Rizky Wijayanti
Rizky Wijayanti
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API Requirement Gathering for MVP Multichannel eCommerce Integration

API Requirement Gathering for MVP Multichannel eCommerce Integration

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Product Research
PRD
eCommerce
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Background

With initial research complete, we leveraged our user data to define product specifications. Defining the potential of a multichannel eCommerce integration platform, the product team is planning to create a simple MVP in the form of a plugin that can be installed by users on their websites. Considering the research results which showed that 56.52% of respondent are interested and feel the need to use this integration platform to facilitate handling their products on multiple ecommerce platforms, as well as Niagahoster's users who are website users, thus the MVP can be tested in the market soon.
In the process, the first step that needs to be done is requirement gathering for the API needs so that the product team and the developer team can formulate the plugin needs that will be developed in more detail.
 

Objectives

  • Dig deeper about the possibility marketplace/eCommerce to connect with external parties or 3rd party in order to develop the plugin
  • How is it from the legal and policy of the marketplace/eCommerce itself?
  • Other concerns that must be prepared to overcome.
 

Result

About eCommerce or Marketplace API

Currently, several existing marketplaces/eCommerce in Indonesia have an open integration system through the API (Application Programming Interface) Open Platform, where sellers or developers or engineers can easily create APIs and use them as needed to integrate.
In the process, a quick research and checking were conducted on each marketplace in Indonesia regarding the possibility of their platform offering an API system. The result found that all marketplaces provide the option to easily use this API, with some legal requirements such as detailed company/business information and some administrative information that must be attached during the registration process.
After data requirement collection, we’ve tried to register into the API platform from each marketplace, and in two weeks we’ve got approval access to the Lazada API and Shopee API, but then because of the company plan that immediately shift to be more focus on the main product only, so this MVP development process cannot be continued.
 
As the additional information, here’s some sneak peak on how each marketplace can be connected to another platform then can be easily managed only in one dashboard.
  1. Shopee
  • Using the Shopee Open Platform which can be easily accessed by their users (developers) to get an integration code
  • Users who want to do the API must first create an account on the Shopee Open Platform as developers
  • The user must then complete an account profile and before being able to perform an API, the account will be verified first by the Shopee internal team.
  • Shopee Open Platform provides some API’s
      1. Add Item API: Allows the seller to upload the product to Shopee
      1. Get Order Detail API: Allows the seller to view order information, e.g. order detail, sales volume, and promotional activities.
      1. Init API: Provides order and logistics information to the seller to facilitate the fulfillment process.
  1. Lazada
  • Lazada also creating Lazada Open Platform to share API information.
  • Lazada enables several API endpoints for all their marketplace areas such as product, order, user, marketing, and payment management
 
  1. Tokopedia
  • Tokopedia also uses the Tokopedia Open Platform system that allows seller/users to integrate their system into Tokopedia
  • Tokopedia now has 7 main API
      1. Webhooks API: Register webhook to get notifications through your system.
      1. Product API: Create and manage products with/without the variant.
      1. Order API: Get order info and manage all incoming orders.
      1. Logistic API: Manage your Third-party logistics service.
      1. Shop API: View and Update Shop Information.
      1. Category API: Get all product category information.
      1. Interaction API: Get all messages, replies, and send a reply.
      1. Statistic API: Get the statistics of your transactions and buyers.
      notion image
  1. JD.ID
  • JD.ID also has an Open Platform system that allows sellers/users to integrate their system into JD.ID
  • JD.ID currently provides two types of API:
      1. JD.id to E-commerce Platform
          2. Selling JD products to their platform through API connections. The integration of JD to E-commerce Platform APIs requires the support of the business side and the company need to sign a cooperation agreement to get API access.
      1. Seller to JD.id: A seller who want to use API to connect and manage their shop in order to stabilize their business across different marketplace system
  • Unfortunately, in the Jan 2023, JD.ID confirm will totally closed all their service and will only operate until March 2023, including their logistic service, JDL Express Indonesia.
notion image
  1. Blibli.com
  • Blibli.com also creating Blibli Seller API to share API information to their users.
 
 
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