The messaging module is built to allow easy communication with vendors via individual conversations / chats. Both vendors and admin or other participants can leave messages and communicate back-and-forth (as opposed to announcements, which cannot be replied to). Vendors can view messages in their dedicated vendor dashboard, and are also notified of messages by email, depending on their email preference settings.
The messaging module can be enabled via MarketKing -> Modules:
In a marketplace platform, vendors and marketplace management have to stay in touch and constantly resolve queries related to specific customers, disputes, orders, payouts, etc. The messaging module offers a great solution for this through its versatility and ease of use.
Here is what a conversation appears like in the vendor's dashboard:
In this particular case, the conversation was initiated by the admin. Here's what that looks like on the admin side:
Vendors can also initiate conversations from their end:
When a vendor initiates a conversation, the admin or shop manager can view this in the site backend in MarketKing -> Messages. They also see a notification in the admin dashboard:
Emails and preferences
By default, the plugin will send an email for each message to either the admin or the vendor. This email can be controlled in WooCommerce -> Settings -> Emails. Each vendor can choose whether they want to receive such emails or not in their profile settings.
Active and closed conversations
To facilitate easy management of conversations and messages, vendors can mark them as read, or closed. Once a conversation is read it no longer shows notification badges in the dashboard. When closed, it is archived in a separate section.
Product & Vendor Inquiries
MarketKing also comes with a product and vendor inquiries module that allows customers to contact vendors directly. This module optionally uses the messaging system above. Through this mechanism, vendors can have back-and-forth chats with customers, started from either a specific product page or store page. Please read the dedicated module page linked above for more details.
