Each product that you send to Google using the Google Feed must contain certain information in order for Google to display it on its search network.

One of the main requirements for products you submit are something known as Product Identifiers. You can read more about Identifiers at https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/160161?hl=en-GB

Briefly, these comprise of,

i) A brand/manufacturer for the product
ii) A Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)
iii) A Manufacturer Part Number (MPN)

In most cases you should always try and supply the brand/manufacturer of the product. You can do this by installing the Brands APP in your account and then assigning a brand that you create using the APP to each of your products. Follow the instructions here for more information.

You should also always try and supply a GTIN for each product that you add. You can read more information about GTINs/EANs and MPNs by clicking here.

You can add in the GTIN and MPN for the product in the 'additional information' box when adding/editing the product.

If you do not want to supply a GTIN or MPN then you can mark the product as not having an identifier.

In the 'google shopping' section, tick the box indicated in the example below.

Google Product Categories

Google has its own categorisation system for products submitted to it through feeds. It uses these categories to classify products and allow its users to browse through products more easily.

You can assign your products to one of Google's own categories when adding/editing the product.

Scroll to and open the 'Google Shopping' box.

You'll need to search within the box for a category that matches your product.

If you select a category that contains subcategories, you'll be prompted to select the subcategory, but this is not a requirement.

Item condition

Google allow you to send through details of the 'condition or state of the item' that you are selling.

There are only three accepted values:

• 'new': The product is brand new and has never been used. It's in its original packaging which has not been opened.
• 'refurbished': The product has been professionally restored to working order, is "as new" and comes with a warranty. The packaging may or may not be the original packaging. This is sometimes referred to as "remanufactured".
• 'used': If the two previous values don't apply. For example, if the product has been used before, is a refilled printer cartridge or the original packaging has been opened or is missing.

Detailed Product Attributes

Detailed product attributes allow you to submit additional information about a product (like its colour or material) in the Google Feed.

Google mandates that detailed attributes are submitted about certain products depending on the category they are in (for example, if submitting products in the apparel category you must submit a colour for the item). You can read more about the requirements for your items on Google's help guides here.

Detailed product attributes are not enabled on your account by default, instead you'll need to manually activate them. To do so, select 'feeds' from the left menu and then 'google feed'.

Open the 'detailed product attributes' box and tick the attributes that you want to submit for your products.

You don't need to save your changes on this page, as soon as you tick the box, the attribute will be available to you when adding/editing the product and through the import/export system.

Age Group

The 'Age Group' value that should be submitted in the feed can be selected from the 'google age group' drop down list.

You can find out more information about this field here.

Gender

The 'Gender' value that should be submitted in the feed can be selected from the 'google gender' drop down list.

You can find out more information about this field here.

Material

The 'Material' value that should be submitted in the feed can be entered in the 'leather' field. You cannot enter multiple values here.

You can find out more information about this field here.

Pattern

The 'Pattern' value that should be submitted in the feed can be entered in the 'pattern' field. You cannot enter multiple values here.

You can find out more information about this field here.

Size Type

The 'Size Type' value that should be submitted in the feed can be selected from the 'size type' field.

You can find out more information about this field here.

Colour & Size

The 'Google Colour' field allows you to enter the colours that should be submitted in the feed. You can enter multiple colours, separating each with a comma, as shown on the example below. Read more about Google Colour here.

You can also submit a value for the 'Google Size' field. You cannot enter multiple values here (like you can for colour). Read more about Google Size here.

Automatic Colours & Sizes

If you have a product which comes in size and/or colour variations, our system will automatically create the Google Colour and Google Size values for you, based on the Colour and Size variations that you create. You must create the variation names as Size and Colour to achieve this.

Any values you enter in the Google Colour or Google Size fields will be ignored (so you can leave them blank).

We will submit each variation combination as a separate item in the Google Feed and include the item group id field.

The product import/export system

Each of the detailed product attribute fields described above are also available on the import/export system.

Where our system forces the selection of a value from a drop down list, e.g. for 'Google Size Type' you must enter a value in your spreadsheet to exactly match one of these pre-defined values, e.g. Big and Tall.

Where multiple values are allowed, e.g. 'Google Colour', you can enter the values in your spreadsheet, separated with a comma.