Enforcement of Google Shopping UPI Requirements

Regarding custom goods that you don't have a unique product identifier (UPI), Presto has been telling its users that if you are missing a UPI not to include any other UPIs, so I've been trying to find out if this is true for all who submit listings to Google Shopping (GS). While I can't speak for marketplace venues or the hosting services that handle submissions for their customers, I can provide the general info I just discovered within the above video at about 18:00.

First, custom goods are defined as "one-of-a-kind items for which no unique product identifiers exist, like vintage goods, collectibles, art, perishables, books published before 1970, and other special items. Custom goods can be in any product category." The required UPIs are brand, GTIN, and/or MPN.

In most cases, 2 of the 3 UPIs are required, brand being required for every product category except media, books and custom goods. GTIN is the attribute for UPC, ISBN, JAN or EAN. To determine which GTIN is required for a product category, refer to Unique Product Identifier Requirements link above.

Any UPI you have for a product should be included, along with any of the recommended attributes that apply to your product. The more info you provide, the better your listing will place in GS. For all required and recommended attributes by category, refer to the Summary of Attribute Requirements.

So, if you don't have a UPI for an item and you cannot find a product match in GS to harvest it from, then the identifier_exists:false attribute for custom goods should be used. However, you must make certain that one does not exist or you could find that item being demoted or disallowed in GS.

As stated in the above video at about 18:24, when using the identifier_exists:false attribute, you are not required to include any of the other UPIs, but you can still include whichever ones you have. Also, you do not need to remove any retired attributes -- quantity, feature, manufacturer, genre, featured product, year, author, edition, and adwords publish. Again, the more info you provide, the better.

The above information is for those who submit their own feeds or don't have any special rules for applying attributes placed on them by the host of their store. If you sell on a marketplace venue or have a store hosted by a service (like Presto) that submits your feed for you, you should check with their support team for any special instructions.

However, I can say that eCrater does not have any such special instructions. Even if you're still using the old UPC, ISBN, JAN or EAN attributes that are now to be included under the GTIN attribute, eCrater converts them to GTIN for you. However, it might be a good idea to go ahead and change those attributes to GTIN.