What Are Platform Listings and Imports

Understanding Platform Listings

Platform Listings are the actual product listings you have live on your various e-commerce channels - Shopee, TikTok Shop, Amazon, Lazada, and others. These are separate from your Item Master SKUs, but can (and should) be linked to enable inventory syncing.

Real-World Example

Imagine you have a blue t-shirt in your warehouse. You might:

• Sell it on Shopee in two different listings:
  • Listing A: Contains only the blue t-shirt
  • Listing B: Contains the blue t-shirt plus other color variations (red, green, etc.)
• Sell it on TikTok Shop as a single product listing
• Not sell it on Amazon at all

Each of these represents a different platform listing for the same physical product.

What Are Imports?

Imports are platform listings that have been brought into OneCart but are not yet connected to any SKU in your Item Master. Think of imports as “unmatched listings” waiting to be linked.

The Journey: Import → Listing

1. Import Stage: Platform listing exists in OneCart but isn’t linked to any Item Master SKU
2. Matching Process: You connect the import to the appropriate SKU in your Item Master
3. Listing Stage: Once matched, the import becomes a “listing” and inventory tracking becomes possible

Key Differences: Imports vs Listings

Why This Matters

Before Matching (Import Stage)

• You cannot track inventory across channels
• Stock levels don’t sync between platforms
• Risk of overselling or underselling
• No centralized inventory management

After Matching (Listing Stage)

• Inventory syncing works - when you sell 1 unit on Shopee, it reduces stock on TikTok too
• Centralized tracking - see all sales and stock movements in one place
• Prevent overselling - automatic stock level management across all platforms
• Unified reporting - track performance across all channels

The Matching Process

The matching process is crucial because it:

1. Links platform listings to your master SKU list
2. Enables inventory syncing across all connected channels
3. Activates centralized inventory management
4. Unlocks OneCart’s full potential for multi-channel operations

Next Steps

Once you understand platform listings and imports:

1. Learn how to import listings: Import your listings from platforms
2. Master the matching process: Match your platform listings in OneCart
3. Activate inventory sync: Turn on inventory sync

Understanding this distinction between imports and listings is fundamental to getting the most out of OneCart’s inventory management capabilities!