Add-On Releases - Amazon Store Integration

Finally, I've gotten around to putting together a version of the Amazon Store integration mod for vBulletin 3.6.

This mod allows you to add an Amazon store to your vBulletin. You can set it to search for a particular keyword, for different types of items - CDs, DVDs, Clothing, etc. A sample of the store in action is available here: http://www.lidragracing.com/amazon_store.php.

You will need to sign up for Amazon Web Services to get an AWS key in order for this to work. In addition, you need to have PHP 5 installed on your server.

Installation is very simple, upload 3 files, import the xml file and then add a link to the store in your navigation bar. See the attached file "ECS Amazon Store.txt" for the exact installation instructions.

Give it a try, let me know what you think. Make sure you click "Mark as Installed" if you've installed it.

Also, if you intall it and use it, please post the URL you have it installed at so I can see how it's being used.

{edit}

To upgrade to a newer version, re-upload the php files and then import the xml product file. Afterwards go to the admin control panel to check to make sure all of the fields are filled in properly.

[yoyoyoyo]

yep - my server runs both php 4 and php 5, but the default is php 4

Originally Posted by mikelbeck

Oops!

I'll have this fixed in the next version (later today or tomorrow). But for now if you'd like to fix it yourself, open both amazon_store.php and amazon_store_detail.php and search for "AssociateID". Replace it with "AssociateTag".

I made the changes indicated and don't see any change in the URL displayed. I appreciate all of the support and interest in getting this working.

[BadgerDog]

Originally Posted by mikelbeck

There are two items you need from Amazon. An AWS Key and an Associates ID.

The AWS key is what allows you to talk to AWS (Amazon Web Services) to get the data. The Associates ID is what tags your links, so you will get credit for them when somebody clicks them from your site and makes a purchase from Amazon.

To sign up for the AWS Key, go to https://aws-portal.amazon.com/gp/aws...ion/index.html.

To sign up for the Associates ID, go to http://associates.amazon.com.

Thanks.... :up:

That's helpful and clear....

I've got one, so I'll go apply for the other now....

Regards,
Badger

Edit: Got the Associateds ID, so now is there anything special (any place) with this mod I need to put it like I did with the AWS number, or is just automatic?

[yoyoyoyo]

Originally Posted by BadgerDog

Edit: Got the Associateds ID, so now is there anything special (any place) with this mod I need to put it like I did with the AWS number, or is just automatic?

In the ACP VB options for this mod there is a box to enter your associates ID. If you do not see it, then re-download the zip file and import the product again, since the author updated it to add the associates ID. The mod does not add the associates ID to the URL at this time, and the author has indicated that he will fix this issue, so keep an eye on this thread, and when he fixes the issue you can reupload the files and import the product again at that point. He supplied a fix a couple posts back that was supposed to fix this, but it did not work for me - still waiting for the official fix from him.

[mikelbeck]

Ok, B3 is posted now. This fixes the Associates ID issue with the links.

Re-upload the php files, then import the XML file making sure to check the "allow overwrite" option.

[BadgerDog]

Originally Posted by mikelbeck

Ok, B3 is posted now. This fixes the Associates ID issue with the links.

Re-upload the php files, then import the XML file making sure to check the "allow overwrite" option.

Updated... :up:

Thanks

Regards,
Badger

[BadgerDog]

Originally Posted by yoyoyoyo

In the ACP VB options for this mod there is a box to enter your associates ID. If you do not see it, then re-download the zip file and import the product again, since the author updated it to add the associates ID.

Found it..... :up:

Updated to current B3 version....

Thanks ...

Only question I have is that I have two different associate ID's.... one for Amazon.com and one for Amazon.ca...

I entered for the mod the .COM one, so I wonder how that's going to sort itself out if someone orders from .CA?

Regards,
Badger

[RichieBoy67]

Great job...

Mine is here - I added a search at the top and right now I am using the search term Movies. For some reason with Amazon it is difficult to add too many keywords. If you do you end up showing no products at all.

I really would like to incorporate more into this though such as a cache and a search. At the very least a conditional link to take people back to the main page of the store after they are done looking at a product...

It would be great to be able to get some of these products crawled and indexed and I don't think it will happen this way... All the same though, if you have a niche site and are looking to sell a specific category of products this will work well...

Thanks for your work...

[mikelbeck]

Originally Posted by RichieBoy67

Great job...

Mine is here - I added a search at the top and right now I am using the search term Movies. For some reason with Amazon it is difficult to add too many keywords. If you do you end up showing no products at all.

I'm working on that.

I really would like to incorporate more into this though such as a cache and a search. At the very least a conditional link to take people back to the main page of the store after they are done looking at a product...

I'll add that to the next release.

It would be great to be able to get some of these products crawled and indexed and I don't think it will happen this way... All the same though, if you have a niche site and are looking to sell a specific category of products this will work well...

Looking at the pages Google has for my site (the one in the description of this mod), there are a whole bunch from the Amazon store... Also, I've got another site (non-vBulletin) that uses the same technology as this. I haven't completed the site yet, so the only thing that's publically available are links to items in the Amazon store. Google has almost 5000 pages indexes of nothing but Amazon products, displayed on my site. The pages are titled differently, though... the only thing I can tell you is to wait and see what happens when the spiders come crawling your site.

Thanks for your work...

Thank you for using it!

[mikelbeck]

Originally Posted by BadgerDog

Found it..... :up:

Updated to current B3 version....

Thanks ...

Only question I have is that I have two different associate ID's.... one for Amazon.com and one for Amazon.ca...

I entered for the mod the .COM one, so I wonder how that's going to sort itself out if someone orders from .CA?

Regards,
Badger

I would think that your .COM ID would get credit for it, I don't think it matters what Amazon site a person orders from. But I'm not positive about that.

[Khalid-B]

hello,
i installed this hack and i am getting this error ,

Fatal error: Call to undefined function: simplexml_load_file() in /home/xyz/public_html/Forums/amazon_store.php on line 55

Can u please help me
Thanks