Thursday, May 29, 2008

Shopping Development Part IV

Hi,

Before we move further I want to let you know that while developing e-commerce website using Shopping API Feed your API must provide URL2 for further development otherwise you cant create full function website that users like to see. We faced same problems with some of our client website and we contacted Shopping and request them to update client API.

I think now you are clear about how to get products from shopping API. Before start developing website you still need to check all available features that you can show on your ecommerce website.

For product listing Shopping API provide following information that you can publish on your product listing page

1. Product Short Description
2. Image Size (They provide different image size, you can use any of the that
suitable to your website design)
3. Product Rating
4. Store Name
5. Store Phone Number
6. Stock Information
7. Stock Status
8. Stock Description
9. Offer Price
10.Tax
11.Shipping
12.Total Price
13.Store Rating
14.Store Rating Image
15.Store Review URL (You can create this page on your website or you can provide a
direct link that will open in shopping.com website)
16.Manufacturer Name

There may be more information that Shopping API return but I think these information are enough to display on your website.

Regards,
Bhavesh Goswami.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Easy way to earn with Shopping API (Web Services) - Part III

Hi,

So now you are clear what are the general features you can implement in your shopping website developed using Shopping.com API. This is just overview of general features that shopping api provide. Now it is important to know how to query to get result, the format of your query must contain

http://[partner DNS Name]/scripts/GSIsapiExt.dll/linkin_id-[partner linkin_id]/

Partner DNS name and Linkin ID are provided by shopping when you sign up for their partner program. Make sure you have used correct partner dns and linkin id otherwise you will not get credit for the traffic you sent to shopping.com

To develop shopping api using search functionality you need to send query in following format

http://[partner DNS Name]/scripts/GSIsapiExt.dll/linkin_id-[Partner linkin_id]/keyword-[KW]

For example to get result for Sony Mavica Digital Camera you have to send following API request.

http://[partner DNS Name]/scripts/GSIsapiExt.dll/linkin_id-[partner linkin_id]/Keyword-Sony%20Mavica%20MVC-FD200%20Digital%20Camera

>> To limit your search to a specific category you need to find BEFID for the category and sub category

By inserting following query you will find all main categories and their BEFID

http://[partner DNS Name]/scripts/GSIsapiExt.dll/linkin_id-[partner linkin_id]/TY-1

To show all main categories and their parent categories send following API request

http://[partner DNS Name]/scripts/GSIsapiExt.dll/linkin_id-[partner linkin_id]/TY-2

Once you find BEFID for category for which you want to limit your search, then insert following query to get product listing

http://[Partner DNS Name]/scripts/GSIsapiExt.dll/linkin_id-[partner linkin_id]/BEFID-ID/Keyword-[KW]

But make sure you have inserted appropriate BEFID for your keyword otherwise you will get wrong result.

>> To expand your search result to additional category you have to insert following query

http://[Partner DNS Name]/scripts/GSIsapiExt.dll/linkin_id-[partner linkin_id]/BEFID-ID/Keyword-[KW]/MORECAT-1

>> When you use keyword search to build your query the result returned may be of the following types

Type 1 Response Field - will result single product
Type 2 Response Field - will result stores offer search for unstructured category
Type 3 Response Field - will result product search for structured category
Type 4 Response Field

To get more information visit following link

https://partners.shopping.com/ResourceCenter_ApiImplGuide,$DirectLink_2.sdirect?sp=Skeyword#keyword_build

Regards,
Bhavesh Goswami.