Create a product which is not part of a supplier catalog

In many cases, businesses offer unique products that aren't listed within any existing supplier catalog—perhaps custom designs, exclusive creations, or made-to-order items tailored to niche markets. DecoNetwork recognizes this need and empowers you to construct and manage such products from the ground up. With just administrator access, you can define each product's core attributes and visual presentation, giving you full control over how these custom offerings appear both behind the scenes and in your online store.

In this article

• Prerequisites
• Why Use This Feature
• Step 1: Start a custom product
• Step 2: Enter basic product details
• Step 3: Configure the product views
• Best-Practice Tips
• Troubleshooting
• FAQs
• Additional Resources

Prerequisites

Why Use This Feature

Not every item you sell exists in an integrated supplier catalog. Custom products let you list in-house items, bundles/kits, or niche blanks while keeping storefront presentation and production workflows consistent. Benefits include:

• Sell anything: Offer unique SKUs not provided by catalog suppliers.
• Full control: Define your own views, images, sizes, colors, and decoration areas.
• Consistent production: Map accurate print/embroid areas to reduce rework.
• Pricing flexibility: Set base/decoration pricing and size upcharges to protect margin.
• Scalable management: Clone and adapt custom products for similar items.

Step 1: Start a Custom Product:

1. Log into your DecoNetwork Website.
2. Browse to Admin → Products.

   

   Admin Button

   

   Products Menu Item

3. Click Add Product, then select Add Custom Product.

   

   Add Custom Product Menu Item

   The main work area contains the settings for configuring a new custom product:

   

   Click the image to enlarge.

Step 2: Enter basic product details

1. • Product Group - select a product group from the dropdown menu. Product groups allow you to set default behaviors for groups of products. They save you from having to configure common settings for products individually.
   • Product name - Enter a Product Name customers will recognize (e.g., “11oz Ceramic Mug”).
   • Product code - Set a unique Product Code/SKU (e.g., MUG11-WHT).
   • Number of colors - Enter the number of color areas that can be changed on the product
2. Click Save to create the product

   Once the basic product identifier information is entered, the next task will be to specify views of the product that appear in the online store and in the designer.

Step 3: Configure the product views

1. Select a product view option:

   

   Create Virtual Sample Popup

   

   Create Virtual Sample Popup

   • DecoNetwork Templates - use an existing template image, which will have colors that update according to color selections users make.
   • Single image for all colors - upload an image that will represent all product colors and cannot change to reflect the user's selection.
   • Separate image for each color - if you cannot make a PSD template, consider this option which is to have a separate image for each available color the product is available in.
   • Your own custom template - upload your own custom template. (For instructions on how to create your own custom template, see the How Do I... Create a Custom Product Image Template with dynamic recoloring help article).
   • Do not use an image - choose this option if an image is not available or cannot be sourced.
2. Depending on your choice in the previous step, you will have to either select a product image or upload an image or images. If you have uploaded or used a template file or image series, you will also have to choose a default color (or colors) for the product.
3. Once the product view image has been configured, decoration areas must be defined. You may be able to select from a series of predefined decoration areas if suitable, otherwise, you may define your own. Chosen decoration areas must be dragged into the appropriate location on the product image so that selected decorations are applied to the correct place on the product.
4. When done, click Save.

   You will now be taken to the regular product configuration page with the data you have entered already in place. Although the product is in DecoNetwork, it is not yet configured. At a minimum, it will need pricing if you wish to make the item saleable. Pricing is located in the inner menu of your product view.

   

   Product Configuration Page

   Ultimately, the amount of information you enter into the product is up to you. For more information, see the Products Overview article for details of all available configuration options.

Troubleshooting

• Product not visible in store → Check Visibility/Status and store assignment.
• Decoration options missing → Ensure methods are enabled globally and on each decoration area.
• Images look stretched → Re-export views with consistent aspect ratios and re-upload.
• Colors not switching images → Verify each color has an image mapped for every view.
• Can’t add to cart → Confirm base and decoration pricing are set for all variants.

FAQs

• What’s the difference between supplier products and custom products?
  Supplier products sync catalog data automatically; custom products are fully defined by you.
• Can I import custom products in bulk?
  Yes—use product import for faster setup, then refine images/areas as needed.
• How many decoration areas can I add?
  As many as your workflow requires—keep names clear and production-ready.
• Can I restrict a custom product to specific stores?
  Yes—use product visibility/store assignment.
• Do I need image-per-color?
  No, but it greatly improves accuracy for shopper previews.

Additional Resources

• Products Overview
• Image-per-Color for Custom Products
• Create a Custom Product Image Template