Are you running a marketing automation software for online retailers? If the answer to this question is yes, then probably you need to pull products, product images, and attributes from various eCommerce platforms. Without such kind of data, your software won’t be able to perform its key functions. It includes the ability to create automatic email campaigns for different purposes of your main customers.
Why is it essential to access the data from multiple sources? That is important because the e-retailers use different shopping platforms for building their online stores. Usually, they prefer to use the most popular shopping cart software like Shopify, Magento, PrestaShop, WooCommerce, OpenCart, BigCommerce, etc. However, because of the rise of online sales, more and more retailers also use less popular platforms like Ecwid that allows them to access the eCommerce market immediately.
For your marketing automation solution, this means that you can gain more prospective customers if you have a smoothly developed connection with a high number of eCommerce platforms. The integration of your solution with shopping platforms allows you to easily import products, images and attributes from e-stores into your system.
In this article, we are going to explore how to access various types of data from eCommerce platforms with the help of API2Cart and how exactly your marketing automation system can use it. Also, you’ll learn more about all possibilities and advantages of using API2Cart.
Which Features Marketing Automation Software Can Provide with Retrieved Product Data?
Modern marketing software are responsible for automating a great number of processes connected to e-store owners’ activities. As we have already mentioned above, it is impossible to provide such types of services to e-sellers without access to the data from online stores.
The most important info from e-stores’ databases is related to products, their images, and attributes. The ability to access and manage these data allows marketing automation software to provide such functions:
- Launching win-back campaigns that can help e-retailers sell the products from their stores to the same customers repeatedly
- Adding the product block into emails with the product details and send such emails to the customers of e-stores. Letting the e-retailers to upload their product images from their stores directly to their email campaigns
- Sending automated emails to online stores’ customers with discounts. It helps to increase the number of repeat purchases by several times
- Sending automated emails to the most loyal customers with special offers that depend on their previous orders and favorite products
- Creating and showing unique popups to e-stores’ visitors based on their actions on a website and the product pages that they have already seen
As you can see, your marketing automation system much depends on the data located on your clients’ e-stores.
However, to be able to access all the necessary information for your system needs, your software must be connected to various shopping platforms. The process of developing the integration with only one platform like, for example, Shopify, can take a few months.
Moreover, it requires high technical skills and qualified specialists. Also, don’t forget about further integration support and upgrades.
You don’t need to develop a connection with shopping platforms on your own and spend your time and budget on that. You can try to use API2Cart.
API2Cart is the data integration solution that provides more than 100 API methods for managing e-stores’ data easily. API2Cart supports the integration with 40+ eCommerce platforms and marketplaces as Magento, Shopify, PrestaShop, WooCommerce, Amazon, eBay, Volusion, Squarespace, etc.
API2Cart can bring a lot of advantages and possibilities for your marketing automation software. We have the clients that provide the same solutions as yours and know exactly what you need.
So, let’s go dipper and explore what API methods provided by API2Cart will help your solution to pull products, product images, and attributes from multiple eCommerce platforms.
API2Cart API Methods to Pull Products from e-Stores
API2Cart has a wide range of API methods that allow marketing automation software providers to work with the data on e-stores’ products, orders, prices, shipments, customers, etc.
Let’s explore in detail how your system can pull products, images and attributes from different stores with the help of API2Cart and what methods must be used for such operations.
If you need to retrieve product data and product images, you need to execute product.list method. This API method lets you get the list of required products from your clients’ online stores. It returns 10 products by default.
Below you can see product.list method response example.
{
"return_code": 0,
"return_message": "",
"pagination": {
"previous": null,
"next": "BcHRDoIgAADAXyLEwkcmy6VTIhCFN3HJtNy0SQu%2BvrtqQDS01xQnWumZpjzsMJ%2FstkexgvAG5vhxdEkfPTwj5fK%2Bqgae%2BI7Nh2nARJitveZtPQpInHTgdVqaD15uxwqL%2BH3CYiTWC7tRnUXJQsz4hjtV4nvpuTKyln8%3D"
},
"result": {
"products_count": 1,
"product": [
{
"id": "42",
"type": "configurable",
"u_model": "iphone_11_pro",
"u_sku": "iphone_11_pro",
"name": "iPhone 11 Pro",
"description": "The iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are smartphones designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. They are the 13th-generation flagships of the iPhone, succeeding the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, respectively. Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the devices alongside a lower-end model, the iPhone 11, on September 10, 2019, at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park. Pre-orders began on September 13, 2019, and went on sale on September 20.[5]\r\n\r\nKey upgrades over the previous devices include the triple-lens rear camera system and the A13 Bionic chip.[6] The 11 Pro is Apple's first iPhone to feature a \"pro\" designation, which was previously used only for larger Apple devices, such as the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro,[7] and the first to include in the box an 18 W fast charger and a Lightning to USB-C cable that allows connection to current Mac computers.[8]",
"short_description": "",
"price": 450,
"advanced_price": [],
"quantity": 995,
"inventory": [],
"u_brand_id": null,
"u_brand": null,
"categories_ids": [
22
],
"stores_ids": [
"1"
],
"url": "https://demo.api2cart.com/woocommerce/?product=iphone-11-pro",
"seo_url": "https://demo.api2cart.com/woocommerce/?product=iphone-11-pro",
"meta_title": "",
"meta_keywords": "",
"meta_description": "",
"avail_sale": true,
"avail_view": true,
"is_virtual": false,
"is_downloadable": false,
"weight": 0.2,
"weight_unit": "kg",
"sort_order": 0,
"backorders": "Do not allow",
"manage_stock": "yes",
"create_at": {
"value": "2020-05-06T11:55:10+0000",
"format": "Y-m-d\\TH:i:sO"
},
"modified_at": {
"value": "2020-05-06T14:00:42+0000",
"format": "Y-m-d\\TH:i:sO"
},
"tax_class_id": "2",
"special_price": {
"value": 0,
"avail": false,
"created_at": null,
"modified_at": null,
"expired_at": null
},
"tier_price": [],
"group_price": [],
"images": [
{
"id": "add_57",
"http_path": "https://demo.api2cart.com/woocommerce/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/iphone_11_pro_sg_1_3.jpg",
"file_name": "iphone_11_pro_sg_1_3.jpg",
"mime-type": "image/jpeg",
"size": null,
"create_at": null,
"modified_at": null,
"alt": "iPhone 11 Pro",
"avail": true,
"sort_order": 0,
"type": "IMAGE_TYPE_ADDITIONAL"
},
{
"id": "base_58",
"http_path": "https://demo.api2cart.com/woocommerce/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/iphone_11_pro_sg_2_3.jpg",
"file_name": "iphone_11_pro_sg_2_3.jpg",
"mime-type": "image/jpeg",
"size": null,
"create_at": null,
"modified_at": null,
"alt": "iPhone 11 Pro",
"avail": true,
"sort_order": 0,
"type": "IMAGE_TYPE_BASE"
},
{
"id": "add_59",
"http_path": "https://demo.api2cart.com/woocommerce/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/iphone_11_pro_sg_3_2.jpg",
"file_name": "iphone_11_pro_sg_3_2.jpg",
"mime-type": "image/jpeg",
"size": null,
"create_at": null,
"modified_at": null,
"alt": "iPhone 11 Pro",
"avail": true,
"sort_order": 0,
"type": "IMAGE_TYPE_ADDITIONAL"
},
{
"id": "add_60",
"http_path": "https://demo.api2cart.com/woocommerce/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/iphone_11_pro_sg_4_2.jpg",
"file_name": "iphone_11_pro_sg_4_2.jpg",
"mime-type": "image/jpeg",
"size": null,
"create_at": null,
"modified_at": null,
"alt": "iPhone 11 Pro",
"avail": true,
"sort_order": 0,
"type": "IMAGE_TYPE_ADDITIONAL"
},
{
"id": "add_61",
"http_path": "https://demo.api2cart.com/woocommerce/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/iphone_11_pro_sg_6_2.jpg",
"file_name": "iphone_11_pro_sg_6_2.jpg",
"mime-type": "image/jpeg",
"size": null,
"create_at": null,
"modified_at": null,
"alt": "iPhone 11 Pro",
"avail": true,
"sort_order": 0,
"type": "IMAGE_TYPE_ADDITIONAL"
}
],
"product_options": [
{
"id": "ram",
"product_option_id": "ram",
"name": "RAM",
"description": "",
"sort_order": 0,
"type": "select",
"required": true,
"available": true,
"used_in_combination": null,
"option_items": [
{
"id": "4",
"product_option_item_id": "4",
"name": "4",
"sort_order": 0,
"price": 0,
"weight": 0,
"quantity": null,
"type_price": "value",
"sku": null
},
{
"id": "8",
"product_option_item_id": "8",
"name": "8",
"sort_order": 0,
"price": 0,
"weight": 0,
"quantity": null,
"type_price": "value",
"sku": null
},
{
"id": "12",
"product_option_item_id": "12",
"name": "12",
"sort_order": 0,
"price": 0,
"weight": 0,
"quantity": null,
"type_price": "value",
"sku": null
}
]
},
{
"id": "pa_rom",
"product_option_id": "pa_rom",
"name": "ROM",
"description": "",
"sort_order": 1,
"type": "select",
"required": true,
"available": true,
"used_in_combination": null,
"option_items": [
{
"id": "64",
"product_option_item_id": "64",
"name": "64",
"sort_order": 0,
"price": 0,
"weight": 0,
"quantity": null,
"type_price": "value",
"sku": null
},
{
"id": "128",
"product_option_item_id": "128",
"name": "128",
"sort_order": 0,
"price": 0,
"weight": 0,
"quantity": null,
"type_price": "value",
"sku": null
},
{
"id": "256",
"product_option_item_id": "256",
"name": "256",
"sort_order": 0,
"price": 0,
"weight": 0,
"quantity": null,
"type_price": "value",
"sku": null
}
]
}
],
"u_upc": null,
"u_mpn": null,
"related_products_ids": [],
"dimensions_unit": "m",
"width": 71.4,
"height": 8.1,
"length": 144,
"additional_fields": {
"viewed_count": 0,
"ordered_count": 2,
"stock_status": "In stock",
"custom_total_sales": "2",
"tags": ""
}
}
]
}
}
You can use this method for Amazon, BigCommerce, eBay, Magento, OpenCart, Etsy, Shopify, PrestaShop, Woocommerce and the other platform. The full list of the shopping platforms and marketplaces for which you can execute product.list method by API2Cart you can find here.
API2Cart API Methods to Pull Attributes
Now, let’s explore how to work with product attributes. An attribute is a specific characteristic of a product. For example, it could be its size or color. There are three types of attributes: general, additional and custom.
General attributes are presented on any eCommerce platform and for any product. It includes product name, description, model, price, etc.
Additional attributes are presented only on some platforms. For example, Woocommerce has viewed_count and ordered_count attributes, Magento has country_of_manufacture attribute.
Custom attributes specifically are created on one particular store for all or some of the products.
To work with attribute value and additional attribute parameters, you need to execute product.attribute.list method.
Below you can see product.attribute.list method response example.
{
"return_code": 0,
"return_message": "",
"result": {
"attributes_count": 2,
"attributes": [
{
"attribute_id": 6,
"name": "Soket",
},
{
"attribute_id": 12,
"name": "Resolution",
}
]
}
}
To be sure that you get all product attributes, join arrays “additional_fields” and “custom_fields” from the response. This action is required because on different platforms attributes are stored in either first or the second array.
You can use product.attribute.list method for Magento, PrestaShop, Shopify and WooCommerce.
You can test all the supported API2Cart API methods and see how they work for your business needs by registering your free API2Cart account. You can also look through our useful tips for developers that will help you get more info on how to get started with API2Cart easily.
What Other Business Cases API2Cart Helps to Implement Marketing Automation Software
API2Cart can help your marketing automation solution to solve other business cases. Using our API methods, you can perform such operations:
- Analyzing of order history for effective post-purchase communication and send emails offering useful recommendations for stores’ clients. For these operations, you can use order.list (for getting the info on orders history) and customer.list methods
- Alerting end customers automatically when order statuses change via emails. Use customer.list method for retrieving a list of customers’ emails and order.list method or order.update webhook for getting the info on order statuses
- Sending cart recovery emails using order.abandoned.list method
- Adding review widgets to the websites or including them into emails with the help of product.review.list method
- Generate up-to-date and detailed email statistics
The main advantages of using API2Cart for your marketing automation software:
- integration with 40+ eCommerce platforms at once
- support of 100+ API methods for retrieving, adding, deleting, and synchronizing the data from e-stores. You can easily work with products, orders, shipments, customers, baskets
- detailed API Docs and Swagger
- SDK for the most popular shopping platforms
- ability to add an unlimited number of online stores
- no need to worry about shopping platforms updates and maintenance
- the connection via API2Cart costs in a few times less than in-house integration development
- 24/7 customer support
If you need any additional information connected to API2Cart and the ability to pull products, product images, attributes via API2Cart API methods, contact our managers. Notice that you can test our service for 30-days for free.
