Custom Item Catalogs

We're big fans of simple solutions here at Awardco, and our integration with Amazon Business helps make it all possible. While the open Amazon feed may be the right redemption solution in many cases, we understand it may still be necessary to build custom item catalogs from time to time. This article explains how to build catalogs and add options such as Amazon items and gift cards. The option also exists to include in these catalogs custom items that your organization fulfills, and additional items Awardco's in-charge of fulfilling. Reference the video below for a brief explanation on catalog and uploaded item creation.

Creating a New Catalog

To begin, navigate to your admin settings page and click "Catalogs" from the sidebar on the settings page. On this page, you will see all active and archived catalogs, as well as an "Add Catalog" button in the top right corner of the page. To create a new catalog, click "Add Catalog." 

On this page, you will need to enter a few details. Follow the directions below:

• Name - This is the name of the catalog. The value entered here will be displayed in the "Spend Points" drop down menu and as the title of the catalog's display page. 
• Country - The country in which this catalog will be available. If you have a catalog that you would like to be made available in multiple countries, contact your Awardco Client Success Manager They are able to copy and duplicate catalogs which will lighten your workload. 
• Email Notification - It may be necessary for an email to be generated each time an order is placed for items in this catalog if those items are to be fulfilled internally by your organization. This may be for a company store, custom gift card catalog, or other items that are not fulfilled by Awardco. When an email is entered in this field, a notification email will be sent to the listed email address each time an item is ordered from this catalog. You may enter multiple email addresses by separating them with a comma if you'd like multiple people to be notified of orders made in the catalog. See the "Upload Items" section below for more information on items fulfilled by vendors other than Awardco.
• Award Network - This is the award network this catalog will be a part of. In most cases, this will be set to "Standard" but from the screenshot above, you can see that it's possible to create other award networks. This topic is addressed in more detail in the Smart Award Networks article. For more information on this topic, please speak with your Awardco Client Success Manager. 
• Metadata - Use the metadata section to narrowly define user access. The users with the metadata identified will be given access to the program. For example, if there is a metadata column for "City" in your user file, it's possible to create catalogs that are visible only to users in certain cities. 
• Price Override - When utilized, the catalog will override the prices of all items in the catalog to the amount listed in this field. 
• Min Amount - The minimum value allowed for items in this catalog. This feature is particularly useful for catalogs with Amazon items. As the Amazon items you add are subject to item availability and price fluctuations, the catalog will automatically remove items that fall out of the established range which makes maintaining these catalogs an easier task. 
• Max Amount - The maximum value allowed for items in this catalog. Like the Minimum Amount field, this feature is useful for catalogs with Amazon items listed. 
• Description - In this field you may leave a description of your catalog that your users will see.
• Active - Once you're ready to make the catalog publicly visible to your platform users, switch the catalog to active. This should not be done until you have added items to the catalog. If the catalog is empty, set the Active setting to "Off," save the catalog, add your desired items using the instructions below, and then return to this page by clicking the name of the catalog on the Catalogs page, and switch the catalog on. 
• Save - Remember to click "Save." After clicking save, click the "Catalogs" option in the sidebar to be returned to the Catalogs overview page. Only click save once. Each time you click "Save," a catalog will be created. 

To edit a catalog's details, simply click the name of the catalog on the Catalogs page to reopen this configuration page. 

Adding and Removing Items From a Catalog

With a newly created catalog, you're ready to begin adding items. To do so, find your new catalog and click the "Edit Items" button to the right of the catalog's name and then click the "Add Items" button in the top right corner of the next page. You'll be brought to a page with a drop down menu and a search bar. To add an item, first choose the item source from the dropdown menu.

Amazon Items

To add an Amazon item to the catalog, choose one of the Amazon options from the dropdown matched to the appropriate country. Continuing the example of a Japanese Amazon item catalog from the screenshot above, we'll select "Amazon - JP" from the dropdown menu. This makes sure that all of the items returned in our search are sourced by Amazon Japan. While it's possible to add items from Amazon US to a Japanese catalog, your organization will be responsible for the shipping fees associated with sending the item from the US to Japan. This is why it's important to match the items' source to the country the catalog is for.

Once you've selected your source, search for items to add to the catalog. Use different keywords, brands, and other descriptors to vary your search and find a wide variety of items. For example, instead of searching for a "bike," try searching for a road bike, mountain bike, beach cruiser, or hybrid bike. The results returned will show an image, the title of the item, and a price point. Click the navigational arrows at the top of the search results to see multiple pages of results for your search. Once you're ready to add an item to the catalog, click "Add to Catalog." 

Please note, if are utilizing the Keyword Excluder feature in the Award Network sub-tab, catalogs are not restricted by the keywords restricted by that excluder feature. 

Gift Cards

The gift cards displayed in your results are country specific. While it is possible to send Amazon items across international borders, it is not possible to do so with gift cards. Review the options available in the gift card offering for the country specified in the catalog settings and then add the gift cards you would like to include. 

Uploaded Items

Uploaded items are items that have been loaded into your platform manually. The Upload Branded/Custom Products article addresses the process by which items may be loaded into the platform. Please note, any items loaded through the Upload Items sub-tab will not be charged to your organization and are generally considered to be fulfilled by your organization. A common example of this item type are products from company stores that are fulfilled by your organization. 

External Items

External items are items that are manually loaded into the system for which Awardco will be charging your organization. A common example is deliverable items such as an anniversary plaque or certificate. Loading external items into your platform requires the involvement of your Awardco Client Success Manager.  

After you've added all of the items from the various sources you would like to add to this particular catalog, return to the Catalog screen by clicking the Catalogs sub-tab button in the sidebar. To review the items added to this catalog, click the "Edit Items" button to the right of the catalog name. On this page you will be able to drag items into the order you prefer. 

Removing Items From a Catalog

To remove items from a catalog, click the "Edit Items" button to the right of the catalogs name and click "Remove From Catalog." 

If you have any questions, please contact our Awardco Support Team.