Site Differences
SixBit strives to make the listing and selling on all sites as similar as possible, but due to differences in the sites themselves, there are a few ways that SixBit behaves differently depending upon the site.
Interaction with the Site
Each site has a methodology for tools like SixBit to send and receive information.
Interactions with eBay
eBay provides an API that has allows for a request for data and an immediate response. Likewise, whenever data is sent to eBay, an instant response is provided to verify its acceptance. Because of this instant reaction, interactions with eBay appear to happen very quickly. When a refresh is performed, the data is returned and processed at that time. When an item is sent, its acceptance or failure is acknowledged in just a few seconds. This provides the overall impression that the user is communicating with eBay in real time.
Interactions with Etsy
Etsy behaves the same way eBay does. An API is used to interact with Etsy and get back real time responses.
Interactions with Amazon
Amazon has a slightly different methodology for sending and retrieving data. To send data to Amazon, a "feed" is created and forwarded on to Amazon. Amazon responds with the equivalent of a deli ticket number to acknowledge the feed was received. Periodic checks must be made to see if the feed has been processed and what the results were.
Likewise, when getting information from Amazon a "report" is requested, and another deli type ticket number is returned. Periodic checks must be made with Amazon to see if the report is ready and if so the results will be retrieved.
The end result is that the SixBit user will not see instant responses when sending or getting information to/from Amazon. Special substatuses have been created to keep track of items that have been submitted or orders that are being retrieved during the waiting phase.
In Check Listings mode, the Pending|Submission Pending substatus will show any listings that have been sent to Amazon, but have not yet been acknowledged from Amazon. The SixBit Agent will be checking periodically for the response and when retrieved will move the listing to either the Running or Submission Errors status depending upon whether it succeeded or not.
In Ship Orders, sending confirmation of shipping along with the tracking number doesn't occur instantly and during the waiting period, orders that have been marked as shipped will be in the Confirmation Pending status until Amazon has acknowledged their receipt. At that time they will move to Confirmation Errors or Fulfilled as appropriate.
Interactions with Shopify
Shopify behaves similarly to eBay and Etsy in that listing data is sent and received through an API.
Interactions with Hip eCommerce
Hip behaves similarly to eBay and Etsy in that listing data is sent and received through an API.
Listings
When an item is listed on a site, a Listing record is created. Some sites allow multiple listings of the same item while others allow only one. In addition, some sites support scheduling listings.
eBay
On eBay, they encourage only one fixed price listing per item, though there are exceptions to the rule. There can however be multiple auction listings for an item. Likewise each listing has a fee associated with it. When multiple listings are allowed, and fees are charged, a copy of each listing must be maintained. This allows for calculating success ratios, profit and loss, etc. To keep proper records and accurate data, each ended listing is saved and recorded in the Completed status on Check Listings.
eBay also has a feature to schedule listings to start at a particular time. A SixBit option to have listings submitted at a specific time is also available.
Etsy
On Etsy, only one listing per item is allowed. The listing will run for 4 months with an option to auto-renew automatically. If a listing expires and is not auto-renewed, it moves into the Completed status. The Relist feature can be used to relist completed Etsy listings in the future.
When a listing sells out, it moves into the Out of Stock status. To start the listing again, stock can be added and then Relist the listing. Alternatively, when using Allocation Plans with a "Keep all inventory listed" option, simply adding inventory can trigger the listing to move from Out of Stock back into the Running status. During an initial import into SixBit, Out of Stock listings will not be imported.
Etsy provides a Draft status, which is very similar to what an Item record does in SixBit. It stores the info about the item but doesn't actually list it. In SixBit, you would replace the Draft status simply by creating an item and not listing it. Any items on Etsy that were placed into the Draft status will be imported into SixBit. An item record will be created and a listing record will be created and placed into the Pending|Draft status.
Success ratio is the number of times an item sells compared to the number of times it was listed and since past listings aren't tracked for Etsy, the Success Ratio doesn't have any meaning.
Etsy does not have any built-in scheduling of listings, however, the SixBit scheduling will work to place Etsy listings at a specified time and date.
Amazon
Due to a change with the Amazon authorization process, new users who would want to link SixBit to their Amazon seller account will not be able to do so. SixBit does support Amazon for users who were able to get SixBit linked to Amazon before the registration change.
Amazon does not allow multiple listings for an item. Either the item is listed or it is not. Also, no fees are charged for the listing, so there really is no reason to save past listing records. When an Amazon listing is submitted, it will either be in one of the Scheduled status or the Running status. Once it ends, the listing record is removed and no copy of it is stored in the Completed status.
Success ratio is the number of times an item sells compared to the number of times it was listed and since past listings aren't tracked for Amazon, the Success Ratio doesn't have any meaning.
Amazon allows for setting a launch date without any extra cost, so all scheduling of Amazon listings will be done by Amazon. There isn't the need for a Scheduled with SixBit option on Amazon.
Shopify
On Shopify, only one listing per item is allowed. Shopify listings will stay running indefinitely as they use the Out of Stock control by default.
Hip eCommerce
Hip sites support both Auction and Product style listings (Product is basically like Fixed Price on eBay). You are allowed to submit both an Auction and Product style listing of the same item at the same time, similar to eBay.
Payments
Some sites report orders before payments have been made and some sites only report orders after the payment has been made. Also, different sites will accept different types of payments.
eBay
eBay does not require the user to pay at the time of purchase so orders that get reported to the seller have not always received payment. This requires the orders to be stored in the Awaiting Payment filter until payment is received either electronically or otherwise. The method of payment is recorded in the Payment Type field.
Etsy
Like eBay, Etsy does not require the user to pay at the time of purchase so orders that get reported to the seller have not always received payment. This requires the orders to be stored in the Awaiting Payment filter until payment is received either electronically or otherwise. The method of payment is recorded in the Payment Type field.
Amazon
Amazon requires the user to pay at the time of purchase and pay Amazon directly. Amazon in turn then pays the seller. There is a 30 minute window after the sale where Amazon does not send the shipping information to the seller. This provides the buyer with time to cancel the order. Orders within the 30 minute window will be shown in the Awaiting Payment status, and will move to In Process after the shipping information is available 30 minutes later. In the case of Amazon orders, the Payment Type is always set to "Amazon".
Shopify
Shopify generally requires immediate payments on placed orders. The payment settings are setup on the Shopify site. Sellers can choose to offer payment options using PayPal, credit cards, Google and Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, and several other third party providers.
Hip eCommerce
Hip sites deliver payment to your account via PayPal. Hip buyers can use PayPal and all major credit cards to make purchases.
Shipping
In most cases, the seller will be shipping the item themselves, Amazon's Fulfilled By Amazon handles shipping for the seller.
eBay
On eBay, orders will be recorded in SixBit. The seller will ship the item and then recording tracking information in SixBit to be sent back to the site and the order is moved to the Fulfilled status.
Etsy
Etsy works exactly as eBay.
Amazon
Amazon sellers can also ship items themselves following the same procedure as eBay sales, however there is another option Amazon sellers have. The Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) option provides sellers an option to have Amazon ship the items for them. In this case, orders will come into the Pending status for 30 minutes (to allow for seller cancellations) and then will move into the Fulfilled status and will not require any additional processing by the seller.
Shopify
Shipping settings are set on the Shopify site. After the orders come into SixBit and the order is dispatched, the shipping service set on Shopify is used.
Hip eCommerce
Shipping settings can be set in SixBit or directly on Hip sites. After the orders come into SixBit and the order is dispatched, the shipping service set on the listing is used.
Pictures
All sites display pictures with the listings, however some sites allow you to provide your own and other provide them for you.
Etsy takes your own pictures. No URL's, you must send the picture itself. If they provide URL's to us, we send the picture. Changes to url pic won't show on etsy. Do not have separate variation pictures.
eBay
eBay allows the user to provide up to 24 of their own pictures or can get pictures from a catalog. When providing pictures, sellers have access to picture management tools to select, edit and update the pictures with their listings. eBay allows providing either the actual picture data, or a URL to the picture. When passing a URL, eBay will simply link to the existing picture on the web.
When importing items from eBay or any other source all pictures are downloaded and stored with the item.
Etsy
Etsy allows providing up to 5 pictures. When providing pictures, sellers have access to picture management tools to select, edit and update the pictures with their listings. SixBit will allow entry of pictures from a URL, but Etsy will only accept the actual picture data. When provided URL's, SixBit will download the picture and save it in the database so it can be passed to Etsy. This means that even though a URL may be provided to eBay, a separate copy is sent to Etsy and any changes to the original picture on the web will not be reflected in the Etsy listing.
When importing items from Etsy or any other source all pictures are downloaded and stored with the item.
Amazon
Amazon items listed with ASIN's use pictures provided by Amazon. Therefore, the seller does not need access to any picture management tools.
When importing items from Amazon, the first picture will be downloaded and stored in the database for the sellers reference only. No changes to the picture are necessary and the picture will not get sent to Amazon for future listings or revisions.
Shopify
Shopify allows users to send picture data (local pictures stored on your hard drive) or image URLs. Shopify allows users to apply up to 250 images per item.
Hip eCommerce
Hip allows users to send picture data (local pictures stored on your hard drive) or image URLs. Hip allows users to apply as many images per item as you would like.
Descriptions
Some sites allow sellers to provide their own descriptions and some sites do not.
eBay
eBay allows the seller to create their own descriptions. It even allows for HTML in the description. To support this an HTML editor and advanced tools for creating and maintaining Descriptions and Description Wrappers are available to reduce the amount of repetitive entry in multiple listings.
Etsy
Etsy allows text only descriptions with no HTML. On Etsy descriptions are intended to be very simple so Description Wrappers do not apply and are not provided.
Amazon
When selling on Amazon an ASIN is provided that uniquely identifies the item being sold. Both the pictures and description for the ASIN are stored at Amazon and used in the listing. No description editor or tools of any kind are required for Amazon listings.
Shopify
Shopify allows users to submit a description with HTML, as well as an optional SEO (Search Engine Optimization) description.
Hip eCommerce
Hip only allows plain text descriptions, no HTML.
Combining Orders
When a buyer purchases multiple items from the same seller, some sites will combine those orders and others do not.
eBay
eBay allows both the buyer and seller to combine orders into a single order. Options in SixBit are provided for combining orders, and managing one or more shipments in those orders.
Etsy
Etsy does not allow buyers or sellers to combine orders. Everything ordered at the same time is an order and cannot be combined with anything ordered at another time.
Amazon
Orders from Amazon are reported individually so no combining or extra shipment tracking is necessary.
Shopify
Shopify does not allow users to combine orders.
Hip eCommerce
Hip sites will automatically combine orders for the same buyer. Sellers can also combine Hip orders in SixBit, however SixBit is not able to let Hip know that the orders have been combined.
Other Differences
Amazon offers a Fulfilled by Amazon service which provides all fulfillment tasks. Sellers can send their inventory to Amazon and Amazon will send the items once they are sold. To maintain accurate inventory, sellers will record the FBA inventory on the Purchase History in SixBit and as FBA sales are recorded in SixBit, they will be associated with the FBA inventory purchases.