Google Base updated its specifications to include about 40 more pre-defined attributes (on top of the infinite number of custom attributes). Read more at the Google Base blog.

While these fields are not currently listed in the SingleFeed specification or sample SingleFeed, we now support all the new attribute fields. All you have to do is include the proper field names in your feed, and we’ll pass the data along to Google Base…hopefully we’ll soon pass it along to some other engines, too.

Google Base makes specific recommendations on including certain attributes for certain products. For example, apparel retailers are encouraged to provide: color, department, made_in, material, size, style. [BTW, SingleFeed was already sending 'department' along to Google Base - it's our category field - and we've strongly recommended including color and size since day 1.] But why stop there? With SingleFeed’s new support of Google Base custom attributes, you could also include:

c:bra_type:string (and enter sports, demi cup, sheer, padded/lined, push-up, etc.)

c:waterproof:boolean (and enter true or false)

c:pleated:boolean (and enter true or false)

c:inseam:string (and enter 32 inches)

c:designer:string (and enter vera wang, nicole miller, DKNY, etc.)

In other words, as SingleFeed has always recommended, take advantage of the flexibility of Google Base. The whole point of SingleFeed is to save you hours and hours of work creating and managing your feed so you can spend time on optimization. In using these new pre-defined or custom attributes, you’ll be part of the very small minority whose products will show up as the only options when shoppers filter or enter very specific queries on Google Base.

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 25th, 2007 at 2:39 am and is filed under SingleFeed. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.