Database-Driven Product Catalog System

Abstract

A Web-based Product Catalog is an online product database that requires easy access from anywhere in the world and uses the most efficient method for information retrieval. The database should support all products no matter what attributes the products have. Many large businesses have been unsuccessful in their attempts to create a product database that enables fast, efficient access across the Web. As there are many complex issues involved with the storage of product information, many companies settle for poorly designed databases as a tradeoff to becoming Web compatible faster. This chapter explores database-driven E-Commerce product catalogs and the issues that inhibit its creation. A Web-based Product Catalog System has been put forward in this chapter that allows for storage of all product specific information. Storage and retrieval of attributes that have no structure, like media objects (pictures, video clips, audio samples) have also been implemented in this system. Media objects are becoming an important feature to product catalogs, especially those intended for deployment on the Internet. Another important feature supported by the system is the ability switch between languages. This multi-language feature allows all of the product information to be understood right around the world, broadening the potential users of the system.