View Full Version : Creating Individual Stores for categories
Hi, i'm new to Affiliate windows, so would like to ask a few questions...
How can i create just specific individual stores...e.g
A Health & Beauty Store, which just displays, from that category
A Clothes & Accessories Store, which just displays, from that category
A DVD/CD, which just displays, from that category
OR even a store which contains only 2 categories..
i want to create stores and have products displayed that are relavant to the store name...
hope some here can help with this question...
Thanks in Advance...
Murad
Hi Murad,
Please see the following FAQ for how to start the category tree from a particular category.
http://www.shopwindowforum.com/faq.php?faq=shopwindow_client_software#faq_change_ catergory_tree
Regards,
Adrian
SW Integration & Technical Support.
Confuscius
14-09-07, 00:44
As Adrian said then you can START your store from a particular category BUT, to the best of my knowledge, you will find that it starts to leak to lots of other areas and at present there is no way to COMPLETELY limit a site to a particular category.
I have managed to limit the store to the level one below the top BUT only by turning off some functionality and rewriting significant chunks of the code.
It is a good idea to create a sitemap using a sitemap generator / spider simulator to get an idea of just how quickly you will see leakage as this varies with the start point.
Paul
As Adrian said then you can START your store from a particular category BUT, to the best of my knowledge, you will find that it starts to leak to lots of other areas and at present there is no way to COMPLETELY limit a site to a particular category.
I have managed to limit the store to the level one below the top BUT only by turning off some functionality and rewriting significant chunks of the code.
It is a good idea to create a sitemap using a sitemap generator / spider simulator to get an idea of just how quickly you will see leakage as this varies with the start point.
Paul
Hi I am also new to Forum and the store software so apologies if some of this has already been covered elsewhere
So am I correct in thinking that if you want to ensure that you only want to display a particular category without any leakage or just set up a site for just 3 particular merchants say sunglasses, pefume, shoes just as an example does this mean
1. You would need to use API to give you full control
or
2. Deal with the merchants direct via Affiliate Window
Which brings me to another question
Through shop window you are signed up to x number of merchants automatically - does this mean if you use API route you have to sign
with merchants again via Affiliate Window
Also if you were designing your site without using Shop Window
does this mean that you would need to sign up with Merchants
again through Affiliate Window
Thanks in advance
Mel:)
Hi Mel,
It is possible to get category leakage with both the ShopWindow client and through the API. You can do a lot to avoid it but you can't prevent it at the moment.
The automatic merchant sign-up is the exactly the same whether you use ShopWindow client or API. They are both controlled by the same Merchant Manager in your AW account.
Under the hood the ShopWindow client and API are exactly the same technology with the same data. ShopWindow client software is just an off-the-shelf use of the API. To build your site you can either work up from the API or work down (customise) from the ShopWindow client. It really depends on your level of knowledge.
Lastly, if you weren't going to use ShopWindow you would need to sign up to each merchant explicity in your account and then deeplink products or use the merchant datafeed.
Hope that helps.
Hi Mel,
It is possible to get category leakage with both the ShopWindow client and through the API. You can do a lot to avoid it but you can't prevent it at the moment.
The automatic merchant sign-up is the exactly the same whether you use ShopWindow client or API. They are both controlled by the same Merchant Manager in your AW account.
Under the hood the ShopWindow client and API are exactly the same technology with the same data. ShopWindow client software is just an off-the-shelf use of the API. To build your site you can either work up from the API or work down (customise) from the ShopWindow client. It really depends on your level of knowledge.
Lastly, if you weren't going to use ShopWindow you would need to sign up to each merchant explicity in your account and then deeplink products or use the merchant datafeed.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for the info Steve
Are there any things that I should do in particular to decrease possible leakage
Took on board what you said about Client vs API
With regards to not using ShopWindow thought that may be the case - so the huge advantage of ShopWindow is that you have access to merchants without having to jump through the hoops to get accepted by individual merchants particularly when you are in the process of putting a website together - or is there a way of seeing which merchants accept automatically?
Maybe in the short term the answer is to use ShopWindow to get me started even if I do get some leakage and then progress from there, as I am very keen to build highly focussed sights to promote both with SEO & PPC which I already have a fair amount of experience and success with
One last thing - feel a bit silly asking this but how do you get multiple quoting to work - try as I may I cannot get it to work having pressed the button:o
All comments and suggestions appreciated even about multiple quotes LOL
Mel :)
My sites aren't really niche so I don't have a problem with the leaking. Someone else might be able to offer advice there. I'd imagine the biggest problem is with search results if you search in category 0 (all) rather than a category specific to your niche.
SW certainly gives you easier access to a lot more merchants than regular sign ups. Some merchants still require membership or T&Cs acceptance though. Find your Merchant Manager in the ShopWindow section of your AW account and you'll see the full list of merchants and their status with regard to your SW feed.
I can definitely recommend the SW API. It certainly beats my old database driven site.
Multiple quotes? No idea, never tried, sorry!
My sites aren't really niche so I don't have a problem with the leaking. Someone else might be able to offer advice there. I'd imagine the biggest problem is with search results if you search in category 0 (all) rather than a category specific to your niche.
SW certainly gives you easier access to a lot more merchants than regular sign ups. Some merchants still require membership or T&Cs acceptance though. Find your Merchant Manager in the ShopWindow section of your AW account and you'll see the full list of merchants and their status with regard to your SW feed.
I can definitely recommend the SW API. It certainly beats my old database driven site.
Multiple quotes? No idea, never tried, sorry!
OK thanks for your input Steve