FAQs
This page contains answers to common questions or issues that merchants may have. This page is a helpful resource for anyone looking for quick answers. If you can't find the information you're looking for, please don't hesitate to contact us through the in-app support widget within the app.
Common Order Sync Issues
Apparel21 returned an error "xml string could not be parsed"
Why it happens: This is a server issue on the Apparel21 side. Their system returned an unreadable response.
How to fix it: Once the Apparel21 server is back up, the order will sync automatically. DotApparel monitors your syncs and can confirm once it’s resolved or you can reach out directly to Apparel21.
Who can fix this: Apparel21 Support
Apparel21 returned error "The person already exists" error code 5215
Why it happens: DotApparel tries to create a new customer in Apparel21, but Apparel21 rejects it because the person already exists but isn’t marked as a “WEB customer.”
How to fix it: In Apparel21, update the existing customer record to set them as a “WEB customer”. No need to delete any customer data. If unsure, raise a support ticket and DotApparel can help.
Who can fix this: Merchant
Apparel21 returned error "Email already exists for another person" error code 5006
Why it happens: There are duplicate customer records in Apparel21 using the same email address.
How to fix it: Check for and remove duplicates in Apparel21 so only one customer record uses that email. DotApparel can assist if needed, raise a support ticket.
Who can fix this: Merchant
Apparel21 returned error "Size of field Firstname, 38 is too long. Maximum length is 20" with code 5014
Why it happens: AP21 only accepts names with up to 20 characters.
How to fix it: Shorten the customer’s first and/or last name in Shopify, then re-upload the order via DotApparel.
Who can fix this: Merchant
Apparel21 returned error "Size of field Address Line 1, 53 is too long. Maximum length is 50" with code 5014
Why it happens: AP21 has a 50-character limit for address fields.
How to fix it:
Go to the DotApparel App and search for the order
Click on the Order list item
Hover over the affected line items and editing the address/name accordingly:
billingAddress
shippingAddress
Who can fix this: Merchant
Apparel21 returned error "Server did not respond within the specified timeout interval: Server did not respond within the specified timeout interval " with code 5015
Why it happens: AP21’s server was temporarily unreachable when DotApparel tried to send the order.
How to fix it: Wait for the AP21 server to come back online, then re-upload the order via DotApparel.
Who can fix this: Apparel21 Support
There is more than one Apparel21 person with the email attached to this order
Why it happens: There are multiple AP21 customer records with the same email. DotApparel doesn’t know which one to use.
This is because:
All orders in Apparel21 have to be attached to a person.
When there is more than one person in Apparel21 with the same email address, we are unable to find the correct customer to attach the order.
The merchant should delete one of the duplicate persons such that there is only one person with the email address, then retry this order.
How to fix it: Delete the duplicate customers in Apparel21, leaving only one with that email. Then retry the sync.
Who can fix this: Merchant
Sku id could not be parsed from XXXXXXXXXX
Why it happens: The customer may have purchased a Shopify product that has not been mapped or incorrectly with Apparel21.
How to fix it:
The merchant will need to map the item with Apparel21:
Look into AP21 and make sure the product is available to the Apparel21 Retail API
Download the latest products from Apparel21
Run “upload product to Shopify“
After that, the merchant can simply re-upload the order to Apparel21. If everything is going correctly, the order will be pushed successfully.
Who can fix this: Merchant
There is no configured Apparel21 payment gateway for the Shopify gateway "gift_card"
Why it happens: The customer used a Shopify gift card, but the gift card payment gateway isn’t mapped to Apparel21.
First we need to confirm if the merchant is using Apparel21 gift voucher
If yes, this means the customer might have accidentally used a "native" Shopify gift card. In this case, DotApparel team need to temporarily add the "gift_card" gateway so the order can be pushed through, then we will need to further investigate the reason. The temporary gift_card gateway does not need to be set up with a dummy sku. DotApparel team simply needs to add gift card in the payment gateway mappings.
If the merchant indeed is using Shopify gift card, then we need to set up the "gift_card" payment gateway, and also the dummy sku idx
How to fix it: Raise a support ticket with DotApparel. We’ll investigate the error and if required, map the gift card payment gateway sync successfully moving forward.
Who can fix this: DotApparel Support
Incorrect validationID
Why it happens: The voucher used during checkout needs a new validation ID before Apparel21 can accept it.
How to fix it:
First we need to ask the merchant for the voucher pin and voucher number
Once received from merchant, go to postman and use the Validate Gift Voucher call to create a new validation id.
Alternatively, for step 2, you can go to the storefront and add any product to cart, apply the pin and voucher number to generate a new validation id.
Proceed to push the order through to AP21
Remove active status from voucher at checkout once order has been pushed through
Who can fix this: DotApparel Support
Cannot map line item without a sku ORDER SYNCAP21
Why it happens: The product in the order doesn’t have an SKU assigned in Shopify.
How to fix it:
Similar to the “sku id could not be parsed from” error. The customer purchased an item that does not have an SKU number in Shopify. The merchant will need to map the item with Apparel21:
Update the SKU number in Shopify
Look into AP21 and make sure the product is available to the AP21 Retail API
Download the latest products from AP21
Run “upload product to Shopify“
Since Shopify does not allow editing SKU in order line items, the merchant may have to refund and re-add the line item to make sure the SKU is populated in Shopify before trying re-uploading the order to AP21.
Who can fix this: Merchant
Click and collect order must contain either Store ID or Store Number attribute
Why it happens:
The order is missing the required store ID info or store number in Shopify note_attributes.
How to fix it: This is usually a front-end issue. Check that your checkout is correctly passing Store ID or Store Number.
Who can fix this: Merchant or your front-end developer
Order status not updated or syncs not running after a period of API server being down
Why it happens: When the ERP server goes down, it can cause a traffic jam of tasks in the queue. This blocks new updates or order syncs from running properly.
How to fix it: This needs to be cleared by the DotApparel team to we’ll purge the task queue to get everything flowing again.
Who can fix this: DotApparel Support
Order didn’t sync because it was placed in a foreign currency
Why it happens: Shopify stores both the original currency used by the customer (presentmentMoney) and your store’s base currency (shopMoney). If they don’t match, the order may fail to sync.
How to fix it: This update needs to be made by the DotApparel. We’ll update the order data to match and retry the sync.
Who can fix this: DotApparel Support
Tasks failed with a “DEADLINE_EXCEEDED” error
Why it happens: This means something in the system took too long to respond and timed out, usually due to a temporary issue in the background tasks (called functions).
How to fix it: DotApparel Support needs to redeploy these background functions. Then, re-run the affected tasks.
Who can fix this: DotApparel Support
Common Product Sync Issue
Shopify upload errors: colour with id XXXX could not be found in style.remoteData
style.remoteData Why it happens: This means the colour (e.g. White) is no longer visible to the Retail API, so it can't be uploaded to Shopify. This can happen if the product is archived, unpublished, or excluded from the Retail API filter.
How to fix it:
If the colour should still be purchasable online, enable it for WEB in Apparel21.
If the colour has sold out or isn’t meant to be live yet, you can safely ignore the error.
Who can fix this: Merchant
Debugging missing styles
Why it happens: Products must pass a Retail API filter in Apparel21 to be visible to DotApparel. If a style isn’t showing in Shopify or the DotApparel app, it’s likely hidden due to this filter, typically based on tags like “web active”, an RRP value, or other custom criteria.
How to fix it:
Check your Retail API filter settings in Apparel21.
Ensure the style meets all visibility conditions (e.g. web-active, RRP added).
Then run the product download task in DotApparel, or wait for the daily sync.
Who can fix this: Merchant
Common Fraud Workflow Issues
How to prevent fraud orders from flowing to Apparel21
Why it happens: By default, all orders sync through DotApparel regardless of fraud status, unless a Fraud Workflow is applied.
How to fix it: Set up the Fraud Workflow inside the app to block or delay syncing of orders flagged by Shopify as fraudulent.
Who can fix this: Merchant
Klarna’s orders are missing the capturing payment by Shopify flow
How to fix it:
Add a 30-minute delay in your Shopify Flow after checking if the payment method is Klarna.
This delay ensures Shopify has finalised the payment data before Flow continues.
Who can fix this: Merchant
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