Developer Ideas Notebook - Dynamic Product Creation

The Printfection API gives you, the developer, access to just about every part of the Printfection Platform, which means that you can create a wide range of applications. From customization tools to store management applications, by leveraging the power of the Printfection Platform, you can help build the future of Print-On-Demand apparel and merchandise.

Dynamic Product Creation

Traditionally, with a service like Printfection's, you would have to set up all of your products with designs, descriptions and prices in advance, but now with the API, you can create unique products from scratch as the customer wants it. For example, look at how the Printfection API is used at Ukulele Shirt World.

In this process, the customer is being given the option to create a custom back design (Step 1) to be paired with a standard design on the front (Step 2) and then a choice of shirts (Step 3).

The image in step 1 is generated dynamically using PHP and ImageMagick. You could use PHP GDI, Flash or some other way of generating the artwork. The list of images in Step 2 is pulled from a single image set using the API. The list of products in this case are hard coded, however they could be pulled from the Root Products using the API.

Once the shopper has selected all of their options, the Printfection API is used to upload the custom image, create the two sides on the chosen root product and then redirect them to the store for purchase. In this example, the standard Printfection checkout is being used, however for even tighter integration, the API cart and checkout methods could also be used.

Building products on the fly has some advantages, particularly if you want to adjust something down the track. If you have created hundreds of products, and now wish to alter pricing, you will need to do it one by one or delete them and start again. With dynamic products, the margin is set in a single point for all created products. You can change this number up and down as you like for all future products.

This is just one example of dynamic product creation, so how about showing us yours.