Multiple Online Shop Search

[sparkyboy22]

I have created a search utility that will check a large number of online stores at once for matching products.

There are still a few errors every so often but it works pretty well.

Have a look and let me know if there are any stores that you regularly use that you would like adding?
I would like to keep it to UK stores only though.

Online RC Shop Search (http://www.rcshopsearch.co.uk/)

[mark christopher]

Prefer live stock shops only

[sparkyboy22]

If you make a list of those with live stock and i'll add a button to only tick those shops.

[spenner]

Insideline Racing and DMS Racing both have good stock and live levels.

[sparkyboy22]

These are next on the list.

[Pocket Rocket]

As stated needs a few tweaks but could be Perfected with time and input.

Nice work:thumbsup:

[sparkyboy22]

Any recommendations on the tweaks?

[sparkyboy22]

Inside Line Racing and DMS Racing are both now added.

[sparkyboy22]

Pit-bitz and xtreme-rc added

[vrooom]

Nice ideas but.. possible to add postage cost as well?

[Mike Parker]

Good idea :)

I run Number 5 RC and carry good stock and live levels, could you add me to the site mate?

[Dudders]

Need to ad JE Models.

[sparkyboy22]

Number 5 and JE Models will be next.

Vrooom delivery is difficult as it often varies dependant on what you order and the value of your order.
Not sure that this will be possible.

[spenner]

Question....

If you search by part number then only a few shops show up ?? But on the sites that have live stock levels it shows stock. I am guessing the site is searching description.

[DanB4]

Please add www.RCRacingUK.com..... They have live stock levels :)

[RobPaynter]

We have live stock too!!!!!! South West RC

[sparkyboy22]

I am using the search on each site to generate the results.
Some searches are terrible! MB cough cough.

I then look at all the results that I get back and if all words are matched in the product name then I display the result.

This means if you search for U4402 spring hanger and a shop has it listed as U4402 Alloy Hanger then it will not display in my results because it doesnt include the word spring.

If I dont do this then you will get hundreds of results that are nothing to do with what you searched for.

[sparkyboy22]

Adding both South West and RC Racing UK.

Note that the stores dont have to have live stock levels for me to include them.
Live stock will probably help you convert the referrals though!

[sparkyboy22]

JE Models
Number-5-RC
South West RC
RC Racing UK

All now added and included in search results.

[sparkyboy22]

Thanks for all the feedback and reports of potential issues.

I think I have got to the bottom of it and improved things, searching by part numbers will now include those shops that dont include the part no information in the product description.

Also if anyone knows of any of the sites that load straight into the product page when only a single search result is found (like JE Models) could you point it out to me.
That takes a whole lot of messing around to overcome!


I have removed the ability to select which shops to search with. The information I was seeing on the searches showed that the majority of people were ticking everything. The ticks at the moment only serve to show which shops are searched. This will be made more attractive when I get round to it.

Also added Moss Models. Saw it in someones signature on here.

If you come across any other new sites please shout.

[boy_lard100]

I used this earlier and was really pleased with it,
Saved me from searching each shop individual! !

The only thing I can see which might benefit from is after the initial search,
then he sub categories as some words may pull up too mmany items,

I searched "hauler" for bags
but brought up bits for the tamiya hauler lorry also,
Would have been nice to click on accessories or something to get rid of these other items,

But then again might over complicate things.

All in all will definatly use again next time im after something!

[bally]

I am using the search on each site to generate the results.
Some searches are terrible! MB cough cough.

I then look at all the results that I get back and if all words are matched in the product name then I display the result.

This means if you search for U4402 spring hanger and a shop has it listed as U4402 Alloy Hanger then it will not display in my results because it doesnt include the word spring.

If I dont do this then you will get hundreds of results that are nothing to do with what you searched for.

Had a play with our search function tonight, seems to be perfect if you know the part number, but it brings up a lot of products when a description is used.

[sparkyboy22]

Had a play with our search function tonight, seems to be perfect if you know the part number, but it brings up a lot of products when a description is used.
Bally the issue i found is that the default sort by relevance doesnt really find the most relevant products. Searching reedy 1s brings up the lipo on page 2 (on a side note I cant believe they havent all sold yet at that price!).

Currently to try and get the best possible results I am getting 24 results sorted by name (relevance seems to display in a different order each time you ask) and requesting pages 1,2 and 3 of the results.
I then have to do extra filtering to make sure that there actually were that many search results and check for all words matching.

Ideally I would like some way to get search results back that only match all words or a way to get more than the stores maximum results per page.

I used this earlier and was really pleased with it,
Saved me from searching each shop individual! !

The only thing I can see which might benefit from is after the initial search,
then he sub categories as some words may pull up too mmany items,

I searched "hauler" for bags
but brought up bits for the tamiya hauler lorry also,
Would have been nice to click on accessories or something to get rid of these other items,

But then again might over complicate things.

All in all will definatly use again next time im after something!

Category information is not usually published in the shops search results so it isnt really possible to incorporate this.
Not without proper access to the shops product databases or some kind of product feed uploading data to me.

[HarlowS]

With a few Tweaks I can see a shop buying this from you for there website, easy way to keep prices below competitors ;)

[sparkyboy22]

Ghost RC added and a bit of a tidy up tonight.

[sparkyboy22]

Had some issues with the amount of load this site was placing on my server so it was scaled back for a time.

Server has been upgraded and all shops that were included before are now back in the search.

Search Away

[sparkyboy22]

Also new shops coming very soon.
Let me know your favorite shops and I will add them to the search.

[sparkyboy22]

Added XFactory UK

[Darren Boyle]

Added XFactory UK

Many thanks for that... but just to be clear, X-Factory UK is not a shop and does not sell online to the public, it is our distribution site only, showcasing all of the products that we import and distribue to the r/c trade here in the UK. All items shown on our site are available to purchase only through any of the dealers directly that are shown on our dealer locator page.

[CHEVY]

:thumbsup:MB MODELS YOU ORDER YOU GET IT NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS

IN MY OPINION :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[sparkyboy22]

Many thanks for that... but just to be clear, X-Factory UK is not a shop and does not sell online to the public, it is our distribution site only, showcasing all of the products that we import and distribue to the r/c trade here in the UK. All items shown on our site are available to purchase only through any of the dealers directly that are shown on our dealer locator page.

I didn't notice that! Thanks for clarifying.
I'll pick through the dealer list and add any from there that are missing.

[Burty248]

I don't have any suggestions but i just would like to say thank you for creating this. :thumbsup:

[smokes]

so much better than google.

Can you do it for mountain road bikes?

[sparkyboy22]

Added the xfactory sellers that had sites I could work with last night so a few new shops added. I cant remember which ones as I was a bit tired!

It's certainly possible to do this for any type of product that has specialist sellers with websites that sell the products.
Mountain bikes wouldn't be an issue as far as I can see.
The difficulty is that it takes me around 30-40 minutes to add each new shop and test to make sure its working properly.
I don't have the time at the moment to commit a couple of days to setting up a new one.

Maybe in the future, or if you want to do one yourself I'd be happy to let you know the setup I have so you can get started.

[sparkyboy22]

Added two more sites today.

www.msdmodels.ie
www.p-dubracing.co.uk

[gainsy]

http://www.fusionhobbies.com/

[jonathan may]

wow nice job

[sparkyboy22]

Fusion Models added.
38 Shops now being searched.

[Modeltune]

Would be very appreciative if you could add www.modeltune.com to your search engine.

[sparkyboy22]

Modeltune.com has now been added.

[sparkyboy22]

Amazon.co.uk added