Including Additional Google Shopping Attributes

Attributes can enhance your product visibility, and for some product areas, Google requires certain information for the items to be included in Google Shopping (see the Required for Certain Categories section below).

The idea here is to include as many relevant attributes to your products as possible so you can get better placement for your products in Google Shopping. Attributes only apply to Google Shopping, and do not affect other search engines such as Google Organic (the regular Google search).

You don't need to have all details about your item set as attributes because your title and description are also attributes. Any words you have in the title and first 250 characters of your description will be sent to Google Shopping. That in addition to the product_type that is included for your items (based on the category your item is listed in) will provide much of the key data to Google.

You can place your attributes at the end of your product descriptions in a special format, or you can use your Selling > Batch edit items > Search Optimize page to add your Google Attributes directly. If you are uploading your products to Bonanza via a .csv file, the same rules apply, and you just add your attributes to the end of your description.

How to Format Attributes

All attributes to be added, whether added directly in the item description, or via the batch editor, are surrounded by double brackets and are of the form [[attribute_name:attribute value]]. For example: [[brand:Acme]] (Please note, using dashes or other punctuation in the attribute value will result in your item being disapproved and it will not publish to Google Shopping. Underscore is only allowed in attribute_name, not attribute value). When formatting your attribute values you should use spaces between words, not an underscore ( _ ). Example: [[genre:Rock and Roll]]. If your attributes are formatted correctly they will disappear from the listing and incorrectly formatted ones will show in the listing, no matter which method you use. You can always see what attributes you have assigned to a listing by going to your Batch Editor > Search Optimize.

Attribute Tips

• You can add as many attributes to your item description as you'd like, as long as they're separated by a space. For example: [[brand:Acme]] [[color:red]] [[year:2000]] This would help searchers find your products on Google Shopping if they were searching by brand, color, or year.
• When duplicating a listing using the listing form, the attributes are copied over to the new listing, so be sure to verify the accuracy of your attributes in your batch editor if you use the duplicate listing tool.
• It is important that you only apply attributes to your listings if you have not applied a matching trait. If, for example, the category you have listed an item in has a trait for brand and you use that trait, you should not add the brand attribute for the same item.
• Using the site traits (traits that are currently available when you create/edit your listing) should be your first choice, and attributes should only be used when there is a trait available. Traits help shoppers find your items on Bonanza searches, and, when there is a matching attribute for that trait, Bonanza will send that attribute for your item, along with your trait choice, in your Google Shopping feed. More information on traits.

Attributes we send for you

Sent by Bonanza Automatically for all listings:

• id
• title
• link
• description
• condition
• quantity
• shipping
• image_link
• price
• price_type
• price unit=USD
• tax
• pickup
• product_type - Bonanza will assign a value automatically for this attribute based on the global category you chose. If you would like to override it (generally not recommended), you have to use this attribute. Google Product prefers the product_type to be in a taxonomy format

Note: shipping_weight is not sent automatically. It is sent if the listing is calculated shipping. Otherwise, it is not relevant for Free shipping or Flat Rate shipping.

Required Google attributes on a per-category basis

The definitive guide to what attributes are required can be found by reviewing Google's help documentation. However, we list some of the common attributes that are required here for your convenience. Note that no single product will use all these attributes, but if your product has them, then Google usually requires them.

• Electronics: At least two of the following three identifiers: UPC, Brand, MPN
• Media i.e., Music, Movies, Video games): UPC
• Books: (Exception for books published before 1970): ISBN (Either ISBN-10 or ISBN-13).

Commonly required attributes

brand - The brand name of the product. Only use this attribute once (see also 'manufacturer')
example: [[brand:Acme]]

isbn - This is a unique 10- or 13-digit number assigned to every printed book.
example: [[isbn:0451524233]]

mpn - Manufacturer's Part Number is a unique code determined by the manufacturer for that product.
example: [[mpn:HSC0424PP]]

upc - Universal Product Code is a 12 digit number often below the bar code of the item.
example: [[upc:834721479305]]

Highly Recommended Attributes (where applicable)

author - The author of the information.
example: [[Author:John Steinbeck]]

color - The color of the product. (can be used up to 10 times)
example: [[color:red]]
For multiple: [[color:red]] [[color:blue]] [[color:white]]

manufacturer - Use only for items whose brand and manufacturer are different
example: [[manufacturer:boeing]]

size - The size of an item. Appropriate values include: small, medium, large, etc.
example: [[size:medium]] (can be used up to 10 times)

Depending on what you are selling some of these attributes will apply for your products, others will not apply. See below for additional attributes that may be relevant to your specific product.

See also

Attributes for specific item types