How are others doing this Magento/Linnworks

[deadgoodundies]

We've been doing training sessions with Linnworks for what will be our new site.

They advise that we create new products within linnworks which then goes up to magento. The problem with this is that there is so much more information that we create in magento for a product compared to linnworks (and it seems easier to do in Magento).
For example in Magento we upload colour swatch images, all the colours and sizes that we need are set as drop down attributes etc. so basically in magento all the information we need to create a product is presented to us we just need to select from options (apart from product descriptions, meta etc).

Other retailers who have complex product variations, how do you handle this? Do you create in linnworks or do you create in Magento and then export csv to linnworks.

I wouldn't want to create a csv on it's own as colour names are set to display a specific colour swatch jpg so by creating a standalone csv there is room for human error in it's creation.

 

[zigojacko]

Why don't you just manage your orders and stock control within Magento and do away with Linnworks altogether?

 

[deadgoodundies]

Because we are trying to streamline the order despatching and stock control across all our channels (ebay, amazon & direct sales from our website) and you've got to have the inventory within linnworks

 

[zigojacko]

Don't they offer integration with Magento in the form of API or extension?

By the way, you can integrate eBay and Amazon into Magento so that everything is managed within Magento and feeds the same set of data into all other channels.

Sorry, I know this is digressing from your original question but it just sounded like there are easier options than what you're currently doing.

 

[deadgoodundies]

They do via the API but it looks like it's only one way i.e you can't use Magento was the master for creating products.
So you can create a product in Linnworks and it will be shown on Magento automatically but you can't create a product in magento and it be shown on linnworks automatically without actually exporting a CSV from magento and then importing it into Linnworks.

That's my understanding of it anyway. The tutorials i've been doing are good but the trainers indian accents are very heavy so sometimes hard to follow so i've been screen recording the tutorials to compile and play back later.

Digressing from the original question is fine but we've looked at all other avenues for several months and without posting a huge list of whys and why nots and going into detail of each one Linnworks is the most feasible one.

 

[Linn Systems]

DeadGoodUndies.

We would advise that you input your attributes into a CSV and import that into Linnworks. You can then use the LinnLive Listing Tool to list variations to your Magento Website.

If you would like to contact us on +44 20 3651 7045. We would be happy to explain this in further depth for you.

Kind Regards.
LinnSystems Ltd.