Constructor has two methods for implementing email recommendations: data feed templates and HTML snippets.

Data feed templates

Many email service providers (ESPs) have data feed templates, which are email templates that dynamically populate content like recommendations using data returned from API calls.

Rather than adding fixed, general recommendations in an email, companies can use data feed templates to insert personalized recommendations based on data retrieved from Constructor’s Offsite Discovery API.

You can implement data feed templates if your ESP supports data or web feeds with external URLs. Please note that the setup will vary by ESP. Please refer to your ESP’s documentation for specific instructions on setting up a feed. Both Braze and Movable Ink offer dedicated documentation for integrating with Constructor.

Note: Companies are responsible for the HTML and CSS styling of emails and specifying how item recommendations appear to recipients.

Example API call

https://offsite-discovery.cnstrc.com/v1/recommendations/pods/bestseller_pod?key=key_abCDefGHijkLM&ui=0&campaign_id=campaign_24&num_results=8

Example response

Responses can be modified to include other required properties.

{  
"data": {  
"id": "P455989",  
"variation_id": "2745245",  
"url": "/product/fashion-athletic-sneaker-P455989?skuId=2745245",  
"image_url": "<https://www.examplestore.com/productimages/sku/s2745289-main-zoom.jpg?imwidth=62">  
},  
"value": "Fashion Athletic Sneaker"  
}

Required and optional inputs

Calls to Constructor’s Offsite Discovery API should include the inputs below to return personalized recommendations for each email recipient. Companies can include optional inputs based on their strategy.

HTML snippet

An HTML snippet allows a company to render the image of a recommendation pod item in an email campaign and have that image link to the corresponding item description page (PDP) on the company’s website.

HTML snippets will call Constructor’s Offsite Discovery API and return results at open time, ensuring recipients receive the most up-to-date personalized recommendations.

You can paste an HTML snippet in one of two places:

• Drag-and-drop email builder: Many ESPs have a visual builder that allows merchants to drag and drop different modules, such as images, text boxes, and social links, to an email design. You can select the HTML module and paste the snippet code in the field provided.
• Email HTML editor: Some companies will design an email entirely in an HTML editor. If this is the case with your campaigns, you can paste the HTML snippet where it makes sense for the item to appear in the design.

Regardless of which option you choose, you will need to add an HTML snippet for each item you wish to have in the email. For example, if you want to display four (4) recommendations, then you will paste four HTML snippets, each with an updated position value.

Example HTML snippet

The below snippet references a single recommended item within a recommendation set inside an email.

<a href="https://offsite-discovery.cnstrc.com/v1/product/url?position=1&ui=0&pod_id=pdp-alternative&key=key_abCDefGHijkLM&style_id=standard&campaign_id=campaign_1" target="_blank">

<img
src="<https://offsite-discovery.cnstrc.com/v1/product/image?position=1&ui=0&pod_id=pdp-alternative&key=key_abCDefGHijkLM&style_id=standard&campaign_id=campaign_1" width="200"> border="0" alt="Shop Now" />
</a>

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A note on images

Images with restricted access will not appear in emails. Please ensure the item images are accessible.

Required and optional inputs

Each HTML snippet will contain the inputs listed below. This ensures personalized recommendations for each email recipient are returned. Companies can include optional inputs based on their strategy.