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Last Post Nov 9, 2009 7:49 AM by: waynejohnjohnwayne
Replies: 25
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enginebooks
Posts: 28

EBAY DEVELOPERS PROGRAM & API LICENSE AGREEMENT

Oct 27, 2009 3:59 PM
I've had the API looking at me on the tools page ever since I left CJ, wondering what it was. Accepting another license agreement for it kind of put me off so I never took the big step. Have I missed out on something?

For the most part, I use the Link Generator and the Widgets Editor Kit. RSS has worked out well too, but the Creatives Generator is a major loss! The eBay To GO doesn't cut it and I haven't tried the new Custom Banner as yet. I would simply love to redesign the Editor Kit for which I have all kinds of ideas!

So, what about what's behind the hidden API door? Should I open it and jump in?
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u9026a
Posts: 16
(15 of 25)

Re: EBAY DEVELOPERS PROGRAM & API LICENSE AGREEMENT

Oct 29, 2009 10:38 PM
You don't need to be a super-skilled coder -- if you know basic PHP, and have a PHP5 installation, it's pretty easy.

It really opens up the possibilities.


Well, I tried to get a coder from elance but no-one, apparently, knew anything about the eBay API, not even the one's that were supposedly "eBay specialists" (their words not mine).

I'd love to use it, I just don't know how. Anyone know of anyone who could do the same sort of thing on hokeydb's site?
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fikse
Posts: 30
(16 of 25)

Re: EBAY DEVELOPERS PROGRAM & API LICENSE AGREEMENT

Oct 30, 2009 7:40 AM
they great for short term gains if you have decent traffic, but in the long term it can hurt, many people will never visit the site again, recommend it to others, post links to it, etc..... true about the news sites though, cnn.com does have pop-unders....


I'm not going to convince you, but $15,000 paid since this day last year might just make you into a believer.
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helios825
Posts: 494
(17 of 25)

Re: EBAY DEVELOPERS PROGRAM & API LICENSE AGREEMENT

Nov 4, 2009 9:49 PM
Well, I tried to get a coder from elance but no-one, apparently, knew anything about the eBay API, not even the one's that were supposedly "eBay specialists" (their words not mine).

I'd love to use it, I just don't know how. Anyone know of anyone who could do the same sort of thing on hokeydb's site?


Try ScriptLance.com - you'll probably have better luck there.

And the eBay Developer Coffee Talk forum is often where people post project requests and hook up with developers.

-h

[Some Handy Aggregated Reference Info for ePN Affiliates and eBay Developers]

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enginebooks
Posts: 28
(18 of 25)

Re: EBAY DEVELOPERS PROGRAM & API LICENSE AGREEMENT

Nov 6, 2009 9:22 PM
So I opened the door and jumped through!

I have the eBay Merchandising API running with the getMostWatchedItems Call.

The trick now is to figure out how to include my campaign ID information as they don't make it easy. Must be API is also used by non EPN applications?
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helios825
Posts: 494
(19 of 25)

Re: EBAY DEVELOPERS PROGRAM & API LICENSE AGREEMENT

Nov 6, 2009 11:13 PM
The trick now is to figure out how to include my campaign ID information as they don't make it easy. Must be API is also used by non EPN applications?


Yes, most of the API coding done with the eBay Developer platform is probably non-affiliate related. Still, they offer some standard calling syntax you can append to your URL API call/request to have the returned links be ePN links. It's just a few extra parameters. Checking my notes (but not double-checking, so beware) I think you'd use this:

&affiliate.networkId=9&affiliate.trackingId=5335000000&affiliate.customId=PutSomethingHere

.. at the end of your URL request, substituting your Campaign ID. Also, I recommend using a customid, too, even though it's optional. There have been some occasional quirks in the past where leaving it out caused problems.

Still, you don't have to use the above syntax. It's a convenience that eBay Dev offers to help us get rover links, but if you get further along with your programming, I'd recommend rolling your own rover links and embedding within redirect scripts. But, I'm getting ahead of myself here....

Glad to hear you're making headway with the API. They offer a lot of self-starter hand-holding (docs, videos, forums) for those who are motivated to make use of their great tools.

-h

[Some Handy Aggregated Reference Info for ePN Affiliates and eBay Developers]

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enginebooks
Posts: 28
(20 of 25)

Re: EBAY DEVELOPERS PROGRAM & API LICENSE AGREEMENT

Nov 7, 2009 6:38 AM
GOT IT!

Your mention of those three variables and my initial draft response allowed me to spot the error that I was making in the variable names.

$apicalla .= "&affiliate.trackingId=1234567890";
$apicalla .= "&affiliate.networkId=9";
$apicalla .= "&affiliate.customId=mylinkwatch";

There's obviously a BIG difference between Id and id in the names. ;-( and fonts in web browsers do not make this too clear. So, after chasing all over Google, I had the correct names, but instead of copying and pasting them, I typed them over. :(

I changed id to Id and I'm on my way again! :) Thank you!
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helios825
Posts: 494
(21 of 25)

Re: EBAY DEVELOPERS PROGRAM & API LICENSE AGREEMENT

Nov 7, 2009 10:10 AM
Sure, no problem.

Yeah, camel case nomenclature is a distinct trait of Merchandising API call syntax. For example, you'll see that all API calls in both the Merchandising API and the new Finding API start with a lowercase letter.

Cheers,

-h

[Some Handy Aggregated Reference Info for ePN Affiliates and eBay Developers]

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enginebooks
Posts: 28
(22 of 25)

Re: EBAY DEVELOPERS PROGRAM & API LICENSE AGREEMENT

Nov 7, 2009 11:40 AM
One more if I may...

Excluding a seller from the results: is it as simple as adding to the call:

$apicalla .= "&itemFilter(0).name=ExcludeSeller";
$apicalla .= "&itemFilter(0).value(0)=junkdealer";
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alssoftware
Posts: 146
(23 of 25)

Re: EBAY DEVELOPERS PROGRAM & API LICENSE AGREEMENT

Nov 7, 2009 1:45 PM
GOT IT!

Your mention of those three variables and my initial draft response allowed me to spot the error that I was making in the variable names.

$apicalla .= "&affiliate.trackingId=1234567890";
$apicalla .= "&affiliate.networkId=9";
$apicalla .= "&affiliate.customId=mylinkwatch";

There's obviously a BIG difference between Id and id in the names. ;-( and fonts in web browsers do not make this too clear. So, after chasing all over Google, I had the correct names, but instead of copying and pasting them, I typed them over. :(

I changed id to Id and I'm on my way again! :) Thank you!



Now do yourself a favor and remove that code from your calls. Use a vanilla call then build the rover link yourself from the API results. There have been a few occurrences of the item URLs returned by the API breaking. If you rely on them to be accurate, your revenue will drop to nothing when that happens. Plus it keeps the URLs shorter.

Eventually the EPN and API guys will end up on different pages and the API URL format won't match the EPN format. Oh wait, that happened already.
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helios825
Posts: 494
(24 of 25)

Re: EBAY DEVELOPERS PROGRAM & API LICENSE AGREEMENT

Nov 7, 2009 8:37 PM
Excluding a seller from the results: is it as simple as...


Sorry, can't help ya there. I haven't started teaching myself about the Finding API yet, so I'm relatively clueless on that new array-parameter format. Sorta seems like you're on the right track, though.

I think this is the forum for you.

Good luck.

-h

[Some Handy Aggregated Reference Info for ePN Affiliates and eBay Developers]

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waynejohnjohnwayne
Posts: 42
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Re: EBAY DEVELOPERS PROGRAM & API LICENSE AGREEMENT

Nov 9, 2009 7:49 AM
Anyone wants help with integrating the API with their site, just shake me awake.

Need programming or assistance to help you make the most of your eBay sites? Contact me at WayneJohn.com for more info!
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