room chairs). In contrast to the individual prices, the bundle price is as follows:

Table 4. Example calculation of a bundle

Item

Unit price

Total price

Dining room chair

EUR 59.99

Price x 4 = EUR 239.96

Dining room table

EUR 299.99

EUR 299.99

EUR 539.95

Bundle price = EUR 499.99
eBay Fulfillment item overview
Figure 1. Overview in the Item » Edit items menu
eBay Fulfillment bundle tab stock
Figure 2. Variation in the Stock tab

3.3. Using the group function

In the Item » Edit item menu, you can use the variation group function to easily edit your variations. By doing so, you can quickly change the sales prices and activate the market availability eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex.

To do so, proceed as follows.

Using the group function:

  1. Go to Item » Edit item.

  2. Set the filter Table type to Variations.

  3. Choose additional filters on the left if needed.

  4. Click on Search ().

  5. Select () the variations to be edited from the overview on the right.

  6. Click on Variation group function.
    → The Variation group function window opens.

  7. Select in the Market availability area the option eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex.

  8. Select the checkboxes on the left and right side.

  9. Click on Execute to apply the settings to the variations.

Note for sellers who are already using the eBay Fulfillment solution with Fiege

If you are already using the eBay Fulfillment solution with Fiege, you can use the variation group function to add the market availability eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex.
Important: Add the new availability, but do not remove the previous eBay Fulfillment solution with Fiege. Otherwise, this could cause problems regarding the transition from old to new.

In the Item » Edit item menu, set the filter Table type to Variations and the filter eBay Fulfillment to Visible. By doing so, all variations that you processed with Fiege are shown.

For further information about the variation group function, refer to the Mass processing page of the manual.

4. Setting up automation

In plentymarkets, it is possible to have routine tasks automatically done by your system. These are, for example, moving orders to the correct status or booking outgoing items. Thus, you can automate the entire outbound process.

With the event procedures, plentymarkets provides you with an efficient tool for setting up such automatic processes that are reliably managed by your plentymarkets system. The basic principle of event procedures is simple: Certain events trigger specific procedures.

4.1. Setting up an event procedure for moving the outbound order to the correct status

Proceed as described in the following to set up the event procedure.

Setting up an event procedure for moving the outbound order to the correct status:

  1. In your plentymarkets back end, go to Setup » Orders » Events.

  2. Click on Add event procedure ().

  3. Enter a name, e.g. Move outbound order.

Triggering event

  1. From the Event drop-down list, select the option Order change > Status change.

  2. From the Status drop-down list, select the option Cleared for shipping status.

  3. Save () the settings.

Filter criteria for orders

  1. Click on Add filter ().

  2. Select the filter Order > Order type.

  3. Click on Add.

  4. Select the option Order.

  5. Activate the option Delivery order.

  6. Click on Add filter ().

  7. Select the filter Order > Order warehouse.

  8. Click on Add.

  9. Activate the eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex warehouse that you created in the assistant.

  10. Click on Add filter ().

  11. Select the filter Order > Payment method.

  12. Click on Add.

  13. Activate all payment methods except Cash on delivery.

  14. Click on Add filter ().

  15. Select the filter Shipping > Country of delivery.

  16. Click on Add.

  17. Activate those countries that you have also activated in the Orange Connex back end in the area Registering for eBay Fulfillment.

Executing procedure

  1. Click on Add procedure ().

  2. Select the procedure Order > Change status.

  3. Click on Add.

  4. Select the status from the drop-down list that you created in the assistant, e.g. Send outbound.

  5. Select the option Active to activate the event procedure.

  6. Save () the settings.

4.2. Setting up an event procedure to send the outbound order to eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex

Proceed as described in the following to set up the event procedure.

Setting up an event procedure to send the outbound order to eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex:

  1. In your plentymarkets back end, go to Setup » Orders » Events.

  2. Click on Add event procedure ().

  3. Enter a name, e.g. Send eBay Fulfillment Outbound.

Triggering event

  1. From the Event drop-down list, select the option Order change > Status change.

  2. Select the status from the drop-down list that you created in the assistant, e.g. Send outbound.

  3. Save () the settings.

Filter criteria for orders

  1. Click on Add filter ().

  2. Select the filter Order > Order type.

  3. Click on Add.

  4. Select the option Order.

  5. Activate the option Delivery order.

  6. Click on Add filter ().

  7. Select the filter Order > Order warehouse.

  8. Click on Add.

  9. Activate the eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex warehouse that you created in the assistant.

  10. Click on Add filter ().

  11. Select the filter Shipping > Country of delivery.

  12. Click on Add.

  13. Activate those countries that you have also activated in the Orange Connex back end in the area Registering for eBay Fulfillment.

Executing procedure

  1. Click on Add procedure ().

  2. Select the procedure Plugins > eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex: Send outbound.

  3. Click on Add.

  4. Select the option Active to activate the event procedure.

  5. Save () the settings.

4.3. Setting up an event procedure to book outgoing items

If eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex is able to process the order, the package number will automatically be saved in the outbound order. To then book the outgoing items and send the package number to eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex so that your customer can use the tracking service, set up another event procedure.

Setting up an event procedure to book outgoing items:

  1. In your plentymarkets back end, go to Setup » Orders » Events.

  2. Click on Add event procedure ().

  3. Enter the name, e.g. eBay Fulfillment outgoing items.

Triggering event

  1. From the Event drop-down list, select the option Order change > Package number.

  2. Save () the settings.

Filter criteria for orders

  1. Click on Add filter ().

  2. Select the filter Order > Order warehouse.

  3. Activate the eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex warehouse that you created in the assistant.

Executing procedure

  1. Click on Add procedure ().

  2. Select the procedure Order > Book outgoing items.

  3. Click on Add.

  4. Select the option Active to activate the event procedure.

  5. Save () the settings.

4.4. Setting up an event procedure for automated shipment tracking (tracking URL)

With your plentymarkets system, it is possible to send a shipping confirmation via email to your customers. This requires that you saved the login details of your email server and created a corresponding email template in your system.

Setting up an event procedure for automated shipment tracking (tracking URL):

  1. In the plentymarkets back end, go to Setup » Client » Standard » Email » Templates » General templates > Order: Shipping confirmation.

  2. Click on the Email message tab.
    → Here, you find a text that is saved in your system by default. You may change this text.

  3. Insert the variable $TrackingURL in the desired place of the text.

  4. Save () the settings.

Overview of all template variables

Click in the tab Email templates right next to the Save button on the button Template variables and functions () to get an overview of all template variables that you can insert in your email template.

The following steps explain how you automatically send a shipping confirmation to your customers.

  1. In your plentymarkets back end, go to Setup » Orders » Events.

  2. Click on Add event procedure ().

  3. Enter a name, e.g. Automated tracking outbound.

Triggering event

  1. From the Event drop-down list, select the option Order change > Package number.

Filter criteria for orders

  1. Click on Add filter ().

  2. Select the filter Order > Order type.

  3. Click on Add.

  4. Select the option Order.

  5. Activate the option Delivery order.

  6. Click on Add filter ().

  7. Select the filter Order > Order warehouse.

  8. Click on Add.

  9. Activate the eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex warehouse that you created in the assistant.

  10. Click on Add filter ().

  11. Select the filter Order > Referrer.

  12. Click on Add.

  13. Activate all referrers except eBay.
    → Important: eBay sends an individual confirmation mail with the corresponding tracking URL.

Executing procedure

  1. Click on Add procedure ().

  2. Select the procedure Customer > Send email.

  3. Click on Add.

  4. Within the procedure window, click on the arrow on the left-hand side so that the procedure overview opens.

  5. Click on Add ().

  6. In the first field, select the option Order: Shipping confirmation.

  7. In the second field, select the option Customer.
    → Figure 3 shows the overview of a finalised procedure.

  8. Select the option Active to activate the event procedure.

  9. Save () the settings.

eBay Fulfillment settings procedure send email
Figure 3. Settings within the procedure Send email

4.5. Setting up an event procedure to send a cancellation request

You can send a cancellation request for an outbound order if the outbound order has already been transferred to and accepted by eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex. Set up an event procedure to transmit this request.

Order note when cancellation was not successful

If it is still possible to cancel the outbound order on behalf of eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex, your plentymarkets system moves the outbound order to status that you selected in the assistant.
If it is not possible anymore to cancel the outbound order because the parcel has already been packed completely or has already been picked up, the outbound order remains in the status of the cancellation request and your plentymarkets system creates an order note saying that it was not possible to cancel the outbound order.

  1. In your plentymarkets back end, go to Setup » Orders » Events.

  2. Click on Add event procedure ().

  3. Enter a name, e.g. Send request to cancel outbound.

Triggering event

  1. From the Event drop-down list, select the option Order change > Status change.

  2. Select from the drop-down list Status the status to send the cancellation request to Orange Connex that you created in the assistant.

  3. Save () the settings.

Filter criteria for orders

  1. Click on Add filter ().

  2. Select the filter Order > Order type.

  3. Click on Add.

  4. Select the option Order.

  5. Activate the option Delivery order.

  6. Click on Add filter ().

  7. Select the filter Order > Order warehouse.

  8. Click on Add.

  9. Activate the eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex warehouse that you created in the assistant.

Executing procedure

  1. Click on Add procedure ().

  2. Select the procedure Plugins > eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex: Cancel outbound.

  3. Select the option Active to activate the event procedure.

  4. Save () the settings.

5. Sending the first item and splitting orders

5.1. Sending the first item

As soon as stock was booked in the warehouse of eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex, the stock in the eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex warehouse will automatically be updated in your plentymarkets system. To do so, you have to go the eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex assistant and activate the option Import stock in the step Data transfer and warehouse settings. From this moment on and on condition that all settings in your plentymarkets system were carried out correctly, it is possible to transfer the first outbound order to eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex.

If you have received orders for the same item that you sold from your own warehouse in the past, the plentymarkets system does not transfer an outbound order to eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex. Only does the transmission take place when eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex updates the stock for the corresponding warehouse.

If you have already decided to send the outbound orders automatically, nothing stands in the way of processing eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex orders.

5.2. Order splitting

Example:

  • An order contains 2 items: A and B.

  • Item A is in your own warehouse.

  • Item B is in the eBay Fulfillment by Orange Connex warehouse.

Result:

  • The items are split into different delivery orders.

Splitting the delivery orders according to the item availability

Go to Setup » Orders » Settings and select from the line Assignment of warehouses the setting b) a warehouse can be assigned for each stock unit and in the line Automatic warehouse selection the setting d) depending on the warehouse priority and the highest stock level.

Setting up an event procedure to generate delivery orders

  1. In your plentymarkets back end, go to Setup » Orders » Events.

  2. Click on Add event procedure ().

  3. Enter the desired name for the event procedure, e.g. eBay Fulfillment splitting.

Triggering event

  1. From the Event drop-down list, select the option Order change > Status change (shipping preparation).

  2. Save () the settings.

Filter criteria for orders

  1. Select the filter Order > Order type.

  2. Click on Add.

  3. Select the option Order.

  4. Click on Add filter ().

  5. Select the filter Order > Order warehouse.

  6. Click on Add.

  7. Activate the option Several warehouses per order in the filter.

Executing procedure

  1. Click on Add procedure ().

  2. Select the procedure Order > Generate delivery orders.

  3. Click on Add.

  4. Select the option Active to activate the event procedure.

  5. Save () the settings.

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