Samples > Starter stores > Starter store enhancements
Social Commerce
Social Commerce provides social networking capabilities, enabling a store to integrate user-generated content into the storefront. Although social networking content can be viewed by any customer, it can only be created by registered customers.
The following diagram illustrates a high-level overview of the Social Commerce architecture:
Social Commerce consists of a WebSphere sMash application that is packaged inside a separate EAR file. The sMash application connects the social content widgets with the supported service providers, using both a Representational State Transfer (REST) API and a Service Adapter API.
- REST API
- Provides an interface that is called by the social content widgets. This interface follows the REST style, with the REST API providing a stateless application that is organized with resources. It also provides support for readable URLs and cacheable content.
- Service Adapter API
- A set of Java interfaces that can be implemented and extended for various service providers.
Social Commerce supports the following types of social networking content:
- Public-facing user profiles
- Customers can create a user profile that contains their personal information. This information is displayed when social networking content created by the customer is displayed in the storefront.
- Blogs
- Registered customers can create new blog entries, add comments to existing blog entries, flag inappropriate content, and recommend blog entries. Guest shoppers can only view blog entries.
- Photo galleries
- Registered customers can post photos and view photos in a gallery. They can also add comments to photos, recommend photos, and flag inappropriate content. Guest shoppers can only view photos.
- Social bookmarks
- Customers can create bookmarks to share social content on social bookmarking sites, such as Digg, Delicious, Google, and Facebook.
- Ratings and reviews
- Registered customers can create a numeric rating with review text for a store item. Guest shoppers can only view ratings and reviews.
Social content is added to a storefront page using Dojo JavaScript widgets. These widgets are independent of storefront APIs, which allows them to be integrated , without significant modifications to storefront code. This widget-based architecture supports customization of the user interface widgets so that they appear consistent with the rest of the storefront user interface.
The user-created social content is managed by a service provider. Since the social content widgets are independent of any service provider, Social Commerce provides flexibility when choosing a service provider. Social Commerce supports the following service providers:
- Pluck
- Independent software vendor (ISV) service provider that provides support for Blog, Photo Gallery, and User Profile social networking content.
- Lotus Connections
- IBM software product that provides support for Blog, Photo Gallery, and User Profile social networking content.
- Bazaarvoice
- ISV service provider that provides support for Ratings and Reviews social networking content.
- Social Commerce features
The Social Commerce features include public-facing user profiles, integrated blogs, photo galleries, social bookmarks, and customer ratings and reviews.
- Social Commerce accessibility
Social Commerce follows the IBM accessibility guidelines to implement accessibility features, helping users who have a physical disability, such as a visual impairment, hearing impairment, or limited mobility, successfully use the Social Commerce features.
- Manage and moderating Social Commerce content in the store
You can manage and moderate the Social Commerce features added to the store to prevent users from posting unwanted content. For example, you can moderate user-created social content, such as public-facing user profiles, blogs, photo galleries, and customer ratings and reviews. The actions that you can use to moderate social content in the store are dependent on the service provider being used.
- Publish the Social Commerce store archive
The SocialCommerce.sar file is the store archive that contains sample Madisons starter store pages to illustrate the process for adding the Social Commerce user interface widgets to the store pages. Since the Social Commerce store archive is based on the Madisons starter store, publish the store archive on the Madisons store. Use the Publish wizard to publish the Social Commerce store changes on the Madisons starter store pages.
- WebSphere Commerce Dojo Enhancements API
WebSphere Commerce extends the Dojo AJAX and events API, providing an easy to use framework that meets most AJAX requirements for storefront development.
- Work with Social Commerce widgets
You can work with the Social Commerce user interface widgets to meet the business needs. For example, you can add Social Commerce widgets to the store pages and customize the style of these widgets.
- Sample Social Commerce flow changes in the Madisons starter store
When Social Commerce is enabled in a store, you can add Social Commerce widgets to the store pages. Sample Madisons starter store pages are provided to illustrate how the Social Commerce widgets are integrated into a set of new and existing starter store pages.
Related concepts
Target: Social Commerce Participation
Trigger: Customer Participates in Social Commerce
Related information
WebSphere sMash DE Documentation