Friday, February 23, 2007 at 4:20 PM
By Roshan Vyas, Google Base SupportA question I often see from Google Base providers is: "What happens to my bulk upload after it has been approved?" The answer is: items will stay live in the search results until they expire. For some providers, items can expire before an updated bulk upload is submitted, so make sure to schedule your bulk uploads accordingly! Occasionally we have to take items down that don't comply with our Editorial Policies and Program Policies. While we notify providers when we take down items, you can help ensure your items stay active with the following tips:
- If your item uses the price attribute, the price you include must match the price on the landing page, or all of the items in your account will be removed. This is one of the most common reasons why items are removed, and it can be easily prevented by refreshing your bulk upload when prices change on your site. Also, if you sell items in bulk, the price included on Base should be the price per item for the minimum quantity available on your site. In addition, if the items you list include a mail-in-rebate, please be sure to include the pre-rebate price.
- Include working links that point to specific item pages, rather than to the main page on your site or another search page. If that Nintendo DS you're selling is out of stock, use the quantity attribute and set the value to "0", or remove it from your account. If you know your site will be down for some time, you can temporarily stop showing your items publicly by pausing your items.
- If you use the product_type attribute, the value included should be the most general category on your site that still accurately describes the product. For example, let's say you're selling Mario Kart DS, and you have a category structure on your site that looks like this: "Home>Video Games>Nintendo DS>ESRB Rating E". You don't want to copy this entire category structure into this attribute value. You have four categories to choose from to include as the product_type value, but only one, "Video Games," accurately describes the product. This will help us match your item to users' search queries and will optimize your item in the search results. If you want to go even further, you can include the information left out of the product_type attribute value in the platform and rating attributes. For a list of example product types, please click here.
- Don't submit affiliate products, replica goods, copyrighted material, or other disallowed items listed in our Program Policies. This will not only cause your items to be removed, but can prevent submission of additional items.
- Avoid keyword stuffing and gimmicky repetition of characters. Instead, use as many applicable attributes that honestly reflect the items you're listing. It helps us match your items to search queries and just looks good. More information can be found in our Editorial Guidelines.
Remember, it's in the best interest of our providers, users, and advertisers that all active items comply with our policies and guidelines. If your items get taken down and changes are requested, we will work with you to ensure your items are reapproved. However, using the tips above and following our policies can help ensure your items continue to stay active and available to users.
