Channel Engine as a Channel

ChannelEngine is a multi-marketplace platform. As a sales channel in Flxpoint, it allows users to list, sync, and manage their product catalog seamlessly across multiple marketplaces. ChannelEngine supports various operations such as publishing listings, syncing inventory and pricing, as well as managing orders. It is particularly useful for sellers looking to reach multiple marketplaces through one central integration, with features that help automate and streamline multi-channel selling.

 

How to connect

  • Log into your Flxpoint account.
  • Navigate to the Channels menu on the left panel.
  • Click on the +Add Channel button to create a new channel.
  • Search for and select ChannelEngine as your channel.
  • Complete the mandatory wizard steps:
    • Channel Name: Enter a descriptive name.
    • Which processes to integrate: Check the desired operations (Publish Listings, Sync Listings, Get Orders, Sync Orders).
  • Creating a ChannelEngine Connection

    This connection will connect via ChannelEngine's API. You need to fill out:
    • Connection Name
    • API Key
    • Server URL
    How to Find the API Key and Server URL
    1. Log in to the ChannelEngine website.
    2. Go to Settings.
    3. Locate Merchant API keys to retrieve the API key Flxpoint will need.
    4. Copy the API URL from your ChannelEngine environment settings (often https://[yoursubdomain].channelengine.net/api).
  • Click Test Connection to verify your credentials, then Save Connection to complete the setup.

 

Listing Operations

This section covers the operations related to managing your Channel Engine listings, including linking, syncing, and publishing.

Publish Listings
Sync & Link Listings
Import Listings
Publish Listings

Publish Listings

The Publish Listings operation creates new products in ChannelEngine from your Flxpoint catalog. We use the /api/v2/products endpoint to create items.

Key Points:

  • Grandparent product is created first, then parent, then variant children.
  • Parent SKU is set as MerchantProductNo on ChannelEngine.
  • Multiple images per product are supported.
  • Categories must be sent in hierarchy form (e.g., MainCategory >> Category >> Subcategory).

Note: Overwriting existing listings is not supported—each publish call creates a new product listing in ChannelEngine.

Sync & Link Listings

Sync & Link Listings

The Sync & Link Listings operation updates pricing and inventory (quantity) for your ChannelEngine listings. It uses the /api/v2/offer endpoint to send real-time updates.

  • Hiding or delisting is not supported by ChannelEngine via Flxpoint.
  • Ensure your Flxpoint SKUs match ChannelEngine MerchantProductNo.
  • Inventory Tracking Configs and Custom Fields are not supported.

Not Supported: ChannelEngine does not currently support "Import Listings" from Flxpoint. You can create (publish) and update (sync) listings in ChannelEngine, but you cannot import existing ChannelEngine listings back into Flxpoint.

 

Order Operations

This section covers the operations for managing your Channel Engine orders in Flxpoint, including fetching (Get Orders) and updating tracking details (Sync Orders).

Get Orders
Sync Orders

Get Orders retrieves new or updated orders from ChannelEngine using /api/v2/orders. You can specify multiple status values (e.g., New, InProgress, Shipped) to pull in relevant orders.

  • Order & Payment Statuses: Not individually considered in Flxpoint; payment status is not differentiated.
  • Order Acknowledgement: Flxpoint can acknowledge orders with status New.
  • Multi-Currency Orders: Supported; you may need rules to convert or handle different currencies.
  • Shipping Selection: Not supported (shipping text is not passed back to Flxpoint).
  • Weight & Dimensions: Not supported; ChannelEngine does not include them in the order data.

Sync Orders sends shipment and tracking updates to ChannelEngine using /api/v2/shipments. Once Flxpoint receives a successful response, it marks the order as synced. Key points:

  • Partial Order Shipments: Supported (ChannelEngine allows partial shipments).
  • Manual Order Item Limitations: Not supported; if items are manually added in Flxpoint, they won't sync to ChannelEngine.
  • Post Shipment Status Updates: Not supported; Flxpoint doesn't change the order status beyond sending shipment info.

 

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