The Salesforce Cloud Commerce (SFCC) platform can be easily connected to Marketplacer, enabling you to expand your product range via our marketplace platform.
To connect, you need to install the SFCC cartridge, and complete a number of setup and configuration tasks. For more information, see Prepare to integrate Salesforce Commerce Cloud.
How the connection works
Marketplacer connects with SFCC via the Marketplacer Cartridge which uses Marketplacer API endpoints to synchronize seller, brand, product, order, and shipping data between the platforms with a mix of push and pull triggers.
The Cartridge is designed to sync data between Marketplacer and SFCC only. If you want to sync information with a different platform, such as an order management system or enterprise resource planning system, you will need an implementation partner to help you with those additional integrations.
Core synchronization functions
- Product information, inventory and prices (along with associated sellers and brands) sync from Marketplacer to SFCC. Data payloads move at varying speeds and most will sync to the staging instance. At scale, some payloads such as inventory and pricing, sync directly to production.
- Orders placed in SFCC sync to Marketplacer for fulfillment.
- Marketplacer syncs shipping and status details to SFCC.
Once the data synchronization process is set up, products and sellers are then managed through Marketplacer and changes are synced to the SFCC platform with the next job.
Add functionality through the Marketplacer APIs
Marketplacer customers can extend functionality through custom development using our APIs and Bulk Data Tools. For some examples see Customization through the API.
Information flow
|
Source of truth |
For |
|
Marketplacer |
Products, sellers, brands, shipping details |
|
SFCC |
Orders |
Definition of terms
Salesforce Commerce Cloud (SFCC) - Your e-commerce platform.
Marketplacer - Your platform for marketplace management.
Marketplacer Cartridge - Is a traditional SFCC style cartridge package that includes the code, scripts, unit tests and UI templates to deliver a baseline integration between Marketplacer and an SFCC Enterprise Domain. For this release it is packaged into the following elements: Storefront Controllers, Storefront Scripts, INIT cartridges, Site Template and Tests.
Sellers - Marketplacer sellers are third party physical goods suppliers who can add products to the Marketplacer platform.
Marketplacer GraphQL API - One of Marketplacer’s API frameworks that can be used to add functionality. While this is a primary API, we also support some actions with REST API, webhooks, and import/export tools for certain data interactions.
Marketplacer/SFCC terms
Marketplacer and SFCC use different terms to refer to the same entities. In particular, categories in SFCC are known as taxons in Marketplacer and need to be set up so the data sync works correctly.
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Marketplacer |
SFCC |
|
Taxon |
Category (A taxon is equal to a category in a catalog) |
|
Advert |
Main / Variation Group. An Advert is a non-stocking parent to a single or set of SKUs. In many cases, it is a Variation Group. It has some attributes but is not purchasable itself. For many marketplaces this is called a Listing |
|
Variant |
A standard or simple product that is associated with an advert. If there are multiple variants under one Advert, then they tend to share common attributes such as size and color. |
|
Feature |
Custom Attribute which is applied at the Variant level |
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Prototype |
Similar to a SFCC Attribute group. They are assigned to a category/taxon level for consistency. |
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OptionType |
Custom Attribute Item with multiple data types such as Text, integer, drop down list, etc. (NOT an SFCC Option Product) |
|
OptionValue |
Custom Attribute Value compliant with the OptionType Data Type (Text, integer, drop down list, etc.) |
Lifecycle and maintenance
Marketplacer will periodically issue releases for the SFCC Marketplacer Cartridge to ensure compatibility with new releases of SFCC and changes to the Marketplacer platform. The newest cartridge release will be available on the app exchange.
We try not to introduce breaking events, but if there is any risk, we will explain it in the release documentation and suggest remedies or workarounds.
The responsibility for updating the integration lies with the Marketplacer customer’s implementation partners. Cartridge enhancements are generally done through patches. We DO NOT recommend uninstalling and reinstalling the Marketplacer cartridge even in sandboxes. You can reset a sandbox and reimplement in that fashion..
As Marketplacer adds new features and functionality to the cartridge, we will issue details through the Changelog, as well as include that information in the documentation section of that release in GitHub.
Technical limitations
- Product information for Marketplacer seller’s products must be managed through Marketplacer’s platform. If you delete or modify Marketplacer products or sellers in SFCC, this will cause sync errors as product information flows from Marketplacer as the source of truth. Wherever possible, SFCC flags for data being controlled outside of the system should be used and not modified by SFCC Business User Admins.
- Marketplacer promotions, coupons and shipping are not currently supported as OOTB features of the cartridge. These items are generally managed in SFCC Business Manager. Marketplacer has the ability to accept adjusted prices and shipping fees at an invoice/line item level. A technical partner may be able to offer the customization you need to achieve your specific business process needs.
Not included in the Cartridge
This SFCC solution does not currently support the following features.
- Order modification - where a buyer updates their order in SFCC it will not update information in Marketplacer. If you want, you can configure the export order job in SFCC to include a ‘remorse period’, to delay the order export to Marketplacer. You may also leverage custom code or other technology systems to post changes to Marketplacer APIs. Care should be taken to explore the business ramifications for each adjustment concept for unintended consequences.
- Marketplacer platform promotions created by sellers do not sync to SFCC. Promotions need to be set up in SFCC.
Customization through the API
The following features and many other additional functions are possible through Marketplacer API customization work.
- Inclusion of seller shipping prices - to enable seller shipping prices, adjust the setting in Marketplacer to sync to SFCC.
- Refunds and returns - it’s possible to do custom API work to enable refund and return requests made in SFCC to sync to Marketplacer. Without this customization, only the status of refunds and returns approved in Marketplacer can sync to SFCC (not financial transactions).
You will need to seek additional support from a technical partner or resource to implement these and other features via API.
As a reference for developers, the SFCC Marketplacer Cartridge code is in the SalesForce github. See also the Marketplacer API documentation.
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