IQ-Dynamic-Google-Pricing/INSTALLATION.md

Installation & Setup Guide

Prerequisites

Before installing this plugin, ensure you have:

1. WordPress 5.8 or higher
2. WooCommerce 5.0 or higher installed and activated
3. PHP 7.4 or higher with Composer installed
4. Google Merchant Center account with products listed
5. Google Cloud Project with Content API for Shopping enabled

Step 1: Install Plugin Files

Option A: Complete Package (Recommended)

If you received the plugin with the vendor/ directory already included:

1. Upload the entire plugin directory to /wp-content/plugins/
2. Skip to Step 2 - the plugin is ready to activate!

Option B: Install Dependencies Manually

If the vendor/ directory is empty or missing:

1. Upload the plugin files to your WordPress plugins directory:

   cd /wp-content/plugins/
   # Upload or clone the plugin files
   

2. Navigate to the plugin directory:

   cd informatiq-smart-google-pricing
   

3. Install dependencies using ONE of these methods:

   Method 1: Using Composer (easiest)

   composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader
   

   Method 2: Manual Download

   • Download Google API PHP Client from: https://github.com/googleapis/google-api-php-client/releases
   • Extract to vendor/google/apiclient/
   • Download dependencies or see VENDOR-SETUP.md for detailed instructions

   Note: The plugin includes a custom autoloader that works with manually placed vendor files, so Composer is optional for end users.

Step 2: Create Google Service Account

1. Go to Google Cloud Console:

   • Visit https://console.cloud.google.com/
   • Create a new project or select an existing one

2. Enable Content API for Shopping:

   • Navigate to "APIs & Services" > "Library"
   • Search for "Content API for Shopping"
   • Click "Enable"

3. Create Service Account:

   • Go to "APIs & Services" > "Credentials"
   • Click "Create Credentials" > "Service Account"
   • Fill in the service account details:
     • Name: informatiq-pricing-service
     • Description: Service account for Smart Pricing plugin
   • Click "Create and Continue"
   • Skip optional steps and click "Done"

4. Create JSON Key:

   • Click on the newly created service account
   • Go to the "Keys" tab
   • Click "Add Key" > "Create New Key"
   • Select "JSON" format
   • Click "Create"
   • Save the downloaded JSON file securely

5. Grant Access to Merchant Center:

   • Go to Google Merchant Center (https://merchants.google.com/)
   • Navigate to Settings > Users
   • Click "Add user"
   • Enter the service account email (looks like: account-name@project-id.iam.gserviceaccount.com)
   • Assign "Admin" or "Standard" access
   • Click "Save"

Step 3: Activate Plugin

1. Log in to your WordPress admin panel
2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins
3. Find "informatiq-smart-google-pricing"
4. Click Activate

Step 4: Configure Plugin Settings

1. Navigate to WooCommerce > Smart Pricing

2. Configure Google Merchant Center Settings:

   • Google Merchant ID: Enter your Merchant Center ID (found in Merchant Center settings)
   • Service Account JSON: Open the downloaded JSON file and paste its entire contents here

3. Configure Pricing Settings:

   • Minimum Margin (%): Set your minimum acceptable profit margin (e.g., 10 for 10%)
   • This ensures prices never drop below cost + margin

4. Configure Automation Settings:

   • Enable Automatic Updates: Check to enable daily automated updates
   • Update Frequency: Choose how often to update prices:
     • Once Daily (recommended for most stores)
     • Twice Daily (for highly competitive markets)
     • Every 6 Hours (for very dynamic pricing)

5. Click Save Settings

Step 5: Test Configuration

1. Click the "Test Google API Connection" button
2. Wait for the response
3. If successful, you'll see: "Connection successful!"
4. If failed, check your credentials and API access

Step 6: Run Initial Sync

1. Click the "Run Manual Sync Now" button

2. The plugin will:

   • Fetch all in-stock products
   • Match them with Google Merchant Center
   • Retrieve competitive pricing
   • Update sale prices according to your rules

3. Review the results in the "Today's Price Updates" section

Product Requirements

For products to be updated automatically, they must meet these criteria:

1. Stock Status: Must be "In Stock"
2. SKU: Must have a SKU that matches the product in Google Merchant Center
3. GTIN (optional): Can be set via _gtin meta field for better matching
4. Cost (optional): Set product cost using WooCommerce Cost of Goods plugin for accurate margin calculations

Setting Product Cost

To use the minimum margin feature effectively:

1. With Cost of Goods Plugin:

   • Install "WooCommerce Cost of Goods" plugin
   • Edit each product
   • Enter cost in the "Cost of Goods" field

2. Without Cost of Goods Plugin:

   • The plugin will use the regular price as a fallback
   • This means minimum margin will be calculated from regular price

Monitoring & Maintenance

View Logs

• Navigate to WooCommerce > Smart Pricing
• Scroll to "Today's Price Updates" section
• View detailed logs of all price changes

Check Schedule

• The "Schedule Information" section shows:
  • Next scheduled run time
  • Last run time and results
  • Number of products processed/updated

Troubleshooting

If prices aren't updating:

1. Check WooCommerce Logs:

   • Navigate to WooCommerce > Status > Logs
   • Select the informatiq-smart-pricing-... log file
   • Review error messages

2. Verify Settings:

   • Ensure Google API credentials are correct
   • Test API connection
   • Check that automatic updates are enabled

3. Check Cron:

   • Ensure WordPress cron is running properly
   • Install "WP Crontrol" plugin to debug cron jobs
   • Look for informatiq_sp_daily_price_update event

4. Product Issues:

   • Verify products have SKUs
   • Ensure products are in stock
   • Check that products exist in Google Merchant Center

Advanced Configuration

Custom Cron Schedule

To change the cron schedule programmatically:

// In your theme's functions.php or custom plugin
Informatiq_SP_Scheduler::reschedule( 'daily' ); // or 'twice_daily', 'every_6_hours'

Hooks and Filters

The plugin provides hooks for customization:

// Modify minimum offset
add_filter( 'informatiq_sp_min_offset', function() {
    return 0.10; // Minimum $0.10 difference
});

// Modify maximum offset
add_filter( 'informatiq_sp_max_offset', function() {
    return 0.50; // Maximum $0.50 difference
});

Security Recommendations

1. Protect Service Account JSON:

   • Never commit the JSON key to version control
   • Store securely in WordPress database (plugin does this automatically)
   • Use environment variables for extra security if needed

2. Limit Service Account Permissions:

   • Only grant necessary permissions in Merchant Center
   • Use "Standard" access if "Admin" isn't required

3. Regular Audits:

   • Review price change logs regularly
   • Monitor for unexpected pricing patterns
   • Set up alerts for significant price drops

Uninstallation

If you need to remove the plugin:

1. Deactivate the plugin from WordPress admin
2. Delete the plugin (this will remove all settings and logs)
3. The plugin automatically:
   • Removes all settings from database
   • Deletes the custom log table
   • Clears scheduled cron events

Note: Product prices will remain at their last updated values. You'll need to manually adjust them if desired.

Support

For issues or questions:

• Email: contact@malin.ro
• Website: https://informatiq.services
• Documentation: See README.md

Updates

To update the plugin:

1. Download the latest version
2. Deactivate the old version
3. Replace plugin files
4. Run composer install if dependencies changed
5. Reactivate the plugin

Your settings and logs will be preserved during updates.