Conrad: marketplace guide
About this guide
This is a ChannelEngine guide on the Berlin-based marketplace Conrad. Here you can find information on how to request a Conrad account, how to configure this marketplace on ChannelEngine, what the specific requirements are, and more.
Table of contents
Marketplace-specific requirements and exceptions
Commercial information
Founded | 1923 |
Founder | Max Conrad |
Headquarters | Berlin, Germany |
Area served (orders) | Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands |
Revenue | USD 1.05 billion (2019) |
Number of monthly visits | circa 6 million |
Website | Conrad |
Setup cost | none |
Commission | percentage based on product category |
Other costs | monthly fee |
Payment | thrice/month (5th, 15th, and 25th) |
Product categories | electronics |
Input language | Dutch, French, German, Italian |
Input currency | EUR |
Content creation | yes |
Profile on ChannelEngine | Conrad |
How to request an account
To start selling on Conrad, fill in the appropriate Sell on the Conrad Marketplace contact form:
- German sellers - fill out the Verkaufen Sie auf dem Conrad Marketplace contact form. A German tax number, commercial register extract, legal representing ID document, and bank account statement are required. Further details are provided during the onboarding process by the Conrad business developer.
- Dutch sellers - fill out the Verkoper worden contact form. Only companies with a warehouse location in the Netherlands and a Dutch VAT number can sell their products on the Conrad Marketplace.
After you filled out the form, a Conrad business developer contacts you and guides you through the next steps.
Marketplace features
Supported | Not supported |
Product offers (based on the SKU) | Returns (marketplace) |
Product content | Marketplace fulfillment service |
Orders (no split orders) | Repricing |
Cancelations (merchant) | Automatic relationships |
Returns/refunds (merchant) | Sales channels |
Shipments | |
Product variations (sizes/colors) | |
Carrier mapping | |
HTML formatting | |
Multiple stock locations | |
Bundles |
Settings and configuration
Setting up each marketplace on ChannelEngine follows the same flow, though not every marketplace includes the steps listed below.
- Go through the Setup.
- Create a Product selection.
- Complete the Categorization.
- Set up the Mappings: content, offers, and carriers.
- Configure the Pricing: rules and currency conversion.
- Finish the Activation.
- Check the Listed products overview.
Marketplace-specific requirements and exceptions
Setup
Conrad has specific requirements for sellers such as: German sales tax identification number, logistics in Germany, and shipping of individual orders.
Conrad also has some strict rules concerning products. Sellers are not allowed offering products that have a Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft (FSK), Germany's Self-Regulatory Body of the Movie Industry, rating above 18 – or content that glorifies violence or war. Also, products subject to the battery deposit law cannot be offered on Conrad.
On ChannelEngine
Conrad is a Mirakl-based channel, so you can connect it to ChannelEngine using a Mirakl Connect SSO account. For more information on this, check out the Mirakl-based channels: SSO authorization article.
You can leave the Mirakl seller name field empty, as Conrad does not support repricing.
Invoice uploads
To configure your invoice settings, click Advanced settings. You can then click the dropdown menu Enable invoice uploading, which contains the following options:
- ChannelEngine invoices - when ChannelEngine receives a shipment, it automatically generates an invoice and attaches it to the shipment before exporting it.
- Merchant invoices (optional) - when ChannelEngine receives a shipment, it exports it – even if there is no invoice attached to it.
- Merchant invoices (required) - when ChannelEngine receives a shipment, it only exports it if an invoice is attached to it. If not, you receive a notification.
- None - when ChannelEngine receives a shipment, it takes no action other than notifying you that no invoice is present.
If you select one of the Merchant invoices options, make sure to upload the invoice to ChannelEngine via the Merchant API or via the web interface. To learn more, check out the article ChannelEngine: merchant invoices.
Mappings
Content
Required (all products)
- Brand name - the brand of the article. This attribute is, in fact, optional. If a value is not entered, No name is used. If one of your brands is missing, contact Conrad.
- Content units - the correct unit of measurement.
- Content units per selling unit - what is inside the sold item? It can be 1 piece, 2 pieces, 100 pieces, etc. It is important that this is correctly mapped, using a numeric value with a precision of up to 4 decimal points (e.g.: 0.0001). The 'Content units' mapping is used to set the correct unit of measurement
- Manufacturer article ID - the unique manufacturing part number (MPN). MPNs are crucial when it comes to online product findability. Brands, that is, items not classified as No name products, require an MPN.
- Product title - a unique description of the product in German, with all relevant and distinguishing features. The product name must have at least 20 characters, and a maximum length of 120 characters. It is advised to use a maximum of 70 characters. Unique selling points can be entered in English.
- Product ID - the product's SKU. The maximum number of characters is 40.
- Selling unit of measure - the way the product is sold: 1 piece, 1 pair (i.e.: 2 pieces that belong together), 1 pack (i.e.: 3 or more of the same item), 1 set (multiple items), 1 meter (if buyable in variable lengths), etc.
- VAT rate - the VAT classification of the product: normal tax, reduced tax (e.g.: books), no tax, or reverse charge.
The following required attribute is common to all Mirakl-based marketplaces:
-
Export strategy - choose a strategy for exporting the product data. You can select from the following export strategies:
- Yes - export all of the product content to the marketplace, including its EAN (GTIN), category, and other mapped attributes. This option is ideal if you manage both product content and offers through ChannelEngine for the marketplace. Before you set this option, ensure that you map all required attributes.
-
No - do not export product content to the marketplace. Choose this option to keep the product content excluded from exports and only export the offers. This option is ideal if you do not want to export the product content yet, or you want to export only the product offers because the product content already exists on the marketplace.
NB: the default export strategy is Yes, even if the Export strategy attribute is left unmapped.
The following attributes are marked as optional, but mapping them is highly recommended:
Optional (all products)
- Artikelzustand (Item condition) - the condition of the article. E.g.: new, used, refurbished, etc.
- Commercial text - the description of the product. There is no length restriction, and limited HTML is supported (p, ul, b, li, em, br). Although optional, it is recommended that you map this attribute.
- Images - URL of the product image. Images must have a height or length of at least 400 px, and the format must be PNG, JPG, TIF, or GIF. Note that product images are required, even though they are marked as optional.
Product variations
Conrad provides a way to define product variants (parent-child relationships) using two attributes:
- Variant - the value or characteristic of the child product that differentiates it from other products under the same parent (e.g.: 16 GB). When variations exist within the same product family, Conrad displays them on the main product page in the dropdown menu Variants, provided that the total number of variations does not exceed 25 per parent product.
- Variant-group identifier - your internal ID assigned to a group of product variants (parent). All products within the same series or range should be grouped using the same value. E.g.: iPhone 12.
Product-type specific
Conrad does not have any required product type-specific attributes, however they do have many optional attributes that are both product type-specific and generic attributes. This is because Conrad specializes in electronics, and each type of product can have multiple possible attributes (e.g.: number of connections, number of ports, types of sockets, power requirements, etc.).
Offer
The only mandatory offer mappings are Price, which is your desired sale price, and Reverse charge, which should be set to No unless your finance department advises you otherwise.
Optional
- Condition description - the description of the product's condition if it is different from new. E.g.: manufacturer refurbished product – as good as new.
The following offer attributes are common to some Mirakl-based marketplaces:
- ECO #1-5 amount - the amount due for the eco-contribution related to the product. E.g.: 2.50.
- ECO #1-5 EPR category code - the extended producer responsibility (EPR) code that applies to the product. For a list of category codes, check out the article Providing data to comply with circular economy regulations in Mirakl's help center (note that you need to be logged in to Mirakl to access this page). E.g.: DE-WEEE, FR-DEA, etc.
- ECO #1-5 producer ID - your producer ID, received upon registering with a packaging register, such as Germany's LUCID. The maximum number of characters is 255.
The following offer attributes are common to all Mirakl-based marketplaces:
- Discount end date - the date until when the product's sale price is valid, if applicable. The date format is YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS ZZ. E.g.: 2022-12-31 23:59:59 +00.
- Discount price - the product's sale price, if applicable. This attribute must have a lower value than the Price attribute.
- Discount quantity threshold - the minimum quantity required for the discount rate to be available.
- Discount start date - the date from when the product's sale price is valid, if applicable. The date format is YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS ZZ. E.g.: 2022-12-31 23:59:59 +00.
- Leadtime to shipment - the number of days before you ship the product. By default, this is set to two. You can create your own unique rules, if applicable. For more information on this, check out the article Lead time to ship in Mirakl's help center.
- Minimum quantity alert - map this attribute to receive a notification from Mirakl if your stock drops below the threshold defined.
- Offer state - the product's condition. Find your option from the dropdown menu by selecting the fixed value to apply to all.
- Product tax code - the taxation code applicable to the product.
- Logistic class - your optional shipping class. Make sure to map it using the marketplace’s codes, not the labels visible in the front-end. These codes vary per marketplace. If this marketplace makes use of logistic class codes, they can be found below.
Code | Label | Description |
SM1 |
Klein & Medium 1 (Small & medium 1)
|
Less than 1 kg
|
SM2 | Klein & Medium 2 (Small & medium 1) | From 10.1 kg to 15 kg |
SM3 | Klein & Medium 3 (Small & medium 1) | From 15.1 kg to 31.5 kg |
bulk | Sperrgut (Bulky goods) |
Bulky goods from 31.6 kg to 40 kg
|
pallet | Palette (Pallet) | Pallet from 40.1 kg to 500 kg |
extra1 | Weitere Logistikklasse 1 (Other logistics class 1) | Price for logistics class 1 |
extra2 | Weitere Logistikklasse 2 (Other logistics class 2) | Price for logistics class 2 |
free | Kostenfreier Versand (Free shipping) | Use the logistics class to define the shipping costs for an offer |
FSM1 | Fulfillment Klein & Medium 1 (Fulfillment Small & Medium 1) | Fulfillment less than 10 kg |
FSM2 | Fulfillment Klein & Medium 2 (Fulfillment Small & Medium 2) | Fulfillment from 10.1 kg to 15 kg |
FSM3 | Fulfillment Klein & Medium 3 (Fulfillment Small & Medium 3) | Fulfillment from 15.1 kg to 31.5 kg |
fbulk | Fulfillment Sperrgut (Fulfillment bulky goods) | Fulfillment bulky goods from 31.6 kg to 40 kg |
fpallet | Fulfillment Palette (Fulfillment pallet) | Fulfillment pallet from 40.1 kg to 500 kg |
fextra1 | Fulfillment Weitere Logistikklasse 1 (Fulfillment Other Logistics Class 1) | Fulfillment other logistics Class 1 |
fextra2 | Fulfillment Weitere Logistikklasse 2 (Fulfillment Other Logistics Class 2) | Fulfillment other logistics Class 2 |
fulfree | Fulfillment Kostenfreier Versand (Fulfillment Free Shipping) | Fulfillment free shipping |
oci | OCI Sortiment (OCI assortment) | OCI assortment - no shipping costs, for participants CE D FDS |
Working with discounts
- To set up a discount, you must map the Discount price, Discount start date, and Discount end date attributes. If you want to set a permanent discount, map the Discount end date attribute with a date in the far future instead of leaving it unmapped. Otherwise, the offer is not exported, and errors are shown on the Validation and feedback tab.
- The discounted price is only exported if it is lower than the base price.
- If you do not want to set a bulk discount, leave the Discount quantity threshold attribute unmapped – otherwise, the export is broken.
- To set a bulk discount, the Discount quantity threshold must be set to a value higher than 1. E.g.: a value of 2 indicates that two or more of the product must be purchased at the same time for the buyer to benefit from the discount.
Carrier
Carrier mapping is not required on Conrad. However, you can map your carrier to a specific list of carriers maintained by Conrad. This allows for working track-and-trace links in the back-end, as well as for the buyer. If your default carrier is missing, please contact Conrad.
Listed products
If you have problems with products not appearing on Mirakl-based marketplaces – especially if you are trying to create products –, check the Listed products page for more information.
You can either use the Channel status filter (e.g.: products that ChannelEngine has failed to export, such as those with an empty GTIN or that do not exist on the marketplace yet, are shown as Invalid) or the Validation and feedback tab to see all known errors for specific products.
Alternatively, you can access the marketplace's back-end and download the error report generated by Mirakl. To do so:
- Log in to the Mirakl back-end and go to Catalog, Product imports.
- Identify the latest report and click the See details button by it.
- Download the CSV file Non-integrated products report.
FAQs
How do I know what optional attributes should be mapped?
In the ConradB2B Mirakl portal, select My inventory > Import from file. In the panel on the right-hand side, select either the CSV or XLSX template. Select a file template to download, and then select the requirement level of attributes. Finally, select the categories. The resulting file shows you an overview of the required, recommended, and optional attributes for the selected product category.
I have created new products on Conrad, but they are not yet visible. What happened?
Conrad is quite strict when it comes to the quality of product information, a manual content is performed. Therefore, it can take some time before new content is accepted and offers are created.
What does reverse-charging VAT mean?
Reverse charge is a mechanism where the recipient of the goods is liable to pay VAT, instead of the supplier. Make sure to consult your accountant or finance department to find out if reverse charging applies to your business.
How should I set up my product title?
The product title is a clear description of the product, with all relevant and distinguishing features. The product title is also very relevant to find the product through the internal search engine. Product titles should be set up in the following way: item name, brand, Merchant product number, type, and any other product features (sorted by importance). It is recommended to compare your product with existing products in the same category, and apply the same style.
Try to avoid content duplication and the use of unnecessary capital letters, which leads to downgrades. Enter MPNs and types according to industry practices. To include features in the product title, spaces are used as separators.
E.g.: Apple iPhone 8 Refurbished (sehr gut) 64 GB 4.7 Zoll (11.9 cm) iOS 11 12 Megapixel Red.
How often does each task run on Mirakl-based marketplaces?
By default, Mirakl-based marketplaces follow the schedule below:
Task | Frequency |
Export product data to marketplace | every 60 minutes |
Export product offers to marketplace | every 15 minutes |
Import product offers from marketplace | every 15 minutes |
Import orders from marketplace | every 15 minutes |
Export order shipments to marketplace | every 15 minutes |
Export returns to marketplace | every 30 minutes |
Can I map attributes on ChannelEngine and in the Mirakl back-end?
No. Mapping attributes in the Mirakl marketplace back-end interferes with ChannelEngine's content export. Therefore, it is recommended to stick to categorizing and mapping content only on ChannelEngine.
Why am I not receiving feedback on my content and/or offer exports?
Chances are you are receiving the feedback. However, different types of error report can take a couple of hours or several days to be generated:
- Offer feedback
- Error reports are mostly generated automatically, and are imported quickly.
- Content feedback
- Transformation error report - this is automatically generated, and usually imported within a maximum of one day.
- Conventional error report - this requires a manual review by the Mirakl-based marketplace, and not all do so. It can take several days for this report to be imported.
Note that the previous feedback report is not removed from ChannelEngine until both the latest transformation and conventional reports have been fully processed by ChannelEngine – or no new reports have been generated because there are no errors to report.
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