Latest Updates

Stay informed of our latest developments

We are constantly striving to make Bluepark's software and services even better. All of our sites are updated regularly and automatically with the very latest features, improvements and bug fixes.

Our most recent and significant updates are recorded here for your information.

PayPal Commerce Platform: Apple Pay and Google Pay

Bluepark's PayPal Commerce Platform integration now supports Apple Pay and Google Pay as payment options during checkout.

These features are only available via our PayPal Commerce Platform integration, so if you're still using one of our legacy integrations (Standard, Express or Pro) then it's a good time to make the switch.

To enable these new payment options, with PayPal Commerce Platform active, visit Integrations: Payment Options and the PayPal tab, towards the bottom of the page.

Please note that after activating these options and saving the page, you will probably receive a message like this:

"You currently cannot receive Apple Pay payments until they are included in your PayPal account. Please disconnect the account and then Connect with PayPal again to include Apple Pay capability."

This is to be expected, as PayPal assigns Apple Pay and Google Pay capabilities during the onboarding process. Reconnecting your account will be a quick and easy process, as your account already exists.

As with all new payment processor integrations, please check your initial orders very carefully, both within the Bluepark Admin Panel and within PayPal. Ensure that payments are successfully authorised before shipping orders.

Please note, if you're using either Braintree or Stripe as your primary payment processor, with PayPal as your secondary, these options will not appear. Your primary payment processor already provides Apple and Google Pay.

Google and Klaviyo Tagging Improvements

Bluepark now supports Google's Consent V2 system, which lets Google know the user's security preferences.

For sites using a Bluepark V2 theme, we have updated our cookie banner from being simply a disclaimer to having two buttons relating to cookies, Accept All and Essential Only. Accept All means standard Google Analytics tracking, Essential Only significantly reduces the detail level of the information recorded.

We are also now supporting Google's Enhanced Converions, which record more information about the customer when they make a purchase, but in a privacy-centric way by encrypting personal data. In order to use this feature, make sure you've added your Google Ads Conversion ID via Integrations: Google.

For more information regarding Enhanced Conversions, please see below, but you can ignore the sections regarding adding code to your website:

Google Enhanced Conversions Setup

Finally, you may have received an email from Klaviyo regarding the retirement of several of their legacy APIs. Bluepark fully supports their latest APIs, but in order to use them you must add a Klaviyo Private API Key via Integrations: Website Plugins. You can generate this via your Klaviyo account.

For more information regarding our Klaviyo integration, please see our blog post:

How to Connect Klaviyo to Your Online Shop

New Blocks for V2 Themes

We've recently released three new Content Blocks exclusively for V2 themes to help you add engaging content to your homepage, and other areas, within your online shop.

Our Image Gallery and Image Carousel blocks allow you to add multiple images and videos to a page, all with their own optional text, button and link.

Read our V2 Image Gallery Setup Guide

The Columns block enables you to add any content you wish and set it into a responsive grid-like format without the use of tables.

Read our V2 Columns Block Setup Guide

The V2 Slideshow block was released alongside our V2 themes but, as there is so much you can do with it, we wanted to put a complete guide together to ensure you get the most out of it. Therefore, we've created our very first "How To" video guide, which you can find on our YouTube channel.

Watch our V2 Slideshow Block Setup Video

Please be aware, if you are still using a V1 theme on your site, you will need to upgrade to a V2 theme in order to use the new V2 blocks. We recommend watching our Introducing Bluepark V2 Themes video and having a read of our Introducing Bluepark V2 Themes guide before you start. And, as always, our Support Team are on hand if you have any further questions or if you are unsure of how to do something.

One Page Checkout for V2 Themes

We are happy to announce a much requested feature for all Bluepark sites using a V2 theme.

Our One Page Checkout, which can be toggled on via Settings: Orders, collects all of the customer's information quickly and easily via the same page, while keeping the essential information the customer needs in view.

Also, if you add a Google Maps API Key via Integrations: Google, the Order Confirmation page will now display a map of the delivery location for the customer.

This new feature can be viewed on our demonstration site:

https://www.demopark.co.uk

The intended layout is to include the Order Summary and Shopping Basket blocks in the side column, which shifts down on mobile devices.

For more information on best practice design for V2 basket and checkout pages, please see the new blog post below:

Basket and Checkout Best Practice Guide

This feature has been tested with all of the payment processors we support, however we cannot test this on every customer's website. For this reason, when you enable the feature, it is ESSENTIAL that you test it. Make sure that it displays correctly using your theme, and that the payment page functions as it should. If your theme has been heavily modified, you may need to contact your designer to make some changes.

Please check all orders and payments very carefully for the first few days after switching to the One Page Checkout, and let us know if you have any issues.

Bluepark V2 Themes Released

Today, we're excited to introduce you to the brand new Bluepark V2 Themes. We've rebuilt the Bluepark online shop experience from the ground up, adding almost 100 new updates and features, creating themes that will look great, improve the customer's experience and comply with Google's requirements for modern, user-friendly websites.

Watch a Short Video Introducing Bluepark V2 Themes

There are ten new V2 themes available right now within your Admin Panel for you to use on your site. Each one includes support for every new feature and update and is designed with ecommerce best practices in mind. We'll continue to add more over the next few months and we'll keep you posted when they're available.

Our first one, Bluepark Basic, is our bare-bones theme, without lots of styling applied to it. This is a great starting point for designers and developers to use, or anyone wanting to create their own theme from scratch.

We've also upgraded some of our most popular themes, such as Hagavik, Bark and Tools R Us, so if you're using the V1 versions of these, simply switch to the V2 version, upload your logo and add your footer links.

Lastly, there are six brand new themes, Divine, Idyllic, Kimono - our three softer themes and Imagine, Revive and Utah - our three bolder themes.

We recommend exploring the Themes area on our website first. Here, you can find out more about each theme, its features, default colours, fonts, recommended image sizes, support guides and more. Colours can easily be changed, so make sure you choose your theme based on the features you want and whether elements are where you want them to appear.

Explore All Bluepark V2 Themes

You will find all of our new V2 Themes within the Theme Library in your Admin Panel. Each one is clearly labelled, so you know which are V2 themes. Simply click on the Preview button to view the theme on our demonstration site or click on the Install button to add it to your Installed Themes.

View the Theme Library

We've also created a more in-depth guide and a full list of V2 features for you to explore. We will be putting a few 'How To' guides and videos together soon to ensure you get the best out of all the new features. And, as always, our Support Team are on hand if you have any further questions or are unsure of how to do something.

Read our V2 Theme Guide

Browse our V2 Theme Feature List

Finally, thank you for your patience while we worked on this update, the most comprehensive in our history. Sites running V1 themes will continue to be supported, but it's important to note that new features affecting the front-end online shop will be developed for V2 themes moving forward.

We strongly encourage all of our customers to plan the transition to a V2 theme as soon as possible, as the benefits include a faster and superior shopping experience for your customers, along with massively improved performance as measured by Google.

Admin Panel Menu Changes

As part of the preparation for the V2 release, we've made a few minor changes to the Admin Panel menu.

Templates are now Themes, Users are now Customers, and Admin Users have been moved to their own Admin menu.

The General menu has been split into the new Settings and Admin menus.

Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

A number of our customers are receiving emails from Google regarding upgrading their Google Analytics tags.

This is just a reminder that Bluepark already fully supports the latest integration. The GA4 tag is formatted G-XXXXXXXXXX, which will replace the old UA-XXXXXX-X tag on 1st July 2023.

Please follow the link below to find out how to obtain your GA4 tag:

https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/10089681

Once you have it, you can add it in Integrations: Google. For now, both the GA4 tag and the UA tag are able to work together, there is no need to remove your existing UA tag.

Loqate V4 Postcode Address Finder

Bluepark now supports Loqate's latest V4 integration, enabling your customers to enter their address details with ease.

First, visit Integrations: Website Plugins and enter your Loqate account number. If you're already using an older version of Loqate, select V4 from the version list and save.

Then, from within your Loqate account, click the Add Service button in the top right corner and follow the directions provided. When you're asked to add JavaScript code to your website, you can ignore this step as Bluepark does this for you automatically.

A setup page will be launched on your Bluepark site (Loqate will tell you that it cannot be displayed in an iframe, which is a security feature - click to launch it in a new window). Your billing and delivery address fields will be detected automatically. On the right-hand side of the page, scroll to the bottom and click the button to save and complete the setup process.​​​​​​​​

If you don't yet have a Loqate account, please register for one here:

https://www.loqate.com

Unsolicited Calls to Bluepark Customers

We've received reports of customers being called by third parties, stating that Bluepark have requested that they offer their services.

For the avoidance of doubt, we will never ask a third party to contact you. Any recommendations of third party services will be made either here, in the Latest Updates section, or via an official Bluepark newsletter.

eBay Marketplace Account Deletion/Closure Notifications

Bluepark fully supports eBay's new privacy and data protection measures.

If you have an eBay channel set up, from the Channel Editor, on the Properties tab, you will find an eBay Notification URL and a Verification Token.

Please refer to the following guide, but ONLY the section entitled, "Subscribing to eBay Marketplace Account Deletion/Closure Notifications":

https://developer.ebay.com/marketplace-account-deletion

Follow the 8 steps to create a Marketplace Account Deletion notification within your eBay account, and eBay will verify that the URL is responding correctly.

PayPal: Buy Now, Pay Later

Bluepark's PayPal Commerce Platform integration now supports their latest payment option, enabling your customers to buy now and pay later.

By offering Pay in 3, you're empowering your customers with more flexibility to make purchases. They can pay over time, interest-free, while you can see higher sales and more repeat business.

Pay in 3 seamlessly integrates with your online shop, allowing you to display dynamic promotional messages within the product page and basket to highlight the cost of each payment. Customers are offered the Pay Later option during PayPal checkout. The instalment costs and interest-free payment schedule are outlined clearly for the customer to agree and proceed. You get paid upfront, allowing you to process orders as normal within the Order Manager, and leaving PayPal to take care of collecting the instalment payments from your customers.

This feature is only available via our PayPal Commerce Platform integration, so if you're still using one of our legacy integrations (Standard, Express or Pro) then it's a good time to make the switch.

To enable the Pay Later button and messaging *, with PayPal Commerce Platform active, visit Integrations: Payment Options and the PayPal tab, towards the bottom of the page.

* Please note that the product page promotional messaging will not display unless the %product_paypal variable is included in the HTML. If your template uses Custom HTML within the Template Editor, specifically in the %product_action field, then you may need to add this manually. You can refer to the default HTML to see how it should be included, or contact your designer.

Exportable Sales Statistics and Additional Ranges

The Sales Statistics section now enables you to export each of the sales reports to a CSV file. Doing so removes the limitation on the number of lines returned, and the export will contain all available data.

There are also H1-2 (half year) and Q1-4 (quarterly) ranges selectable, in addition to the full year and individual months.

EU VAT Changes from July 2021: IOSS (Addendum)

This update follows on from our previous update, where we detailed the EU VAT changes beginning 1st July 2021 (tomorrow, at the time of writing this update). If you missed the previous update, please read that first.

We have now introduced an additional solution for reduced and zero rated products, as groups of products can attract different VAT rates in different EU countries. This opens the door for a great deal of complexity.

To simplify this problem, we have created a new field in the Product Editor called Tax Code. This is a letter from A to Z, similar to the existing Pricing Code and Shipping Code fields.

If you go to the Tax Rules section, in addition to the standard VAT rate, you are also able to select a Tax Code. You can then enter a custom VAT rate, for each country, applying to all products having that particular Tax Code assigned.

For example, you may be selling books, which attract a reduced VAT rate in many EU countries. In this case, you could assign the Tax Code "B" to all of your products that are books, then in Tax Rules you could select the Tax Code "B" and enter the correct reduced (or zero) rate for all countries that apply.

Finally, as per our previous update, don't forget that our IOSS VAT feature requires that you enter an IOSS Registration Number in Settings: Company.

Export Products in JSON Format (Plus Klaviyo Support)

It is now possible to create a product export in JSON format, in addition to CSV.

By default, the JSON field names match those found in our API, but they can be customised in the same way that CSV column headings can be customised.

Putting the JSON export to immediate use, there is now a Klaviyo Catalogue feed option available via the Export Products section. This new feature can enable you to set up a Klaviyo Custom Catalogue integration with ease.

EU VAT Changes from July 2021: IOSS

From 1st July 2021, the EU is changing its VAT rules for B2C sales.

To provide some background, since January this year, the UK has already implemented a similar system. For a non-UK business, selling to the UK under a £135 threshold, UK VAT (at 20%) MUST be charged at the point of purchase, i.e. the seller needs to be registered for UK VAT to sell to the UK under £135.

From July, the EU's changes largely mirror the UK's rules. For a non-EU business, selling to the EU under a €150 threshold, EU VAT (at the destination country's rate) SHOULD be charged at the point of purchase, i.e. the seller should be registered for EU VAT to sell to the EU under €150.

As an aside, there is a distinction here, as the EU system includes something called Special Arrangements, which enables sellers to opt out and pass the import VAT collection role to postal services.

Obviously, it is impractical to expect sellers to register for VAT in every EU country, so the EU have created the IOSS (Import One Stop Shop) solution. This means that sellers can register in one EU member state and this will be valid for the declaration and payment of VAT on all distance sales to customers within the EU.

In order to support this system, we have added an IOSS Registration Number field in Settings: Company. If you enter an IOSS number in that field, Bluepark will calculate VAT at the standard rate for the destination EU country for sales under the €150 threshold.

The charging of VAT with an IOSS number is set to begin from 1st July 2021.

To find out more, please follow the link below:

https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/business/vat/ioss_en

Pinterest Tracking

Bluepark now fully supports Pinterest tracking.

The integration adds tracking calls for product and category page views, "add to basket" events, as well as recording successful purchases.

All you need to do is enter your Pinterest Tag ID via Integrations: Social Media.

Slideshow Block Upgrade

The Slideshow block, available via Content Blocks, now supports adding a heading, a sub-heading and a button. These elements are fully customisable, in terms of how they are styled and positioned.

You can see this in action now on our demonstration site:

https://www.demopark.co.uk

Simply click the Add Text button on the Images tab of the Block Editor, for each image that you could like to customise.

Deprecated: PayPal Pro, Express Checkout and Standard

Following on from our announcement concerning the release of PayPal Commerce Platform (PPCP) last year, and following advice from PayPal, we want to announce that our PayPal Pro, Express Checkout and Standard integrations are now "deprecated". This means that, while these solutions are still available for existing customers, they are no longer actively supported, and they are not available to new customers.

PayPal Commerce Platform is the direct replacement for these solutions, and can be used either as a standalone payment solution, or as a secondary payment processor.

Most importantly, it is a far more stable and reliable integration, removing unnecessary steps such as transferring the customer to PayPal's website. The customer experience is significantly improved.

For users of PayPal Pro, payment processing is cheaper on Commerce Platform (1.2% + £0.30) without a monthly fee. The card fields appear just like normal form fields on your site, but in a way that is completely PCI compliant (SAQ-A). The PayPal payment option displays in a lightbox, rather than redirecting the customer to PayPal. Integrated refunds are supported via the Order Processor.

There is also a virtual terminal available to all customers, something that was not available initially when PPCP was launched.

We strongly recommend that all of our customers using these deprecated PayPal solutions upgrade as soon as possible.

To find out more, please follow the link below:

https://www.bluepark.co.uk/paypal-commerce-platform.html

The PayPal Commerce Platform is available to use now via Integrations: Payment Options, simply select it from the menu and click the Connect with PayPal button to get started.

It can also be selected via the PayPal tab as a secondary payment processor.

Google Shopping Feed Update

We have modified the default version of our Google Shopping feed, which can be generated via the Export Products section.

This includes support for the new "availability" status of "backorder", along with the additional "availability_date" field, now required for both preorder and backorder products. The "backorder" value is populated only when using Bluepark's purchase order feature, where a specific availability date has been supplied.

"Exclude if no Google category" is now unticked by default, since a Google category is no longer required.

Please feel free to either generate a new Google Shopping feed, or modify an existing one based on these changes.

Thawte and GeoTrust SSL Security Seals

For customers using our Thawte or GeoTrust SSL certificates, and displaying the security seal on the website, there is an important change made by DigiCert, the parent company. They have now discontinued all of the old Thawte and GeoTrust security seals.

We have automatically stopped these from displaying, where the code is currently installed via Integrations: SSL Certificate. Having the old seal code installed on your site can significantly slow it down, so if you've installed it anywhere else on the page, please remove or replace it.

The security seal code is now unique to each domain, so we've made the process of updating to the newest version as easy as possible. Under the Security Seal field, there is now a checkbox to Get from DigiCert - which will download and install the updated seal automatically. If you obtained your Thawte or GeoTrust SSL certificate from us, please update your security seal now via Integrations: SSL Certificate.

Shipping Overseas and DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)

One of the challenges presented by Brexit is shipping to overseas customers, who will now incur customs duties and taxes in their own country. These are additional charges that must be paid on receipt of the goods. Surprise charges can lead to returns, especially from EU customers who are not used to the new system.

Many couriers offer a solution to this, in the form of DDP (Delivered Duty Paid). This means that you offer the customer the opportunity to pay their duties and taxes upfront, and then you take full responsibility for all customs and import fees on behalf of the customer.

Bluepark cannot internally calculate accurate landed costs, but we are providing two solutions - one free and very approximate, along with an accurate paid solution.

The free solution can now be found in the Shipping Editor, where you're able to estimate DDP as a percentage of the net order value. If you can predict the rough DDP percentage based on the types of products you're selling, then this solution might suffice, with the understanding that you will be collecting an approximation of the cost from the customer.

The paid solution is provided by Zonos, who we have partnered with to provide accurate DDP charges per order:

https://zonos.com

Simply add your Zonos API key via Integrations: Website Plugins.

Our Zonos integration uses the customer's address, commodity codes and the country of origin to calculate accurate landed costs. Once again, this feature is activated via the Shipping Editor.

Klaviyo Customer Lists

It is now possible to specify a Klaviyo customer list ID. This is the list that the customer will be added to when they consent to being contacted.

Simply add the desired list ID via Integrations: Website Plugins.

Import and Export Suppliers

It is now possible to import and export suppliers, using CSV files, via the Suppliers section.

Email Log Capacity and Product Availability on Emails

We have increased the capacity of the Email Log from 100 emails to 1,000 emails. The log won't look different immediately, but will continue to fill up as new emails are sent.

You now have the option, via Settings: Orders, to include product availability on order confirmation emails (which the customer receives) and order notification emails (which you receive). These are the emails sent out when a new order is placed.

The customer will see the same availability message that they saw on the website, you will see the actual quantity that was in stock at the time the order was placed.

By default, the Include Availability setting is disabled for order confirmations and enabled for order notifications.

Customer EORI Numbers

Bluepark now supports the collection of customer EORI numbers, and the field will appear automatically if you are already displaying the VAT number field.

Promote Your Website with Klaviyo

Klaviyo connects to your Bluepark online shop to listen, collect, and store important information about what visitors are doing on your site. With this data you can then create highly targeted, personalised marketing campaigns to increase conversions. Automated abandoned basket emails and post-purchase targeting emails can also be used to improve customer experience and conversions.

Simply add your Klaviyo public API key via Integrations: Website Plugins.

Find out more on our dedicated Klaviyo page:

https://www.bluepark.co.uk/recommended-partners/klaviyo.html

The Brexit Update

An hour before 1st January 2021, we implemented the changes to the VAT system brought about by Brexit. This update constitutes the biggest change to the Bluepark tax system for many years.

Broadly, UK companies will now treat EU countries the same way as they have done in the past for countries outside the EU. However, in order to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, NI will still apply many of the rules set by the EU.

Firstly, the EU flag has been removed from both the UK and the Isle of Man.

Secondly, in the Tax Rules section, the Default VAT Rate activates the Bluepark tax system. The VAT Countries setting determines where the default rate will be applied.

There is now a new setting, "Within the UK", available alongside the existing settings:

Within the UK
Within the EU
Worldwide
Manual Selection

Our update has switched merchants across to "Within the UK" if they A: previously had "Within the EU" set, and B: have their country set as UK or Isle of Man in Settings: Company. This "Within the UK" setting works for Northern Ireland also, as it respects NI's unique status. Our system recognises Northern Ireland where the country is UK and the postcode begins with "BT".

The following is a summary of the VAT rules, following the changes.

Northern Ireland:

Regardless of the VAT Countries setting, Bluepark treats Northern Ireland like any other EU country. Essentially, Northern Ireland behaves like the rest of the UK did in 2020.

Gov.uk Source 1
Gov.uk Source 2

UK to EU (Goods):

VAT is no longer charged for sales from the UK to the EU, as is the case for sales to other countries overseas.

Gov.uk Source

Overseas to UK (Goods):

This scenario is the most complex. VAT is not charged for sales from overseas to the UK, EXCEPT where the total value of the goods in the consignment is less than £135.

If this is the case, then the seller must register for UK VAT and charge it at the point of sale. If the buyer is also VAT registered in the UK, and supplies a VAT number, then VAT is not charged and the reverse charge mechanism comes into play.

This new threshold system, beginning with the UK, will extend to the EU in July 2021. The work we have done has prepared Bluepark to implement these changes when they come into effect.

Gov.uk Source 1
Gov.uk Source 2

UK to EU (Digital Services):

Bluepark continues to respect the rules for selling digital services to the EU. If you use the VAT MOSS system, you must register for the scheme in an EU member state.

Gov.uk Source
Europa.eu Source

Overseas to UK (Digital Services):

Bluepark similarly respects the rules for selling digital services to the UK. You must register for VAT in the UK.

Commercial Invoices:

For sales to other countries, Bluepark will now modify invoices with additional information, if supplied. This includes your EORI number, along with the HS Code and Country of Origin for your products.

Important:

Because of the level of complexity involved in implementing the changes required to our system, and the short amount of time we have had to make these changes, we require all clients to take some responsibility to make sure that VAT is being applied correctly to their invoices. It is important to check orders very carefully before shipping and report any anomalies or errors to us immediately.

Miscellaneous Updates

Picking lists now include the relevant order numbers, along with the corresponding quantities, on each product line. This feature can be disabled via Settings: Orders tab, if not required.

The CSV export feature now supports up to 10 exportable attributes and options, up from the previous limit of 5.

Buy Now, Pay Later with Klarna

Join the thousands of online shops using Klarna, the world's leading buy now, pay later provider, to increase conversion by offering customers flexible payment and financing options that are convenient for them. Klarna is now included as standard on all Bluepark packages, just connect your account and get selling.

Klarna is easy to set up on Bluepark, you just need a Klarna account to generate your API credentials. When creating your account, you will be asked for the name of the platform you're using - please select "API Integration" to proceed.

Klarna is a secondary payment processor, so it's designed to be an additional payment option alongside your primary payment processor. You can activate Klarna on its own dedicated tab via Integrations: Payment Options.

Find out more on our dedicated Klarna page:

https://www.bluepark.co.uk/klarna.html

Form Field Accessibility for Screen Readers

We have added HTML tags to each of our form fields for all Bluepark sites. These tags don't affect the display of your forms, but they enable customers reliant on screen readers to identify what the form fields are for and complete them correctly.

Using Coupon Codes and Voucher Codes Together

A long-standing limitation has been removed. It is now possible for a customer to enter both a discount coupon code and a gift voucher code into the shopping basket for the same order.

This is now the default behaviour for all Bluepark sites. If, for any reason, you don't want your customers to be able to use both a coupon code and a voucher code for the same order, you can uncheck "Coupon Use with Vouchers" in Settings: Ecommerce Options.

Search Results and Sorting

It is now possible to sort product search results by Top Sellers, something that was not previously possible.

You can also now change the Default Order for search results from Relevance to one of the other sorting options via Settings: Catalogue.

Turn Blocks Into Popups!

It is now possible to create popups easily via Content Blocks. Simply create your own custom block and, on the new Popup tab, tick the box to turn it into a popup. Because it's a block, it can contain any content you like, such as text, an image, or a form.

You are able to configure the delay, in seconds, before the popup is displayed, and whether it's displayed only once per visitor session or every time the page is viewed. You can customise the width, height and padding, the colours, an optional close button, and a semi-transparent background overlay.

Simply assign the popup to any page, just as you would a regular block. Remember to use popups sparingly, as too many popups can be distracting for your customers!

Export Products for Facebook and Instagram

There is now a Facebook Catalogue feed option, similar to the Google Shopping feed option, available via the Export Products section. This new feature can enable you to set up a Facebook Shop and to sell on Instagram.

For more information about how this can be used, please have a read of the following two blog posts:

How to: Set Up a Facebook Shop

How to: Sell on Instagram

Vimeo Videos on Product Pages

The YouTube Video ID field in the Product Editor now also supports Vimeo numeric video IDs. The lightbox player on the product page now supports both formats.

Apple Pay and Google Pay via Braintree or Stripe

For users of the Braintree or Stripe payment processors, it is now possible to activate both Apple Pay and Google Pay via Integrations: Payment Options.

Payment Processor Rebranding

Please note that Sage Pay has rebranded to Opayo, and SecureTrading has rebranded to Trust Payments. We have therefore updated the name and logo for these payment processors throughout the Admin Panel.

Miscellaneous Updates

There is now an API Log tab in the Admin Editor section, ideal for tracking activity and troubleshooting. Similarly, there is also an API Log tab in the Channel Editor for eBay channels.

For the Navigation Bar's parent links, there is now a Maximum Lines setting. This is useful for a "mega menu" where a large number of sub-categories are automatically listed below, and you need to force the list to split into a new column.

In the Blog Post Editor, along with the Featured Image for the category page, there is now a Main Image for the blog post page.

In the Form Editor, for a form with only one field, there is now a One Line setting. This forces the form field, label and button to display on a single line, ideal for a newsletter signup form, and easy to include in a block.

In the Addition Editor, there is now a Free Product setting. This, if the addition is selected, forces the product price to ZERO (along with free shipping), useful for products where you'd like to offer a "free sample" option to your customers.

Admin Panel Searches for Orders and Users

We have made some necessary changes to how the search function in the Admin Panel works for orders and users specifically, as these database tables tend to grow very large over a long period of time.

These changes result in faster searches, and are due to improved indexing in our database. This was particularly urgent for some of our older sites, with order databases in excess of 1 million orders, where searches were previously taking between 5 and 20 seconds to complete. With the new indexing, searches will complete in less than a second.

However, for any database indexes to be used, the search term cannot start with a "wildcard" character, as has automatically been the case up until now.

For example, in the past, a search for "blue" could return:

Blue Widget
Widget in Blue

After the changes today, that same search will only return:

Blue Widget

This is because our searches no longer automatically start with a wildcard character, instead they will try to match from the left.

To achieve the same results as before, i.e. to find the search term anywhere within the target, simply prefix your search with an asterisk.

So instead of searching for "blue", you could search for "*blue", which would return:

Blue Widget
Widget in Blue

Please note, there is no need to search for "blue*" as our system always does this, automatically.

Whilst we appreciate that this does involve an extra keypress when performing some searches, it also enables the database to perform as it should, and to use its indexes whenever possible. This is far more efficient than performing a "deep" search every time, regardless of whether it is needed.

The search field now has a tooltip when you hover over it, reminding you to prefix your search with a * for a wildcard search. However, we strongly recommend that you only use this when necessary, as it is considerably slower, especially on larger sites.

Finally, if you're an eBay user and want to search for an eBay username, simply append + to the end of the search to perform an extended search.

Once again, this only affects the search field in the order and user sections.

COVID-19 Update

Our focus during this unprecedented situation is two-fold:

Firstly, to ensure the health and safety of our staff, so that they can continue to provide the very best level of customer support.

Secondly, to ensure that our platform and servers remain fully operational, stable and secure.

At the start of lockdown, we acted swiftly and put in place systems and procedures to enable our staff to work from home, in order to maintain a continuous and reliable service.

The current Government guidelines are clear, that those who can work from home should continue to do so. We will, therefore, be continuing with remote working for the time being. Despite the additional challenges, we are working extremely hard to maintain the exceptional quality of service we are renowned for.

Currently, we are experiencing a higher volume of telephone calls, and handling them with more limited resources. At this time, we urge our customers to make use of our ticketing system where possible and thank you for your understanding:

https://www.bluepark.co.uk/support.html

We look forward to returning to normality as soon as we can do so safely.

Advanced Shipping for Multiple Shipping Codes

There is now a new Advanced Shipping feature in Settings: Ecommerce Options.

This setting toggles whether multiple shipping methods sharing the same name, but with different shipping codes assigned, can be applied simultaneously to an order, the sum total becoming the consolidated shipping charge, without the need for a catch-all shipping method.

So this means, for example, that you could create two (or more) shipping methods, both with the name "UK Shipping" (you can give each its own individual Reference, to differentiate them).

One of the UK Shipping methods could be set to apply to A shipping codes only, the other could be set to apply to B shipping codes only.

Under the previous system, if the customer had a mixed basket of both A and B products, neither of these shipping methods could apply. You would need a third "catch-all" shipping method which is capable of shipping both A and B products, leading to more complexity and less accurate shipping charges.

Under the new system, if two or more shipping methods share the same name, the shipping charge will be calculated by applying each shipping method to only the products it supports, then adding the totals together.

This means you can present a more accurate shipping charge using fewer shipping methods.

We have made this an option because we are aware that some users will prefer the previous system, therefore it will require activation. Advanced Shipping is the default for all new Bluepark sites.

Introducing the New PayPal Commerce Platform

We are pleased to announce the launch of the new PayPal Commerce Platform, now fully integrated and available to all Bluepark customers.

We have worked closely with PayPal to produce one of the most detailed integrations we have ever built for a payment processor, and this will be the default payment option for new customers.

The PayPal Commerce Platform can be used either as the primary payment processor, or as a secondary payment processor. For new customers, the previous PayPal integrations (Standard, Express and Pro) are being retired.

There are several reasons to consider upgrading from your existing PayPal integration. Firstly, when used as the primary payment processor, this integration supports the entry of credit and debit card information directly on your payment page, but in a way that is completely PCI compliant (SAQ-A). The implementation of 3D Secure is fully PSD2 compliant.

In addition, the PayPal payment option, available on both the shopping basket and payment pages, uses lightbox technology, ensuring that your customers never leave your site.

This integration dispenses with the old IPN payment confirmation method, delivering a tighter, ultra-reliable payment solution for yourself and your customers. It supports both instant and deferred payments, along with refunds via the Bluepark Admin Panel, plus webhooks which will update a payment's status automatically.

For PayPal Payments Pro users interested in switching, there is NO MONTHLY FEE for the PayPal Commerce Platform (currently £20 for Pro) and in most cases lower fees (starting at 1.2% + £0.30).

To find out more about the brand new PayPal Commerce Platform, please follow the link below:

https://www.bluepark.co.uk/paypal-commerce-platform.html

The PayPal Commerce Platform is available to use now via Integrations: Payment Options, simply select it from the menu and click the Connect with PayPal button to get started.

Weathering the COVID-19 Storm

In times of great uncertainty, and this surely counts as one of them, all businesses are thinking about how they can adapt and change to meet the circumstances we are facing. We are all considering the best strategies to get us through this incredibly difficult time and mitigating losses. It's made all the harder when the biggest question of all, 'how long will this last', is impossible to answer.

But, with so many bricks and mortar business closures, surely online businesses are far better placed to weather this storm. This is the time to think creatively about how to tackle this problem. Check out the wide range of things you can do to make a difference:

https://www.bluepark.co.uk/blog/covid-19.html

We are with you throughout and happy to answer any questions you may have to help you get through this.

New Breadcrumb Structured Data

Google has removed support for the data-vocabulary.org markup which we used for our breadcrumb trails:

https://webmasters.googleblog.com/2020/01/data-vocabulary.html

This structured data is important, because it improves the way your site is displayed in Google's search results.

We have immediately updated our system to use the recommended schema.org markup, these changes are live now.

Enhancements for Sage Pay, Braintree and Stripe

The payment processors Sage Pay, Braintree and Stripe all now support "proper" refunds via the Order Processor. The Refunded field has, up until now, been a purely cosmetic feature, with the refund itself having to be performed via the payment processor's website.

Sage Pay, Braintree and Stripe orders will feature a box next to the Refunded field. When ticked, this will turn the field red and will attempt to refund the customer when clicking Save Changes. You will always be warned that you are performing a refund, and the intended amount, when clicking the Save button, so there is no possibility for refunds to be given accidentally.

The amount to be refunded will always be the difference between the old value and the new value. For example, if you have refunded £10 already, and change the value to £30, then the system will prepare to refund an additional £20. If you're refunding the full amount, the system will always try to void the payment, if possible, as opposed to refunding it, to avoid unnecessary charges for you.

Because refunds are a very serious matter, they are not available to everyone by default. Admin user accounts with Global access will have refunds enabled automatically, otherwise they will need to be enabled manually per account. This safety feature is also respected via the API.

Finally, for Sage Pay and Braintree only, it is now possible to toggle whether settlement batch information should be downloaded nightly to help reconcile payments with bank deposits. This information is displayed in the Order Manager, alongside the order total. You can activate this feature via Integrations: Payment Options, on the Sage Pay or Braintree tab. The Sage Pay option will require your Sage Pay username and password, as it does for The 3rd Man fraud results.

Shipping Enhancements

We have made a number of changes relating to shipping, some of which are in use now, others in preparation for future updates.

We have added two fields to the Values tab of the Product Editor, these are the Commodity Code and the Country of Origin. These are also reflected on the Variants tab of the Product Editor. Together with the EORI Number field in Settings, this information will form the basis of a new commercial invoice that we intend to make available for international orders. The intention is that the standard VAT invoice is still sent the customer, but the commercial invoice can be printed via the Admin Panel for customs checks.

You are able to start populating commodity codes and the two letter ISO country codes for products immediately, if you plan to use this feature.

There is now a Safe Place field in the Shipping Editor, on the Fulfilment tab, for each shipping method. If you've previously been using the Customer Comments workaround for this purpose, deactivate this first, on the Fulfilment tab, to see the new field. The Safe Place information is reported in the Order Processor, but is ultimately intended to be passed to Royal Mail's Click & Drop integration.

We have been informed that commodity codes, the country of origin and the Safe Place field will be included in Click & Drop, for all Bluepark sites, early in the New Year.

Finally, you are now able to assign weights to Additions, in the same way that you can currently assign charges. The weight of an Addition, if selected by the customer, is added onto the weight of the product, which can affect shipping calculations.

Customer Address Book Feature

Customers who have registered on your site are now able to store multiple addresses in their user accounts. They are able to add, edit and remove saved addresses with ease, use them as billing or shipping addresses, and switch between them with just a few clicks.

This is a very powerful feature and one that significantly improves the checkout experience, particularly for returning customers.

For this reason, we recommend that everyone activates the new Address Book feature via Settings: Orders tab, under Checkout Options.

Braintree and Stripe: SCA Ready

The Braintree and Stripe payment processors are now ready for Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) on 14 September. The integrations have been updated, there are no changes required by Bluepark customers.

Google Product Review Feed

All Bluepark sites using the Business Park package and above now have a Google Product Review feed, which can be found in the Product Reviews section. This XML feed URL can be provided to Google for them to fetch periodically.

Listing Special Order Products on eBay

To date, special order (SPO) products have not been exportable to eBay, as they do not have a defined quantity.

You are now able set a Special Order Quantity for eBay channels, on the Publishing Options tab of the Channel Editor (and for Channel Profiles).

This will set the number you specify as the quantity in stock for all SPO products, and will therefore include them in the export to eBay.