FAQs

This section contains topics that answer questions frequently asked by web developers using the Oracle Responsys Web Push Service.

Setup and Integration

Browser, OS Support

Migrations

Web Push Permissions

Setup and Integration

We are Deploying the Responsys Web Push Solution on our Website. We have a UAT / QA Website and a Production Website. How do we get started with the Integration?

First, Integrate and Test Web Push on the UAT / QA Website. Once the Integration is validated on the UAT / QA Website, promote it to the Production Website.

We have multiple Websites and would like to set up a Web Push on each of our Websites. Do we create a Web Push App per Website or a single Web Push App for all Websites?

  • Create a separate Web Push App for each Website (Website Domain). This will generate an independent JS Tag and Service Worker for each Website (Website Domain).

  • Do not use the JS Tag and Service Worker from one Web Push app on multiple website domains. Otherwise, your end-users could receive duplicate notifications.

Should I use SHA256 or MD5HASH as the match key?

No, we do not recommend using EMAIL_SHA256_HASH_ or EMAIL_MD5_HASH_ as the match key (or as the user identifier in the web push app). Using the SHA-256-hashed email address or the MD5-hashed email address can cause confusion when a Web Push Channel List record is created and a Profile List record does not currently exist for the email address.

Example: A Responsys user has created the Web Push Channel List using SHA256 or MD5HASH as the match key. A new mobile app user registers from their device using the email address user@example.com. (Assume that the SHA256/MD5HASH value of user@example.com is ABC123.) Responsys receives the device registration and one of the following occurs:

  • Email address matches an existing Profile List record: If a Profile List record exists for user@example.com, then the system is able to match the profile record in the Profile List and can associate the profile record to the Web Push Channel List device record.
  • Email address does not match an existing Profile List record: If user@example.com does not have an existing record in the Profile List, the system creates a new Profile List record with the SHA256/MD5HASH. The system also associates the profile record to the Web Push Channel List device record. However, because MD5/SHA are one-way keys, the system cannot use the incoming USER_IDENTIFIER value of ABC123 and convert that to user@example.com. Therefore, in this example, the profile record has the hashed email address value but the EMAIL_ADDRESS_ field in the profile record would be blank. This can cause a lot of confusion for Responsys users, because users usually search for Profile List records using the plain text Email Address. However, if at a later time the user signs up with user@example.com using a web form or some other mechanism, then Responsys will correctly associate the same profile record and not create a new one.

How can a Website Identify Web Push Users as "Known Users"?

Identifying a Web Push User as a Known User is controlled by the Website / Web Developers by Setting the User Identifier for the Web Push User. The setting of User Identifier is controlled entirely by the Website / Web Developers:

  • Website / Web Developers need to call API .setUserId() - See API Reference.
  • This API should be called only when a user is identified as a Known User.
  • Usually, websites invoke this API when a user logs in to the website.
  • The Value for "User Identifier" passed in this API should be the "Match Key" type (Customer ID / Email Address / Mobile Number) set for the Web Push Channel List during Web Push Channel List creation.

    • See section Web Push Channel List for details on how to set the "Match Key" during Web Push Channel List creation.

Work with the Marketing team and Responsys Account Admin to define the “Match Key”. This should ideally be the “User Identifier” that your end users use to log in to your website (For example: Email Address, Mobile Number, or Customer Id).

Note: Once the Web Push User has Logged-out / cannot be Identified any more, Websites should invoke the .resetUserId() API- See API Reference. This resets the Web Push User as an Anonymous User on Responsys.

How do we design a Custom Badge Image for Chrome on Android? Can a Custom Badge Image be added to Web Push Notifications?

Refer to the Badge Image Guidelines.

How do we handle unsupported Browsers and Operating Systems when implementing Responsys Web Push?

Ensure you handle Unsupported Browsers and Operating Systems as specified in How to handle Unsupported Platforms.

Browser, OS Support

What Browsers, Operating Systems does Responsys Web Push Support?

Refer to Browser Support.

How do we handle unsupported Browsers and Operating Systems when implementing Responsys Web Push?

Ensure you handle Unsupported Browsers and Operating Systems as specified in How to handle Unsupported Platforms.

Migrations

We currently use Web Push on our Website and that is implemented through a different Web Push Provider. Does Responsys support migration from an existing Web Push Provider to Responsys?

Yes, Responsys supports Migration from an existing Provider to Responsys Web Push. See Migrating from an Existing Provider.

We use Responsys Web Push on our eCommerce website. We are migrating our eCommerce Website from the current eCommerce website platform (for example, Magento, WebSphere) to a new eCommerce platform. The website domain hosting the production environment will remain the same. How do we migrate the Responsys Web-push channel from the current platform to the new platform?

No specific changes are required other than ensuring that all the existing Web Push Setup and Configuration is maintained when you move your website to a new eCommerce Platform or Web Server:

  • Ensure the Service Worker is uploaded to the required location (Website Root).

    Upload the webpush-service-worker.js file to the top-level root of your site directory, making them publicly accessible.

  • Ensure the JS SDK is Tagged on the Website.

  • For Web Push Setup on your Website, see Step-by-Step Setup Instructions.

Test and Verify that Web Push Display and Engagement Reporting works:

  • Confirm your new eCommerce Platform Setup by opting in for a few new Test Users, sending the New Test Users a few Web Push Campaigns, and confirming the Web Push Display and Engagement Reporting.

  • To send a Test Push Notification see Send Test Notifications.

  • Perform an End-to-end Test:

    • Send a Test Web Push Campaign to these New Test Users and confirm that Web Push is displayed and Opens work.

    • Engagement Reporting: Verify that Opens are raised successfully for the Test Web Push Campaign. See Web Push Reporting.

Web Push Permissions

What does the Web Push Permission Prompt/ Pop-up look like? What is the Visual Design and Language of the pop-up?

Browsers issue the Web Push Permission prompt. Each browser has its own Visual Design and Language, but they are similar to the below example from Chrome on MacBook. You can try opening a Website that supports Web Push on different Browser and OS combinations to understand the Visual Design and Language of each Browser's Web Push Permission prompt.

Example: Prompt for Chrome on MacBook
Prompt for Chrome on MacBook