Cdiscount

Cdiscount was the first online market in France. Today, it is still one of the most popular and most widely used French online sales platforms. In order to sell items on Cdiscount, you need to make your catalogue of items completely available in French.

1. Registering with Cdiscount

You need to register with Cdiscount before setting up Cdiscount in PlentyONE. Click here to download a PDF file of the Cdiscount terms and conditions (as of 16/10/2020).

Fill in the registration form and send your data to Cdiscount. One of the market’s support employees will contact you to verify the registration.

Change your API password before you save the access data in your PlentyONE system. A new password will be sent to the mailbox in your Cdiscount seller back end area.

2. Frequency of data exchange

After you have set up Cdiscount in PlentyONE, data is exchanged with the market in the intervals described in Section 2:

Table 1. Frequency of data exchange
Data Interval

Item export

daily

Stock synchronisation

every 15 minutes

Price synchronisation

every 15 minutes

Order import

hourly
Note: During the hourly order import, no invoice data or delivery information is transferred from Cdiscount when the order is first imported. The order remains in status [3]. It may take up to 48 hours for the invoice data and the delivery information to be transferred to PlentyONE, as Cdiscount carries out a credit rating for the end customer first. as Cdiscount carries out a credit rating for the end customer first.

3. Setting up Cdiscount in PlentyONE

Once you have registered with Cdiscount, use the data that is saved there to set up the market in PlentyONE. To do so, proceed as described below.

Access data

Use the API access data for the setup. Do not confuse the API access data with your access data for the Cdiscount seller back end. You find the user name within the Cdiscount seller back end. The password is generated or edited there.

Setting up Cdiscount in PlentyONE:

  1. Go to Setup » Markets » Cdiscount.com » Tab: Settings.

  2. Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the explanations given in Table 2.

  3. Save () the settings.

Access data

Use the API access data for the setup (user name and password). The user name includes the suffix api. In contrast, use the login access data to log into the back end area on Cdiscount.
Table 2. Basic settings for the market Cdiscount
Setting Explanation

Request product creation

Activate to transfer the item catalogue via the API interface. Stock is still synchronised automatically via the API interface.
Note: If the option Request product creation is not activated, offers are only generated for already existing items on Cdiscount.

Update prices and stock and activate order import

Activate in order to activate the automatic stock synchronisation and the order import via the API interface. When this option is activated along with the option Request product creation, then the data is exchanged automatically via the API interface only.

Sales partner information

Company name

Enter the company name as stated on Cdiscount (optional).

API user name

Enter the API user name that you received from Cdiscount.

API password

Enter the API password that you received from Cdiscount.

Order settings

Cdiscount C Logistique order status

Status for Cdiscount C Logistique orders. Status [7] outgoing items booked is set by default. However, no stock is booked from the warehouse. The status can be edited as desired for future order imports. Once an order entered status 7, the order cannot enter a smaller status.

Cdiscount C Logistique order warehouse

Select which warehouse is to be assigned to C Logistique orders.
Automatic warehouse assignment (default setting) = The warehouse is assigned according to the normal order logic, i.e. based on your warehouse, item and stock settings.

Item settings

Item name

Select which field to transfer to Cdiscount as the item name.
Tip: On Cdiscount, this item name is the "Shortlabel". This name is displayed in the shopping cart.

Short item description

Select which field to transfer to Cdiscount as the short item description.
Tip: On Cdiscount, this short item description is the "Longlabel", i.e. the name that is shown on the product page.

Item description

Select which field to transfer to Cdiscount as the item description.
The item description must not contain HTML formatting. HTML formatting is deleted during the item export.

Item marketing description

Select the text that you want to transfer as marketing description or select Do not transfer.
It is possible to use HTML formatting in the item marketing description.

Transfer variation dimensions

Activate if you want to transfer the variation’s dimensions.

Stock quantity for items that are not limited to stock and do not have a positive net stock

Enter the value. The entered value is transferred as stock if the item is not limited to stock and if the item does not have a positive net stock.

Warehouse

Which sales warehouse should be used? Select one sales warehouse, several sales warehouses, or Total in all warehouses.

  • Total in all warehouses = The sum of all sales warehouses is used. Return or repair warehouses are not taken into consideration.

Minimum price

Select the minimum price for an item.
Important: The minimum price must be the special offer price saved for the item.
Transmitting shipping costs and shipping preparation time via catalogue

The settings for shipping costs and the shipping preparation time in the Setup » Markets » Cdiscount.com » Tab: Settings menu are no longer valid and will be removed soon. Therefore, use the mapping in the catalogue.

4. Distinction of single items and variation items

Only specific product types, such as clothing, can be offered as variation items on Cdiscount. Therefore, all variations will be exported to Cdiscount as single items by default.

Variations can only be listed as variation items on Cdiscount if the following settings were made:

  • The variation is linked with attributes for clothing size or clothing colour.

  • The item is linked with a characteristic of the type No that is linked to the Cdiscount characteristic Variation item.

If you use the same attribute for single items and variation items on Cdiscount, you can use a characteristic of the type No that is linked to the Cdiscount characteristic No variation item to list the item as single item.

Product names of single items

Attributes are added to the product names of variations which are listed as single items on Cdiscount. The attributes are shown in square brackets behind the product name on Cdiscount.
For variations which are listed as variation items on Cdiscount, attributes will not be added to the product name.

Table 3. Example for product names on Cdiscount
Name of the single item The attribute’s name Product name on Cdiscount

Ladies’ bicycle, 18 inch, mountain bike

blue

Ladies’ bicycle, 18 inch, mountain bike [blue]

5. Activating the order referrer

Go to Setup » Orders » Order referrer to activate the order referrer. This ensures that orders are assigned to the correct sales channel.

What is an order referrer?

An order referrer tags an order with the sales channel on which the order was generated. Sales channels can be e.g. your online shop or markets on which you sell your items. Each sales channel has an individual order referrer. Some order referrers are available by default in your PlentyONE system. Further order referrers are added e.g. if you install a new plugin. For further information about the order referrer, see the page Order referrer of the PlentyONE manual.

Activating the order referrer for Cdiscount:

  1. Go to Setup » Orders » Order referrer.

  2. Click Search (search).

  3. In the list, navigate to the option Cdiscount with ID 143.

  4. On the right of the referrer’s line, click on Edit (edit).
    → The window Edit referrer opens.

  5. Activate the option Visible in selection (toggle_on).

  6. Click on Save (save).
    → The referrer is active.

6. Setting the variation availability

You need to activate the variations that you want to sell on Cdiscount. This is done in the Availability and visibility section of a variation within the Item » Items » [Open item] » [Open variation] menu.

  • For one variation

  • Using variation group function

  • Using batch processing

Making a variation available for Cdiscount:

  1. Go to Item » Items » [Open item] » [Open variation].
    Tip: To sell all variations of an item on Cdiscount, carry out the settings for the item’s main variation. If the inheritance function is active for the variations, then this activates the availability of all variations of the item.

  2. In the Availability and visibility section, activate the option Active.

  3. In the Sales channels section, click Add sales channels (add).
    → The window Add sales channels opens.

  4. In the drop-down list Sales channels, select the option Cdiscount.

  5. Click Apply.
    → The sales channel is added.

  6. Save () the settings.
    → The variation is available for Cdiscount.

Use the variation group function to edit multiple variations at once. You select the variations that you want to edit.

Making several variations available for Cdiscount using the variation group function:

  1. Go to Item » Items.

  2. Set search filters as needed and start the search.

  3. Select () the variations to be edited.

  4. In the toolbar, click on layers » layers Variation group function.
    → The Variation group function window opens.

  5. Select the action Sales channels from the drop-down list Actions.
    → The action is added to the lower part of the window.

  6. In the drop-down list Sales channels, select the option Cdiscount.

  7. Select the action Active from the drop-down list Actions.
    → The action is added to the lower part of the window.

  8. Activate the option Active.

  9. Navigate to the area Availability.

  10. Click Execute to apply the settings.

Batch processing allows you to edit several variations at once. You use filters to limit which variations are edited.

Making several variations available for Cdiscount using batch processing:

  1. Go to Item » Batch processing.

  2. Click on the tab Variations in the upper left corner.

  3. Use the filters on the left to specify which variations should be processed.

  4. Navigate to the area Market availability.

  5. Activate the checkbox to the left of the option Cdiscount.

  6. Activate the checkbox to the right of the option Cdiscount.

  7. Navigate to the area Availability.

  8. Activate the checkbox to the left of the option Active.

  9. Activate the checkbox to the right of the option Active.

  10. Click on Apply to apply the settings to the variations.

7. Optional: Saving SKU

SKU are generated automatically when your variations are exported. However, you can also save market specific SKU for variations that you want to sell on this market instead.

Automatic SKU generation

If the Request product creation setting is activated in the Setup » Markets » Cdiscount.com » Tab: Settings menu, an SKU is generated for each exported variation during the nightly export. This SKU matches the variation ID.
SKUs of already existing items

Do you want to sell products that you have previously created on Cdiscount manually or with a different software? Link these products with your variations in PlentyONE. To do so, save the identification as an SKU in PlentyONE. The identification can be found as Your reference in the Cdiscount seller back end.

  • Manually adding an SKU

  • Importing SKU

  1. Go to Item » Items » [Open item] » [Open variation].

  2. Expand the SKU section (keyboard_arrow_down).

  3. Click Add SKU (add).
    → The Add SKU window opens.

  4. Select the referrer Cdiscount.com from the drop-down list.

  5. Click Apply.

  6. Enter the SKU.

  7. Enter the Parent SKU, if necessary.

  8. Save () the settings.

Only the most important settings for the import are described here. Is this your first time working with the import tool? Then get familiar with how data imports work in PlentyONE first.

  • Create a CSV file with at least the columns described in Table 4.

  • Create an import with the following settings:

    • Select the type Item.

    • Select the matching field Variation ID.

    • Map the PlentyONE data fields as described in Table 4.

Table 4. Recommended columns of the import file
Column in CSV file Explanation PlentyONE data field for mapping

Variation ID

Enter the variation ID in this column.

Variation ID

Marketplace ID

Enter the referrer ID 143 in this column.

SKU > Marketplace ID

Account ID

This market does not require a marketplace account. As such, enter the number 0 in this column.

SKU > Account ID

SKU

Enter the SKU that you want to save for the variation for this market in this column.

SKU > SKU

8. Defining a sales price

To sell variations on Cdiscount, you need a sales price in which the order referrer Cdiscount is activated. The price that you save for this sales price is the price that will be shown on Cdiscount.

What is a sales price?

Sales prices define the conditions under which a variation is sold at a specific price and on a specific sales channel. For example, you can sell your items at a lower price in your webshop than on Amazon. Or you can sell products cheaper to B2B customers than to B2C customers.

Two default sales prices are already configured in your PlentyONE system. However, you can also create new sales prices and edit them individually. In addition to default sales prices, you can also create RRPs, special offers, and set prices.

Defining a sales price for Cdiscount:

  1. Go to Setup » Item » Sales prices » [Open sales price].
    Tip: No sales prices? Then create a sales price first.

  2. Open the Settings tab.

  3. Activate the referrer Cdiscount.

  4. Save () the settings.

Afterwards, link the sales price with the desired variations if you have not done so.

9. Defining the barcode

Proceed as described below to define a barcode for the order referrer Cdiscount. This barcode is transferred to Cdiscount for the variation. The barcode has to be of the type GTIN 13.

Defining a barcode for Cdiscount:

  1. Go to Setup » Item » Barcode » [Open barcode].

  2. Select the referrer Cdiscount.

  3. Save () the settings.

Afterwards, link the barcode with the desired variations if you have not done so.

10. Linking categories

In order to link your categories with Cdiscount categories, download the Cdiscount category list first. Then link your own categories with the most appropriate Cdiscount categories.

Downloading the category list:

  1. Go to Setup » Markets » Cdiscount.com » Tab: Category list.

  2. Click on the gear-wheel icon Update category list.
    → The category list is displayed with code and category names further below.

You need the codes displayed here in order to link your categories with Cdiscount categories. To do so, proceed as follows.

Linking categories:

  1. Go to Setup » Markets » Cdiscount.com » Tab: Category link.

  2. For Category link, enter the Cdiscount category code matching your PlentyONE category.

  3. Save () the settings.

11. Linking attributes

If you have created attributes in your PlentyONE system, you have to link these attributes with Cdiscount. Proceed as described below to link the attribute Colour with Cdiscount. Link further attributes in the same way.

Linking attribute "Colour":

  1. Go to Setup » Item » Attributes.
    → An overview of all existing attributes opens.

  2. Open the attribute Colour.

  3. Click on the Attribute link tab.

  4. From the list of markets, select the option Cdiscount.com.
    → The area for linking attributes is shown.

  5. From the drop-down list Categories, select the attribute Colour.

  6. In the column Market attribute values enter an appropriate market attribute value for each of your attribute values.

  7. Save () the settings.

  8. Repeat this process for the remaining attributes.

Note: Attributes are added to the product names of variations which are listed as single items on Cdiscount. For further information, see the chapter Distinction of single items and variation items.

12. Creating characteristics

Next, create characteristics and link the characteristics to Cdiscount characteristics. Characteristics have to be created in French.

Creating a characteristic:

  1. Go to Setup » Item » Characteristics.

  2. Click on the New characteristic tab.

  3. Enter a name for the characteristic under Name (internal).

  4. Select fr for French from the Language drop-down list.

  5. Enter the French name that you would like to use for this characteristic into the Name field.

  6. Select the option Text from the Characteristic type drop-down list.

  7. Select the Cdiscount characteristic from the Cdiscount.com attribute drop-down list.

  8. Save () the settings.

13. Linking manufacturers

GPSR compliance

You can find information on how to comply with the Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) and the mandatory information in the Octopia documentation.

See Octopia Documentation

Create manufacturer links so that your items are displayed for sale on Cdiscount. First download the Cdiscount manufacturer list and then link your own manufacturers with the most appropriate Cdiscount manufacturers by saving the Cdiscount manufacturer ID in the system. The Cdiscount manufacturer ID is the name of the manufacturer.

Downloading the manufacturer list:

  1. Go to Setup » Markets » Cdiscount.com » Tab: Manufacturer list.

  2. Click on Update manufacturer list.
    → The manufacturer list is displayed with code and manufacturer names further below.

  3. Select and copy the manufacturer to the clipboard.

  4. Tip: Download the manufacturer list as a CSV file. You can search for specific manufacturers in this file.
    Go to Setup » Markets » Cdiscount.com » Tab: Manufacturer list and click on Download manufacturer list as CSV file ().

Now, proceed as follows to link the manufacturer.

Linking manufacturers:

  1. Go to Setup » Item » Manufacturers.

  2. Open the manufacturer that you would like to link with Cdiscount.

  3. Insert the name of the manufacturer into the Cdiscount.com ID field.

  4. Save () the settings.

14. Permitting the payment method in a customer class

The payment method Cdiscount is automatically available in your PlentyONE system as soon as an active Cdiscount account exists. No separate configurations are needed for this. You just need to permit the payment method in one or more customer classes.

What are customer classes?

Customer classes allow you to divide your customer base according to specific criteria. Examples of use for customer classes are:

  • Create two separate customer classes for end customers (B2C) and business customers (B2B) respectively. Depending on the customer class, customers either see net prices or gross prices in your plentyShop.

  • Give discounts to specific customer classes.

For more information about customer classes, head over to the to the Managing contacts page.

Permitting the payment method in a customer class:

  1. Go to Setup » CRM » Customer classes.

  2. Open the customer class for which you want to permit the payment method.

  3. For the setting Allowed payment methods, activate the option Cdiscount.

  4. Save () the settings.

15. Setting up the data exchange

In order for the interface to successfully carry out the item export, the order import and the stock synchronisation, certain settings are mandatory. Pay attention to the following list.

Product creation on Cdiscount

The product creation serves as a query to add a new product to Cdiscount’s product database. As soon as Cdiscount approves and adds your item to its database, you cannot make any further changes to the item data. Therefore, check if you have saved all the necessary data. The check list serves as list for all mandatory settings for the product creation. Further settings can be carried out as desired.
Offer creation on Cdiscount

Every created item is saved in a database on Cdiscount. Every item can be identified by at least one EAN. Marking products with EANs enables sellers to create offers for these products. The setup is simpler in comparison to the previous product creation and makes it easy to get started on Cdiscount.
The offer creation as well as the synchronisation (stock) are controlled by one file.
The following check list contains all mandatory settings for an item to be transferred in this file.
Table 5. Mandatory settings for Cdiscount
Settings area Settings

Offer creation / Stock synchronisation

Basic settings for the market

  • Update prices and stock and activate order import is activated.

  • API user name is entered.

  • API password is entered.

  • Preparation for shipping (in days) is set.

  • Apply shipping costs from shipping cost calculation or Overwrite shipping costs is configured.

Variation settings

  • The variation is active.

  • The variation availability is set.

  • A sales price is created and linked.

  • A barcode is created and linked.

  • An SKU is set.

Item creation

Basic settings for the market

  • Update prices and stock and activate order import is activated.

  • API user name is entered.

  • API password is entered.

Item settings

  • Item descriptions are entered in French.

  • A manufacturer is saved for the item and linked with Cdiscount.

Variation settings for single items

  • The variation is active.

  • The variation availability is set.

  • A barcode is created and linked.

  • An SKU is set.

  • At least one category which is linked with Cdiscount is saved for the item.

  • At least one category which is linked with Cdiscount is activated for the standard client.

  • At least one image is saved for the item and released for Cdiscount.

Further variation settings for variation items

  • The variation’s attributes are linked with Cdiscount.

Order import

Basic settings for the market

  • Update prices and stock and activate order import is activated.

  • API user name is entered.

  • API password is entered.

Variation settings

  • An SKU is set.

15.1. Downloading the item catalogue and stock synchronisation

In the Archive tab, download the item catalogue or the stock synchronisation as a ZIP file. Downloading the ZIP files makes it possible for you to transfer the files to your Cdiscount contact person in case there are problems during the import. This helps Cdiscount to analyse the situation more quickly in order to eliminate the problem.

Transferring the stock synchronisation to Cdiscount:

  1. Go to Setup » Markets » Cdiscount.com » Tab: Archive.

  2. Click on Download stock synchronisation.

  3. Save the file on your computer and send it to Cdiscount in an email if needed.

15.2. Exporting the item catalogue via CSV file

In rare cases, the automatic item export may not work correctly. In such cases export your French item catalogue as a CSV file to Cdiscount. To do so, go to Data » Elastic export and carry out the settings as described below. After you saved all necessary settings as described below, copy the complete URL and send it to Cdiscount. Stock is updated once an hour.

Use the Plugin CdiscountCOM

You can also use the plugin CdiscountCOM to create a CSV file for Cdiscount.

Creating a CSV export:

  1. Go to Setup » Markets » Cdiscount.com » Tab: Settings.

  2. Activate the option Update prices and stock and activate order import.
    Important: The Request product creation option must not be active. Otherwise, the automatic data exchange would be carried out via the API interface.

  3. Save () the settings.

  4. Switch to the Data » Elastic export menu.

  5. Click on the New export tab.

  6. Select Cdiscount.com from the Data format drop-down list.

  7. Enter a name for the export.

  8. Pay attention to the explanations given on the Elastic export page.

  9. Save () the settings.
    → The export is created as a sub-folder in the Exports tab and the URL is generated.

  10. Click on the Exports tab and open the subfolder Cdiscount.com.

  11. Copy the URL and send the URL to Cdiscount.

Linking characteristics for the CSV file

Link the characteristics Gender, Main colour, Note, Comment, Marketing description, Audience, and Sport in the Setup » Item » Characteristics menu in order to transfer your item catalogue to Cdiscount via a CSV file.

16. Automatically sending returns

Set up an event procedure to automatically send returns to Cdiscount.

Credit notes for returns always for the sum of an order item

If a Cdiscount order has more than one order item and the customer returns only a partial amount of this order item, Cdiscount will always refund the total sum of this order item. This is due to a limitation on Cdiscount.
Example: The customer orders two sweaters for 30€ each and a jacket for 50€ and returns one of the sweaters. A credit note for the sum of this order item is created, in this case this would be 60€.
Setting up an event procedure

  1. Go to Setup » Orders » Events.

  2. Click on Add event procedure ().
    → The Create new event procedure window opens.

  3. Enter a distinct name for the event procedure.

  4. Select the event according to Table 6.

  5. Save () the settings.

  6. Carry out the additional settings according to Table 6.

  7. Select the setting Active ().

  8. Save () the settings.

Table 6. Event procedure for automatically sending returns to Cdiscount
Setting Option Selection

Event

Order generation: New return

Filter 1

Order > Order type

Return

Filter 2

Order > Referrer

CDiscount.fr

Procedure

Return > Send return to Cdiscount

17. Automatically updating the order status

Set up an event procedure to automatically update the order status on Cdiscount whenever specific events occur. You can use event procedures to automatically assign the following statuses to orders on Cdiscount:

  • Refused by seller

  • Shipped by seller

  • Shipment refused by seller

An example of an event procedure that you can use to notify Cdiscount when you have shipped the ordered items is described below. Set up further event procedures in the same way.

In order to successfully transfer a shipping confirmation, the following data must be saved for the order.

  • Shipping service provider

  • Outgoing items must be booked

  • external order number

Setting up an event procedure

  1. Go to Setup » Orders » Events.

  2. Click on Add event procedure ().
    → The Create new event procedure window opens.

  3. Enter a distinct name for the event procedure.

  4. Select the event according to Table 7.

  5. Save () the settings.

  6. Carry out the additional settings according to Table 7.

  7. Select the setting Active ().

  8. Save () the settings.

Table 7. Event procedure for automatically updating order statuses on Cdiscount
Setting Option Selection

Event

Order change: Status change
or Order change: Outgoing items booked

[7] Outgoing items booked

Filter 1

Order > Order type

Order

Filter 2

Order > Referrer

CDiscount.fr

Procedure

Order > Notify Cdiscount of order changes

Shipped by seller
Status: Accepted by seller

The status Accepted by seller does not have to be sent via an event procedure. Every incoming order triggers an automatic message about this status and sends it to Cdiscount.

18. Viewing the API log

The Data » API log menu contains a history of processes that run via the Cdiscount interface. For Cdiscount, the Cdiscount.com format is available.

Viewing the API log:

  1. Go to Data » API log » Tab: API log.

  2. Select the format Cdiscount.com from the Process drop-down list.

  3. Optional: Select a date if you only want to see entries for a specific day.

  4. Select the number of results per page.

  5. Click on Search () to display the results.