The module allows you to set certain Google "required data" fields as PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES.
This is how I configure my zencart store BEFORE I start using the Google Feeder Module.
1. Every product has a unique MODEL name - usually an abbreviation of the product name. I sell unique, customised engraved items so do not have any UPN or GTIN numbers. But Google REQUIRES at least something here and will accept MPN. The module will parse the MODEL name/number int the feed by default, so Google accepts this. If you sell branded products, and need a GTIN or UPN, then you will need to install Numinix Product Feeds, so that these can be inserted into the product data when you add or edit products. But esentially, I make sure each product I sell has a unique MODEL name/number. This is essential for other reasons as well (such as if you use easy populate, or wish to control stock levels efficiently.)
2. I set up SEVERAL "manufacturers". Now while I am the sole manufacturer of all the products I sell, I "leverage" the manufacturers' data in several ways. For example, the Google feeder module does not allow us to specify individual products to exclude, so what I do is for products I do not want in the feed, I allocate a "manufacturer", then, in the Google Feed Configuration, I set "Excluded Manufacturers" to the zen ID of that manufacturer - in my case, the ID is "17", so all products with manufacturer=17 will not be incuded in the field. I use manufacturers for organisation in AdWords and Google Shopping, where this is interpreted as "Brand", and if you want to structure your Shopping Campaigns to take advantage of Google Product Codes, then this is a very useful way of doing it.
3. ATTRIBUTES. As I say, the feeder module will "search" for specific Attribute Options and their Values to include in the fields needed to satisfy Google Requirements.
I have ATTRIBUTES (Option Names) called:
- Google Product Category
- Material (with Option VALUES = Brass, Chrome, Silver, Aluminum, Gold, Plastic)
- Color (with option VALUES = Black, Blue, Green, Gold, Pink, Purple, Red, Silver)
- Age Group (with option VALUES = Adults, Kids)
- Gender (with option VALUES – (Male, Female, Unisex)
Not ALL product categories need these google datasets, but again... I leverage these to appeal to my Google Shopping Campaign, where I can use the Google Product Category to add better "granularity" to the feed, and to then use this as a sorting feature in the AdWords/Shopping Campaign.
In my case I have a bit of a problem, because most of my products have colour attributes anyway. As Googlefeeder will recognise "color" (and the English spelling "colour") as a Googlefeed feature, I set up a separate Option Name called "Main Colour" - because a lot of my products need colour dropdown attributes for my customers uses. By creating an Option Name "Main Colour", with all its relevant Option Values, I can then set the "Color" Option Name and Values to suit what gets parsed into the Google XML feed. The Option Names are set as READ ONLY.
Now... SOME of my products appeal to customers looking for engraved tags as "fashion" accessories - such as sterling silver dogtags. Other tags I sell are aimed at Pet Owners, while some tags I sell are Medic-Alert tags. I also sell keyrings. Other tags are aimed at industrial customers. Each of these needs separate Google Product Categories: eg:
175: Clothing & Accessories / Handbag & Wallet Accessories / Key Chains
976: Business & Industrial / Signage
5093: Animals & Pet Supplies / Pet Supplies / Pet ID Tags
5965: Health & Beauty / Health Care / Medical Identification Tags & Jewellery
So, in ATTRIBUTES, (Option VALUES), I create the following:
For OPTION NAME – Google Product Categories – Option Values =
175
976
5093
5965
Now… SOME of these product categories must also satisfy Google’s criteria of GENDER, and AGE GROUP… such as Google Categories 175 and 5965. So for my fashion dogtags and medical alert tags, I add the attributes (option values) of Gender (option values= Male, Female, Unisex) and Age Group (option values = Adults, Kids) and Color (option values= Gold, Silver). For other Google Product Categories – such as 5093 (pet id tags) – I do not need to specify Gender or Age Group, so do not need to apply these Option Names/Values to all my Pet ID tags. But for 175 and 5965 I DO need to specify them.
I have structured the SORT ORDER of my Option Names and Values to “list” these at the bottom of the attributes display in Product Info pages – but I use some nifty tricks with the Option Values Comments field – where I insert various HTML tags to “hide” these from view from people who are looking at the Product Info page. HTML tags such as <!—and (to close it later) --> will be “parsed” into the page html, rendering these attributes “invisible” to page visitors. I then make sure all my GOOGLE ATTRIBUTES are “encased” in these tags (using sort orders) so that they all fall within the <!—and -- > tags.
The resulting HTML sent to the browser, therefore looks like this
SO… the page VISITOR does not see these attributes – but Google Merchant Feeder Module DOES, and will parse the values into the XML feed.HTML Code:<div class="wrapperAttribsOptions" id="txt-attrib-3"> <h4 class="optionName back"><label class="attribsInput" for="attrib-3-0">Front first line</label></h4> <div class="back"> <input type="text" name="id[txt_3]" size="30" maxlength="18" value="" id="attrib-3-0" /> </div> <br class="clearBoth" /> </div> <br class="clearBoth" /> <h3 class="attributesComments"><!-- GP database edit --><hr /></h3> <div class="wrapperAttribsOptions" id="txt-attrib-7"> <h4 class="optionName back"><label class="attribsInput" for="attrib-7-0">Back first line</label></h4> <div class="back"> <input type="text" name="id[txt_7]" size="30" maxlength="18" value="" id="attrib-7-0" /> </div> <br class="clearBoth" /> </div> <br class="clearBoth" /> <div class="wrapperAttribsOptions" id="txt-attrib-8"> <h4 class="optionName back"><label class="attribsInput" for="attrib-8-0">Back second line</label></h4> <div class="back"> <input type="text" name="id[txt_8]" size="30" maxlength="20" value="" id="attrib-8-0" /> </div> <br class="clearBoth" /> </div> <br class="clearBoth" /> <div class="wrapperAttribsOptions" id="txt-attrib-9"> <h4 class="optionName back"><label class="attribsInput" for="attrib-9-0">Back third line</label></h4> <div class="back"> <input type="text" name="id[txt_9]" size="30" maxlength="20" value="" id="attrib-9-0" /> </div> <br class="clearBoth" /> </div> <br class="clearBoth" /> <h3 class="attributesComments"><!-- GP database edit</h3> <div class="wrapperAttribsOptions" id="ro-attrib-30"> <h4 class="optionName back">Google Product Category</h4> <div class="back"> 5965<br /> </div> <br class="clearBoth" /> </div> <br class="clearBoth" /> <div class="wrapperAttribsOptions" id="ro-attrib-31"> <h4 class="optionName back">Color</h4> <div class="back"> Gold<br /> </div> <br class="clearBoth" /> </div> <br class="clearBoth" /> <h3 class="attributesComments">--><HR /></h3> <div class="wrapperAttribsOptions" id="drp-attrib-1"> <h4 class="optionName back"><label class="attribsSelect" for="attrib-1">Confirm your selections...</label></h4> <div class="back"> <select name="id[1]" id="attrib-1"> <option value="3" selected="selected">Please make a selection...</option> <option value="1">Yes. Everything is correct</option> <option value="2">Engraving is not required</option> </select> </div>
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