Connected providers
Check the list of connected providers, as well as additional information about them by the following method: GetProviderInfoList
You can see, for example, that identifier for 1688.com in ОТ system is Alibaba1688.
Provider connection
Each new provider is connected separately. Click for details, organizational issues and price: http://key.otcommerce.com/service-payments-rates
New provider will not be shown in catalog and shown in search after payment. It's necessary to enable it.
It is done in website admin panel (back end): http://open-demo.otcommerce.com/ik.php
Follow the link and enter Instance Key:
Then enter login and password that were provided with the Key:
- Follow instructions if new provider will be used as default: Configuration – System – General – Default item provider
- Follow instructions to add new provider to active search methods: Configuration – Instance configuration – Search products – Active Search methods - Add – Save. Don’t forget to clear cache
- Add categories of new provider in admin panel (or via API) binding them to root or any other category: Catalog – Add root category
You can also work directly with provider catalog.
How providers differ?
Operation with different providers is identical because all data are processed via API.
There are special prefixes to differentiate goods identifiers from different providers, for example. For example, this prefix is “abb-“ for 1688.com
There is no need to worry about identifier’s format if you receive them via OT API. You will need to add prefix if you want to get an item and know its identifier on 1688.com, for example.
Information on search options
You can find information on search options of new provider with GetProviderSearchMethodInfoList.
It’s necessary to add new provider to active search methods (see above) to receive this information.
Direct operation with catalog
There are the following methods to work directly with provider catalog:
- GetProviderCategory
- GetProviderCategoryRootPath
- GetProviderCategorySubcategories — get root categories list (categoryId=abb-0)
Goods search on a particular provider
It’s necessary to add particular provider to parameters of general search method BatchSearchItemsFrame, for example, <Provider>Alibaba1688</Provider>, to search goods on a particular provider.
Provider is identified by category, vendor, brand or other identifiers (when searching by them) or by default provider (when searching by text, for example) if parameter is not set. Provider is also identified automatically when searching by the link to the item on provider's website.