Product Feed
A product feed is a structured file containing data about an online store’s products, which is transmitted to advertising platforms, marketplaces, or price comparison services. The feed includes information about each product: name, price, description, photos, category, availability, specifications, and links to product pages.
What is a Product Feed
A product feed (or product data feed) is a table or file in XML, CSV, YML, or JSON format that automatically transmits product information to external platforms. Thanks to the feed, services can correctly display products in ads and update data without manual editing.
The feed is a product database adapted to the specific requirements of a platform (Google Merchant Center, Yandex.Market, VK Ads, Ozon, etc.).
What a Product Feed Contains
While the requirements of different platforms vary, a feed typically includes fields such as:
- Product Name
- SKU / ID
- Price and Discount
- Availability
- Description
- Category (including Google Taxonomy / Yandex Market Categories)
- Photos (URLs of images)
- URL to the Product Page
- Specifications (size, color, brand, etc.)
- Shipping Cost
- Currency
Additional fields may include:
- GTIN, MPN;
- Age restrictions;
- Parameters for dynamic remarketing.
Purpose of a Product Feed
- Automatic Data Updates: When a product’s price or availability changes, the data in ads is updated automatically.
- Launching Dynamic Advertising: Platforms show users products they have viewed or added to their cart.
- Managing Large Catalogs: Hundreds or thousands of products are processed without manual upload.
- Correct Display on Marketplaces: The feed allows information to be transmitted according to a specific platform’s standards.
- Time Savings: Automation reduces errors and speeds up marketing tasks.
Where Product Feeds are Used
- Google Merchant Center — for Google Shopping and Performance Max campaigns.
- Yandex.Market — YML format.
- VK Ads — product catalog for dynamic retargeting.
- Facebook / Instagram Ads* — catalogs for dynamic ads.
- Marketplaces (Ozon, Wildberries).
- Price Comparison Services.
Product Feed Formats
- XML — the most common format.
- YML — Yandex Market Language format.
- CSV — data table format.
- JSON — used in APIs and some advertising platforms.
Example of a Simplified Feed in YML:
xml
<offer id=”123″>
<name>Nike Air Sneakers</name>
<price>6990</price>
<currencyId>RUR</currencyId>
<availability>true</availability>
<picture>https://site.ru/photo1.jpg</picture>
<vendor>Nike</vendor>
<url>https://site.ru/product/123</url>
</offer>
Common Issues with Feeds
- Incorrect or empty fields.
- Wrong categories.
- Images that are too large or too small.
- Non-compliance with platform requirements.
- Update delays.
- Duplicate products.
Conclusion
A product feed is a key tool for e-commerce automation and launching dynamic advertising. It simplifies the transfer of product data, reduces manual work, and ensures the correct display of a catalog on various platforms.
A well-configured feed is the foundation for effective advertising and stable sales.
