Each channel has its own requirements
Shopping feeds, marketplaces and comparison sites each demand a particular set of attributes in a particular format. Missing one required field means the item is rejected, and rejections are easy to miss.
That is why stores frequently find that only two thirds of their catalogue is actually listed anywhere.
The attributes that cause problems
- Product identifiers — GTIN, MPN, brand, frequently missing
- Category mapped to the channel's own taxonomy, not yours
- Condition, availability and price format
- Shipping information, which some channels require in the feed
- Images meeting size and background requirements
Missing product identifiers is the single most common cause of feed rejections. If your supplier provides them, get them into your product data; if not, that limits which channels you can use.
Check the rejections
- Look at the channel's diagnostics after every feed update
- Fix the underlying product data rather than patching the feed
- Watch for items that stop being listed after a price or stock change
- Compare listed count against catalogue count monthly
Nobody is notified when a feed item is rejected. The only way to know is to look.
Fix the data, not the feed
Feed rules that patch missing data are a workaround, and they multiply as channels are added. Fixing the product data once fixes every channel simultaneously.
That is also the version that improves your own store's filters and search at the same time.
Do not list everything everywhere
| Consider excluding | Why |
|---|---|
| Very low margin lines | Channel fees can make them loss-making |
| Heavy or awkward items | Shipping cost destroys the economics |
| High return rate products | Returns plus fees rarely leaves anything |
| Items with poor images | They will not convert anyway |