New Real-Time Plan for Taobao and 1688: Always Up-to-Date Product Data

Working with marketplace data requires not only comprehensive information but also up-to-date data. Prices, product configurations, images, and other product attributes can change throughout the day, which is why cached data is not suitable for every use case.

That is why we have introduced the new Real-Time plan, which provides the freshest possible product information from Taobao and 1688 directly from the data sources.

How the Real-Time Plan Works

The key feature of the Real-Time plan is that every request first retrieves the latest product information directly from the Taobao and 1688 data sources. The system primarily requests:

• current price;
• product images;
• product configurations;
• other dynamic product attributes.

If fresh data is successfully retrieved, it is considered real-time data.

The system then automatically enriches the response with information from the OT Commerce database, including translations, product specifications, category information, and other accumulated data that makes the product card more complete and convenient to use.

As a result, clients receive not only the latest prices and product information but also a comprehensive set of additional data that is not available from any single source. This approach combines the advantages of multiple data sources to provide the most complete product information possible.

Why We Use Multiple Data Sources

To ensure maximum reliability, we work with multiple data providers.

Each provider has its own characteristics, so in some cases data updates may appear with a slight delay. We continuously evaluate the quality of available data sources, regularly test them, and use the most reliable and up-to-date providers.

This approach allows us to maintain consistently high data quality despite constant changes on the marketplaces.

What Happens If Fresh Data Cannot Be Retrieved

The Real-Time plan is designed to provide only fresh data.

If the system cannot retrieve up-to-date information directly from the data sources at the time of the request, the API does not return cached or outdated information. Instead, it returns an error.

Such requests are not charged. Clients only pay for successful requests that return real-time product data.

Summary

The Real-Time plan combines the benefits of two approaches: retrieving fresh data directly from the original sources and enriching it with information from the OT Commerce database.

The workflow is straightforward:

• if a product already contains complete and up-to-date information, the data is returned immediately;
• if the information is outdated or incomplete, the product is automatically queued for an update;
• if the update cannot be completed in time or the product still does not contain fresh data after the update, the API returns an error;
• requests that end with this type of error are not billed.

In addition to retrieving product data, the Real-Time plan also supports product search by keywords, phrases, sellers, and other parameters, allowing you to use the API to discover new and up-to-date products.

To learn more about pricing, connection options, or the terms of use, submit a request through our website. Our specialists will help you choose the best solution for your project and answer any questions you may have.

We welcome your requests for a free trial.