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Tips for Searching the eStores Online Catalog [10/06/08]

The eStores Service Center has provided a job aid containing tips on searching the eStores Online Catalog. A .pdf file is available for viewing and download at: http://ibuy.osu.edu/Search_Tips.pdf

A summary of the job aid is also posted below for reference.

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Tips for Searching Within Hosted Catalogs

There are three ways to search.

1. By Keyword — You can search by actual item description, manufacturer name or just a general description of the product.
2. By Supplier Part Number — This is usually referred to as an item number assigned by the supplier.
3. By Manufacturer Part Number — This number may or may not be the same as the supplier part number. For example, some OfficeMax products have one number assigned by OfficeMax (the supplier part) and one by the manufacturer which you may find on a package when you receive an order. You can search for the product by either one.

Which is the very best way to search?

By supplier part or manufacturer number in one catalog at a time.

What if I don't know the supplier or manufacturer number?

You can first search for the product by keyword in the catalog that you expect to find it in. For example, if you are looking for an office supply, search by keyword in either the Office Max.

You should always use as detailed a description as possible. Once you find your item, jot down the number for future reference especially if you order it frequently.

What do I need to know before I search in all catalogs view?

There are thirty nine hosted catalogs in the system with over one million different items. Some descriptions will be similar even if the product is not.

Some catalogs are quite large which makes an all catalogs view search difficult unless you begin with specific search criteria.

Example: Grainger has over 165,000 items in their catalog. Their MBE partner, Superior Industrial Supply has a catalog that is an exact duplicate of Grainger's. Let's pretend you are searching in all catalogs view, for a particular air filter manufactured by Air Handler Inc. It is best to perform the search this way:

1. Select keyword from the Search By: dropdown list. Type in "Air handler air filter." Keyword searches should always include some details such as manufacturer name or product size, color or any other specific information that may apply.
2. Click Search.
3. Search through the results for the best product match. One hundred items come back from this example. To further refine your search, you could include the filter dimensions. For example, your new search could include: Air Handler air filter, 15 inch depth, 24 inch width.

Once that information is added to the search, only 10 unique items come back. Notice that the results from Superior Industrial Supply appear above the same item from Grainger. Results from the MBE supplier will always appear first.

More Tips for All Catalogs Searches

Don't forget that you can narrow searches down by price range. You'll see this as an option at the bottom of the page within the left margin, "Narrow Search Results" column. Once you select a range, all items not included in that range are kicked out of the search results.

Example: See how the same item is listed in both Grainger and Superior's catalog on the same screen without looking at the other product listings:

• Use the search box and enter the specific supplier part number (as an example use "6B653") then click search.

Some all catalogs view searches will be more effective than others. Fisher Scientific, OfficeMax and Grainger all have large catalogs. Keyword searches for their products must be very specific.

Furniture suppliers like King Business Interiors and OM Workspace have smaller catalogs so you may have an easier time with less specific searches for furniture than you will for lab supplies, hardware or office supplies.

Remember that no matter how you search, the system will bring back a maximum of 100 results at one time. The criteria listed in the left margin for narrowing down the search only applies to those 100 results. If you cannot find your product even after narrowing the search by manufacturer name or price, etc. You must go back up to the search box and enter more specific search criteria.

Other quick tips for keyword searches:

• The order of search terms does not impact search results ("telephone handset" and "handset telephone will return the same results.
• Case does not impact search results. "Laptop" and "laptop" will return the same results.
  Use * as a wildcard ("micro" will find "Microsoft", "microscope" and "microwave").
• Try variations of a word to get more results (search for both "ball game" and "ballgame")
  

There is a rank order to the appearance of results if the product is offered by more than one supplier.

• Internal suppliers — like Stores, Uniprint and five other OSU internal suppliers with catalogs in eStores. Their offering appears first in any all catalogs view search.
• Certified Minority Vendors — MBE partners to our prime suppliers and those with their own contracts. Their offering appears after the internal suppliers.
• All other suppliers — Their product offering is listed last. The supplier and manufacturer part numbers are the same as those listed in the MBE catalog.

If you still have difficulty finding your product, please contact the eStores Service Center at 2-2694 for assistance.

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