Technical integration
Overview
Which software interfaces does idealo offer?
Which software interfaces does idealo offer?
For the idealo price comparison, you transfer your product and offer data either via the idealo API for offer data (in real-time) or via an export file/feed (e.g., CSV). Both possibilities also allow you to enable your offers for idealo Checkout as well as transmit inventory- and delivery options. For idealo Checkout, you also have the option of manually entering your offer data in the merchant area in idealo Business. The manual offer management is currently only available for idealo Checkout.
Selling internationally: in Germany, you can also sell your products via idealo’s Checkout, where the entire purchase takes place on the idealo platform.
Information on how to you the API: You can retrieve your idealo Checkout orders via the API for order data (aka. idealo REST Order API). This interface is also used to send idealo notifications about order dispatches or any cancellations.
The API for order data and the API for offer data are two different interfaces that must be implemented separately.
Overview of idealo’s interfaces:
- Possibilities for offer import: CSV file, API, and manual offer data management (only for idealo Checkout)
- Possibilities for order export: API (idealo REST Order API) and CSV
Sending your product and offer to idealo
Offer data can be transferred to idealo either manually, via an export file (CSV, TXT, XML), or via the idealo API for offer data.
The performance advantage of the API is obvious: Exported feeds (CSV, TXT, or XML format) are usually updated every 30 minutes from idealo’s side.
Many eCommerce systems already come with an integrated solution that you can use to help set yourself up on idealo’s price comparison service. Alternatively, you can easily implement this function via an additional module.
Option 1 – manual offer data management
In the merchant area in idealo Business, you have the possibility to create your offers manually. Select the appropriate offer via EAN, HAN, or PZN, and idealo will suggest a title for your offer, which you can adapt as you wish. After that, you define the SKU and specify the number of offers you would like to sell per day on idealo and the price for your offers. Finally, set the shipping method and the delivery costs and -time for your offers and then publish it on idealo.
- Instructions for manual offer maintenance
Option 2 – Exported feed (CSV, TXT or XML format)
You can provide an exported feed created via your eCommerce system onto an FTP or web server (HTTP).
To keep loading times and costs down, you may transfer your exported feeds in a compressed ZIP or gZIP format. We also support password-protected directories.
How often should I update my exported feed?
Please update the feed several times a day. This is the only way to ensure that idealo’s users will see your up-to-date prices and availability information. This also helps prevent any overselling or customer disappointment if the prices in your webshop differ from the information seen on idealo.
Option 3 – API for offer data
idealo can provide you with a web service that allows you to update your product and offer data in real-time. The web service is addressed via HTTPS and uses JSON as the exchange format. The documentation of the REST API for offer data (idealo PWS 2.0) can be found here: