View Full Version : RE: todays newsletter
Hello!
In todays AffWin newsletter, we have this:
Affiliate Window are delighted to offer extended datafeeds to affiliates. These extended datafeeds (version 1.2) offer extra information on top of what is already supplied.
Key features include:
* aw_product_id - Affiliate Window's ID for the product.
* deep_link - The merchant's destination URL without the affiliate tracker link.
* merchant_category - The merchant's own category/categorisation structure for that product.
* delivery_cost - Cost of delivery for that product/order.
The elements Im interested in are:
aw_product_id
delivery_cost
Are these new fields available in the shopWindow datafeed?
If so, how can we use them please?
Also, the aw_product_id, is this a unique product ID for each product from each merchant, or would a Blue Widget from every merchant carry the same aw_product_id?
(amo - poss solution to SKU conversation????)
Cheers, look forward to an update.
Confuscius
21-06-07, 16:54
Andy
I do not know is this is relevant or even close to being relevant! The ps_client.php api returns the following info at detail product level, so I am assuming that this is the underlying data structure. I found a record with a delivery cost as an example!
[iId] => 12836235
[iMerchantId] => 1615
[sMerchantProductId] => 95
[iUpc] => 0
[iEan] => 0
[iIsbn] => 0
[sName] => Spectral DNC - NEW VERSION
[sDesc] => Spectral DNC Hair Loss Treatment
[sSpec] =>
[sPromo] =>
[sBrand] => DS Laboratories
[sModel] => SKIN-SPECTRAL-001
[sLanguage] => EN
[iCategoryId] => 114
[sAwDeepLink] => http://www.awin1.com/pclick.php?p=12836235&a=XXXXX&m=1615&platform=cs
[sAwThumbUrl] => http://images.productserve.com/thumb/1615/12836235.jpg
[sAwImageUrl] => http://images.productserve.com/preview/1615/12836235.jpg
[sDeepLink] => http://www.skinlight.co.uk/product_95_Spectral+DNC+-+NEW+VERSION.html
[sThumbUrl] => http://www.skinlight.co.uk/database_files/product_small_95_spectral.jpg
[sImageUrl] => http://www.skinlight.co.uk/database_files/product_large_95_spectral.jpg
[sDeliveryTime] =>
[dValidFrom] => 0000-00-00
[dValidTo] => 0000-00-00
[sCurrency] => GBP
[fSearchPrice] => 18.71
[fStorePrice] => 0
[fRrpPrice] => 0
[sDisplayPrice] => GBP18.71
[fDeliveryCost] => 3.35
[bWebOffer] => false
[bPreOrder] => false
[bInStock] => true
[iStockQuantity] => 0
[bIsForSale] => true
[sWarranty] =>
[sCondition] =>
[iParentProductId] => 0
[fCommissionAmount] => 0
[sType] =>
[sRefineByOne] =>
[sRefineByTwo] =>
[sRefineByThree] =>
[sRefineByFour] =>
[sRefineByFive] =>
[dLastUpdated] => 2007-06-20 20:58:14
[sMd5] => 5fb0cddca5a70eb00ca643d2e9ba5b42
A sign of what is to come, no doubt.
Paul
The above properties for the product object can also be referenced from the API Technical Specification - a really useful doc. However not all of these properties are currently being used.
I'm not sure that what was mentioned in the newsletter is related to the Shop Window API data. I thought it was to do with the old csv datafeeds? But I could be wrong.
Oh, and what I meant to ask was: what are the refineBy properties? How would they be used?
Confuscius
21-06-07, 17:58
Hi Steve
The refineBy part of the equation is all to do with further analysis options - for example, a colour based refine by on say a mobile phones category would let you pick all of the pink ones! Product attributes, basically, that then form part of the search refinement mechanism.
I am sure Amo will correct me if my understanding is incorrect!
Paul
Cheers Paul. I'll have a think about how I can use that in the future. Have you seen any products with refineBy attribute data or is that not currently being used?
I've basically stuck to the obvious stuff for now like product name and price but it's worth planning ahead for when the data shows up.
Confuscius
21-06-07, 20:00
Not seen any use of the refineBy's as yet but the basic idea is similar to that of many of the other comparison style sites.
Hi Guys,
Just a quick update and to answer the questions that I think have been raised:
Are these values being passed by Merchants within the feeds?
So we have released 1.2 - to which we are aiming for merchants to start passing more values within their feeds, such as delivery times etc.
We have also included the addition of an aw_product_id, which is an affiliate window unique identifierfor each product a merchant passes, not each unique product in our database.
e.g. 12345 identifies Sony Vaio through Comet
NOT:12345 identifies Sony Vaio
Are these values being used within ShopWindow?
Currently these values have not been developed to be used within ShopWindow, as we are now going to go to all merchants to meet the requirements outlined first.
We are scheduling this work in so once Ive got timelines on this Ill update you all.
What are refine by values?
As youve said Confuscius (i can never spell that properly!), refine by values are product specification attributes that allow users to further refine their search when they are within the lowest level category of ShopWindow.
e.g. A user may be looking for a plasma TV, and when in the lowest level (grandchild) category of 'Plasma TV' , 1000 results are returned. To help the user refine their search, options on the page such as refine by:
Price
Brand
Screen Size
HDMI Connections
Sound System
will allow the user to reduce the 1000 results down to say 10 results that match their search criteria. This increases the buying opportunity and quality of information communicated to the user.
In order to offer this 'refine by' functionality, we need merchants to pass the values that make up a product specification for each product they offer.
e.g.
Price: £1,300
Brand: Sony
Screen Size: 42"
HDMI Connections: 1
Sound System: Dolby 5.1
I am currently looking into this as a priority alongside the speed issue.
This is an ongoing refinement in terms of ShopWindow, but one we are actively pursuing.
Again I will update you as I make progress on this.
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I hope this helps to explain a bit further guys, but if theres anything else give me a shout!.
Also, Im sure you guys have noticed that Adrian has been posting an update here and there this week. Moving forward Adrian is going to be taking more of an interest in the forum and ways to help you guys, so if you have anything you want to ask or discuss he is waiting for your pms and new threads ;)
Any questions give me a shout :D
Amo
Thanks Amo. So when the time comes each lowest-level category will get 5 'refine by' attributes that are fixed for that category by you guys. So using your example, in plasma TVs each product will have the same 5 refine by attributes (whether or not they have values)? I was thinking merchants would set their own 5 attributes which would obviously not help filter anything.
That makes sense now (if I've got that right).
Hi authcode,
Yes, thats all correct! The refine by 'attributes' will be the same for all products within that particular category so that it gives you a more precise return for your search.
Any more questions, give me a shout!
Cheers,
Adrian:)
Integration & Technical Support
adrian.botelho@affiliatewindow.com
www.affiliatewindow.com
Confuscius
22-06-07, 18:13
I am looking forward to seeing this element of ShopWindow being developed further! BUT and it is a big BUT on my part, although I agree that it will be nice for visitors to be able to restrict their searches further and this should have a positive effect on sales, I am still of the view that PRIOR to this functionality there should be the ability for ALL Affiliates to restrict the dataset in a global manner to any combination of Merchant / Category / Brand (effectively a slice and dice approach) such that an infinite number of distinct 'niche' sites can be created which can be controlled in terms of their size and which suffer no leakage (as can occur by hardcoding a search, for example)
The consequence of being able to create controlled niches is that the ability to SEO these smaller offerings is far more achievable and the prospect of natural search traffic would be greatly increased. Just my 2p's worth (as Amo knows already!)
Paul
Amo - Confuscius is already a misspelling of Confucius, so you are free to misspell the misspelling anyway that you want to misspell it!
chartfieldconsultants
22-06-07, 21:07
Completely agree with the above. Look how many more users are posting on here asking for the ability to create niche site using subsets of the data, compared with the far smaller number asking for more detail in the product searches.
Hi Andy / Paul (much easier ;) ),
Since the ShopWindow Lunch when this was highlighted to us, we have listed the development of this functionality within the requirements list for the next release.
Affiliates will therefore be able to "slice and dice" the data within the shop so that a more vertical / niche environment can be created.
This will be on a Merchant / Category / Brand basis (as far as I can remember).
I have a meeting this wednesday to confirm the requirements and timelines for the project, so I will be able to confirm to you all from that.
Excellent idea and appreciate your input on this guys :)
Cheers
Amo