Just a quick post about bulk uploading of adverts via xml feeds as it has been an interesting project. We have developed an xml feed input module for uploading adverts into a templatecodes based system. The module is not for sale being quite complex to configure and more so as each system is potentially different. Already we placed two feeds of 1000 listings, another 1000 listings and a really big feed of 3000 listings directly from our estate agent customers onto two property websites. Here is one of those sites which happens to be single user advertising - property in france. On this site the agent wishes to dump his whole stock of properties into his site each week. This solution is ideal for those where their customers have very large numbers of adverts to place. At least hundreds of adverts at a time makes it worthwhile. It also requires a VPS or dedicated server environment. It will not work adequately on shared hosting given the processing resources required. If anyone is interested in this solution, delivered as a service then please PM me or email. We may be able to help.
Hi David For future reference, would this service be available only to those using 'templatecodes based systems' or is it available to all 68C Developer users? Michael
As it requires some of our other modules, it will only be available to those with TemplateCodes. Please be aware this is a complex undertaking and will be price accordingly. It will only really be an option for those making considerable investments in their sites.
Pleased to report I have now over 7000 listings in a couple of weeks on Property In France . A general portal for advertising French Property. I also have 10,000 listings in the pipeline should the estate agents commit finally. Roughly speaking there are 100k listings out there to grab in this market. That would be the absolute maximum. I will be happy though to have 15 to 20 customers paying each month for a membership. Performance wise it takes about 3 hours to load up 3000 properties, each with 4 images from a feed. Seems long but doing it by hand would be impossible.
Well it is coming to fruition - 13000 listings and will be 20000 within a week or so at this rate. The bit that bothers me though is the duplicate content - never been happy about this issue of the same adverts appearing on multiple sites. Interesting but I am planning to try and add relevant content to each advert page from a random block of phrases or something distinct.
Hi. When you say service does this mean the feed would be imported by a member of template codes or would the customisation be done and site administrators would be able to handle it. If the latter is the customisation at the user or admin level ie can a dealer login upload their xml file or does it have to be done by admin. Lastly does it have to be xml? Does the customisation cater for .csv or .txt upload as well. Just thinking for those clients who do not have the ability to create an xml. Would be very interested in this but before wasting any of your time wanted to find out these things first. BTW - I am using templatecodes templates so that prerequisite should be satisfied
It would need to be a service operated by Templatecodes as creating mapping files can be complicated and coding skills are almost always required. It can never be an out of the box solution or an admin task except on repeat uploads. No two customers, systems or markets are a like. No - only xml files. It only would work with a Templatecodes installation too.
