Thank you for attending our webinar. Please watch the webinar and view the Q&A below.

Unlock Inventory and Drive Ecommerce Sales Now Q&A with CommerceHub Experts 

At CommerceHub, our marketplace and supplier teams are committed to helping you succeed on the marketplaces that matter and with top retailers. This has never been truer than now as retail responds to the COVID-19 crisis and ecommerce becomes integral to your continued success. Diversifying across multiple marketplaces and solidifying a drop-ship program are key in this current environment. Our team of experts shared insights about how to use these strategies successfully.  

Here are excerpts from the Q&A session following our Unlock Inventory and Drive Ecommerce Sales Now webinar.  

Marketplace Opportunities 

What does it take to integrate with CommerceHub?
While these requirements do vary depending upon your current system capabilities and the specific requirements of your operations, the type of data is generally the same. We will work with you to define the data attributes needed to accept your product/price, inventory, and order details. Once you integrate once with us, our platform will connect your brand to the marketplaces. 

How long does it take to get onto marketplaces?
Like the integration requirements, this timing will vary, but is measured in weeks, not months. Your assigned implementation specialist will work with you to develop a plan that works for you and your team.  

Is an EDI connection with each trading partner required to get started? Or, can you move to EDI order fulfillment once a product has some success?
No EDI connection is needed upfront, though you do need to connect to each retailer individually.  A connection can be made using a web-based file format. As order volume increases, you can make the decision to switch to an EDI-based fulfillment process.    

We are a current vendor for Amazon. How do we become a marketplace seller?
Amazon’s Marketplace has a self-service onboarding webform that can be found here. However, if you already have a 1P, retail relationship with Amazon, you should review your agreement to ensure that operating a 3P account does not violate those provisions. We also recommend having a conversation with your category manager to ensure they are aware of your assortment plan to avoid any potential conflicts.  

If I am looking to compete against Fulfillment By Amazon with a Merchant Fulfilled Network offer, what does that take?
The Amazon Buy Box is determined via algorithm with an overarching goal to provide the best buyer’s experience with the surfaced listing. While the exact attributes considered in the algorithm are a closely held secret, several factors are known to have an impact: price, buyer rating, delivery promise, Prime vs non-Prime, etc. All else being equal, a non-Prime offer with a shorter delivery promise (3-5 days) can win against a Prime offer with an extended delivery promise (greater than ten days).  

How does CommerceHub help with Walmart Marketplace since they have their own portal?
Once you complete an application to join Walmart Marketplace, it can take anywhere from two weeks to one month to get your company onboarded. This is due to Walmart’s trust/safety review process, which diligently reviews your application to verify information and check customer satisfaction ratings. You may be asked to provide additional documentation. We invite you to use this link to apply to expedite your request. Please note: If you’ve applied to be a seller on Walmart Marketplace in the past and didn’t hear back, it’s worth applying again using this link.     

Once approved, CommerceHub can work directly with you to help with your onboarding to the marketplace. We provide guidance on optimizing your listings along with expertise for executing an ecommerce ads program on Walmart, search, and social media.  

Digital Advertising Services 

Is the advertising program geared specifically for marketplaces only or can they be in conjunction with a specific retailer site?
The focus for this program is on digital advertising that stretches across three pillars: retail ecommerce (e.g., Amazon, Walmart), search (i.e., Google Shopping, Google Ads, Bing) and social (i.e., Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest).  Using programmatic display and search, CommerceHub can also drive customers and conversions to your Direct-to-Consumer sites, or other non-marketplace retailers. Contact our advertising experts to learn more.   

Drop-Ship Opportunities 

Is there a cost to participate in the CommerceHub Connect Program?  
No. CommerceHub Connect is a free program designed to help suppliers on the CommerceHub network grow by introducing them to top retailers in need of their products (SKUs). Participation in this program does require that you submit your company’s product catalog.    

How do I get started?
We are constantly working with our retailers to engage them in merchandising campaigns in order to add suppliers to their drop-ship programs. By loading your product catalog, you will be considered for each campaign. If you meet the retailer's requirements, you will be notified by email and you can then determine whether or not you’re interested in connecting with them. Every time we begin a new campaign with a retailer, your information will be reviewed.  

We already have a CommerceHub integration and/or have submitted a Supplier Profile, do we still need to load our catalog?  
Yes. The CommerceHub Connect program only requires basic details about your products to connect to retailers during the onboarding process. Since we have upgraded our capabilities to capture and process your catalog information with the Product Catalog channel in ProductStream, in order to ensure your information is accurate, we need you to load your current catalog into the new platform. Completing the Product Catalog provides us with the information we need about your products to help us determine if you are a match for a retailer and ultimately helps to accelerate selling with the retailer.   

Is this program for Marketplaces?  
No. This program is to connect retailers to drop ship from suppliers on the CommerceHub network. If you would like to sell direct-to-consumer via the leading marketplaces, please contact sales.  

How do I load my catalog into CommerceHub ProductStream?
Sign in to your ProductStream account and look for the Product Catalog channel and click Add Products. On the Add/Update tab click Get Template and open the zip file. Download the file titled: "Product Catalog Product Data Template.xlsx."  

Will my specific product catalog information be shared?  
For introductions to be made, only the number counts of products by sub-category and brand will be shared with retailers that you have authorized and approved. Retailers will not be given access to your catalog data in ProductStream. Before sharing any information with a retailer, we will notify you and request permission to share the provided information if you’re identified as a potential match with the retailer. Each time you are selected as a match, you will have the option to choose whether or not you’d like to be introduced to the retailer as well as share your company information with them. Your information will not be shared or made publicly available. 

Still have more questions about CommerceHub Connect? Check out our FAQ page here.