When your supplier provides XML, CSV or tab delimited data feeds of their inventories, the best thing to do is to implement an automated system that can take this feed and use it to update your store pricing and stock levels. For a small store this can be done manually via Easy Populate easily. However for a mid-size ( up to 500 product) to large store (more than 10,000 products), using Easy Populate to manually load products becomes tedious.
I have develop a system which can handle single or multiple data feeds in any file format to load products into stores from classic oscommerce, to zen cart, to cre loaded, etc. This a real time inventory feed. The system is easy to use, can be configured to include products attribute option, attribute option values, download product images, and does not need any manual intervention. It effectively gives a store owner the ability to focus exclusive on running the business rather than chasing inventory because of constant update.
This system works with virtual any supplier inventory feed for including Petra, Synnex, Doba, dbldistributing, trademarkcommerce, CNET, Effex Media, Murphysmagic, ATS Distribution, Pixmania, Fragrance Net etc. Contact me today for references and a free consultation on how to implement on your store.
Inventory Update Script
Method and System for Loading Large Amount of Product Attributes without using Easy Populate
Reference Sites
automated inventory load & update cre loaded: www.collegegiftregistry.com
automated inventory load & update cre loaded: www.strutmanelectronics.com
automated inventory load & update cre loaded: www.promgowns4less.com
automated inventory load & update zen cart: www.mscom2000.com
automated inventory load & update zen cart: www.shopthe7.com/pokershop/
For tutorial on how to use Easy Populate Wizard, read Easy Populate Wizard Tutorial
Please post your EP (Easy Populate) Wizard, feature requests, commet, and feedback here. Also you can request a free copy of Easy Populate Wizard for 15 days trial at no charge.
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Problem:
If you have used the existing system of loading product attributes based on easy populate(EP), easy populate basic (EPB) or easy populate advanced (EPA), you will quickly notice that the system is clumsy and very confusing. Partly because of the header names and the associated numbering. I posted a response here to clarify the confusion. Even with that write-up and my several years of experience, I still get confused! To add another dimension to the problem, if you have large amount of attributes, you will realized that you reach the 256 column limit pretty quickly considering that you use about three columns for each attribute option values and 2 columns for attribute names.
Solution:
Faced with a challenge to loaded over 5000 attribute option values, I have developed a new method that is user friendly, intuitive and fast. The method is very scalable to accommodate any amount of product attributes. It is particular suited for sites with large amount of attribute option values since there is no column or row limitation. You don’t have to worry about splitting files to separate small files because of timeout error. The method has been tested on a site with over over 40 attribute option and over 5000 attribute option values.
Here is live website on which this method has been applied: 
Contact me at if you are interested in using this method on your site.
Despite working extensively on attributes I still get confused so don’t be too hard on yourself. Here is a note I made for myself sometime ago.
v_attribute_options_id_1 (1 represents attribute option count)
v_attribute_options_name_1_1 (the first 1 represent attribute option count, the second 1 represent language id)
v_attribute_values_id_1_1 (the first 1 represent attribute option count, the second 1 represent value count)
v_attribute_values_price_1_1 (the first 1 represent attribute option count, the second 1 represent price for value count 1)
v_attribute_values_name_1_1_1 (the first 1 represent attribute option count, the second 1 represent value count, the third 1 represent language id)
These are the basic building block, others are just incremental repetition of the same information.
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