Frequently Asked Questions from Dropship Vendors
Account and Profile Management
Q: How do I update my company information, shipping address, or primary contact details in the dropship portal?
A: Settings > Vendor > My Account, Contact Details
Q: Can I have multiple users on my supplier account (e.g., for fulfillment, finance, or customer service)?
A: Yes - Settings > Users > Create User
Assess Each User's Role(s)
Q: How do I reset my password or regain access to the dropship portal?
A: If you're logged in:
Profile badge (initials) > User profile > Password > Change password
If you forgot your password:
Go to Mirakl login page > Click "Forgot your password?"
Q: What notifications will I receive from Homemakers (e.g., new orders, SLA alerts, low inventory)?
A: Click the icon at the top right with your initials
Personal settings > Notifications > Select the notifications you want to receive
(each user must manually select the notifications they wish to receive)
Q: Where can I view my performance dashboard or supplier scorecard?
A: Metrics are viewable directly in the back office on the "Dashboard" view
Catalog and Product Management
Q: How do I submit my product catalog to Homemakers?
A: You can submit your catalog in various ways. We recommend the following based on your brand type and/or the number of SKUs you carry.
Manual: < 25 SKUs, small brand, new to Mirakl
File Upload (excel, mapping wizard): 25-1000 SKUs, medium sized brand
API - 10,000+ SKUs, mature, established brand
Q: What are the content requirements for my listings (images, dimensions, descriptions, attributes)?
A: To view the photography and product copy requirements:
Back Office: Catalog > Product Imports > Import Products > Templates and documents
Vendor Portal:
Q: How long does it take for approved products to go live on Homemakers.com?
A: 1-4 business days
Q: What happens if a product submission is rejected, and how can I correct it?
A: To see which products were rejected, navigate to Catalog management > To review (tab at the top of the page) or, filter by product status under “My catalog”. Additionally, Hover over the “?” next to the product status to see the specific rejection reason.
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If a product has the label “Changes required” that means the product was temporarily rejected, and you can modify it for the operator to have the chance to accept it again.
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If the product submission was temporarily rejected and requires changes, simply open the product, click “Edit” at the top right, and correct the flagged fields.
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If a product is permanently rejected, it will have a product status of “Rejected”.
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You cannot correct the submission, as the vendor has chosen not to carry the product.
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Q: How should I manage discontinued or temporarily unavailable SKUs?
A: Discontinued: Delete the offer
Temporarily unavailable: Set quantity to 0, or adjust availability dates
Q: Can I update pricing, lead times, or content through the back office or via integration?
A: Yes – depending on what you want to update, you can do so in the back office or via API/file import.
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Updating pricing and lead times: Go to Price and Stock > Offers
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1. Open the product you’d like to adjust
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2a. Modify details like stock quantity, SRP, lead time to ship, and availability in the “Description” tab
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2b. Modify cost and discount cost in the “Cost” tab upon clicking the three dots
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note: new values will be pending approval until the operator approves or rejects them
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Updating content
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Changing Product data
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Catalog > Catalog Management
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Open the product you want to modify
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Click “Edit” where the pencil icon is
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Changing Offer data
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Price and Stock > Offers
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Open the product you’d like to adjust
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Edit details under the Description tab
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Pricing, Fees and Payments
Q: When will I receive payment for fulfilled orders?
A: At shipment of product.
Q: What is the standard payment cycle?
A: Net 30 days from item shipment date.
Q: How do I update my banking or remittance information?
A: Please notify Homemakers if you’d like to update your banking information to ensure information is immediately updated in our system of record. Additionally, if you need to change your store name, contact details, or billing information, reach out to us at vendors@homemakers.com
Q: How are refunds or chargebacks reflected in my payout statements?
A: Refunds and chargebacks will show up as a separate transaction line rather than a change to the original transaction.
In the back office, navigate to Accounting > Transactions. Once you find the refund, which should be stated somewhere on the description line, click on the Order ID for more visibility and details.
Orders and Fulfillment
Q: How will I be notified when a new order is placed?
A: Via email notification, and via dashboard alert in the back-office.
*Please ensure you enable email notifications within the back office
1. Click your profile icon/initials on the top right
2. Click “Personal Settings”
3. Adjust notification preferences with the available toggles, clicking the caret to see which emails fall under each notification type.
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Order notifications need to be toggled on to receive communication when a new order is placed.
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Q: How long do I have to accept an order before it is automatically declined?
A: 5 days – though we strongly recommend you take action ASAP to maintain optimum shop performance.
Q: Can I use my own carriers, or do I need to use Homemakers’ preferred logistics partners?
A: For parcel and LTL items, you can request to use your own carriers.
Q: What packaging or labeling standards must my products meet before shipping?
A: All packages must have Homemakers' delivery slip as well as a tracking number. The packaging should be blind/neutral with no manufacturer invoices or promotional materials.
Q: How should I handle partial shipments, preorders, or backorders?
A: Vendors can partially accept or reject orders if needed, but rejections or cancelations will impact your quality control metrics. Preorders or backorders will not be enabled functionalities on Homemakers' website.
Q: How do I confirm shipment and provide tracking information?
A: The most common ways for suppliers to confirm shipment and provide tracking information are:
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Manual (back office, per order): Open the order and click Add tracking information, then Mark as shipped.
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Bulk (file import): From the orders page, use Import Shipment Confirmation File (CSV/XLSX) to add tracking + confirm shipment for multiple orders at once.
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Integrated (API): Send tracking details with OR23, then confirm shipment with OR24 (and retrieve orders with OR11).
Q: What should I do if my integration or shipping feed fails?
A: Notify us immediately at vendors@homemakers.com and outline the issue you’re experiencing so we can better understand and assist with the matter.
Returns, Refunds and Disputes
Q: How will I be notified if a customer initiates a return?
A: The supplier will not be notified of an individual customer's return.
Q: Who approves returns, and how long do I have to respond to a return request?
A: Returns to Homemakers Des Moines location are approved by Homemakers and will not be approved by suppliers.
Q: Who pays for return shipping—the supplier or Homemakers?
A: This is dependent upon the issue at hand –
Product issues, damages, or incorrect items = vendor pays
Customer preference = customer pays
Q: What are the packaging requirements for returned items?
A: All manufacturer packaging must be included in the product's return. Items must be packaged to ensure no damage can be done to the product.
Q: How do I issue or confirm a refund to a customer?
A: Homemakers will handle customer care and escalate with vendors as needed.
Integrations and Automations
Q: Can I integrate my ERP or order system via API or through an integration partner like Rithum or Boomi?
A: Currently, we are only utilizing Mirakl and its back-office resources for dropship.
Q: How frequently are inventory, pricing, and order updates synchronized?
A: Every 15 minutes.
Q: What should I do if my product feed, inventory update, or order acknowledgment fails?
A: Email us at vendors@homemakers.com
Q: Where can I test integration changes before going live?
A: We can test a small sample of your products and offers in our production environment initially to confirm integration is working properly.
Q: What integration issues can impact my SLA performance?
A: Any issues that can impact the customer experience negatively.
Performance and Compliance
Q: What are Homemakers’ operational SLAs (e.g., acceptance >98%, late shipment <5%)?
A: Homemakers’ Compliance Requirements:
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Acceptance Rate |
>97% |
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Acceptance Time |
<24 hours |
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Cancel Rate |
<1.5% |
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Incident Rate |
<4% |
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Late Shipment Rate |
<4% |
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Refund Rate |
<4% |
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Tracking Rate |
>96% |
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Return Rate |
<3.5% |
Note: These metrics may be updated periodically as needed
Q: How can I monitor my SLA and KPI performance?
A: Metrics are viewable directly in the back office on the "Dashboard" view.
Q: What happens if my performance falls below SLA targets?
A: Failure to meet SLA thresholds may trigger automated warnings, performance reviews, corrective action plans, or suspension from the Dropship program.
Q: Can repeated SLA breaches affect my payouts or partnership status?
A: Yes - Repeated breaches will impact vendor ratings and may cause pausing of vendor relations. If necessary, a vendor may be charged for issues that are a result of infractions.
Q: How are policy violations or suspensions handled?
A: Policy violations are handled promptly and directly using contextual information as well as our SLA thresholds and quantity of prior issues.
Q: Can I appeal a performance penalty or temporary suspension?
A: Vendors are unable to appeal against performance penalties, as these penalties are the result of SLA and MQC breaches.
Q: How are supplier scorecards used?
A: Scorecards are used to monitor a vendor’s performance on a consistent basis. Homemakers will take necessary action to enforce SLA metrics.
Customer Interaction and Feedback
Q: Am I allowed to contact Homemakers customers directly?
A: No, the Homemakers team will initiate all contact with customers.
Q: How are customer complaints or post-delivery issues routed to me?
A: Since vendors will have no direct contact with customers, Homemakers will relay any important information to the applicable vendor.
Support and Escalation
Q: How do I contact Homemakers’ supplier support team?
A: For order specific inquiries, message us via the Mirakl back office; for general questions or support, email us at vendors@homemakers.com
Q: How will Homemakers communicate platform updates or policy changes?
A: Through an “Updates” section in the Vendor Portal Resource Library, and through email communication when needed.
Policy and Agreement
Q: Where can I access the official Vendor Guide?
A: Within the Vendor Portal and in the Mirakl Back Office
Back Office: Settings > Platform > Terms of Service
Vendor Portal:
Q: Who can I contact for clarification on supplier terms or data requirements?
A: Reach out via the back office for specific questions, and for generic questions, email us at vendors@homemakers.com