Frequently Asked Questions

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What is a Just Landed RSS (JL-RSS) Feed?

A RSS feed is an XML file that complies with the RSS specification. The Just Landed RSS feed format is based on the RSS 2.0 standard (for more information about the standard, see http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss). It is designed to be able to contain data in a standard format. The additional elements in JL-RSS (prefixed with jl, e.g. jl:country) extend RSS with custom values. This allows Just Landed to collect the file, parse it into our database and display the content to users on our sites.

How do I create a JL-RSS feed?

A JL-RSS feed is your data formatted in an XML file as defined in this specification. In the same way you create a dynamic HTML page to serve in a web-browser, you can create a JL-RSS XML file. The exact way in which you create the XML file will depend on the web architecture you are using to run your website and application. You can create the file dynamically or periodically.

Whatever process you use, we need to be able to access it on a URL (e.g. http://www.YourSite.com/jl-rss.xml), which can be secured. We recommend you set a cron job (MS: schedule a task) to recreate this file daily.

What should go in the feed?

You can send all offers, a partial selection of offers or just your latest offers. If you need to ensure that items are immediately deleted when no longer available, you can provide a deletion feed on a separate URL in the same format to tell us to delete the offers. Otherwise, offers will be automatically deleted after a period of time and or if we automatically detect they are no longer valid. All offers which are still valid after 45 days will automatically be refreshed.

I have an XML file, can you use it?

In many cases we can work with existing RSS/XML feeds as long as they meet some minimum criteria:

The feed has to contain the full text of your ads, short abstracts cannot be syndicated.
The feed needs to contain all the data elements we need depending on the feed provided. There may be a small charge for any custom work we need to do to be able to process it.

I don't have an XML file what do I need to do?

Produce one to our specification for the Just Landed RSS format.
Ask us to produce a script based on your existing system to produce one (there is a charge for time)

What is the best way of generating an XML file?

We need to be able to get the file in a a reasonable amount of time (e.g. 5 minutes) so if you have a lot of data or you cannot generate a file dynamically from a request in that time, then it would be best to pre-generate it so we will be able to pick it up.

If have load problems on your server, then the best thing to do is either:

Set a job to generate the file in advance of the time when we will fetch it (you can specify when). An example would be that your server is quiet at 04:00 UTC as you have finished your backups, overnight jobs, etc and to then generate the file. Tell us to pick it up from 05:00 UTC, or
Tell us when to pick it up, eg 06:00-07:00.

My feed is ready - what now?

Check it is accessible externally (using authentication if applicable) and then contact your account manager to get it plugged in. Self-service is coming soon...