Automated obsolescence

Obsolescence module

There's no need to buy yet another module to make your store even more cumbersome. Merlin Backoffice ® Flex, which on its own can already replace dozens and dozens of modules, natively integrates powerful automated product obsolescence management.

You'll find it at the bottom of step N°4 in the CSV/Excel import window, in both product and declination import modes. Note that this part is hidden in interface modes other than “Complete”. :

Great principles:

Generally speaking, a product or declination is said to be obsolete when the default supplier for the item is the one selected in the drop-down list at step 4 and is not concerned by the import. This is the case if it is not present in the file or present but its line is hidden by a filter.

When all visible lines are selected, it is possible to apply mass modifications to obsolete items, such as deactivating them.

It is also possible to do the opposite, i.e. apply a mass modification to all products from the same supplier, from the moment the import has processed them, such as reactivating them.

A more fine-tuned setting also allows you to act only on out-of-stock items following the import.

What does it mean to “obsolete” an item?

By definition, an obsolete item (product or declination) is one that can no longer be sold, as it is either temporarily or permanently unavailable, but is already present in your PrestaShop database.

Of course, you could delete this type of product listing, but in the vast majority of cases, it's highly preferable to keep them and act on other properties to block their sale. Merlin gives you a choice of five actions:

Deactivate :

If checked, products matching the defined criteria, will be deactivated (in all stores).

Warning, we advise against deactivating products if they are ever to be available again, as this is bad for SEO.

Now also works in declination import mode. So allows you to deactivate all products (according to application criteria), all of whose declinations are obsolete or out of stock.

But a declination can be deactivated if it's not in stock.

But a declination itself cannot be deactivated (PS doesn't manage this feature). However, we're currently working on an innovative solution to overcome this constraint.

If you're looking for an innovative solution, please contact us.

Hide them:

Affected products will be hidden in the store, both in category pages, and in search (changes PS property “Visibility” to “none”).

Now also works in declination import mode. Allows you to hide all products (according to the application criteria), all of whose declinations are obsolete or out-of-stock.

But a declination can't be hidden.

But a declination itself cannot be masked (PS does not support this feature). However, we are currently working on an innovative solution to overcome this constraint.

If you're looking for an innovative solution, you'll find it here.

Make them uncontrollable:

Allows you to block the order of affected products.

Now also works in declination import mode. Allows you to block the sale of all products (according to the application criteria), all of whose declinations are obsolete or out of stock.

But a declination itself cannot be made available to the customer.

But a declination itself cannot be made non-orderable (PS doesn't manage this feature).

Hide their price:

Allows you to hide the sales price of the products concerned. Is often used in conjunction with the action of making them non-orderable.

Now also works in declination import mode. Allows you to hide the price of all products (according to the application criteria), all of whose declinations are obsolete or out-of-stock.

But it doesn't work in import mode.

But it's not possible with PS to hide the price of certain declinations specifically (PS doesn't manage this functionality).

Set stock to zero:

If checked, the products and/or declinations concerned will have their stock (quantity available for sale) set to zero.

Note that the stock of declined products is recalculated when the stock of declinations is modified.

Filter by supplier

In most cases, obsolescence can be managed by supplier. This is especially true when each product has only one supplier and you regularly update your PrestaShop catalog from CSV, XLS or XLSX files transmitted by suppliers.

Obsolescence for a specific supplier:

Dans le cas ou votre fichier ne contient que les articles d'un fournisseur spécifique, il faut commencer par le choisir dans la liste déroulante dans la partie “Valeurs par défaut”.

Ensuite, à partir du moment ou vous prenez soin de cocher l'option, l'outil d'obsolescence n'agira que sur les produits et/ou leurs déclinaisons, qui ont pour fournisseur par défaut, ce fournisseur spécifique :

Products with no default supplier :

In the particular case where the option is checked, but no default supplier is selected, the processes will apply to all products that have no default supplier associated.
This will be used in the case where you have only one file for the entire catalog AND you never associate a supplier with your products. Particularly useful for those who only sell their own products.

Act on all products, regardless of suppliers:

If the option is unchecked, this disables filtering. In this case, the process will process the entire catalog, regardless of the supplier associated or not with the items:

Only use this mode if you have a single file containing all the products from all your suppliers. Otherwise DANGER, indicated by this red color!

Choosing the definition of an obsolete product

There are two types of obsolescence: products that disappear from supplier catalogs, either permanently or temporarily, and products that remain present in the files, but have their available quantity set to zero after import.

The two conditions can be combined, with an “OR” relationship (either condition must be met) or an “AND” relationship (both conditions must be met).

Absent from file (or hidden) :

Corresponds to the very notion of obsolescence: when a product is no longer sold by a supplier, it is common for them to remove it from their product listing.

When this box is checked, Merlin Backoffice Flex searches after import for products present in your store and missing from the imported file (or hidden, therefore not imported), to take the chosen actions, allowing them to be removed from sale.

Or out of stock (per store) :

This option, used alone, allows you to limit (or, if used in conjunction, to widen) the scope of application of actions, to the supplier's products that no longer have stock in your database, store by shop, whether or not they are present in the file and whether or not they are imported.

This allows you to manage obsolescence according to your local stock at the end of the import and not only according to their availability at the supplier.

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If unchecked, actions are applied in all stores and regardless of current stock.

Absent from file (or hidden) AND out of stock (by store) :

This option allows you to limit the scope of application of actions, to only those products that are both missing from the supplier's file (or masked, therefore not imported) AND no longer stocked in your base, store by store.

This allows you to continue selling these products to clear your local stock, even if they are obsolete at your supplier.

If unchecked, actions are applied in all stores and regardless of current stock.

Managing items becoming available again, or coming out of obsolescence

Occasionally, a product or product line becomes available again. Either it reappears in the supplier file, or more simply, the out-of-stock situation is over.
Dans ce cas, il est pratique de demander à Merlin Backoffice ® Flex de les remettre en vente en réalisant l'inverse des actions d'obsolescence.

This means reactivating them, making them visible again, making them orderable, showing their price and restocking them.

To do this, simply tick an additional box:

Understand that the actions performed or not, in return for unavailability, depend directly on the obsolescence actions selected. Below, for example, only two are selected, “Hide them” and “Hide prices”, so only the return actions “Make visible” and “Show their price” are activated:

Obsolescence exit conditions :

Please note that for obsolescence output, “OR” or “AND” conditions are reversed. If, for example, the tool is set to deactivate items which are both absent from the file AND out of stock, then products which are present again in the file OR which are back in stock at the end of the import will be reactivated.

However, filtering on the default supplier remains unchanged. If only supplier A's products are deactivated, only supplier A's products will be reactivated on obsolescence.

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