Product Feed Schema: Understanding Required Fields and Attributes

Understanding product feed schema and required fields is essential for creating compliant feeds. This comprehensive guide covers all required fields, optional attributes, and how to structure your feed data correctly.

What is Feed Schema?

Feed schema defines the structure and fields required for product feeds. Each platform has specific schema requirements that must be followed for products to be approved.

Required Fields Overview

Universal Required Fields

These fields are required by most platforms:

• id - Unique product identifier
• title - Product name
• description - Product description
• link - URL to product page
• image_link - Product image URL
• price - Product price
• availability - Stock status
• condition - Product condition
• brand - Brand name (most platforms)
• gtin or mpn - Product identifier

Field Details

id (Product ID)

Required: Yes Format: Text or number Requirements:

• Must be unique
• Cannot be duplicated
• Use SKU or product code
• Consistent format

Example: “SKU12345” or “12345”

title (Product Title)

Required: Yes Format: Text Requirements:

• Maximum 150 characters (Google)
• Must accurately describe product
• No promotional text
• Should include brand and attributes

Example: “Nike Air Max 90 Men’s Running Shoes Size 10 Black”

description (Product Description)

Required: Yes Format: Text Requirements:

• Maximum 5,000 characters (Google)
• Must accurately describe product
• No promotional text
• Should be detailed

Example: “The Nike Air Max 90 combines classic style with modern comfort…“

link (Product URL)

Required: Yes Format: URL Requirements:

• Must be absolute URL (https://)
• Must be accessible
• Must point to correct product
• No redirect chains

Example: “https://yoursite.com/product/nike-air-max-90”

image_link (Product Image)

Required: Yes Format: URL Requirements:

• Must be absolute URL (https://)
• Minimum 100x100 pixels
• Recommended 800x800+ pixels
• Formats: JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP
• Must be accessible

Example: “https://yoursite.com/images/nike-air-max-90.jpg”

price (Product Price)

Required: Yes Format: Text with currency Requirements:

• Format: “number currency” (e.g., “29.99 USD”)
• Must include currency code
• Must match website price
• Use decimal point

Example: “29.99 USD” or “99.00 EUR”

availability (Stock Status)

Required: Yes Format: Text Requirements:

• Values: “in stock”, “out of stock”, “preorder”
• Must be lowercase
• Must match website
• Update when inventory changes

Example: “in stock”

condition (Product Condition)

Required: Yes Format: Text Requirements:

• Values: “new”, “refurbished”, “used”
• Must be accurate
• Required for all products

Example: “new”

brand (Brand Name)

Required: Yes (most platforms) Format: Text Requirements:

• Accurate brand name
• Consistent naming
• Required for most products

Example: “Nike”

gtin or mpn (Product Identifier)

Required: Yes (most products) Format: Text or number Requirements:

• GTIN preferred (UPC, EAN, ISBN)
• MPN if GTIN unavailable
• Must be valid
• Must match product

Example: “1234567890123” (GTIN) or “AM90-001” (MPN)

Optional but Recommended Fields

additional_image_link

Purpose: Additional product images Format: URL Benefits: Better product display, more angles

color

Purpose: Product color Format: Text Benefits: Better filtering, search matching

size

Purpose: Product size Format: Text Benefits: Better filtering, search matching

material

Purpose: Product material Format: Text Benefits: Better search matching, filtering

pattern

Purpose: Product pattern Format: Text Benefits: Better search matching

gender

Purpose: Target gender Format: Text Values: “male”, “female”, “unisex” Benefits: Better targeting

age_group

Purpose: Target age group Format: Text Values: “newborn”, “infant”, “toddler”, “kids”, “adult” Benefits: Better targeting

Platform-Specific Requirements

Google Shopping

Required:

• id, title, description, link, image_link, availability, price, brand, condition, gtin/mpn

Optional:

• additional_image_link, color, size, material, pattern, gender, age_group

Facebook/Meta Catalog

Required:

• id, title, description, availability, condition, price, link, image_link, brand, google_product_category

Optional:

• additional_image_link, color, size, material, pattern, gender, age_group

TikTok Shop

Required:

• product_id, title, description, price, currency, inventory, availability, image_url, product_url, category

Optional:

• brand, condition, sku, barcode, color, size, material

Schema Structure

XML Schema Example

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0">
  <channel>
    <item>
      <id>12345</id>
      <title>Product Name</title>
      <description>Product description</description>
      <link>https://yoursite.com/product</link>
      <image_link>https://yoursite.com/image.jpg</image_link>
      <availability>in stock</availability>
      <price>29.99 USD</price>
      <brand>Brand Name</brand>
      <condition>new</condition>
      <gtin>1234567890123</gtin>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>

CSV Schema Example

id,title,description,link,image_link,availability,price,brand,condition,gtin
12345,Product Name,Product description,https://yoursite.com/product,https://yoursite.com/image.jpg,in stock,29.99 USD,Brand Name,new,1234567890123

Best Practices

1. Complete All Required Fields

Best Practice: Fill all required fields for every product

Why:

• Required for approval
• Better performance
• Higher quality scores
• Fewer errors

2. Add Optional Fields

Best Practice: Include optional fields when applicable

Why:

• Better search matching
• Improved filtering
• Higher quality scores
• Better performance

3. Use Consistent Formats

Best Practice: Maintain consistent formatting

Why:

• Easier management
• Fewer errors
• Better quality
• Professional appearance

4. Validate Schema

Best Practice: Validate schema before upload

Why:

• Catch errors early
• Ensure compliance
• Prevent disapprovals
• Save time

Common Schema Mistakes

Mistake 1: Missing Required Fields

Problem: Not including all required fields

Solution: Use checklist, validate before upload

Mistake 2: Wrong Format

Problem: Incorrect data format

Solution: Follow platform guidelines exactly

Mistake 3: Invalid Values

Problem: Using invalid field values

Solution: Check allowed values, validate data

Mistake 4: Inconsistent Schema

Problem: Different schema across products

Solution: Use consistent structure, standardize

Conclusion

Understanding product feed schema and required fields is essential for creating compliant feeds. By following platform requirements and best practices, you can ensure your feeds are approved and perform well.

Remember that schema requirements can vary by platform, so always check the specific requirements for each channel you’re using.

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• Ensures all required fields present
• Validates field formats
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• Formats data correctly
• Validates values
• Enhances data quality

Multi-Channel Support:

• Handles different schemas per channel
• Channel-specific formatting
• Automatic conversion
• Consistent quality

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