Overview
This guide provides an overview of the integration process and step-by-step instructions.
When integrating the product content, we recommend that you start by identifying how the content is used throughout your e-commerce site (Product Page, Search / Navigation, Product Accessories and Comparison).
The next step would be to identify what systems will store and receive the product content (database, PIM, e-commerce platform, search engine).
Once you have determined how and where the content will be utilized, you can choose the integration method best suited for each use (database feed, JavaScript, API, XML).
After that you may upload your product catalog to CCS if you chose to receive the content for your specific catalog. If you opted to receive DataSource catalog products without providing your catalog then you may skip this step.
Install the ContentConnector to receive, load and maintain your DataSource feed in the database.
Now you may start downloading your DataSource feed and/or activating JavaScript/API to begin utilizing the service or leverage other delivery methods (XML).
E-commerce Site Analysis
The first step toward an effective DataSource integration is to identify how content is used throughout your e-commerce site.
We recommend the following uses.
- Product Detail Page
- Category Navigation
- Faceted Search
- Natural Search
- Search Results Page
- Product Comparisons
An ecommerce product detail page will include high-quality images, a qualitative product description, a list of specifications, product videos, features and product comparisons.
We recommend the following content use on your product pages.
- Product Images (Primary Image with the Image Gallery)
- Brand Logo
- Logo Programs
- Title / Description
- Rich Content:
- Marketing Text
- Key Selling Points
- Product Features
- What's in the box?
- PDFs
- Videos
- Media Gallery
- 360° Spin and Flash Tour
- Hotspots
- Compare Tables
- Main Specifications
- Extended Specifications
- Accessories / Warranties
DataSource SKU categorization provides a flexible, ecommerce-oriented hierarchy of classes and categories that you may use to enable customers to browse your catalog by category.
The comprehensive list of DataSource product categories includes information technology, consumer electronics, appliances, photo equipment, office products, toys, etc.
DataSource provides an advanced ecommerce-friendly 5-level alternative categorization.
If you define your own category structure we can help you align our categorization with your unique taxonomy.
Searchable Attributes is a set of granular product attributes that enable faceted search functionality and custom sub-categorization of products for easy filtering. Customers specify product characteristics which narrows the choice of products. Faceted search should never return an empty search result.
DataSource provides the information on what attributes are recommended for parametric search and comparison, what is the optimum display order and the value ranges for numeric attributes as memory or diagonal size.
Searchable Attributes are ideal building blocks for both natural language and parametric search. The Searchable Attributes provide a powerful basis for natural language search because the result set only includes products that contain the specified attribute or value. Compared to typical natural language searches that scan marketing texts, attribute-based searches have higher relevancy.
Thumbnail Images and Product Titles / Product Descriptions enable customers to further refine search facets, select products for comparison and drill down into product detail pages.
Searchable Attributes or Specifications both support very targeted product comparisons. Products in the same category are described by the same attributes, so it is easy to display two or more products side by side to provide quick feature comparison.
Systems & Workflow
Identify which systems will store and receive the product content. In our experience, our clients typically utilize the content in the following systems.
- Database
- PIM / DAM
- Ecommerce platform
- Search engine
1) Database
You will receive a feed with all available data components that will be loaded into your database. Then the data would need to be transformed for publication on your website.
The feed is a zipped file named download.zip that contains multiple tab-delimited text files with the data components.
Related Documents:
2) PIM / DAM
If you store DataSource content in a PIM, confirm with CCS Customer Support that you have purchased our PIM feed option as part of your DataSource agreement.
The PIM feed option and our Client Solutions team can help you integrate DataSource content into your PIM.
We have worked with clients across multiple platforms. For example, the DataSource Connector for Stibo STEP provides direct ingestion of DataSource product information, attributes/values into Stibo’s STEP MDM system.
3) E-commerce Platform
Please contact CCS Customer Support for more information regarding how we can help you integrate DataSource content into your e-commerce platform. We have worked with clients across multiple platforms.
4) Search Engine
Faceted Search - Searchable Attributes enable faceted search functionality and custom sub-categorization of products for easy filtering. Customers specify product characteristics that narrows product’s choice. When correctly implemented, faceted search should never return an empty search result.
Natural Search - Searchable Attributes are ideal building blocks for both natural language and parametric search. The Searchable Attributes provide a powerful basis for natural language search because the result set only includes products that contain the specified attribute or value. Compared to typical natural language searches that scan marketing texts, attribute-based searches have higher relevancy.
Delivery Methods
- Database Feed
- Faceted Search (Attribute Filters)
- Search Results Page (Thumbnail Images, Product Titles)
- Category Navigation (Category Levels)
- Product Comparisons (Specs)
- Accessories / Warranties (Related Products)
- JavaScript / API
Product Detail Page:- Images
- Marketing Text
- Specifications
- Rich Content (Videos, Additional Images & Marketing Copy)
- Energy Labels
- Logo Programs
- Custom Delivery Method (XML)
- XML
- If your systems require a format other than relational text files or javascript, please contact support.
Note: You may receive the content for Product Detail Page (Images, Marketing, Specs) in the Database Feed along with the content for Search and Navigation.
Rich Content, Logo Programs and Energy Labels are available via JavaScript/API only.
A) Database Feed (download.zip)
This option provides a feed with all available product data components. It is loaded and maintained in your database and transformed for publication on your website.
The feed is a zipped file named download.zip that contains multiple tab-delimited text files containing the data components.
The file is placed on your DataSource FTP account for up to 5 times per week to ensure the delivery of up-to-date information for new and updated products.
Related Documents:
B) JavaScript / API
Cloud (JavaScript)
DataSource Cloud is a hosted global content distribution system that delivers product page content components including product description, marketing text, key selling points, main and extended specifications, what’s in the box, and product PDFs directly to product pages.
Perform the following steps to use specifications, images and Rich Content (Videos, 360 degree spins, Hotspots, Compare Tables, etc.) on your product detail page.
- Go to portal.cnetcontent.com/en-us/account/preregister
- Enter your email address.
- Complete your profile and company information
- You will receive an email with a link to "Confirm your email account" and complete registration.
- From the My Product Page Settings, you will see available product page components.
- Click Get Code to get the script
- Copy the code provided
- Integrate the code in your product detail page
API
As an alternative to the DataSource Cloud integration, the DataSource API provides the same data components as DataSource Cloud in JSON/JSONP format.
Please note that both solutions (Cloud and API) are for publishing components only. The data components that can be used to build faceted search, category navigation and product page accessory recommendations are delivered in the download.zip file via FTP.
You may see what components are available via Cloud\API in API documentation (Section:API Scope)
C) XML
If you require a xml file format delivery please contact CCS Customer Support.
Upload Catalog
There are multiple ways of how you can submit your product catalog to CCS.
MFC/PRC Files Upload
You will need to create and upload two files to your FTP account:
- MFC (Manufacturers) file that lists all the manufacturers (brands) for the products you are going to request
- PRC (Products) file that includes the required products for which you would like to receive DataSource content.
You may review MFC/PRC creation guide at the following link:
ContentConnector Upload Option
You may request the products using the ContentConnector tool (see Step 5 for ContentConnector installation information).
You will need to:
- Enable UploadProducts option in the ContentConnector configuration file
- Run the ContentConnector in create mode
- Fill in the created cds_sku_request table with the required products
- Run the ContentConnector in import or upload modes
You may review the detailed information on how to request products using the ContentConnector at the following link in the Upload Products section:
Full Catalog File Upload
You may provide CCS with a full catalog file regularly (daily or weekly). The full catalog should include your up-to-date catalog with the products for which you would like to receive content.
CCS will setup an automated upload process which will define the product increments (add new products, remove the deleted) and will auto-create and auto-upload MFC and PRC files.
The full catalog should include the following data:
- Manufacturer Name
- Manufacturer Code (optional)
- Manufacturer Part Number
- Short Product Description
- Your internal product part number
- UPC/EAN code (optional)
ContentConnector
The DataSource feed (download.zip) can be loaded into a database using the ContentConnector tool. It is a Java-based application that will perform all maintenance of CNET Content Solutions data directly in your environment. It will manage table creation, product requests (when applicable) and will perform the daily downloads to make sure that your data is always up to date.
We recommend using this tool as it will significantly reduce the complexity of setting up the service.
The ContentConnector currently supports most common installations:
- SQL Server on Windows
- MySQL on Windows and Linux
- Oracle on Windows and Linux
- PostgreSQL on Windows and Linux
The ContentConnector requires Java version 1.8 or higher.
You would need to create an empty database along with a User ID that has full rights on this database. These rights include the ability to add/drop tables, add/drop foreign keys, select, insert, update, and delete. This user ID should preferably be the owner of the database, but does not need to have any additional server privileges.
Related Documents:
Catalog Type
DataSource content can be provided for your specific product catalog (PULL Type) or content can be delivered for the products that exist in the DataSource catalog (PUSH Type).
1) PULL Mode
The Pull Delivery Mode provides content for the products in your catalog. To receive content, you need to submit requests to your DataSource account. The requested products will be matched against our available catalog. Available products (Stocked SKUs) will be delivered to your account in the “download.zip” file which will be placed in the FTP download folder. Requests for products which are not currently available in the DataSource catalog (Non-Stocked SKUs) will be researched and delivered according to the service level in your agreement.
2) PUSH Mode
This catalog type provides the products that are available in DataSource database based on the following criteria:
- Market / Language
- Category
- Manufacturer (Brand)
- Distributor
You will receive a feed with the products filtered to the options specified in your DataSource agreement.
