Product data specification

This article details the requirements and format for every attribute accepted in Manufacturer Center. Some attributes are required, while others are recommended or optional. Failure to provide values for the required attributes will prevent that particular item from processing correctly in your feed upload. Failure to provide recommended or optional attributes will result in incomplete product data in our system, but will not cause the feed to fail.

Throughout this article, you will see the terms item and product. Please note that we use the term item to describe a single product variant. Items are similar to products, but we assume that products can occur in multiple variations. These variations, or “product variants”, can differ by color, size, or style. In other words, an item refers to a single variation of a product. Each entry in your product data file should reflect a single item, or product variant.

Keep in mind only attributes in English should be submitted in your feed, which you'll see in square brackets below. You'll see descriptive and/or translations of the values for illustrative purposes only.

Please note that if you provide many values for repeated attributes (i.e., feature description), we may only display the first few values.

Here are examples:

The values you provide may be displayed to users, so provide values that they will be able to understand.

Basic information

The following attributes contain basic information about your items.

To see full information about the attribute, including best practices, select the link in each attribute table.

id [id] - Identifier of the specific item

Attribute	id `[id]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required for all items
Type	Alphanumeric
Character count	Maximum 50
Repeated field	No
TSV field examples	tddy-123-uk
XML example	`<g:id>tddy-123-uk</g:id>`
Notes / Constraints	Once an item is submitted, the id `[id]` must not change when you update your data, or be used for a different product at a later point in time.

GTIN [gtin] - Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) of the item

Attribute	GTIN `[gtin]` (see full guidelines)
Where to include	Required for all items
Type	8-, 12-, 13-, or 14-digit number (UPC, EAN, JAN, or ISBN)
Character limit	50
Repeated value	Yes
Tex/Tab delimited	3234567890126
XML (Feeds)	`<g:gtin>3234567890126</g:gtin>`

MPN [mpn] - Manufacturer Part Number (MPN) of the item

Attribute	MPN `[mpn]` (see full guidelines)
Where to include	Recommended for all items
Type	Alphanumeric characters
Character limit	70
Text/Tab delimited	GO12345OOGLE
XML (Feeds)	`<g:mpn>GO12345OOGLE</g:mpn>`

title [title] - Title of the item

Attribute	title `[title]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required for all items
Type	Text
Character count	Recommended range 80 to 140
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	Google Nexus 5 Android Phone 32 GB - Black - Unlocked - CDMA / GSM
XML example	`<g:title>Google Nexus 5 Android Phone 32 GB - Black - Unlocked - CDMA / GSM</g:title>`
Notes / Constraints	Follow our Editorial Guidelines closely. For example, do not include any promotional text and do not use BLOCK CAPITALS. For variant products, you are required to include the consumer facing name of all the variant items, including title differences for each variant. For example if “Google Nexus 5 Android Phone 32 GB - Unlocked - CDMA” is available in red and black colors, you must have both of the following titles on two different items submitted: Google Nexus 5 Android Phone 32 GB - Red - Unlocked - CDMA Google Nexus 5 Android Phone 32 GB - Black - Unlocked - CDMA

brand [brand] - Brand name of a product

Attribute	brand `[brand]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required for all items
Type	Text
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	Acme Toys
XML example	`<g:brand>Acme Toys</g:brand>`

product name [product_name] - Canonical name of the product

Attribute	product name `[product_name]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Optional
Type	Text
Character count	Recommended range 80 to 140
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	Color LaserJet CP2025
XML example	`<g:product_name>Color LaserJet CP2025</g:product_name>`

product line [product_line] - Name of a related group of products

Attribute	product line `[product_line]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Recommended for all items
Type	Text
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	Creativa
XML example	`<g:product_line>Creativa</g:product_line>`

product type [product_type] - Type or category of the product

Attribute	product type `[product_type]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Optional
Type	Text, with > to separate hierarchies
Repeated field	Yes; recommended maximum 10 per product
TSV field example	Home & Garden > Kitchen, Dining &Table > Appliances > Refrigerator Household Appliances > Kitchen > Refrigerator
XML example	`<g:product_type>Home & Garden > Kitchen, Dining & Table > Appliances > Refrigerator</g:product_type> <g:product_type>Household Appliances > Kitchen > Refrigerator</g:product_type>`

Rich information

Rich information contains information about the rich media associated with your products. This information can include images, videos, links, or formatted descriptions. While this information is not required, additional attributes provided here can positively influence a user's experience while using Shopping ads by providing enhanced product details.

description [description] - Detailed paragraph description of your product

Attribute	description `[description]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required
Type	Text
Character count	Recommended range 500 to 1,500
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	Solid red, queen-sized bed sheets made from 100% woven polyester, 300 thread count fabric. Set includes one fitted sheet, one flat sheet, and two standard pillowcases. Machine washable; extra deep fitted pockets.
XML example	`<g:description>Solid red, queen-sized bed sheets made from 100% woven polyester, 300 thread count fabric. Set includes one fitted sheet, one flat sheet, and two standard pillowcases. Machine washable; extra deep fitted pockets.</g:description>`
Notes / Constraints	If this field contains line breaks in tab-delimited files, you must enclose it in straight double quotes. Though the limit is 10,000, we recommend 500 to 1,000 characters. Make sure to follow our Editorial Guidelines closely. For example, do not include any promotional text such as "Free shipping", do not use BLOCK CAPITALS, and do not include a description of your brand or company. Additionally, the following information should not be included in descriptions: Links to your store or other websites. Billing, payment, or sales information. References to internal categorization systems, e.g. "Toys & Games > Toys > Baby Dolls." Comparisons to other products beyond the item you’re selling, e.g. “even better/faster/larger than X.” Details about other products, accessories, or similar items available.

feature description [feature_description] - Rich format description

Attribute	feature description [`feature_description]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Recommended
Type	Text and images
Character count	`headline`: recommended maximum 140 `text`: recommended range 250 to 700 `image`: 800x800 pixel minimum
Repeated field	Yes; minimum of 2 per product, 3 to 6 recommended
TSV field example	Now with more zest:The newest iteration of the product now comes with more zestiness. Provides a new outlook on life.:"http://example.com/image1.png",Sharper resolution:"The product now comes with 15""display that is 10X sharper than our previous releases, and it has a 3.5X zoom.":
XML example	`<g:feature_description>` `<g:headline>Now with more zest</g:headline>` `<g:text>The newest iteration of the product now comes with more zestiness. Provides a new outlook on life.</g:text>` `<g:image_link>http://example.com/image1.png</g:image_link>` `</g:feature_description>` `<g:feature_description>` `<g:headline>Sharper resolution</g:headline>` `<g:text>The product now comes with 15" display that is 10X sharper than our previous releases, and it has a 3.5X zoom.</g:text> </g:feature_description>`

image link [image_link] - URL of an image of the item

Attribute	image link `[image_link]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required
Type	URL (Must start with "http://" or "https://")
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	http://www.example.com/image1.jpg
XML example	`<g:image_link>http://www.example.com/image1.jpg</g:image_link>`
Notes / Constraints	The accepted image formats are (in order of preference) JPEG (.jpg/.jpeg), PNG (.png), non-animated GIF (.gif), and BMP (.bmp), and the file extensions for these images should correspond to their format. The accepted URL protocols are "http" and "https". Any symbols used within the image URL must be replaced by URL encoded entities (e.g. comma = %2C). URLs must be crawlable and must not be password protected. User-agents "googlebot" and "googlebot-image" must be allowed to access the directory with your file. Learn more how to set up your robots.txt file.

additional image link [additional_image_link] - Additional URLs of images of the item

Attribute	additional image link `[additional_image_link]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Recommended for items with multiple images
Type	URL (Must start with "http://" or "https://")
Repeated field	Yes; recommended maximum 10 per product
TSV field example	http://www.example.com/image2.jpg, http://www.example.com/image3.jpg, http://www.example.com/image4.jpg
XML example	`<g:additional_image_link>http://www.example.com/image2.jpg</g:additional_image_link>` `<g:additional_image_link>http://www.example.com/image3.jpg</g:additional_image_link>` `<g:additional_image_link>http://www.example.com/image4.jpg</g:additional_image_link>`

video link [video_link] - URL for a video of the item

Attribute	video link `[video_link]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Optional
Type	YouTube URL (Must start with "http://" or "https://")
Repeated field	Yes; recommended maximum 10 per product
TSV field example	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc
XML example	`<g:video_link>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc</g:video_link>`
Notes / Constraints	We recommend videos at 720p (1280x720) or 1080p (1920x1080). Separate each URL by a comma. For tab-delimited feeds, encapsulate the entire field in double quotes. Any symbols used within the video URL must be replaced by URL encoded entities (e.g. comma = %2C). Please note that YouTube has its own terms of service that you agree to when using YouTube.

product page url [product_page_url] - URL of manufacturer's product detail page

Attribute	product page url `[product_page_url]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Optional
Type	URL (Must start with "http://" or "https://")
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	http://www.example.com/asp/sp.asp?cat=12&id=1030
XML example	`<g:product_page_url>http://www.example.com/asp/sp.asp?cat=12&id=1030</g:product_page_url>`
Notes / Constraints	All your URLs must link directly to webpages about your products without pop ups. We don't allow landing pages requiring sign ups or passwords, or direct links to files/email addresses. If multiple products are on the same page, it has to be simple for the user to find the right item. We recommend only one item per page. For variations of the same product, we recommend you submit URLs that pre-select the variant which the user clicked on the Shopping ad. The URL must not redirect or forward to a location external to your site. The URL must start with "http://" or "https://". Any symbols used must be replaced by URL encoded entities (e.g. comma = %2C).

disclosure date [disclosure_date] - Date item is announced publicly

Attribute	disclosure date `[disclosure_date]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Optional
Type	Date
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	2013-12-05
XML example	`<g:disclosure_date>2013-12-05</g:disclosure_date>`

release date [release_date] - Date item is available for purchase

Attribute	release date `[release_date]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Optional
Type	Date
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	2013-12-05
XML example	`<g:release_date>2013-12-05</g:release_date>`

Attribute	suggested retail price `[suggested_retail_price]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Optional
Type	Alphanumeric
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	USD 9.99
XML example	`<g:suggested_retail_price>USD 9.99` `</g:suggested_retail_price>`

product detail [product_detail] - Additional details and specifications

Attribute	product detail `[product_detail]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Optional
Type	Alphanumeric
Sub-attributes	Section name `[section_name]` (Required) Attribute name `[attribute_name]` (Required) Attribute value `[attribute_value]` (Optional)
Character count	Section name: recommended maximum 140 Attribute name: recommended maximum 140 Attribute value: maximum 1,000
Repeated field	Yes
TSV field examples	General:Product Type:Digital player,General:Digital Player Type:Flash based,Display:Resolution:432 x 240,Display:Diagonal Size:"2.5"""
XML example	`<g:product_detail>` `<g:section_name>General</g:section_name>` `<g:attribute_name>Product Type</g:attribute_name>` `<g:attribute_value>Digital player</g:attribute_value>` `</g:product_detail>` `<g:product_detail>` `<g:section_name>General</g:section_name>` `<g:attribute_name>Digital Player Type` `</g:attribute_name>` `<g:attribute_value>Flash based</g:attribute_value>` `</g:product_detail>` `<g:product_detail>` `<g:section_name>Display</g:section_name>` `<g:attribute_name>Resolution</g:attribute_name>` `<g:attribute_value>432 x 240</g:attribute_value>` `</g:product_detail>` `<g:product_detail>` `<g:section_name>Display</g:section_name>` `<g:attribute_name>Diagonal Size</g:attribute_name>` `<g:attribute_value>2.5"</g:attribute_value>` `</g:product_detail>`

Variant information

We define variants as a group of similar items that only differ by attributes like color [color] or style [style]. By submitting variant items, you will help Google improve the end user experience by grouping your products correctly on Google Shopping.

How to submit variant data

Begin by submitting an item for each variant.
- For example, if you offer a particular model of mobile phone in 4 colors (black, white, silver, and red) and 3 storage capacities (8GB, 16GB, and 32GB), you need to submit 12 item variants (Black 8GB, Black 16GB, Black 32GB, White 8GB, White 16GB, etc.).
Include unique id [id] attribute values for each item variant, just like you would for all the other items in your product data.
To identify items as variants of one another, you need to group them together using an item group id [item_group_id]. Each item in the group should have the same item group id [item_group_id]. As a rule of thumb, if a user can choose to select different colors, patterns, sizes, styles, etc. on the landing page of your product, identify them as separate items, but identify them with the same item group id [item_group_id].
Include variant attributes in the title that indicate what makes each variant unique. A value for color [color] and/or product detail [product_detail] must be submitted to differentiate the items.

When crafting a title [title] for variant items, be sure to include the name common to all product variants, as well as the variant attributes that make the product unique.

Example:

Google Nexus 5 Android Phone - 32GB - Black - Unlocked - GSM
Google Nexus 5 Android Phone - 16GB - White - AT&T

item group id [item_group_id] - Identifies variants of a product/style

Attribute	item group id `[item_group_id]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Optional; recommended for items with multiple variants
Type	Alphanumeric
Character count	Maximum 50
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	AB123-Sp14
XML example	`<g:item_group_id>AB123-Sp14</g:item_group_id>`
Minimum requirements at a glance	Use a unique value for each group of variants. Use the parent SKU where possible Keep the value the same when updating your product data Use only valid unicode characters Use an item group id `[item_group_id]` for a set of products that differ by one or more of these attributes: color `[color]` size `[size]` pattern `[pattern]` material `[material]` age group `[age_group]` gender `[gender]` If your products differ by design elements that aren't represented by the attributes above, don't use item group id `[item_group_id]` Include the same attributes for each product in the item group. For example, if a product varies by size `[size]` and color `[color]`, submit size and color for every product that share the same value for item group id `[item_group_id]`

scent [scent] - The specific scent of a product

Attribute	scent `[scent]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required for all products in an item group that vary by scent. Recommended for all products for which scent is an important, distinguishing attribute.
Type	Text
Character count	Maximum 100
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	Pine fresh
XML example	`<g:scent>Pine fresh</g:scent>`

flavor [flavor] - The specific flavor of a product

Attribute	flavor `[flavor]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required for all products in an item group that vary by flavor. Recommended for all products for which flavor is an important, distinguishing attribute.
Type	Text
Character count	Maximum 100
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	Spicy BBQ
XML example	`<g:flavor>Spicy BBQ</g:flavor>`

format [format] - Media format of a product

Attribute	format (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required for all products in an item group that vary by format. Recommended for all products for which format is an important, distinguishing attribute.
Type	Text
Character count	Maximum 100
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	Blu-ray
XML example	`<g:format>Blu-ray</g:format>`

capacity [capacity] - The fixed memory storage capacity of an electronic device

Attribute	capacity `[capacity]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required for all products in an item group that vary by capacity. Recommended for all products for which capacity is an important, distinguishing attribute.
Type	Integer + unit of measurement
Character count	Maximum 100
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	16GB
XML example	`<g:capacity>16GB</g:capacity>`
Notes / Constraints	There are 3 accepted values: “MB” “GB” “TB”

gender [gender] - Gender of the item

Attribute	(see full guidelines)
When to include	Recommended for all products in an item group that vary by gender, and all products for which gender is an important, distinguishing attribute.
Type	Text
Character count	See Notes / Constraints
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	male
XML example	`<g:gender>male</g:gender>`
Notes / Constraints	There are 3 accepted values: “male” “female” “unisex”

age group [age_group] - Target age group of the item

Attribute	age group `[age_group]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required for all products in an item group that vary by age group. Required for all apparel items. Recommended for all products for which age group is an important, distinguishing attribute.
Type	Text
Character count	See Notes / Constraints
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	adult
XML example	`<g:age_group>adult</g:age_group>`
Notes / Constraints	There are 5 accepted values: “newborn” “infant” “toddler” “kids” “adult”

size [size] - Size of the item

Attribute	size `[size]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required for all products in an item group that vary by size. Required for all apparel items in the “Apparel & Accessories > Clothing” and “Apparel & Accessories > Shoes” product categories and subcategories thereof. Recommended for all products for which size is an important, distinguishing attribute.
Type	Text
Character count	Maximum 100
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	XL
XML example	`<g:size>XL</g:size>`

size type [size_type] - Size type of the item

Attribute	size type `[size_type]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Apparel items only. Required for products in an item group that vary by size. Required for all apparel items in the “Apparel & Accessories > Clothing” product categories and sub-categories thereof.
Type	Integer + Unit
Character count	See Notes / Constraints
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	petite
XML example	`<g:size_type>petite</g:size_type>`
Notes / Constraints	There are four accepted values: `regular` `petite` `oversize` `maternity`

size system [size_system] - Size system of an item

Attribute	size system `[size_system]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Only for apparel items
Type	Text
Character count	See Notes / Constraints
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	US
XML example	`<g:size_system>US</g:size_system>`
Notes / Constraints	There are 11 accepted values: "US" "UK" "EU" "DE" "FR" "JP" "CN" "IT" "BR" "MEX" "AU" NOTE: When the attribute is not specified for an item, we automatically use the default values for the target country where you’re selling the item.

color [color] - Color of the item

Attribute	color `[color]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required for all products in an item group that vary by color. Required for all apparel items. Recommended for all products for which color is an important, distinguishing attribute.
Type	Text
Character count	Maximum 100
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	Gold/Silver/Black
XML example	`<g:color>Gold/Silver/Black</g:color>`

theme [theme] - Description of the thematic style, image and appearance of an item

Attribute	theme `[theme]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required for all products in an item group that vary by theme. Recommended for all products for which theme is an important, distinguishing attribute.
Type	Text
Character count	Maximum 100
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	Bears
XML example	`<g:theme>Bears</g:theme>`

pattern [pattern] - Pattern/Graphic of the item

Attribute	pattern `[pattern]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required for all products in an item group that vary by pattern. Recommended for all products for which pattern is an important, distinguishing attribute.
Type	Text
Character count	Maximum 100
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	Striped
XML example	`<g:pattern>Striped</g:pattern>`

material [material] - Material of the item

Attribute	material `[material]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required for all products in an item group that vary by material. Recommended for all products for which material is an important, distinguishing attribute.
Type	Text
Character count	Maximum 200
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	Leather/Cotton
XML example	`<g:material>Leather/Cotton</g:material>`

count [count] - The count of units inside a packaging container of a given size

Attribute	count `[count]` (see full guidelines)
When to include	Required for all products in an item group that vary by count. Recommended for all products for which count is an important, distinguishing attribute.
Type	Integer + unit of measurement
Character count	Maximum 100
Repeated field	No
TSV field example	30 caplets
XML example	`<g:count>30 caplets</g:count>`

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