Product deletion vs unpublishing vs nothing

-- url of the page with the problem -- : none yet
-- HikaShop & Market versions -- : actual

Yes yes, it's me. This time it's about something that I thought I found a workaround for, and that'd still be ok but doesn't work... see here: www.hikashop.com/forum/product-category-...ely-unpublished.html

But instead of a workaround, why not go direct?

We all - well, most - want tons of vendors and customers. And that our vendors do everything themselves. But we want and need to be in control (i.e. review product before publishing) and not lose opportunity (i.e. vendor deleting a product before I even notice or know what it was, and could at least check back, "why?"...).

Catch 22:

I don't want a vendor to delete his product - just like that and finally. Admin doesn't even get mail, right? And if that would be triggered somehow, even with all product details in the mail, it's too late, it's out of the system. Persuading the vendor to put it back in is a mess, probably he's got better to do.
So, my claim: Deletion in the vendor product listing is not an option. Actually, not at all, unless it were "not really" deleted but could be re-activated on click.

So then, we don't have to allow them to delete. Can offer only unpublishing instead. That's basically what it is: taking it off the store without deleting it. Admin will know it, see it, can 'intervene', etc etc. If nothing else, ok, admin can finally delete with one or two more clicks.
But now... if we allow unpublishing, we're allowing publishing as well - it's a toggle. Right from the start, right from the first post draft, without review. Bah.
(Here came my workaround, not ideal, but anyway: have the vendor - forced - to post into an unpublished, invisible dummy category. There he can publish or not, who cares. Admin can review, then move it into the final, visible category. Again, then vendor can publish/unpublish, whatever. But not delete! Unfortunately, there is presently no real invisible product category... see my post in the Shop forum as linked to above )

I think in the long run it'd be great if the (un)publishing toggle were changed. Or if the only option a vendor had was UNpublishing, but not publishing. Hmm, optionally, I guess... which won't make it simpler for you, I know.....

Anyway. Sure, the workaround is one - once it works. All alternatives are ugly: deleting was already mentioned, and a vendor needing to contact admin and ask him to delete... urgh.

You dig me. Into your good hands. Thank you once again. You're doing a terrific job, and anyone reading 3 topics anywhere here can see it.

Hi again, Jerome,

First, thanks again for a prompt and positive reply!

Next, at my end I wouldn't call it an 'idea' but rather a necessity - for reasons explained.

Yours is an idea, a valid one I'd say, and if to be done, implemented and 'user handled' in a simple way, even better. The trick is, it must be easy = a click or two, nothing more, to re-instate the product, so it won't take much effort for the vendor. Or the admin. And the 'quasi-deleted' products must be standing out, or have their own category or something, in the backend, and/or a proper notification to the admin. Even a pre-fab email to the vendor sounds tempting to me - "Hey, you deleted XYZ? Sure it wasn't accidentally? Click here to re-instate, and stand the chance to win a trip to the Bahamas..."

Uhmm, too much already? But as you well know, such function would only make sense if it came with some "comfort"... you know, if I need to dig for stuff, it's no fun, and probably I won't do it.

Meanwhile I'm praying for my workaround coming together in the next 7-10 days. That wouldn't be bad for a start

Thanks & ciao!

Just FYI,

I got my workaround fixed! So, Jerome, you have any amount of time to keep thinking about it and acting on it, hehe!

If anyone else following here has the same needs and thoughts but difficulties seeing the workaround, let me know and I'll describe it here. (Not done with all testing as I write this, but so far all looks good.)

Cheers!