Web scraping & data extraction
Web scraping that gives you usable data.
I collect and structure permitted website data so it can be used somewhere else.
When the data exists but not in a usable form
If the information you need is spread across pages or systems with no useful export, I can collect permitted data and turn it into something you can actually import, compare or work with.
Where I focus
Sometimes the information you need exists, but not in a sensible export. It might be spread across manufacturer pages, an old website or a catalogue with an inconsistent structure. Scraping is one way to collect it. The real job is turning the result into something useful and checking its limits.
What the extraction is for
I start with the destination. Are we building a product import, recovering old articles, comparing ranges or preparing an analysis? Each needs a different set of fields and checks.
Collecting every piece of text on a page is easy to confuse with progress. Getting the right product name, identifier, image relationship and source reference is more useful.
Examples from my work
I've worked on manufacturer catalogue extraction, recovering old website content and rebuilding a catalogue from inconsistent page structures.
These are not identical jobs. Source quality and access restrictions affect what can be delivered.
Source limits stay part of the answer
A page may omit a specification, an image may be unavailable for reuse or the source may not provide a dependable stock status. I'll not fill those gaps with plausible-looking guesses.
The scope needs permitted access and an appropriate basis for using the material. I'm not offering to bypass access controls or collect private information.
What information do you need to collect?
Send me the site or a safe sample of the data and explain what is taking too long or not working. I will focus on the smallest useful job first.
A scrape is not automatically a live feed
A dataset describes what was collected at a point in time. Ongoing monitoring brings refresh frequency, errors, source changes and maintenance into the job.
My comparison prototype is one place where the distinction between scraped information and direct supplier data becomes particularly important.
The output should fit the next step
I can help structure the result for a spreadsheet, a WooCommerce import or a more specific workflow. We should agree the fields, a sample and the exception handling before scaling the collection.
Tell me the source and what you need the result to do. Please do not send login details through the enquiry form.
Questions
Can you scrape a site that blocks access?
I'll not bypass restrictions or assume that visible information can be reused without checking the permitted access and intended use. A supplier export or authorised feed may be the better route.
Does scraped data mean real-time data?
No. It describes what was collected from the source at a particular time. Refresh frequency and failure handling are separate parts of the scope.
HAVE SOMETHING AWKWARD?
What information do you need to collect?
Send me the URL, what is happening, what you have already tried and what a useful result would look like. A small anonymised sample is enough to start - do not send passwords, credentials or sensitive customer data.