The term “product data feed” originates from the e-commerce sector and describes a data set consisting of structured information on some or all of the articles in an online shop. Using these data feeds, the transfer of large amounts of data is possible and the topicality of the data stocks is guaranteed, as the data feed is read directly from the database.
The most common formats for product data feeds are .csv or .xml files. The data feeds are usually stored as files on a server so that they can be accessed by the distributor via a URL (with access data).
Product data feeds usually contain mandatory attributes and a number of optional attributes. The standard attributes include, for example, product ID, product title, price, the product description or an image link. Optional attributes can be product availability or a special price. The exact requirements for the information to be included depend on the respective feed specifications of the distributors.
A prominent example of product data feeds are search engine sales partners such as Google Shopping or Google Product Listing Ads. Product data feeds also play an important role e.g. in price comparison portals or with affiliate partners.
The continuous checking, maintenance, and optimization of the data feed are indispensable. Incorrect information can result in a non-display of the affected item or even in the feed not being read by the distributor.
In contrast, extensive and up-to-date product data increases the probability of successful product listing on advertising platforms.