Vendor Administration
{typography icon type="storno" boxstyle="float: none; margin: 5px;"}THIS PART OF VirtueMart STILL IS NOT COMPLETE. IT'S NOT RECOMMENDED TO USE THIS FEATURE.
Vendors and Vendor Categories represent the top most tier of VirtueMart administration. Through vendor administration, the store keeper is able to manage products, users, and orders by vendor or supplier.
[TODO - heirarchial drawing]
For simple stores where there are only a few products offered, vendor administration is not necessarily needed, but for larger more complex stores, such as an online mall, vendor administration can be essential.
Since all products, product categories, users, and orders are associated to the vendor record, establishing the vendor and vendor category structure is the first step to building the online store.
Note that it is not necessary to create the vendor categories first. Vendors can be re-associated to vendor categories after all the vendor records have been created. However, creating the vendor category records first can save some extra work if you already know how you want to categorize your vendors.
Vendor categories are a way to classify the types of goods and services that vendors offer on your site. For example, you may have an online mall for buying and selling furniture. You may want to create vendor categories such as "Antiques", "Office Furniture", and "Patio Furniture".
Note that a vendor on your site can only be associated with a single vendor category, so it is important to use categories that are broad enough to represent the shopper's choice of storefronts. For example, "Antique Furniture" and "Vintage Clothing" would not be broad enough categories if you have a vendor that sells both types of items. In this case, you might want to use "Antiques" as your vendor category.
VirtueMart creates the vendor category name "-default-" upon installation. It is not necessary to change this unless you choose to fully utilize the vendor category functionality.
Browsing Vendor Categories
The Vendor Category List can be accessed in the Vendor Menu ("Vendor" ⇒ "List Vendor Categories"). You may easily navigate to the vendor list by clicking on the linked text "list" in the "Vendors" column of the Vendor Category List.
Figure 4.71. VirtueMart Administration: Vendor List for a Category
This will open the Vendor List page.
Adding Vendor Categories
To create a new vendor category, select "Vendor | Add Vendor Category" from the VirtueMart admin interface.
This will bring up the Vendor Category Form.
Figure 4.72. VirtueMart Administration: Vendor Category Form
Vendor Category Form
Vendor Category Form Fields
- Vendor Category Name
-
The name used to identify the vendor category.
- Vendor Category Description
-
The description of the vendor category.
Click on the "Save" button.
You will be redirected to the "Vendor Category List" page, showing the "-default-" category, and the new category you just entered.
Figure 4.73. VirtueMart Administration: Vendor Category List
Vendor Category List
You may also add a new vendor category with the Vendor Category Form by clicking on the "New" button in the toolbar.
4.9.1.3. Editing Vendor Categories
To edit an existing vendor category, select "Vendor | List Vendor Categories" in the VirtueMart admin menu. This will return the Vendor Category List screen (shown above). Click on the linked text showing the name of the vendor category you would like to edit to bring up the Vendor Category Form.
When you have finished making changes, click on the "Save" button. You will be redirected back to the "Vendor Category List" screen.
4.9.1.4. Deleting Vendor Categories
If you remove a vendor category all vendors in that category will be reassigned to the "-default-" vendor category that was created upon installation. You can then re-associate the affected vendors if needed, as described below under "Vendors".
To delete a vendor category just go to the Vendor Category List screen. Click on the trash can icon in the "Remove" column next to the name of the vendor category you would like to delete.
Figure 4.74. VirtueMart Administration: Vendor Category Deletion
Vendor Category Deletion
Click 'OK' to confirm deletion of this category.
Vendors
Vendors are the main organizational factor in VirtueMart. Products and product categories, billing options, etc. are all configured per-vendor.
Upon installation, a global, default vendor is created. This special case cannot be deleted, and is managed separately via the "Store | Edit Store" menu option.
If you are running a shopping site for a single vendor (for example, if you are the only vendor that will be offering products in your store) then there is no need to create additional vendors. If, however, you will be running an online mall site that will be host to several vendors, then create one vendor account for each storefront owner.
It may be worth noting here that you should not confuse vendors with manufacturers. A single vendor may have a different manufacturer for each product that they offer. If the person supplying the products on your site will be managing their own shipping, etc., then they are a vendor. If you will be managing these aspects, then the supplier is a manufacturer. (See Manufacturer Administration for more information on that topic).
Adding a Vendor
To create a new vendor, select "Vendor | Add Vendor" in the VirtueMart admin menu.
Edit the following fields in the Vendor Information Form:
- Full Image
-
Required
Displays the currently configured store logo.
- Upload Image
-
Optional
Browse to the vendor's company logo. This will be uploaded when you click on the "Save" icon.
- Currency
-
The vendor's global / default Currency
- Minimum purchase order value
-
This is the amount which is the minimum Order Value for Checkout.
- Minimum Amount for Free Shipping
-
This is the amount, from which on Shipping is free.
- Currency symbol
-
This is the currency symbol which will be used when displaying prices.
- Decimals
-
Number of decimals.
- Decimal symbol
-
Can be somethin like . , or empty.
- Thousands separator
- Positive format
-
Display Order / Style for positive numbers.
- Negative format
-
Display Order / Style for negative numbers.
- Description
-
This is the Vendor Store's Description which is shown on the page
shop.index. - Terms of Service
-
This is the complete text for your Terms of Service that is displayed to the customer.
- Store Name
-
Required
The name of the Vendor Store.
- Store Company Name
-
Required
The name of the vendor company.
- URL
-
the vendor's Internet Address.
- Address 1
-
Address Line 1
- Address 2
-
Address Line 2
- City
-
The City where the vendor is located.
- State/Province/Region
-
The State / Region where the vendor is located.
- Country
-
The Country where the vendor is located.
- Zip/Postal Code
-
The ZIP of the vendor's location.
- Phone
-
The Vendor's Phone Number
- Last, First & Middle Name
-
The Name of the Vendor's Contact Person.
- Title
-
The title of the Contact Person.
- Phone 1 & 2
-
Vendor's contact's Phone number.
- Fax
-
The Fax number for the Contact.
- Email Address
-
Primary Vendor contact email address
Click the "Save" icon to create your new vendor.
Editing Vendors
To edit an existing vendor, select "Vendor | List Vendors" to see a list of all vendors. You may also get to this screen by clicking on the linked text, "list", in the Vendors column on the Vendor Category List screen.
Click on the name of the vendor you would like to edit, or click on the linked text "update" in the Admin column - either will take you to the same Vendor Add Information form. Make your changes in the Vendor "Add Information" form (described above), and click on the "Save" icon. You will be returned to the Vendor List screen.
Deleting Vendors
Since vendors represent the top most tier of site management, deletion of vendors should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.
Before deleting an existing vendor, all products, product categories, users, and orders associated to that vendor must be removed through either deletion or re-association to another vendor. VirtueMart will not allow the deletion of a vendor while these child records still exist for that vendor.
Once these child records have been removed, select "Vendor | List Vendors" to see a list of all vendors. Then click on the name of the vendor you would like to delete. In the Vendor Add Information form, click on the "Remove" icon. You will be returned to the Vendor List screen.
Once this vendor has been deleted, it is removed from the system. To recover this vendor, you must re-create the vendor information, and re-associate all appropriate product categories and products.