When you are selling on multiple channels, it is not always possible that the variants have the same SKU codes across all the sites. SKU Alias is a feature that helps you link different SKUs to one parent SKU so that your inventory is centralized in QuickBooks Commerce.
Understanding eBay SKUs
SKU stands for Stock Keeping Unit, a unique code that is assigned to each variant in a business’ inventory. SKUs are used globally and by eBay so that businesses can keep identify items and keep track of their locations.
Wondering what SKU means? Start learning about it here.
eBay SKU Alias in QuickBooks Commerce
You may already have products and SKUs set up in QuickBooks Commerce by the time you install a new eBay sales channel. For the same variant, the SKU that exists in QuickBooks Commerce may not be identical to the one that exists on your eBay account.
☝🏽For example:
Your eBay variant could have an SKU of ‘Red-shirt-001’, whereas the QuickBooks Commerce variant you wish to link it with has an SKU of ‘Crimson-shirt-013’.
This is where our eBay SKU Alias comes into play. The eBay SKU aliases allow QuickBooks Commerce and eBay to interact seamlessly by recognizing that a variant in our inventory system is referenced by a different SKU on eBay.
How to Set Up SKU aliases for eBay?
You can add or manage SKU aliases in the respective Variant pages.
From the main navigation bar, click on the Inventory tab and then Variants. Search for the respective Variant you want to edit.
Next, the Variant’s Details tab will be displayed. Scroll down to the SKU Aliases section.
SKU aliases should be unique on each channel to ensure we accurately match eBay variants to the correct QuickBooks Commerce variants.
E.g. If you have a variant with an SKU alias of ‘NTD-CONSOLE-GEN-2’ on your eBay channel, this same value should not be used as an SKU alias for another variant on the same channel or as an SKU on another variant.
How to use SKU aliases in Variant Linking?
Once your SKU aliases have been set up, you can choose from two options to link your variants.
1: Link variants individually via the Variant’s ‘Sales Channel’ tab
Once you click on ‘Link to eBay Channel’, QuickBooks Commerce will search for a match on eBay based on the SKU alias.
If an SKU alias is not defined, we will then search for a match based on the Variant’s SKU instead.
2: Link variants in Bulk via the Channel’s ‘Dashboard’ page
If you have just set up your SKU aliases, re-run checks in the channel’s dashboard to ensure that QuickBooks Commerce is using the newly set up SKU aliases when running the diagnostic checks.
Once the diagnostics are done, you can now link your variants by clicking on the ‘Link Variants’ button in the 'Unlinked Variants’ diagnostic box.
Your variants have now been linked to your eBay store! 🔗🛍