What is a Product Feed – Why is it Needed and How Should It Be Created?What is a Product Feed?

A product feed is a file in table or stream format that lists all the product positions available in an online store along with their characteristics.

This file usually includes: product name, dimensions, weight, price, SKU, and other important parameters that describe the product listed in the file. In some cases, it may also include conditions for unloading from the warehouse, loading, and delivery. The functions of this file depend on the purpose of its use.

Simply put, a feed is a specialized file containing product parameters from an online store.

Why is it Needed?Such files are usually used to quickly transfer product data to advertising channels. For example:

• Product catalogs

• Advertising systems

• Data upload automation (both for filling an online store and transferring information to various electronic showcases)

• Control of correctly filled product information cards (since feeds are processed in tables, it is easier to check the accuracy of product data)

• Setting up display of similar products from online store parameters

• Assortment analysis (a convenient tool for monitoring sales and stock)
  

The options listed above are the most common. In practice, feeds are most often used to launch advertising and to upload assortments to marketplaces and websites.

Who Needs a Product Feed?The file allows data to be transferred to advertising platforms and shows assortments to search engines. Therefore, almost every company involved in e-commerce uses product feeds. For example, online store owners use them to simplify the assortment upload process. Marketers use feeds to advertise products in showcases. Sellers use them to ensure convenient interaction with platforms.

Types of Product FeedsThere are several popular formats of product feeds. They differ by extension and functionality:

• CSV - Table format. Can be opened with almost any spreadsheet editor (Excel, Google Sheets, OpenOffice). However, it has limited functionality compared to other formats.

• XML - This format uses tags for structuring, making the file similar to HTML. It has flexible settings and allows easy addition of different data.

• TSV, GZ (ZIP) - Formats designed for archiving product feeds. Used to reduce large file sizes for easier transfer.
  

Structure of a Product FeedA product file must include the following structural elements:

• Yml_catalog - Describes the store from which the feed is uploaded.

• Shop - Store name, address, and other characteristics used in YML.

• Category - Product categories listed in the file.

• Offers - A grouping tag containing product descriptions and other attributes.

• Title (Name) - Product name.

• Id (Identifier) - Unique number for identifying each product.

• Price - Product price.

• Description - Product information, including all characteristics and important features.

• Image_link (Image URL) - Link to the product photo.

• Availability - Product quantity and order details, such as pre-order option, limits, or restrictions.

• Link (Product link) - Page address where product details and purchase options are available.
  

How to Create a Product FeedThe file can be created manually or automatically, though the automatic method is most often used. If your online store uses a CMS (Content Management System) or a non-standard structure, manual file creation may also be useful. It is also possible to create XML files, but the simplest option is CSV (spreadsheet system).

Optimizing a Product FeedThe amount of information in the file affects the likelihood of product cards being displayed to potential customers. Feeds must always remain up to date. The following key points must be checked:

• Relevance of information - All data must be updated regularly. Automatic updates are best.

• Quality - The file must be correctly formatted and error-free.

• All required data included - It is recommended to fill in all important tags.

• Duplicate removal - Avoid identical descriptions across different positions.

Optimization closely follows automation. If automatic upload is used during feed creation, most problems can be avoided.

ConclusionA product feed allows online stores to transfer product information to advertising systems. It also simplifies the upload of product cards to seller dashboards on marketplaces.

There are different file formats, and their selection depends on the advertising system where the feed will be uploaded. The file can be created manually, but automation is preferable.

In Short:

• A product feed is designed for transferring product information to advertising channels.

• The choice of file format depends on the requirements of the platform where it will be used.

• Files can be created automatically.

• Timely transfer of updated data significantly increases advertising effectiveness.