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(Proprietary codes in ONIX are codes that you choose to represent yourself. When you create one, make it a "code" and use it consistently: A "code" should be made of basic letters and numbers and ideally look like a code – a continuous string without spaces. It should not look like a discount or any value that would be expected by the end users. For example, "40" may be your current discount but using 40 as a discount code will lead to problems. Someday the discount will change and your new and different discount will still be represented by a code value of "40". And don Don't be witty when creating codes or use easy to misread values.and do make them easily read)
Having created the code(s) you should be prepared to tell any trading partner – a retailer who's agreed to do business with you – what it means for them. The code should appear in association with every Price (that the retailer would reference) and represents the discount paid by that retailer on that product.
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How do they know? You tell them – likely after negotiation – what it means in documentation you provide to them.
Discount codes provide:
- Transparency: Different discount codes show your overall discount structure openly. All your trading partners can see your books grouped by a code and know there can be variation under some circumstance
- Privacy: What each code means is held outside the ONIX file. Your trading partners only know what discount they get.
- Flexibility: You can update the retailer by providing new definitions. Your metadata can remain the same.
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Most Canadian trade publishers have a single discount code applied to all records and typically have a standard discount for all accounts. The discount coding can be as complex as your business needs require but there's no reason to make it complicated.
Take your most complex business partner – the one with the most discount variations that needs to be accommodated – and create a code list based on their needs. Then assess other accounts: Do you need to create any extra variations? Once you know all the possibly variations that need to be accommodated you can create the codes you need maintain accurate discounts. Then any retailer or other type of trading partner can get a defining table based on their discounts . Again for most small publishers there is one code and one discount for all products