Next Generation Shopping

Commission Junction has launched a Web Service to allow Publishers’ real-time access to their Product Catalog database, as well as, to search for links. Prior to this, only LinkShare offered a Link Locator Direct web service that allows Link Searching functionality (no Product Catalog access). I think the CJ API is a huge step for an affiliate network, and have often wondered why it has taken this long. To get you started they provide some example code in Flash and PHP, but not .NET. Below is a list of the current features just released:

• Product Catalog Access – This API offers real-time access to the Product Catalog database. Using it, you can find a product or group of products to display on your site since the API enables keyword searches as well as item specific searches by UPC, manufacturer, model number, advertiser, SKU and more.

• Link Search Functionality – Publishers can use this API to search for links through a SOAP interface using a set of parameters to return link results that include information like their relationship status and link code that can be used to capture publisher referrals. In addition, you can find the perfect link for display on your site using search options that are very similar to those available via the CJ Account Manager™, including searching by link type and size, advertiser, language and other link attributes.

• Advertiser Search Functionality – This API allows publishers to search for advertisers through a SOAP interface using a set of parameters to return advertiser results that include information such as their relationship status and program terms with the advertiser.


Here is an example of what can be made using flash with the Product Catalog Access:

I just signed up for a developer key. I’ll post more once I toyed with the service.

Technorati Tags: CJ, Commission Junction, API, Web Service, Web Services, CJ Web Services, Affiliate Marketing

Shopping.com just updated their site look and feel. Here are two sites that have utilized the Shopping.com API as the backend to their shopping site. They also have a Web 2.0ish vibe about them showcasing CSS, AJAX, Community, etc. I’ve highlighted some points of interest:

Camera Prices - Dedicated to Camera Shopping

• Editor Blog
• Community Features (Drupal Integration / Commenting on any Product)
• Social Bookmarking of Reviews
• Usage of Shopping.com UK / AU

Camera Prices is also currently giving away $100 to 1-in-10 members who write product reviews. A good incentive to get the community going, and add some content to their site at the same time.

Sprenzy - General Shopping

• Shopping Blog
• Recently Viewed Products
• Modularized - Ability to Show/Hide different sections

Update: Apparently I stumbled across a live “test” of a new site look.  What are the odds?  So Shopping.com does not actually have a new look yet, but perhaps they may in the future.

Shopping.com just got a facelift. Following the 2-Point-0 trend, the look of their site uses slightly more pastel colors and gradients.

Along with graphical improvements, I noticed a new feature. You can now shop by Brand across the entire site. For example, lets say I’m a huge fan of the Canon brand. I can browse just Canon products for all categories (they make binoculars?).

I wonder is this Brand search feature available via the Shopping.com API?

Another feature I noticed (did it exist before?) was that they have integrated Buyer’s Guides from eBay and other sites.

BTW, I told Brian Smith, who runs the Comparison Engines Blog, about the new look, and he beat me to posting about it! What a jerk! Brian don’t you have a company to run now?

Technorati Tags: Shopping.com, Shopping.com API, Web 2.0, CSS

SecretPrices.com was recently written up in one of the cover articles in the September edition (September 2006) of Smart Computing magazine. The article titled “Mashups: Melting Pots Of Search Tools” by Nathan Lake covered a variety of new mashups, they value the add, and the different niches they cover. Nathan had this to say about Secret Prices:

“SecretPrices.com (www.secretprices.com), for instance, uses programming tools and data provided by such companies as Amazon.com, Shopping.com, and Epinions.com to compare hundreds of online store prices in order to present the best deals; it even looks for online coupons. We used SecretPrices.com and found four online copies of “The Godfather” DVD collection priced from $34.91 (Overstock.com) to $74.99 (Circuit City).”

A good article on Mashups, so pickup a copy if you are interested. Thanks Nathan.

Today the much anticipated Crowdstorm social shopping site launched the beta of its website to the public.
Here is the email they sent out to the private beta users:

“Today we have officially launched the “beta” version of the site and made it open to the public. This means we are finally open for business and keen on building our Crowdstorm community over the coming months.

We’ve had some amazing feedback and lots of improvement suggestions which we’re ploughing through right now. Over the last few weeks we’ve also added a couple of new features such as:

“activity tracker”: from your main home page, you can now see the latest events (recommendations, blogs, comments..) that have been happening across the site from everyone and also just from your friends.

“talk”: create and participate in conversations on anything shopping or technology related using the new talk menu tab.

“send to a friend”: if you’re looking at any product that you think your friends might like then now you can quickly send it to them with a simple click.

Hopefully see you again soon on Crowdstorm.com.”

More Crowdstorm coverage on the Mashable blog… Crowdstorm also has a blog of their own. Well go check it out already!

Technorati Tags: Crowdstorm, Crowdstorm.com, Crowdstorm beta, social shopping, social online shopping, kelkoo

Shopping.com recently released Shop Widgets (aka ShopAds) to its partner network. These are essentially product-focused banner advertisements that deliver product and pricing information to the end-user. They differ from Chitika eMinimalls in that they are non-contextual. It is up to the publisher to supply the keywords or category, whether it be input dynamically (scripting) or manually.

The benefit of using these over Chitika eMinimalls is that you will receive 100% of the revenue you generate as opposed to 65% that Chitika gives you. However, it will take some added work to show relevant ads since you lose the contextual portion.

Technorati Tags: Shopping.com, ShopAds, Shop Widgets, Chitika, eMinimalls, advertising, banner ads