Product feed

What it means

A product feed is a structured file, usually XML or CSV, listing an online store's products with their prices, availability, images and attributes. It is sent automatically to price comparison sites, ad platforms and marketplaces, which build listings from it.

Each destination has its own specification: some fields are mandatory, such as title, price, URL and image, and others recommended, such as EAN, brand, category or shipping. The more complete and accurate the feed, the better products are displayed and matched to searches.

The feed underpins shopping campaigns in PPC advertising, where products appear with an image and price directly in search results. Here feed quality replaces keywords: the ad platform uses titles and descriptions to decide which searches to show a product for.

How it works in practice

The feed is generated automatically from the shop or a PIM system and updated at least daily, more often if prices change quickly. A mismatch in price or availability between the feed and the website leads to rejected products or a suspended account.

Feed optimisation brings significant gains: titles with brand, type and key attributes, quality images on a white background, accurate categories and custom labels to segment products by margin or seasonality in campaigns.

For multiple channels, a feed management tool is often used to create tailored versions from one source to meet the requirements of comparison sites and marketplaces. This saves manual work and reduces errors.

What to watch out for

Feed errors mean rejected products and lost sales, often without the merchant noticing right away. Check the diagnostics in ad platforms and comparison sites regularly and set alerts for a sudden drop in approved products.

Feed prices must comply with the rules on price and discount display. Showing a lower price in the feed than on the website, or a misleading discount, can be an unfair commercial practice and grounds for removal from a platform.