Plug-in: Automatically create product catalogs from your shop as PDF

The problem: Not every customer orders directly in the online shop

Online shops are now the central sales channel for many companies. Nevertheless, there are still numerous situations in which customers prefer to view products in a classic catalog format.

Especially in the B2B environment, in field sales or in brick-and-mortar retail, product information is often required as a PDF catalog. These can be easily forwarded, printed or used in presentations.

The problem: Product data in the shop is dynamic and constantly changing. Prices, availability or new items must remain up to date. If catalogs are created manually, outdated documents and a high maintenance effort quickly arise.

The solution: Automatic catalog creation directly from your Smartstore

With the Smartstore PDF Export Plug-in, you can create a complete product catalog as a PDF from your shop data with just a few clicks.

The content is automatically prepared in a clear, brochure-like layout – including product images, structured product data and a table of contents. This creates a professional catalog generated directly from the current shop data.

The major advantage: Your catalog is always based on the current information from your shop. Changes to products or prices can be incorporated into a new PDF catalog at any time.

Flexible selection of catalog content

You decide which products appear in the catalog. Various filter options allow you to compile content specifically.

Examples:

  • entire product range
  • specific product categories
  • selected manufacturers or brands
  • products with specific keywords
  • items from a specific subshop (multishop)

In addition, further criteria can be taken into account, such as:

  • price ranges
  • availability periods
  • recommended products

This allows you to create, for example, special themed or promotional catalogs.

Individual presentation of your products

The presentation of the items in the catalog can also be customized.

  • product variants can be displayed in full
  • the scope of the product description can be varied
  • different language versions are possible

In addition, price calculations can be based on specific customers or customer groups. This makes it possible to create target group-specific catalogs, for example for retailers or business customers.

Automatic provision and distribution

The finished catalog can be downloaded directly from the shop. Alternatively, the creation process can also be automated.

The PDF export can, for example:

  • be generated automatically on a regular basis
  • be stored on the server
  • be provided as a ZIP archive
  • be distributed by email or via other transmission methods

This ensures up-to-date product catalogs at all times, which can be easily shared with customers, partners or sales staff.

Interactive catalogs with QR codes

A special advantage of the PDF export is the ability to integrate QR codes directly into the product catalog. With our integrated QR code generator, an individual code can be automatically generated for each item. This is displayed in the catalog together with the product information.

The benefits are considerable: Customers can view an item in the printed or digital catalog and simply scan the QR code with their smartphone. The code leads directly to the corresponding product in the online shop.

This creates a seamless connection between classic catalog and digital shopping. Instead of manually searching for item numbers, customers reach the product page immediately with a single scan and can add the item directly to the shopping cart.

This creates practical added value, especially in field sales, at trade fairs or in retail stores:& The catalog remains a convenient information medium – while the path to ordering is significantly simplified at the same time.

Conclusion

With the Smartstore PDF Export Plug-in, you transform your online shop into a central source for up-to-date product catalogs. Instead of maintaining catalogs manually, you generate them automatically from your shop data – flexible, up to date and available at any time.

This facilitates communication with customers, supports sales and ensures that your products can also be professionally presented outside the online shop.

Do you have questions about this topic? Or would you like to send us your feedback? Then you can reach us via the contact form, by email at info@smartstore.com or by phone from Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at +4923153350.