I'm looking at opening a store, and I'd like to know what scripts people use and what they think of them as there are a few out there.
I imagine some of you have coded your own, which is above my depth, but what about the rest of you?
Thanks :)
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I'm looking at opening a store, and I'd like to know what scripts people use and what they think of them as there are a few out there.
I imagine some of you have coded your own, which is above my depth, but what about the rest of you?
Thanks :)
I have used Agora in the past for a shopping cart and I liked it.
By AWS I mean Amazon Web Services (I think that's what it's called), so what I'm looking for is a script to create categorized product listings linked to Amazon.com :).
Per your first questions, I haven't used any of the free scripts floating around so I can't comment on that.
I've created my own AWS script using PHP. More info on that can be found here.
Thanks for the link, just read it all. It seems most people are using custom scripts they created themselves and the others are using modified scripts from elsewhere. I wish I learnt PHP not ASP because then I could modify PHP scripts easily and slap them on my hosting.
If you work out how to use ASP with SOAP, it could be done just as easily.
I use Mr Rat's script, with the htaccess 'hack'. It has been slow to get started for me - there're just so many AWS-powered sites out there now.
My metal-focussed site (which has two domains pointed to it) is slowly picking up as far as traffic is concerned, but no real sales (just 1 or 2 items, if I'm not counting the 9 I bought for Xmas presents!). The pages are being indexed nicely by Google, though (8,000 or so this morning... my other AWS store has 30,000 or so indexed).
FWIW, Mr Rat's script is CGI.
I was going to use Mr Rat's script, but didn't really want to shell out $50 for search engine friendly urls using mod_rewrite. So I have made my own (well, kinda:)) with the help from chromate and a tutorial.
Yeah, I think $50 is a bit rich - I was lucky enough to get it before the guy started charging for it. I'm glad I didn't have to pay for it, because I've made perhaps $30 in 3 months from using it LOL
Is there somewhere I can see your AWS script in action?
Update - 4 items ordered last night. Time to plan my retirement :p
There will be in the next week or so:)
I'm not interested in using ASP to write it because my hosting and the rest of my site that will be using it is built in PHP.
Can someone please point me to Mr Rat's script?
Thanks :).
http://www.absolutefreebies.com/dire...ucts-feed.html
The mod_rewrite 'hack' is sold seperately by a user known as 'Nintendo' for $50 - he posts on Mr Rat's forum, should you wish to get it from him... or you could just do it yourself for free :)
I recommend the latter rather than the former option ;)
Does anyone know of a tutorial about creating your own in PHP? I've tried Mr. Rat's script but I don't need a full store.
I better get started learning PHP, SSI, and .htaccess, mod_rewrite and so on (I was going to do it one day anyway but it looks like a good time to start)...
I've seen Nintendo wandering around Sitepoint too.
Matt, you can use Mr Rat's script to focus on a specific section/niche (see my www.buymetal.net for an example) by linking to a set node.
Thanks, I'll check it out. :)Quote:
Originally posted by MarkB
Matt, you can use Mr Rat's script to focus on a specific section/niche (see my www.buymetal.net for an example) by linking to a set node.
chromate, on your sites, did you create your own or are you using a script?
My own PHP script.
Could someone post some sample code? I've downloaded the developers kit, and played around with the XML Scratch Pad, but I do not understand how to parse the XML feed. How can you do this through PHP?
You might also want to do a search on the Amazon Associate board for posts from "strago" (Nintendo's user name on that board). I think he has actually posted most of his "hack" there.Quote:
Originally posted by MarkB
http://www.absolutefreebies.com/dire...ucts-feed.html
The mod_rewrite 'hack' is sold seperately by a user known as 'Nintendo' for $50 - he posts on Mr Rat's forum, should you wish to get it from him... or you could just do it yourself for free :)
I suggest that you look over the whole script and really consider what it impact it will have in terms of bandwidth, PR, etc. before putting it on your site. As is, it may have unintended consequences and you should fully understand what it's doing and look at places where you might make adjustments.
For the record, Nintendo goes by the name 'Nintendo' (see the moderator list, and his posts) on Mr Rat's forum.
chromate, could you post some sample code?
There's many different ways to parse XML with PHP. I went through a few parsing examples I found on various sites before I settled with something I was comfortable with.Quote:
Originally posted by MattM
I do not understand how to parse the XML feed. How can you do this through PHP?
I'd recommend you search google for "php parse xml" or "php parse xml tutorial".
MattM, parsing the feed is important, but understanding the subtleties of the feed itself is also critical for AWS. Using the Developer's XML Scratch Pad, could you create the following feeds?
- Lite DVD search sorted by sales for Drama DVDs.
- Lite DVD search sorted by featured product for the keyphrase: "Lord of the Rings".
- Heavy DVD search that only brings up Finding Nemo's product info.
MattM, make life easier for yourself and use PHP with SOAP. That will handle the XML for you. All you then have to do is concentrate on how to use the functions.
Drama DVDQuote:
Originally posted by GCT13
MattM, parsing the feed is important, but understanding the subtleties of the feed itself is also critical for AWS. Using the Developer's XML Scratch Pad, could you create the following feeds?
- Lite DVD search sorted by sales for Drama DVDs.
- Lite DVD search sorted by featured product for the keyphrase: "Lord of the Rings".
- Heavy DVD search that only brings up Finding Nemo's product info.
http://xml.amazon.com/onca/xml3?t=we...e=page=1&f=xml
Lord Of The Rings
http://xml.amazon.com/onca/xml3?t=we...e=page=1&f=xml
Finding Nemo
http://xml.amazon.com/onca/xml3?t=we...e=page=1&f=xml
:)
Do you have some sample code I could see? I never have used SOAP.Quote:
Originally posted by chromate
MattM, make life easier for yourself and use PHP with SOAP. That will handle the XML for you. All you then have to do is concentrate on how to use the functions.
I think it would probably be easier if I post what I need so everyone will understand. I need something like what Shawn, chromate, GCT13, and Chris have, where I can pull in information about certain products, have a search box so the user can find a specific product, and have the fonts and colors match my site. I would also like the URLs to be search engine friendly.
Lord of the Rings is the only one you got correct.Quote:
Originally posted by MattM
Drama DVD
http://xml.amazon.com/onca/xml3?t=we...e=page=1&f=xml
Lord Of The Rings
http://xml.amazon.com/onca/xml3?t=we...e=page=1&f=xml
Finding Nemo
http://xml.amazon.com/onca/xml3?t=we...e=page=1&f=xml
Here are some hints.
For Drama DVDs, I was looking for DVDs in Amazon's Drama category. Drama DVD is a BrowseNode search. BrowseNodes = Amazon categories. Look up "BrowseNodes" in the developer's pack and FAQ on Amazon's AWS site.
The Finding Nemo feed should only bring up 1 specific item. What you need there is an Asin search. "ASIN"s are Amazon's unique product identifiers.
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I think that's a bit harsh, seeing I was in the same boat a few days ago:)
I should never post as such a state I was in last night.
lol:p
Dan, I replied to your PM. :)
MattM if your still looking for some code examples have a gander at this tutorial on devshed:
http://www.devshed.com/c/a/PHP/Using...d-SOAP-part-1/
Has got some good detailed info and copy & paste examples to get you started.
Yes, I recently just found that one. :)
Thanks for that link :) I'm going to have a shot at developing my own ad-hoc AWS php calamity ;)
Thats the tutorial I used, with Chromate's guidance:)
So it actually IS possible to build something from that tutorial?
Reading it gave me a headache! LOL