Product Management

Your items are the foundation of your CaratX business. This guide explains how to create listings, manage your inventory, and keep your catalog organized. --- ## 1. Creating a New Item Go to **Dashboard > Items > Add New Item** (or click the **+ Add Item** button on the Items list page). Every item requires: - **Title** — the name shown to buyers (e.g., "18K Rose Gold Diamond Solitaire Ring") - **SKU** — your internal stock-keeping code. Must be unique across your catalog. - **Type** — Jewelry or Diamond / Gemstone (see Section 2) - **Category** — the product category (e.g., Rings, Earrings, Loose Diamonds) - **Price** — the retail price shown to customers Everything else — description, images, properties, wholesale price — can be filled in later, but a complete listing converts significantly better than a bare minimum one. --- ## 2. Item Types CaratX uses two item types to organize your catalog and show the right specification fields: ### Jewelry Physical jewelry pieces — rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pendants, and similar finished goods. When you select Jewelry, you'll see fields relevant to jewelry: metal type, ring size, bracelet length, earring style, etc. ### Diamond / Gemstone Loose stones — diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, rubies, and other gems. When you select Diamond / Gemstone, you'll see fields relevant to stones: cut, color, clarity, carat weight, fluorescence, symmetry, and polish. **Choose the right type before saving.** The type controls which specification fields appear and how the item is categorized on the marketplace. It cannot be changed after an item has received orders. --- ## 3. Setting Prices Each item can have up to four price fields: | Field | Who Sees It | Notes | |---|---|---| | **Price** | All customers and guests | The standard retail price. Required. | | **Wholesale Price** | B2B buyers only | Shown instead of the retail price for buyers with wholesale access. Leave blank if you don't sell wholesale. | | **Sale Price** | All customers | A promotional price that overrides both retail and wholesale when active. Leave blank when not on sale. | | **Cost** | You only | Internal cost tracking — never shown to buyers. Useful for margin calculations. | **Wholesale Only** — Tick this checkbox to make an item invisible to regular customers. Only buyers with wholesale/B2B access will be able to see and purchase it. **How sale price works:** When a sale price is set, it takes priority over both the retail price and the wholesale price. To end a sale, simply clear the sale price field and save. --- ## 4. Images and Documents ### Photos Upload your primary product photo using the **Featured Image** field. This image appears in search results, your storefront grid, and on the item detail page. Additional angles, detail shots, and lifestyle images can be uploaded via the **Gallery Images** section. You can drag and rearrange gallery images to control the display order. **Tips for better photos:** - Use a clean white or neutral background for the main image - Include scale references where relevant (e.g., hand shot for rings) - For gemstones, include a shot under magnification if available - Minimum recommended size: 800x800 pixels ### Certificates and Documents You can attach grading certificates (GIA, AGS, IGI, etc.) and other documents to an item. Upload them in the **Documents** section on the item form. Buyers can download certificates directly from the item page — this builds trust and reduces pre-sale questions. --- ## 5. Properties and Attributes Properties are the searchable specifications that help buyers find your items. The property fields shown depend on your item type. **Properties that apply to all items:** - Brand, Metal, Material, Color, Gemstone Category, Birth Stone, Dimension, Diamond Shape **Properties specific to Jewelry:** - Ring Size, Ring Style, Ring Width, Necklace Length, Necklace Style, Bracelet Chain Type, Bracelet Color, Bracelet Length, Bracelet Style, Earring Back, Earring Style, Jewelry Style **Properties specific to Diamonds / Gemstones:** - Diamond Clarity, Diamond Color, Diamond Cut, Diamond Fluorescence, Diamond Polish, Diamond Symmetry Fill in as many relevant properties as you can. Buyers frequently filter by these attributes — an incomplete property set means your items won't appear in filtered searches. Some property values (like Brand and Metal Type) allow you to type in a new value if your specific option isn't listed. This creates a new option that you can reuse on future items. --- ## 6. Inventory Management CaratX tracks inventory using a **hold-then-fulfill** model. Understanding this prevents confusion about why your available count may look lower than your physical stock. ### How the Hold System Works **Step 1 — Item is added to cart and ordered** When a buyer places an order for your item, CaratX immediately reserves that quantity. The item's available count drops by the ordered amount. If you have 3 units and someone orders 1, your available count becomes 2 — even though the order hasn't shipped yet. This prevents two buyers from ordering the same physical piece simultaneously. **Step 2 — Order is confirmed, processed, and shipped** Your available count stays reduced throughout this period. The hold remains active while the order is in Pending, Confirmed, Processing, or Shipped status. **Step 3 — Order is marked as Delivered** This is when inventory is permanently decremented. Your actual stock quantity drops, and the hold is released. If you started with 3 units and the order for 1 is delivered, your stock is now 2. **Step 4 — Order is cancelled** If an order is cancelled at any point before delivery, the hold is released immediately. Your available count returns to what it was before the order was placed. ### What You Set vs. What the System Manages - **You set:** the `Quantity` field — your total physical stock count - **The system manages:** `qty_sold` internally — the number of units currently held against active orders Your available count shown to buyers is: `Quantity - qty_sold` ### Practical Tips - Set your quantity accurately when listing. If you have 1 piece, set Quantity to 1. - If an item sells out, it will automatically stop showing as available to buyers. - If you receive new stock, simply edit the item and increase the Quantity field. - For one-of-a-kind pieces (common in jewelry), set Quantity to 1. --- ## 7. Item Status Each item has one of two statuses: | Status | Visible to Buyers? | Notes | |---|---|---| | **Active** | Yes | Item appears in your storefront and search results | | **Inactive** | No | Item is hidden from buyers. Use this to temporarily deactivate a listing without deleting it. | You can change an item's status from the Items list page using the quick-action toggle, or from the item edit form. --- ## 8. Item Approval Process **Trusted Sellers** — Items go live immediately. No review required. **Standard Sellers** — New items are submitted for admin review before they become visible to buyers. When your item is pending review, you'll see a "Needs Verification" notice on the item. The CaratX team typically reviews items within one business day. Once approved, the item status becomes Active and it appears in search results and your storefront. If an item is rejected, you'll see a rejection reason on the item. Edit the item to address the feedback and resubmit. Common rejection reasons include insufficient photos, missing key specifications, or pricing that appears inconsistent with the item description. To gain Trusted Seller status and skip the review process, maintain a strong sales history and high seller rating. Contact CaratX support to learn more about qualification criteria. --- ## 9. Bulk Import If you have a large catalog to upload at once, use the **Import Items** wizard at **Dashboard > Items > Import**. The import process has three steps: 1. **Upload File** — Upload a CSV file containing your item data 2. **Map Columns** — Match your CSV column headers to CaratX fields (the system will try to auto-match common names) 3. **Review and Import** — Preview the mapped data, correct any errors, and confirm the import Download the sample CSV template from the import page to see the expected format. Required columns are Title, SKU, Type, and Price. All other columns are optional. Imported items follow the same approval rules as manually created ones — standard sellers will have their imported items queued for review. --- ## 10. Item Variants Variants allow you to list a single item in multiple configurations — for example, a ring offered in sizes 5 through 9, or a pendant available in yellow gold, white gold, and rose gold. Each variant can have its own: - Price - SKU - Stock quantity To add variants to an item, open the item edit form and scroll to the **Variants** section. Add each option (e.g., "Size 6", "Size 7") with its corresponding price and quantity. On the item detail page, buyers select their desired variant from a dropdown before adding to cart. Each variant's inventory is tracked independently. --- ## 11. Featured Items Featured items receive prominent placement on the CaratX homepage and in curated collections. Being featured significantly increases visibility. ### How to Get Featured Only admins can mark items as Featured — sellers cannot self-promote items to Featured status. To have an item considered for featuring, ensure it has: - High-quality photos - Complete and accurate specifications - Competitive pricing - A positive seller rating ### Featured Item Limits The number of items you can have featured at any time depends on your seller tier. Your tier's featured item limit is shown in your Dashboard under **Account > Seller Tier**. If you have reached your limit, an existing featured item must be unfeatured before another can take its place. Admins are not subject to featured item limits.