The release 198 includes several key features and enhancements designed to improve usability, functionality, and performance. Among the highlights are the introduction of the new Data Health Score functionality, the launch of the Product Mapping Rules API, the addition of dual-format output for Energy Labels, and the migration of Icecat.biz to Server-Side Rendering (SSR). These updates demonstrate our commitment to providing a robust and user-friendly experience for our users. For additional details, please refer to the previous Icecat Release Notes.
In this sprint, we are excited to announce the release of the first user interfaces for the new Data Health Score functionality in Icecat Vendor Central. This new feature allows users to list, create, and update data health scores, providing a comprehensive tool to manage the quality and completeness of product data.
We have added a new menu item in Icecat Vendor Central called “Data health score”. This menu item opens a new page where all data health score settings are collected and managed. This centralized location makes it easy for users to access and modify data health scores.
The data health scores list interface is equipped with several tools for managing scores. Initially, all scores are inactive, but users can activate them through this interface. Users can also designate a main health score for all Icecat editors to use across all products. This ensures consistency and prioritization of key data quality metrics.
The new functionality allows users to create health scores tailored to the specific requirements of our partners. For example, if a product needs to be described for Amazon, editors can consider both Icecat’s main score and Amazon’s additional health score during the product description process.
The interface for creating a new data health score is divided into three parts:
Each parameter has a percentage field that defines its share value in the product. Parameters added to the second part cannot have values less than 0% or more than 100%, and the total sum of all parameters must equal 100%.
Some parameters allow for more specific settings. For example, the “Product model description: Local” parameter has a “Local dependent” setting. This setting indicates that the locale will be considered in the calculation of the local data health score, ensuring all possible locales are included in the product description.
The “Local dependent” setting informs the system that the parameter’s locale will be considered in the calculation of the local data health score. This ensures that all possible locale-specific information is included in the product description. For instance, if a product has a “Product model description” in both English and French and a “Description” in English only, both assets (Product model description and Description) should ideally include both locales. If these assets are marked as “Local dependent,” the system expects the presence of both locales for a complete score. However, if a locale is not included in any of the “Local dependent” assets, it is not counted towards the score.
| Locale | English | French | German | Max. score per parameter | Actual score per parameter |
| Product model description: Local | + | + | – | 10% | 10% |
| Description block: Description | + | – | – | 10% | 5% |
Currently, the health score interface includes five parameters:
Additional parameters will be added in future sprints.
When a new data health score is created, users are returned to the data health scores list. Here, users can adjust existing scores by clicking on “Settings.” Changes can be saved by clicking the “Update Settings” button. Note that a score cannot be deleted if it is set as the main score for Icecat.
The interface also includes a “History” icon. Clicking this icon opens a new window displaying the change log for the specific data health score. The log includes:
This new functionality enhances the user experience by providing a more organized and efficient way to manage product data quality. By centralizing the data health score settings and offering detailed management tools, users can ensure their product data meets specific requirements and maintains high standards. This leads to better data quality, improved product descriptions, and greater satisfaction for our partners and customers. We hope you find the new Data Health Score functionality useful and look forward to your feedback as we continue to enhance Icecat Vendor Central.
In this sprint, we are excited to announce the addition of the ability to create and run product mapping rules via the new REST API, ProductMapRules. This update includes four new endpoints, enhancing the functionality and flexibility of product mapping.
The new ProductMapRules REST API includes the following endpoints:
Product mapping rules can be created individually using the POST ProductMapRule endpoint. When creating a new rule, users need to specify the following details:
Upon successful creation of a map rule, the API will return a Product Map Rule ID in the response.
Users can retrieve information about a created mapping rule using the GET ProductMapRule endpoint. This allows users to verify the details and status of the mapping rules they have set up.
To execute a mapping rule, users should use the POST ProductMapRules/Jobs endpoint. The following information is required to run a rule:
Running a mapping rule is an asynchronous process. Upon initiating the mapping run, the user will receive a Job ID in the response. This Job ID can be used to check the status of the mapping rule run using the GET ProductMapRules/Jobs/{JobId} endpoint.
The status of a mapping rule run can be checked using the GET ProductMapRules/Jobs/{JobId} endpoint. The mapping run can have one of the following four statuses:
Access to use this REST API is restricted to brand users’ auto-imports, ensuring that only authorized personnel can create and manage product mapping rules.
The new Product Mapping Rules API significantly enhances the ability to automate and manage product mapping processes. This functionality is crucial for maintaining accurate and up-to-date product information across different brands and marketplaces. By providing a robust and flexible tool for creating and running mapping rules, we empower users to streamline their workflows, reduce manual effort, and improve data accuracy. We hope you find the new Product Mapping Rules API valuable.
In this sprint, we have developed a new feature that enhances the handling of Energy labels by converting them into additional formats automatically. This development applies to both EU and UK Energy labels and is designed to improve the versatility and accessibility of Energy labels across various formats for our channel partners.
This dual-format availability ensures that users have access to Energy labels in their preferred format, enhancing usability and integration capabilities.
Both the original and converted Energy label files can be reviewed in the corresponding multimedia object card within Icecat Vendor Central. This allows users to easily access and verify the formats available for each Energy label.
The benefits of having Energy labels in both formats extend beyond Icecat Vendor Central users. Users of XML, JSON, CSV, and Personalized Content Files (PCF) can now review both the original and converted Energy labels in their output files.
We have introduced the following new keys and tags in JSON and XML to accommodate the converted Energy labels:
XML view:
JSON view:
In product CSV and Personalized Content File (PCF), the converted link is added to the same cell as the original link. These links are separated by a pipeline symbol “|” for clear distinction.
This new feature enhances the flexibility and accessibility of Energy labels by providing them in both PDF and Image formats automatically. This ensures that users can easily access the necessary format for their specific needs, whether for web display, printing, or integration into other systems. By supporting multiple formats, we increase the usability and convenience of the Energy labels, thereby improving user experience and satisfaction.
We believe that the automatic conversion of Energy labels into PDF and Image formats will significantly enhance the functionality and accessibility of these labels for our users.
In this sprint, we focused on improving the performance and SEO of Icecat.biz by addressing issues and enhancing our infrastructure. One of the major tasks was the migration of Icecat.biz to Server-Side Rendering (SSR). This migration revealed several SEMrush errors, warnings, and notifications that were previously hidden by the older homepage. In addition, we developed a new REST API for collecting statistics on the new product page, ensuring better performance monitoring and analytics.
As part of the migration to SSR, the new homepage exposed multiple SEO-related issues that were not apparent on the previous page. Over the course of this sprint, we successfully identified and resolved a total of 27 errors, warnings, and notifications reported by SEMrush. These fixes included:
We developed a new REST API designed to collect and report statistics on the new product page. This API will provide valuable insights into user interactions and page performance, helping us to continuously improve the product page experience. Key features of the new REST API include:
The migration to SSR and subsequent fixes significantly enhance the performance and SEO of Icecat.biz. By addressing the SEMrush errors, we have improved our website’s search engine ranking, making it easier for potential customers to find our service. Additionally, the new REST API for product page statistics ensures that we have the necessary data to make informed decisions about future improvements and optimizations.
This sprint has brought significant improvements to our platform, addressing critical areas such as data health, product mapping, content accessibility, and website performance. We believe these updates will provide substantial value to our users, enhancing their experience and efficiency. We are committed to continuously improving our platform and look forward to delivering even more enhancements in the future.
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