Ecommerce: Admin Setup and Configuration Guide

Clicking "Add Import Feed" launches your Feed Importer wizard.  There are a number of fields in this section so let’s review the available fields before we continue.

 Import Feed Type:  Available options are Product, Category, and Order Reconciliation.

• Product – This method imports your website’s sku catalog.
• Category – This method imports your website’s category hierarchy.
• Order Reconciliation – This is the update process to reconcile (cancel, edit) orders that have been previously processed.

Response Type:  CSV or XML – CAKE currently supports product feeds in CSV or XML format.

Mapping Set – When you create a new mapping set they are automatically saved in this drop down.  That mapping set can then be leveraged in future imports when the formats match the same mapping.  To create a new mapping name, select Add new mapping set.

*Note:  When you change an existing mapping set it will be a global change.

Column Delimiter – If your file has a column separator, like a comma, you indicate the character in this field.

Multi Value Delimiter – If you have a column that has multiple values separated by a character you indicate that character in this field.  For example, if you have a category hierarchy and the category/subcategories are separated by a carrot, put the “^” in the text field.

Has Headers – If your import file has column names or headers check the checkbox.

Post URL - This can either be the website that hosts your file (http/https) or the FTP location.

Timeout (in milliseconds) - This is the amount of time in milliseconds that you want to wait before the import process times out.

Username/Password - If your site requires credentials for access input those values here (FTP, for example).

Frequency - You can select the time window for CAKE to access and import your feed.  The most frequent option is once per day, up to every 9 days.

Start Date - You can select the Start Date from when CAKE will initially pull down your product feed.

Time to Run - Select or input the time that you’d like CAKE to retrieve your file from the remote location.

Enabled – On initial setup this box is disabled.  You must complete the setup process before you can enable the import schedule.

Once you’ve entered in the various data points in the step above, click Save, which will then enable the Mapping, Post Fields, XML Post and Post Headers tabs.

Post Fields - Additional parameters that your URL or FTP site might require in order to access the file.

Post Headers – If your import feed requires a SOAP call you can add parameters and a SOAP method.

Lets proceed with the import setup and switch from the Request Info tab to the Mapping tab.  From this tab, we’ll be able to map all of the various fields needed to import the product feed.

In this section, there are three tabs available to you – Validation, Category, and Product.  Since CAKE supports a scheduled process for importing feeds, we need an easy way to validate the import file, or portion of the file, prior to enabling the schedule.  From the Validation tab, you can paste in a portion of your feed so that CAKE can perform validation before the full file is imported.  As an example, you can grab the first 10 rows of your import file (including the header) and we’ll use this sample set to validate the full file.

The Validation tab requires you to copy and paste the top 7-10 lines of your feed into the text box.  This will allow CAKE to confirm that all mapping is accurate.

Once you’ve inputted the data, click Retrieve Data (this may take a few seconds to confirm) and then select Save.  *Note:  Please remember to select a portion of the file (first 10 rows, for examples)*

Now click the Category tab.  The Category tab outlines your store’s category hierarchy.  This is mapped to a field in the import file.  It can be a single field in the file or multiple fields denoting top level categories and their subcategories.  For example, you may have your storefront categories as “Mens”, “Womens”, and “Sale”.  If that is mapped to a field called “Categories” in the import file, map that name in the Category Name field.

You will also notice the Master Category Name and Master Category Delimeter fields near the top of the Category tab.  CAKE maintains an internal listing of master categories, which is mapped in this field.  You can see the list of master categories by clicking here or in the file at the bottom of this page.

As best practice it is recommended that you include this category name as part of the feed so that it’s mapped on import.

As a first step, check the Manage Category Hierarchy field.  Next, if you have multiple fields in your file that indicate subcategories (Top Level Category – Subcategory, for example), you can define them in the Category Name and Subcategory # Name fields).  For example, if you only have one field that defines your categories simply add the field name in the Master Category Name and the same value in the Category Name.  If you have multiple fields that define your Category – Subcategories, input the top level category in the Master Category Name and Category Name field.  Your subcategories are then listed the Subcategory # Name fields.

Once you’ve entered in your category hierarchy, click the Save button.  This saves your category mapping.  Next, you’ll want to test that the category mappings layout appropriately. The Test button will load your mapped categories from the sample set you loaded in the Validation box.  If the category layout appears to be correct, click Approve.

Next, select the Product tab.  In this tab, we are mapping the field values from the import feed to CAKE’s master list of field names.  The CAKE list is extensive and not every field is required.  The CAKE values are listed to the left hand side of the grid.  The feed header names go in the text boxes to the right.

As an example you may have a field called Sku, which outlines the actual sku code from the advertiser’s backoffice system.  You can map your sku value to CAKE’s Sku Code field – simply add in the column descriptor in the text box.  Performing a complete mapping ensures that this data will be mapped correctly in CAKE and made available to your affiliates/publishers.

The required fields are:

Brand Name - Manufacturer Name (ex. Canon) - cannot be null

Brand Key - Manufacturer Name (ex. Canon) - cannot be null

Product Code - Product ID (ex. XKU-123456), Sku ID - cannot be null, must be unique

Product Name - Product Name (ex. Canon 5D Mark III SLR Camera) - cannot be null

Sku Name - Product ID (ex. XKU-123456), Sku ID - cannot be null, must be uniqueS

Sku Code - Product ID (ex. XKU-123456), Sku ID - cannot be null, must be unique

Price - Sku Price (either Sale or MSRP)

Once you’ve mapped your product feed, click Save > then click Test.  This will populate the sample data from the Validation tab into the Results grid.  If the data maps correctly, click Approve.

Once you’ve clicked Approve, you can then return to the Request Info tab (first tab) and the Enabled checkbox should now be enabled.  Go ahead and click the checkbox and then Save.

You’ve now successfully scheduled your import feed.  Based on the Start Date and Time, CAKE will run the product feed import and populate your instance with your feed data.  Note: CAKE will retrieve the import feed at the scheduled time, but there may be some latency before the products are available for view in CAKE.

To view the imported Product Feeds, you can go to your main Setup tab > Products sub tab.  You can filter by searching for a specific product, advertiser or storefront.

Select the ecommerce tab to begin configuring your payout rules.  On the ecommerce tab, there are two options available – Related Products and ecommerce Payout Rules.

Related Products – This section will help define to your affiliates what brands, categories and products are included/accepted for this offer.  It also determines which categories/brands/skus will be made available for publisher access.

You can click the Add Related Products section to filter the available products.  If you leave this section empty all products will be available to your publishers in their product feeds.

Categories – As with brand, each sku is associated with a category.  When you define a payout rule based on category, any sku that’s associated with that category will match payout rules.

Brand – This is defined from your storefront product feed.  When you define a payout rule based on brand, any sku that’s associated with that brand will match payout rules.

Sku – This is the individual Sku that qualifies as your payout.  As an example, when an order is taken and that sku is part of the order we will match on this rule and payout.

ecommerce Payout Rules – This is the “brains” for controlling your payout rules.  You define what you will pay your affiliates based on the storefront catalog.  There are four levels for defining payouts – Sku, Category, Brand and Filters.

As an example, we have defined a Brand based payout rule.  When I open my rule, I see that I have two brands defined as a condition.  If an order is processed, CAKE will scan all the rules available and match each qualifying rule.  By default, CAKE will take all matching rules and select the highest payout.

Let’s add a Payout Rule – select Add and a new line will appear in the Rules grid.

Name – This is the Name of your Payout Rule.  You can enter in any name, but best practice is to put as descriptive a name as possible – “Offer – Rule Filter” is a good descriptor.

Description – Provides a detailed description of the payout rule – As with name you can enter in any descriptor, but try to be as descriptive as possible.

Price – This is the payout that you define when a rule matches.

Once you’ve entered those fields, click Save.  This will then open the bottom half of the Payout Rule grid so that you define the conditions for your payout rule.

Click Add New Condition and this will open up your storefront catalog data.  You can use this catalog data to define your conditions for payout.  As described above, there are various conditions you can select to define your Payout Rules – Sku, Categories, Brands, and Filters. 

Let’s create a condition based on Category – Select the Category tab and you will see your storefront categories defined in the grid to the left.  You can select your top level categories or drill down into your subcategories.  Click the + symbol to add specific categories as your conditions for payout.  This will move those categories to the Included Items section, which means when an order is processed and one of the skus belongs to this category, we will match that condition for payout.

You can add as many conditions as you’d like, but each condition creates an “And” relationship to other conditions in the rule.  In other words, if you have two conditions defined both must match for the rule to match.

By default, we will scan all matching rules and select the highest paying rule for the entire order.  In other words, if you have two line items in your order and they match on two payout rules – Rule #1 with a CPA of $2.00 and Rule #2 with a CPA of $3.00 – CAKE will select Rule #2 and payout $3.00 since it has the higher payout.

As a variation, CAKE also supports a payout model that pays on each matching line item of your order, called Order Details Payout Rule.  This can be enabled from the ecommerce Payout Rules grid and once enabled, it will pay on each matching payout rule. 

For example, if you have two line items in your order that match on two payout rules, CAKE will aggregate (sum) the two rules and payout that total amount.