API overview

1. Getting started

Before you get started:

1. You will need your account key, catalog key, and private key. Your account and private key are available in your Account keys once logged in.
2. You will need to select at least one merchant in your Catalog for API to provide returns for that merchant. The catalog key corresponds to a custom collection of merchants you setup on the Catalog tab.

Now you are ready to make API calls. There are several types of calls:

• Products - This call will search our product database and filter to the merchants in your catalog. It is not possible to create a single call and receive a dump of an entire product data feed.
• Merchants - This call will return all merchants in Rakuten PopShops or limited to those in your catalog.
• Merchant types - This call will return the different types of merchants (appliances, gifts, shoes, etc)
• Networks - This call will return networks
• Deals - This call will return a list of deals in your catalog.
• Deal types - This call will return a list of deal types (free shipping, coupons, etc)

2. How do you get the information?

The Data Pack API calls are implemented as XML over HTTP. The actual call to the API is made with an HTTP GET (look it up). To invoke an API call you will need to to have your API and catalog keys. The catalog key corresponds to a custom collection of merchants you setup on the Data Pack tab.

3. API fair usage limit

The Data Pack API provides for fair usage of up to 5,000 API server requests per month with standard Data Pack API subscription.

A server call request is each time Rakuten PopShops servers are contacted with your unique catalog keys. API may return many results on a query but it is counted as one call. Pagination, filtering, and clicks are counted as additional server calls. It is recommended that you blacklist bots from your websites to reduce usage costs.

For pricing on higher volume server request quota please contact support@popshops.com.

4. What you can do with API

Rakuten PopShops API access is available with DataPack account subscription and/or with Rakuten PopShops custom and corporate solutions.

Rakuten PopShops API was created and designed for affiliate marketers who are either developers or have development resources to work with. Regretfully, Rakuten PopShops can not help you with your custom PHP, ASP, or teach you how to parse XML.

With the Rakuten PopShops API you can create anything from a dynamic super mall to a range of niche coupon sites, and have complete control over the code including HTML and the content calls to populate your websites. Here are some examples of what developers can do with Rakuten PopShops API.

• Product price comparison example
• Deals and coupons example
• Product discounts example

5. Sub IDs (affiliate tracking)

You can use affiliate-defined sub-ID tracking to help you manage your sales. Each network gives this "sub ID" tracking a different name, but in a nutshell it appends the text (or code) that you want to the URL. You can then run reports at the network level for that sub-ID.

You can dynamically append any information, including Sub IDs for commission tracking (reported via your network account) using parameter "&url_subid=". This will have your custom subid/sid to be dynamically appended in any final affiliate product urls.

Also, you can on any Rakuten PopShops redirect url (r.popshops.com) append sub ID information by inserting "/" followed by sub IDs at the end of the Rakuten PopShops url.