Managing Firearm & Accessory Vendors in Spark Shipping
To accurately manage different price markups and ensure correct order fulfillment, Spark Shipping users who work with vendors selling both firearms and accessories are encouraged to split each vendor into two separate entries: one for firearms and one for accessories. This guide will walk you through how to do that step-by-step.
Why Split Vendors?
- Firearm and accessory orders often require separate credentials (e.g., unique FFL accounts for firearms).
- Vendors like RSR will not fulfill both types from the same account.
- Separating vendors allows you to apply different markup percentages (e.g., 14% for firearms, 30% for accessories).
- Fulfillment processes differ (e.g., additional compliance for firearms).
- Vendor-level settings like catalog filters, FFL flags, and vendor options require separation for accurate configuration.
Steps to Split a Vendor into Firearm & Accessory Accounts
- Duplicate the Vendor Entry:
For example, create: RSR Firearms, and RSR Accessories.
Don't worry: you won’t be charged twice. Spark Shipping charges by vendor type count, not vendors count. - Assign Credentials for Each Vendor Type:
- Firearms often require separate API/FTP credentials from the vendor.
- Reach out to the vendor to obtain unique credentials for each account (firearms vs. accessories).
- Apply these credentials in the new vendor setup under Vendor > Credentials. - Configure Vendor Options
- Adjust Pricing Settings
Spark Shipping layers your vendor markup on top of your sitewide markup, in other words, it's an "additive" method, not "override". You can refer to the Pricing article for more details.
Pro Tips
- Even if a vendor says they use the same API credentials, you should still split the vendor to manage pricing and fulfillment separately.
- Don’t hesitate to contact Spark Shipping support to review your setup before going live.
- You can name vendors however you like: e.g., "Sports South - Firearms", "Sports South - Accessories".