Add ability to sell Serial Number Products in RepairShopr! Antivirus, Backup Software, etc
Serial Number Products! Please vote all! This could be HUGE!
This is an integral part of our business and I'm surprised others haven't needed this feature or requested it yet -
Here is the idea:
It would be great to have a product type that supported Serial Number Sales.
Any product that you carry such as:
- Microsoft Office
- Antivirus Software
- Backup Software
This would be great to have in RepairShopr. Currently we are storing all of our serial numbers either in an excel spreadsheet or in their original physical boxes... both are unsecure and not reliable... but we've made it this far!
Imagine... no more spreadsheets for tracking serial codes! AWESOME!
The way I've seen this done...
Inventory Side:
Add a product, set as "has serial numbers". It will ask for the "buying price" of the antivirus software.
IMPORTANT NOTE it is extremely important that this "buying price" be associated with the antivirus key codes that are put into the "restock" of the product. We often see the price of these products go up and down. So to be accurate in accounting... every restock of the same product should have accurate tracking of the purchase price of the restocked item...
In another text box area... you could put each serial code on each line of the text box... Each serial code could be separated even by the line itself or by a comma (or other identifiable separator).
Click "restock" and now you have more codes available for purchase!
The great thing is that Repairshopr already has a "low inventory" alert so when the keys are running out, you can great an alert! Brilliant!
Example:
Product: Webroot Antivirus 2014 Secure Anywhere
Has Serial Numbers: Yes
Serial Numbers: 10 remaining (Restock button) (View Button - only viewable based on granular permissions)
Restock Alert: 5
Restock button section (only viewable based on granular permissions)
Purchase Price: $15
Serial Numbers: 1234-1233-1233-1233, 3jfd-3423-2343-yir0
(Add Stock Now Button)
This would add the date of the "restock" and correctly track the price of the restock for accurate accounting and profit tracking.
Restock button section (only viewable based on granular permissions)
Purchase Price: $20 (PRICE INCREASE)
Serial Numbers: 1234-1233-1233-1233, 3jfd-3423-2343-yir0
(Add Stock Now Button)
Both Restock scenarios would go to the same product but would have different costs based on which keys are added into the POS.
POS Side
This part is really simple. All the staff/techs have to do is simply find the software in the POS system and add it to the ticket. The ticket will automatically grab the next "unused" key from the product key area (text box area described earlier).
Administrator Side
For the products that are specified as "Has Serial Numbers", they should always be a check and balance system to help track "when the key was used, what client it went to, what employee added the key to the transaction, what transaction number the key is assigned to, and how much it was sold for". This is important to prevent theft of these keys but also to provide clear auditing of software sold to clients.
Serial Number viewing/logs should be accessible only by those allowed using the new granular security system implemented recently. Employees do not need to see all keys or how many are left. They simply need to sell and install the software with the correct key. Management of the keys should be handled by a manager (parts manager, order manager, etc...)
Marketr Side
If the product is assigned a certain "type" such as serial number that needs yearly renewals... They could get an automatic email based on this product type and Marketr campaign. Might be an easy assignment! I know the software currently has this feature but I have not had time to really explore and utilize this (as I should though because its lost revenue each time someone doesn't renew through us).
If this was auto set based on the product, such as a field labeled "Marketer Campaign". You could assign a campaign to the product itself. Maybe this is already possible - I'll have to research. Love some help on this!
Potentials for the future.
Ability for clients to request a new product key using the leads section when their yearly renewal is due. They could get a link in their email like:
Subject: Your antivirus is about to expire!!! 3 Days remaining
"Click here" if you want a "tech" to contact you with a new key. Don't wait for your Antivirus to Expire. Be safe... don't be sorry.
They click the "click here" link and repairshopr automatically creates a lead stating that they need a new key and that someone should contact them to resell them a new key.
Maybe at a later point, even have a way for the client to repurchase the key themselves? Auto add to their account and have them pay through the portal?
Potential Concerns
- When should an employee be able to see a product key? Should they be able to see it before the transaction is paid for? I'd assume yes because they need to install it. But... what would stop them from clicking the software.. writing down the key... and then deleting the software from the transaction?
What are some ways around this? I'd love to see some ideas and thoughts about this. How to keep it secure... how to keep it efficient... and to keep our businesses growing without all the "manual" tracking and work.
Thanks for reading all of this!
Please vote and have a great day all!
-Chuck
Hello Everyone — Wanted to make sure you all knew that we’ve launched Serialized Inventory! Here’s our article on it: http://feedback.repairshopr.com/knowledgebase/articles/262782-can-i-add-serial-numbers-to-my-inventory. Chuck (one of our power users) has created an additional thread for the ecommerce parts of the previous serialized thread. Feel free to comment and log your votes here: http://feedback.repairshopr.com/forums/165658-general/suggestions/6162772-integrate-e-commerce-platforms-with-rs-sell-serv. Thanks!
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Ryan (CTO, Pinellas Computers) commented
Troy = THE MAN. 'nuff said.
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Chuckles (Instigator, RS User) commented
Great Job Troy and Team!
We are excited to try it out :)
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Ryan (CTO, Pinellas Computers) commented
I have updated this feedback article to use this new URL:
Troy, you got this...
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Chuckles (Instigator, RS User) commented
#1 on google now for "sell serial numbers".
Pretty cool!
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Ryan (CTO, Pinellas Computers) commented
I guess I was only focusing on the software end of the idea. I suppose it could surely be used for hardware serial numbers; as well as software registration keys. COOL! EVEN BETTER! The real question is - what is possibly more helpful to finish developing than this (now that inventory has been re-hauled)? ;)
PS. Me and Chuck want to upgrade to the "PITA Plan" @ $500/month. It would include up to 3 requests per month that are guaranteed to be implemented per our request. (jay kay - but serious)
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A request I've heard before is; I sell laptops and my insurance company requires I track serial numbers on my inventory.
So if there are 5x of these Dell laptops (one Product in RS), I need 5 serial numbers to be there.
Another common case would probably be shops that buy/sell phones, maybe you track the IMEI as a serial number and when you sell it the serial number stays with it onto the Invoice. You should ideally be able to track that IMEI to a PO or purchase from a customer, all the way through the sale to a Customer Asset.
I'm sure this could be used for software as well if someone wanted, it gives you an added level of security over just raw quantities.
Any more additions to use-cases like these?
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Ryan (CTO, Pinellas Computers) commented
Heard - also could be confused with selling a single item (ie. A new laptop) which has the same product code (ie. LAPTOP DELL 15RV) but unique serial numbers to that item (ie. 1033DV850, 1034GS452, etc).
That is definitely NOT what we're discussing here - thank god. We should have defined the subject alternatively as "registration codes" for software.
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Chuckles (Instigator, RS User) commented
@Ryan - Agreed - Based on Troy's feedback... I wanted to make sure my question had a definitive answer as the integration/feature was added- I was looking for validation since serialized inventory can mean a single serial number attached to a single product vs a single product with multiple/refillable serial numbers.
Make sense?
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Ryan (CTO, Pinellas Computers) commented
@Chuck - That is a must. I thought that was implied in this entire conversation from the beinning.
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Chuckles (Instigator, RS User) commented
Sounds good Troy~ Agreed -
Will the serialized inventory be able to have a single Product with multiple serial numbers? This would be used for selling antivirus software (same product with multiple serial numbers).
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Chuck - we are planning to add serialized inventory, so you can handle serial numbers in your Inventory - but this has nothing to do with customer facing ecommerce.
Let's get the ecommerce talk in another idea thread
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Chuckles (Instigator, RS User) commented
Another "developer friendly" ecommerce system is X-Cart. It has a ton of flexibility and have a REST API for external application interfaces.
X-Cart is an actual independent shopping cart with a huge support community. The only issue I've found is that it does not offer "Drip" emails for expiring or expired products at the moment. It does offer EVERYTHING else needed for an ecommerce integration including group discounts, bundle products, bundle discounts, dynamic pricing, wholesale pricing, shipping modules, plus a ton more!
For more details, visit here --> http://www.x-cart.com/home5?utm_expid=11772724-8.u3rXFeeQQiWG1Mn-1VwXng.1
Anyone else have opinions on what would be the best integration for this long term?
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Chuckles (Instigator, RS User) commented
@Ryan - I poke and prod where I can... I mean help out with research :)
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Ryan (Power User AP, RepairShopr) commented
@Chuck - Doing all the work for the developers, nice! Pretty soon they'll have you on payroll ;)
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Chuckles (Instigator, RS User) commented
I've found four potential integrations for Serial Key Code Sales with front end client visibility~
1. WooCommerce Integration (Digital and Physical Product Sales) - A few options Here:
a. http://docs.woothemes.com/document/software-add-on/ Vote here for the addition of user created keys --> http://ideas.woothemes.com/forums/133476-woocommerce/suggestions/5627025-import-license-keys-with-software-add-on-extensionb. http://codecanyon.net/item/license-manager-for-woocommerce/5089794 (Currently Has ability for user generated keys but not as "integrated" with WooCommerce. No Reminder Emails that I've seen.
2. WHMCS Integration - https://docs.whmcs.com/showthread.php?80878-Vendor-Sell-product-keys-and-bundles-import-with-ease --> http://www.bluetipsoftware.com/whmcs-modules/vendor/
3. Easy Digital Downloads (Digital Sales only) --> https://easydigitaldownloads.com/extensions/software-licensing/ (Recently added User Generated Keys supported this month - Auto Emails upon expiration included)
4. WPStoreCart (Digital and Physical Sales - Wordpress Addon) --> https://wpstorecart.com/sell-software-with-serial-numbers-using-wordpress/ This store doesn't seem to be easy to use but is currently is development - the owner is working hard as the project was recently brought back to life.
All of these solutions will cost money as they would be 3rd party integrations. But... all of these solutions will provide for great flexibility and a client visible frontend purchasing system.
I already have a WooCommerce Test site running (seems most flexible and supported for product/digital sales), I've purchased the WPStoreCart as well for testing (On sale now for cheap). I have not done anything with the serial number sales side of WHMCS or Easy Digital Downloads. I've noticed that WooCommerce, WHMCS, and EasyDigitalDownloads all have good client tracking abilities for serial code sales.
If anyone else has any ideas or comments, please share!
Thoughts all?
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Chuckles (Instigator, RS User) commented
6th Ranking now~
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Anonymous commented
up to 8th ranking on google! 1st page!!!
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Ryan (Power User AP, RepairShopr) commented
How high on the first page of Google do we have to get this to get acknowledged @Troy and @Robert! ;)
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Kevin Thomas commented
Yes! Please add this. We were trying to figure out how to get the keys into the system and now I see it can't be done. Bummer.
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Chuckles (Instigator, RS User) commented
Wowsers! This thread is on the first page of google (10th result). Try the search term: "Sell serial numbers".
Interesting!