[ic] feed different product databases to different users

[JT Justman]

David Radovanovic wrote:
> I'm using IC 5.0.0 on FreeBSD as (password required) catalog for a
> medical supplies wholesaler. For now, the catalog is NOT open to the
> general public and customers (User_1, User_2) must log in to place
> orders. Since there will be numerous customers in the future I have
> to be able to show them their own specific product line which they
> can purchase from. For example: User_1 logs in and finds a
> spreadsheet form of products available for them to purchase whose
> items have his/her pre-negotiated products, prices, and quantities.
> Using the SAME catalog, I would like to have the second user (User_2)
> to be able to log in to find different product data with his/her own
> pricing, etc. I've researched the affiliate/s, locale, and dealer
> functions though none would seem to work, since the products that
> each user sees will be different. I researched a Mall type install
> though that seemed unnecessarily complex. What would be the best
> approach to feed different product databases to different users,
> without making a hacked mess of my catalog installation.             
> 
> 

David -

If I gather correctly that every single customer will have different
products more or less completelty, you might consider using a
products-customer type table to lookup which products in your main
database belong to a given user.

1) Enter products as per usual in the regular products table

2) Create a custom table "products-customers" with columns sku,
customer, discount:
--
sku		customer	discount
c1_item1	customer1	0
c1_item2	customer1	0
c2_item1	customer2	0
any_item1	customer1	.1
any_item1	customer2	.05
--
So you could use one item for only one customer, or many customers. The
c1/c2/any prefix is purely optional, but might help you to keep product
SKUs separate in the database. Discount would also be optional of
course.

3) On your listings page, do a query like "select * from
products-customers where customer='customer1'". You now have a list of
product SKUs that belong to a given customer. You also know the discount
that the customer should get on an item used for more than one customer.
Likewise specify minimum quantities, or any other customer-product
specific information you wish.

HTH,

JT