Hi, and thank you for wanting to contribute!
This has started quite some time ago and I have first focused on getting all the dyed grads and art dyed wraps up - they were a finished line and thus a good way for me to get started and keep changing details and setup for, because much of the info would be similar and I would therefore not have to change too much if I decided to change the layout or shuffle the order of things. Vicki has graciously helped me with some information and a few pics, so whatever is now missing a picture will probably remain without a picture unless you're able to find some ancient mama who used to have one (and still has the pics).
Adding general information
Whenever you come across a tidbit of information that you think might be nice to have on record here, you can add it as a post (I may change things up to include this info as a page, but I think posts will remain the best way to collect this info). On quite a few topics, a post has been started. You can use the search when on the Posts page to see if something has been created already. I'm working on getting all the gathered info available online so you may be able to just browse the site to see if there is something you can add your tidbit too rather than having to add a new post.
You can then inform me about it, but you don't have to - I can see who has created new stuff, and if you add info, I will come across it sooner or later.
Right now it's not very structured yet. I have information on each pattern, colourway (if more than one pattern was done in it), collection etc and more generally, information about the Oscha website, shipping info, and I totally intend to include stuff like the bags (especially now :)) and tags and labels and whatever else you can think of to geek out about.
Adding a new product
This is where the real fun starts 😉
It's easy to add a new product, anyone can do it. The real challenge is to add a new product with all info complete. It always takes me longer than I anticipate when I decide to 'just add a couple'.
Text
You start with the whole name, like Starry Night Amera as a Heading 2. It's for search engine optimisation - ultimately we want this to be found easily by people who are looking for more information and I fully intend this to be easier to use and a lot more attractive to view than Slingofest currently is.
Then you repeat the name in the paragraph body, I usually start with it (yes I know it's repeating myself but I find it easiest to do it this way - you're welcome to try and incorporate the name in another way within the first paragraph if you have to). Then I add whatever info is on Oscha's site and/or Facebook or other social media channel (I rarely use Instagram/Pinterest/Twitter myself) and then whatever other info I have found (if any) - this info goes between quotes, just like in Slingography.
If it's a preorder, it usually means contacting an admin AND browsing the group because most admins (me included) won't have all the information near at hand.
Then you mention the collection name as a Heading 2, followed by some short info about the collection. You then link the H2 to the relevant post about the collection - if none exists yet, you can easily create it later on and then link it. I just open a second tab and create the post, then save my product as a draft and refresh, after which you can link the post. (Select the text, then click the link icon, then start typing the collection name, a few suggestions will come up, you don't want the ones labeled 'Product' but the ones that have a creation date behind it.)
This text commonly contains the info Oscha also lists on the website or whatever background information you've come up with if it's a preorder. If I have already done a product from that collection, just copy paste.
Then you name the pattern (again, a link to the appropriate post) and add info about it. As with the collection, you don't need to be comprehensive about it, that's what the post is for. Just a short bit of info on the pattern, what you think is nice to know. This can totally include something about wrapping qualities by the way, which is probably something I haven't included yet - and if I'm honest, if you add it to a text, it ideally needs to be added to all texts that are already up. (I've researched options to make this easier, but there really are none available in WordPress that I felt would do the trick).
You end the main text with the colourway name, something about the meaning of it. Always add the source, if you use one! I usually try Wikipedia first.
SEO
Check the SEO indication. The keyword tab should be green, if not, please have a look at the hints and try to improve the text. That usually means adding a focus keyword and changing the snippet (there's an edit snippet button), and you may have to chop some sentences into shorter ones. The readability tab will probably be orange, that's OK as long as it isn't red.
Product data
This is the really fun part 😉
General: fill in the regular price --> this is currently NOT shown on the site but it's an easy way to add retail prices if it turns out that people would like to have that, so please add it.
Inventory: If you have access to a tag (n/a for the oldies) you can add the SKU of the item that Oscha has given it. It's not really important so please don't spend too much time on this.
Attributes: Everything else. These are all 'custom attributes', please add them in this order:
- Pattern
- Colourway
- Collection
- Announce date (if previewed/announced. If not, mark as unknown. If it's a preorder, use the first time it's mentioned as announce date)
- Release date (when it went up for sale. If it's a preorder, I use first day of shipping out orders)
- Blend (I need to change up a few, because please list warp fibre first, then add weft fibre :))
- Weight (g/m2) (preferably as calculated by Oscha because it can vary from what we calculate, but at least it's consistent when compared to other wraps)
- Width (only for those who have a width listed, you may be able to find a width for some older woolies in Slingography)
- Product type (like wrap, RS, keychain, cairis etc)
- Edition (mostly limited :))
- Amount made (if known)
- Retail price (size 6) (if not, please include the size you've listed - this only goes for OOAK/testers/prototypes where no size 6 may have existed. Please include the GBP sign)
- Warp colour (use any and all colours that are associated with this, usually what Oscha lists or what is listed in the preorder group. Pantones do not need to be included here, you can do that under Colourway in the text. For example you can use Magenta instead of Pink and Silver instead of Grey, or use both)
- Weft colour (same as warp colour)
- Weave (Jacquard for all patterns mostly)
- Day of release (from this point on it's all for filtering purposes only)
- Month of release
- Year of release
- Warp (multicolour, single colour, whatever else)
- Weft (double weft, weft facing etc)
- Fabric (wool, merino, wild silk, superwash wool, combed cotton, pima cotton etc etc)
- Colour (basic colours only. Teal and Turquoise and Coral may be included because these are often used by Oscha as well, but I've not mentioned Magenta because I think 'pink' will do just fine. It's a bit arbitrary but you can always let me know if you want to add one :))
If you need to add a new attribute (those already existing will come up as you type) just click 'Add new'. If you make a typo, no worries, just add the correct one and let me know which one will need to be deleted. Or, if you have the rights to do so, go to Attributes under Products in the menu and configure terms.
You still with me? If so, wow 🙂 you're a real geek.
Product categories
This is for the 'You may also like' and 'Related products' sections below the product details on the website. You can easily add a new category when creating a new product by clicking the 'add new category' link. Don't forget to select the appropriate parent category (but you can change that later, if you forget). Add the category by clicking 'Add new category' (I tend to forget that, very frustrating).
This is for collection/preorder group only. If the collection of a preorder group has a name, add that name as a subcategory under the preorder group name (for example like I've done with Fanas d'Oscha with their Péché Mignon collection) and select both as a category.
Product tags
Same as with product categories, only this time you add pattern name and colourway name.
And last but not least - images!
Product image: upload/use one image (you can search the library to see if I've already uploaded one) to be shown on the site. It's the main image that's shown everywhere so it better be a nice one ;). In order to make searching easier, please conform to the current naming standard: no capitals, pattern(dash)colourway, so for example matrix-sucre-dorge (the ' isn't included in a file name).
I've been trying to add the pics I add to Slingography anyway to the db as well. So far I've only partly succeeded but it's a start. You can upload a pic (or multiple) when you create the product (so you don't have to navigate off page) or you can (batch) upload them under 'Media' (if you don't have the rights, let me know and I'll remedy that).
Try to pick one that shows the whole grad (if it's a grad) or one that shows as much of the pattern (if non-repeating or with a border) as possible. And of course one that is as true to colour as you can get them. If they're not from Oscha, don't forget to ask permission first! I try to add the source of the pic in the pic description but I know I've already missed a few.
In the product gallery you can add any other pics you like. Pics intended for the gallery get a name that starts with gallery- to indicate these are extras.
If you have the software to do so, please make the pics square 600x600 images. If you don't, just try to upload whatever you have found and see how it turns out. If looks crap, let me know and I'll resize the pic(s) for you. If you can only find action pics, try to crop out any faces for the main pic unless it compromises the quality too much.
I have found some pics outside of Oscha's site/Facebook page/Social media. I have asked the owner for permission and I'm asking you to please do the same - it's a relatively minor thing and can prevent a lot of problems. Besides, it's common sense and courtesy to do so ;).
Well, that's all there is to it! What are you waiting for, start adding ;)!
Love,
Pam