Google announced yesterday, via the Inside AdWords blog, that they have issued an update to the Google Shopping Products Feed Specification. This update is designed to to provide merchants with more flexibility when organizing product data, and in turn reach more shoppers.
It’s important to note that some of the updates require changes to your current product data that need to be implemented by September 30, 2014. Here’s what’s new in this update:
- Mobile landing page links should be submitted separately to direct mobile shoppers to the right experience
- Merchant-defined custom bundles, such as a camera with additional case and lens, must now be identified as such in order to be displayed appropriately on Shopping
- Apparel attributes are added to allow more detailed descriptions of your apparel products
- Item availability now simplified to allow a clearer distinction between different availability states
- Mandatory character limits clearly stated for each attribute to help the right product information being displayed
Google says they are also revising image quality recommendations as well as developing a new landing page policy as part of the feed specification update.
Beginning September 30, Google will start enforcing the updated feed specification globally, but merchants can submit the new attributes immediately.
Google encourages all merchants to review the new feed specification as some of the updates will require changes to your current product data. To find a list of all changes, view the updated feed specification in the Merchant Center Help Center.
