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I had forgotten that the HC Standard folks might want a bit more detail on what these new features are. So here are the descriptions of the stocking options in HC Multi now:

The HC Multi Cart offers 5 different ways to stock an item:

• Standard

This is the default stocking method. Items in this method remain in-stock until the customer checks out with them. Multiple customers can cart these items simultaneously, leaving the possibility of overselling. However, this is the only method that allows customer choices and product quantities greater than one. In most cases, Standard listings are the typical choice. The other four methods are used in high-demand situations.

• Hold

With this method of listing, only one customer will be able to cart the item. The item will be held in that customer’s cart for 10 minutes. If the customer does not complete checkout within that amount of time, the item automatically restocks. Pending items are marked “Pending” in the store, with a count down to let other customers know when to expect the item to be restocked if payment is not completed. In general, this is a good option for high-demand items. However, there is a slight chance of overselling if a customer is still in Paypal completing checkout when the restocking time occurs.

• Buy Now

This is similar to HC Standard’s Buy Now-style listing. The first customer to click “Buy Now” is committing to purchase the item. It is immediately taken out of stock. In the event that the customer does not complete payment, the seller can restock the item from the Modify listing view.

• Auction

This option allows you to offer your item by auction. See the Fake Auction for more details.

• Lottery

This is another way to offer a high-demand item. Customers may enter their name to have a chance at purchasing the item. At the specified end time, a lottery winner is randomly chosen from the entrants.

For each of the last 4 options, the buyer (or auction or lottery winner) will be the only customer able to cart that particular item. The customer will then be able to shop the store for more items to add to her cart before completing checkout.

The option to shop without logging in is only available for Standard style listings. All other listings require the customer to log in. Finally, these options do not work correctly with MO or check payment. Payment must be completed via Paypal in order for the inventory updating to work correctly.

Essentially, HC Multi can now do everything that HC Standard does, and more. Once we get all the bugs worked out, I will probably stop offering HC Standard to new sellers, except for congos and stores with several different sellers. Unless anyone thinks otherwise?

Hi everyone,

You know it’s been on my to-do list all year. Well, we finally have lotteries, auctions and Buy Now’s on HC Multi. Auctions and lotteries you’re probably already familiar with. Buy Now’s are HC-standard-style listings that prevent overselling. But, true to HC Multi, they also allow the customer to put more things in her cart after the Buy Now purchase and check out with everything at once.

I’m also working in a Hold type listing, that lets a hyena put something in her cart and basically reserves it for her for 10 minutes, then restocks the item if payment isn’t completed (that’s payment via Paypal, not check or MO). I figure this needs to be a Paypal-only type feature. Hopefully I’ll get the bugs worked out of this in the next few days. ~ ETA: I think this is working now. Please post to the forum thread below if you find any bugs ~

You’ll see new features on your vendor pages as a result of all these changes. I won’t explain them all, hopefully they’ll be pretty self-explanatory. Please post questions here. The Buy Now option also has a restocking feature which allows you to automatically restock an item.

You can see the new features in action at the HC Multi test store.

I also changed the listings a bit so that shipping options are clearly listed for all items.

One other note: I pruned the HC Forums a few nights ago and totally fogot about the feedback forums. So older threads were deleted. I do have them archived. I just need to do some database work to get the old threads merged back into the current forums. I do have it jerryrigged so the feedback links from the stores should reflect even the pruned feedback.

I think that’s all for now. Give the new features a try and let me know how they work