Sd2018

[Buzby]

Just playing about with SD2018 and am disappointed that it doesn't seem much different.

A few little extras like action dates, and including warehouse location for stock, but can't find any must have new features.

Am I missing something or is this more like 16.04?

[NormanRouxel]

I just compared a standard product layout with the same SD 2016 one and the only new area was a line for an Add to Wish List button. So that's the only thing I can see that's customer facing.

Two years work that!

[Goz]

Release Notes

1 Sellerdeck Desktop 2018 Release History

Sellerdeck Desktop 2018 has an internal version number of 18
1.1 Changes in 18.0.0

Fixed an issue that caused errors with certain characters when inserting elements in the Design tab, SD-492
Added support for Secure FTP on upload, SD-2627
Added support for schema.org rich snippets, SD-3395
Sellerdeck Desktop now validates the length of the Product Page name, SD-4992
Enabled emails from the website to be sent using TLS (if supported by the web host), SD-5078
Fixed an issue that could prevent Digital Download links from appearing in the receipt page with secure sites, SD-6206
HTML Receipt emails generated online no longer show html corruption if 'Compact HTML' is enabled, SD-6274
Upgraded the Feefo integration to Feefo v3, SD-6294
Added enhancements to the Google Product Feed to support product permutations and attributes, SD-6387
Added an option to exclude a shipping class from product feeds, SD-6432
Fixed a problem that could cause 'Assembly Product' selection to display 'In Stock' or 'Out of Stock' incorrectly, SD-6455
Added support for the Facebook pixel code and event tracking, SD-6486
Fixed the cause of a data truncated error in the OrderTracking table if there are lots of different products in one order and order packaging selected, SD-6543
Fixed a slow response to first filter click, especially if sliders present on section page, SD-6568
Fixed an issue that prevented barcodes from printing in reports on a clean system, SD-6604
Added feeds for eBay File Exchange and eBay Selling Manager Pro, SD-6635
Added delay to the mega menu to improve use on touch screens, SD-6651
Made bxSlider touch friendly, SD-6680
Fixed an issue that could cause an error on downloading orders, SD-6682
Changes to the product configuration, SD-6772
Added new Condition 'PermutationAssociatedShippingIsUsed' for the Google Product Feed, SD-6777
Enabled external linking for SQL sites (requires a linked SQL server), SD-6780
Added new variables for Component & Permutation Prices, SD-6783
Added a new field and variable for Google Maps API key, SD-6806
Removed the web designer options from the evaluation screen, SD-6807
Updated the checkout layout with the Google Maps API Key variable, SD-6819
Add a new Condition 'IsUsedAssociatedProductPrices' for the Google Product Feed, SD-6825
Fixed a performance issue when checking the complexity of the permutations during site upload, SD-6827
Fixed a Perl script incompatibility with Perl 5.24, SD-6837
Added a UI setting to enable the new Universal Google Shopping Feed, SD-6839
Added a layout to generate and upload robots.txt, SD-6857
Fixed a filtering problem when more than one item selected in a group, SD-6859
v18 installer installs updated versions of the embedded extensions, SD-6864
Implemented Bulktransfer for setBands in CBandsCache, SD-6876
Fixed an issue whereby filtering could exclude products with only one permutation out of stock, SD-6885
Open Graph tags no longer contain insecure URLs on secure sites, SD-6887
Added Wish List / Gift List functionality, SD-6889
Added tracing to the PHP Runner DLL, SD-6910
Permutation Barcode (SKU) is no longer cleared on copy/paste operation, SD-6913
Updated the Google feed with change to 'identifier_exists', SD-6919
Eliminated unnecessary opening and closing of PHP Engine, SD-6924
Retired the Design Wizard, SD-6959
Suppressed design settings that are no longer supported, SD-6964
Bare "." in delivery address field no longer causes an SMTP server error , SD-6975
Eliminated redundant calls to get stock and prices, SD-6990
Fixed and issue that could cause a server error with PayPal Express, SD-7021
Added a new option to define the date range for which Feefo feedback data is retrieved, SD-7069
Stock control on permutations no longer fails until next publish if product is moved, SD-7084
‘Reset Date Ordered On Full Payment Received' now correctly applies only to orders in PSP Pending, SD-7100
Customers no longer have to enter feedback input twice when shipping changes are made with PayPal Express Checkout, PSP-220
Customers can now exempt themselves from tax using PayPal Express Checkout, PSP-407
Phone number is now transferred to Sellerdeck from PayPal Express Checkout, PSP-411
If a different name/address is selected in PayPal Express, the correct name is now used instead of the PayPal account name, PSP-565
PayPal accounts without County/State no longer break PayPal Express Checkout, PSP-568
Updated the PayPal state code handling, PSP-569
Fixed deprecated PayPal checkout response fields, PSP-572
PayPal Express Checkout error handling no longer misses important errors, PSP-574
Receipt page for Cardsave may no longer be submitted twice, PSP-576
PayPal shipping confirmation page is no longer redisplayed if shipping has not changed, PSP-579


2 Introduction

2.1 About the Sellerdeck Desktop Ecommerce Application

Sellerdeck Desktop is a desktop Windows program which enables you to design and publish an illustrated, on-line catalogue, take secure, encrypted orders over the Internet, and process these orders in-house.
Sellerdeck Desktop requires minimal resources to build a successful store. All you need is a dial-up account with an ISP (preferably a broadband connection) and a web site with CGI access capability.
Sellerdeck Business is the most comprehensive ecommerce solution available in its price range. It includes everything a small business needs to design, build and control its own secure web store, and can handle up to moderately high order volumes. It is also aimed at suppliers who deal online with other businesses (B2B) as well as retailers who want to give regular customers a more personalised service. Sellerdeck Business enables the online merchant to integrate ecommerce into other existing business systems to create a true e-business.
Sellerdeck Enterprise includes all the functionality of Business, with a local SQL database option for handling larger order volumes, and the capability to create multiple sites that can take orders. It also allows multiple users on these sites to maintain the store and process orders, and provides control of the access rights for different types of user.
Sellerdeck Desktop 2018 is an upgrade from Sellerdeck 2016.
2.2 Description of Additions Since Sellerdeck 2016

2.2.1 Marketing

· Enable shoppers to create a Wish List / Gift List for their own use, or to share with family and friends.
· Native integration with Feefo v3 platform offering better performance, updated logos, and star ratings in review content.
· Rich snippets – structured data in a search engine friendly format, enabling Feefo ratings, product prices and product availability to appear in search results.
· Upgraded product feed for Google Shopping; with separate entries for product permutations plus additional fields supporting all product types, including apparel.
· New feeds for eBay File Exchange and eBay Selling Manager Pro.
· Track the performance of Facebook adverts.
2.2.2 Navigation

· Improvements to the carousel and mega menu behaviour on touch screens.
2.2.3 Performance

· Performance improvements for filtering and stock control.
· Improved site opening and order loading speed for SQL sites.
2.2.4 Security

· New option to upload using Secure FTP.
· New option to send emails from the website using TLS.
· Multiple improvements to the PayPal Express Checkout integration.
· Option to upload a robots.txt file.

[Buzby]

You say 2 years work Norman, I see this as 2 years of subscriptions

I have support purely for the upgrades that were apparently going to be yearly.

It now feels that we are slipping further behind the competition.

[NormanRouxel]

Here's the change list colour-coded into Fixes, Improvements, New Features.

Fixed an issue that caused errors with certain characters when inserting elements in the Design tab, SD-492
Added support for Secure FTP on upload, SD-2627
Added support for schema.org rich snippets, SD-3395
Sellerdeck Desktop now validates the length of the Product Page name, SD-4992
Enabled emails from the website to be sent using TLS (if supported by the web host), SD-5078
Fixed an issue that could prevent Digital Download links from appearing in the receipt page with secure sites, SD-6206
HTML Receipt emails generated online no longer show html corruption if 'Compact HTML' is enabled, SD-6274
Upgraded the Feefo integration to Feefo v3, SD-6294
Added enhancements to the Google Product Feed to support product permutations and attributes, SD-6387
Added an option to exclude a shipping class from product feeds, SD-6432
Fixed a problem that could cause 'Assembly Product' selection to display 'In Stock' or 'Out of Stock' incorrectly, SD-6455
Added support for the Facebook pixel code and event tracking, SD-6486
Fixed the cause of a data truncated error in the OrderTracking table if there are lots of different products in one order and order packaging selected, SD-6543
Fixed a slow response to first filter click, especially if sliders present on section page, SD-6568
Fixed an issue that prevented barcodes from printing in reports on a clean system, SD-6604
Added feeds for eBay File Exchange and eBay Selling Manager Pro, SD-6635
Added delay to the mega menu to improve use on touch screens, SD-6651
Made bxSlider touch friendly, SD-6680
Fixed an issue that could cause an error on downloading orders, SD-6682
Changes to the product configuration, SD-6772
Added new Condition 'PermutationAssociatedShippingIsUsed' for the Google Product Feed, SD-6777
Enabled external linking for SQL sites (requires a linked SQL server), SD-6780
Added new variables for Component & Permutation Prices, SD-6783
Added a new field and variable for Google Maps API key, SD-6806
Removed the web designer options from the evaluation screen, SD-6807
Updated the checkout layout with the Google Maps API Key variable, SD-6819
Add a new Condition 'IsUsedAssociatedProductPrices' for the Google Product Feed, SD-6825
Fixed a performance issue when checking the complexity of the permutations during site upload, SD-6827
Fixed a Perl script incompatibility with Perl 5.24, SD-6837
Added a UI setting to enable the new Universal Google Shopping Feed, SD-6839
Added a layout to generate and upload robots.txt, SD-6857
Fixed a filtering problem when more than one item selected in a group, SD-6859
v18 installer installs updated versions of the embedded extensions, SD-6864
Implemented Bulktransfer for setBands in CBandsCache, SD-6876
Fixed an issue whereby filtering could exclude products with only one permutation out of stock, SD-6885
Open Graph tags no longer contain insecure URLs on secure sites, SD-6887
Added Wish List / Gift List functionality, SD-6889
Added tracing to the PHP Runner DLL, SD-6910
Permutation Barcode (SKU) is no longer cleared on copy/paste operation, SD-6913
Updated the Google feed with change to 'identifier_exists', SD-6919
Eliminated unnecessary opening and closing of PHP Engine, SD-6924
Retired the Design Wizard, SD-6959
Suppressed design settings that are no longer supported, SD-6964
Bare "." in delivery address field no longer causes an SMTP server error , SD-6975
Eliminated redundant calls to get stock and prices, SD-6990
Fixed and issue that could cause a server error with PayPal Express, SD-7021
Added a new option to define the date range for which Feefo feedback data is retrieved, SD-7069
Stock control on permutations no longer fails until next publish if product is moved, SD-7084
‘Reset Date Ordered On Full Payment Received' now correctly applies only to orders in PSP Pending, SD-7100
Customers no longer have to enter feedback input twice when shipping changes are made with PayPal Express Checkout, PSP-220
Customers can now exempt themselves from tax using PayPal Express Checkout, PSP-407
Phone number is now transferred to Sellerdeck from PayPal Express Checkout, PSP-411
If a different name/address is selected in PayPal Express, the correct name is now used instead of the PayPal account name, PSP-565
PayPal accounts without County/State no longer break PayPal Express Checkout, PSP-568
Updated the PayPal state code handling, PSP-569
Fixed deprecated PayPal checkout response fields, PSP-572
PayPal Express Checkout error handling no longer misses important errors, PSP-574
Receipt page for Cardsave may no longer be submitted twice, PSP-576
PayPal shipping confirmation page is no longer redisplayed if shipping has not changed, PSP-579

[guccij]

So I've paid near on two grand for a bunch of bug fixes? Wow.

[Buzby]

That is exactly how I feel Jules.

[Goz]

My understanding is that there should also be some work in there related to GDPR

[graphicz]

In the Sellerdeck preamble emails to 2018 much was made of GDPR and how 2018 (in conjunction with 365) would solve your GDPR problems, in fact here is nothing related to GDPR changed or added to v2018

[brucet]

Hi all

Seems worth me clearing up a few things.

First off, ATM this is a private beta released to partners, ie web designers and plugin developers and the like. The public release will be later this week.

For GDPR there is already some tightened security under the hood. Secure FTP is part of that, but we won't be going into full detail in public, for obvious reasons. The full scope of GDPR compliance probably won't be covered until v18.0.1. In our experience, the majority of users don't like to upgrade until the x.0.1 release anyway.

In terms of development, since Sellerdeck 2016 the effort has been split between the core software and extensions. In future, you won't see so may new features in the core software. What you will see is a rolling program of extension development running alongside. Some of these, like the eBay Order Management extension, are offered free with the product. So if you're comparing the value of past releases with future ones, you should factor that into the equation.

I hope this helps.

[Buzby]

Many thanks for the update Bruce.

So as I understand it, if I do not use support and only have it for upgrades, then I would be better off cancelling my support and spending this money on the plugins?

Or this would make me happy, are plugins free to those with support due to the lack of upgrades now?