google shopping data feed updates

[wcw]

Re: google shopping data feed updates

So for each variant you go to the product edit screen and add an image under additional images tab? That will work if it is the same code on every variant in the store. As the feed runs through the products, it will call the additional product images module (which must be assigned under utilities) and lookup the image for that specific variant. I already have code to do that in the tool kit (undocumented) so that will be a copy and paste code to get that working.

As Mark said, there will need to be a conditional; if no variant image, default back to the main product image (under the old system) for the feed. I am assuming that if there are no custom product images, the PROD page in merchant.mvc is defaulting to the main image under the old system. Is that right?

I haven't looked at the image machine yet. How does it know which custom product image field to use for the swap of these variants? Is that hard coded somewhere or is everybody supposed to use code = A?

[Datagg]

Re: google shopping data feed updates

So for each variant you go to the product edit screen and add an image under additional images tab? That will work if it is the same code on every variant in the store. As the feed runs through the products, it will call the additional product images module (which must be assigned under utilities) and lookup the image for that specific variant. I already have code to do that in the tool kit (undocumented) so that will be a copy and paste code to get that working.

As Mark said, there will need to be a conditional; if no variant image, default back to the main product image (under the old system) for the feed. I am assuming that if there are no custom product images, the PROD page in merchant.mvc is defaulting to the main image under the old system. Is that right?

I haven't looked at the image machine yet. How does it know which custom product image field to use for the swap of these variants? Is that hard coded somewhere or is everybody supposed to use code = A?

All this going to the Image Machine way & or Dynamic situations... What if you don't use the Image Machine... Town Square Jewelry uses Magic Zoom, Girlfriends Lingerie uses custom direct calls .... This is just a mess...

[Mark Hood]

Re: google shopping data feed updates

So for each variant you go to the product edit screen and add an image under additional images tab? That will work if it is the same code on every variant in the store. As the feed runs through the products, it will call the additional product images module (which must be assigned under utilities) and lookup the image for that specific variant. I already have code to do that in the tool kit (undocumented) so that will be a copy and paste code to get that working.

As Mark said, there will need to be a conditional; if no variant image, default back to the main product image (under the old system) for the feed. I am assuming that if there are no custom product images, the PROD page in merchant.mvc is defaulting to the main image under the old system. Is that right?

I haven't looked at the image machine yet. How does it know which custom product image field to use for the swap of these variants? Is that hard coded somewhere or is everybody supposed to use code = A?

What image gets displayed will depend on how the attribute machine is set up. The way I have it set is


This will over ride any images set at the main product level (sort of)
I uploaded an image to my test page for the full sized image. You may catch a flash of it if you refresh the page.

The other really big problem for us is that when auto generating variants there is no price, weight or color / size description. This means a lot more work to each and every variant which is a huge task

[wcw]

Re: google shopping data feed updates

You'll still be able to use the product custom images module to store the data. Since you did not have all those extra images, you haven't been using the image machine to swap out the variant images anyway. When you obtain/create all those images I would think you would transition over to the image machine, since it seems to be working very nice in Mark's example. If you don't, you probably won't be able to submit those products unless you can convince Google to dump their plan.

[wcw]

Re: google shopping data feed updates

Mark,

Where does it ask for the custom image field code in the setup? I looked at that screen in my store and do not see where I would set a specific field code.

Does this mean that if you enable attribute machine and have regular (no variants) products you still have to upload the main image to the additional product field or you won't have an image on the page? Is it not defaulting to the regular image field if it is a non-variant product?

[Mark Hood]

Re: google shopping data feed updates

If you click on products in your left menu your should see a tab for image types. You then create and assign that via checkbox to the product page.

If at the main product you upload an image to the additional image tab with no variants it would use that, and you would assign the same code_a (which uses the same custom field) Otherwise it defaults to something in the full-size image but additional images over rides it first.

In theory I'm guessing Miva would have done away completely with thumbnail and full size image fields if they did not have to do legacy support.

[wcw]

Re: google shopping data feed updates

How does image machine know to use code_a for the main product or the variant products. What if you have 5 different views of a single product, not related to variants. Each additional image would have a different Code, e.g. left, right, back, front, code_a etc. How does it know which to load to the main image area as an option is selected? Is there a default image that displays first?

[Mark Hood]

Re: google shopping data feed updates

On every product (including variants) the additional image tab has a display order that can be set. This is kind of annoying if you try and upload the images all at once but can be quickly changed. It is however always the first image that gets loaded so if you do it one at a time you make sure the front is the first one you drag/drop or use the upload for.

If you are not using images at the variant level than any selection made would not change the image. This also means the custom field for front view would not contain anything.

[wcw]

Re: google shopping data feed updates

Unless someone has a better idea, the custom product image module is the way to go. The code input for the image type will need to be definable in the TDF since each store may name it however they want. One might call it code_a while another call it default. The lookup API is looking for a field name. So I'm thinking the token will be something like %image:default% where the 2nd parameter is the code your store uses for the primary image. If there is no custom image type with that code, it will fall back to the old image system. Any dissenters?

Next issue. Google is saying the inventory status has to be specified. There are 4 options: in stock, available for order, out of stock, preorder. Currently miva can easily identify in stock, ie you have inventory greater than 0. Available for order means you don't have it in your warehouse but it ships in 4 days (presumably from a drop shipper). With these I assume you give items a positive number so people can buy them. Out of stock in miva means 0 inventory. But it might also mean preorder.

The token used would have to apply to all products in the store. So I'm thinking if the quantity is greater than 0, it would be option 1 or 2 above. If the item is 0 or less, it could be option 3 or 4. But in miva there is no way to distinguish which of the two choices applies to the status. Here is what I am thinking. The token could be
%available:in stock:out of stock% In this case if it is greater than 0, the first message, if not the second message. Likewise, if you are drop shipping %available:available for order:out of stock% could be your token. The other issue is a bit tricky. If you want to feed preorder products to be listed, you would change the second message. But that would mean you would have to make out of stock items inactive. That would be a lot of work. Likewise, manually updating a custom field with the message would be labor intensive. So I'll open this one up for discussion. How would you folks like to handle the availability requirement from Google?

[alphabet]

Re: google shopping data feed updates

Just a thought, could we use a pipe delimited file in %inv_available% or use %inv_level% which has three choices in, low or out?

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

Re: google shopping data feed updates

Consider this REQUIREMENT:
If you're selling multiple variations of a product (such as a t-shirt in multiple colors), you must give an image of the correct variation (except for variations of sizes). If you do not have the correct image for the variation of the product, you may not submit the item.

Google says the image used with a variant has to be for that variant and not the main product image. So it implies you need an option image for small blue v-neck and a different image for large red crew neck if they are in the same product code but different options. I had originally thought of using the attr/option image that exists now. However, some people may just have a blue square for the selection of blue color and nothing for image for size or neck style. Then again, they could have an option image for neck style. There just is not an image that combines color and style. Having to create 30 images or more to have all the different variant options would be totally insane. Then you would have to upload it to the inactive variant products instead of the main product. Google has lost their way.

Does nobody else see this as a problem? Are stores just going to stop submitting to Google Product Search?

Regarding images...can you submit a javascript call for an image? Reason is, I don't know of a major retailer that uses separate images for each product color...they almost all use some dynamic system of providing such colors variations.

[Datagg]

Re: google shopping data feed updates

Regarding images...can you submit a javascript call for an image? Reason is, I don't know of a major retailer that uses separate images for each product color...they almost all use some dynamic system of providing such colors variations.

A typical product image we are supplied with Bruce may have 6 color combos, yet only 2 or 3 images at times supplied. Sometimes, we get none, only different angles and poses of the model.

This whole thing hits more levels of insanity the more I look at it... And to top it all off, to ask this monumental situation all to be done in such a short time or ELSE truly states the disconnection of reality, the respect and a total disregard to the masses. Heck we all thought PCI compliance was a huge issue... this brain storm of an idea is much worse IMO.

[alphabet]

Re: google shopping data feed updates

Bruce, from yesterday merchant help center, it has to be a unique image for each variant:

http://www.google.com/support/forum/...c44d7522&hl=en

I don't see how they can access an image layer object id without an interface.

[wcw]

Re: google shopping data feed updates

Just a thought, could we use a pipe delimited file in %inv_available% or use %inv_level% which has three choices in, low or out?

Low is not one of the Google options. It is either in or out. If it is in, there are two scenarios. If it is out there are also two scenarios. The problem is miva does not distinguish between the sub-scenarios. So a store is going to have to decide what they will use for their global sub_scenarios.

[Red Flare]

Re: google shopping data feed updates

Regarding products with no required attributes or that are custom/hand made. Here is an exemption form
... http://www.google.com/support/mercha...e_id_exemption