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May 30 , 2007 |
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How Long Does It Take to Get My Products to Appear on CSEs?
by Brett Bernstein, Sr. Technician and Chip Arndt
 Miami, FL (May 30, 2007)—As we help many merchants sign up at shopping destination sites (comparison shopping engines, marketplace and affiliate sites) there is one question, without fail, we are always asked: After I sign up, how long does it take for my products to appear on the comparison shopping engines for consumers to view? Most of the CSEs give the same answer, 24-48 hours.
However, we have seen a lot of fluctuation in these time frames because the CSE determines these times based on your data being formatted perfectly. So the real answer is 24-48 hours from the time the product feed is formatted perfectly. Thus, it is very important to understand what the CSEs expect so that an online merchant may better understand what happens throughout the entire "feed procedure" to get products listed. After you understand the complete progression to a successful feed, then the 24-48 hour timeframe will most likely be a good estimate to getting your feeds working properly. The process from a CSE's point of view is as follows:If you are a new user and have never fed to the CSE site before, there is a step-by-step process that you must go through:- Most CSEs require the online merchant to initially fund an account with them with a minimum dollar commitment.
- The CSE gives you a username and password.
- The CSE gives you their unique data feed specs to adhere to while setting up a feed from the IT side (sometimes called a data model).
- The merchant creates the proper file based on the CSE's provided specs, as provided from step 3 above.
- The merchant uploads their file for analysis by the CSE. All online merchants must understand the required feed format (column order) and how this order compares to and coordinates with the CSE desired order. We explain this process in the following sections.
After you have successfully completed the above five step process, the CSE will be ready to automatically take your feed file and post your products live. Now to clarify step 5. Each CSE has their own way of processing product data files. Most sites have an automated "FeedMachine" that starts to list your products after you drop a perfectly formatted file in the given FTP folder assigned to your new account.This "file drop" triggers the "FeedMachine" to count the number of columns associated with the file, and then insert each column into their database. This is "the" critical step as this information is essentially what a shopper accesses on the CSE when they click on your product.Since the "FeedMachine" is automated, the data sent in the file must be exact, i.e. perfect, i.e. if it isn't then your products will not appear, i.e. you will get an error and your feed will not work, and your hard work to market through a CSE is for naught.
So to ensure this does not happen to you, have each column correspond to the data formatted columns on the CSE. As an example, don't send the "product name" to the associated column on the CSE for "product price." If you do, your feed probably will get rejected automatically. The real bad news if this happens is that you may not get a call from the CSE's customer support telling you why it has been rejected, because the feed has been rejected by a "computer generated algorithm" and thus, you most likely will have to wait another 24-48 hours to get a customer representative on the phone to help you understand why you had an error in your feed, or else you will have to go through hundreds, if not thousands, of lines of code to figure out where you went wrong.
Ultimately, your products will not go live, you will become frustrated, and you won't know what you did wrong = not fun! Sometimes, you will get an automated message from a CSE (but not all of them do this) telling you where the error is and the delivery of that message is not always in real time.
Thus, we recommend you work with a feed manager tool that has preconfigured exact specs for over 23 shopping comparison engines (but can easily be configured for any others), as many of the IT issues have been thought through for you. The value-add for the online merchant is:
- Saved IT programming and formatting time
- A lesser need to call and get a CSEs rep on the phone to help you, and
- More time to concentrate on marketing your products
If you still want to organize the IT aspects of each of your feeds to each and every shopping comparison channel and update each channel manually, we have found that most online merchants manage their feeds with MS Excel.
This can work but we remind online merchants that when sending the feeds in MS Excel, various different types of formatting are often added and sometimes lost, which may be essential to getting your feed properly optimized. This is because Excel has imbedded rules that update things you may not want updated or it may assign values you did not want assigned.For instance, "extra data" is often added which is specific to MS Excel "rules". A good example is when MS Excel looks at your spreadsheet, it may see the first ten rows of your File, which are all numbers, and observe that your "skus" are all numbers. Excel will then identify, on its own and lock in SKU=Number column, and disregard the 21st row which may be 'ABC123'. In short, Excel "decides" that a particular field is Numbers ONLY based on what it saw in the first few rows and adjusts any data in that field to match its decision. The result is that your codes (in this case) are all wrong.
The data then cannot be deciphered by separate CSE systems, resulting in improper and rejected feeds. Or the 21st sku, as shown in the example above, is not imported to the CSE's "FeedMachine" because it is not identified correctly. Furthermore, when you get a rejected feed and are trying to analyze what went wrong and where, it is hard to find specific data anomalies and fix, let's say, three bad records, when viewing 3,000 rows of formatted data with MS Excel.
Our solution to this, and other related issues, is Channel Management with Chanalytics(sm), which creates a non-proprietary file based on your data specifically for each CSE. This "new file" is formatted based upon your existing product catalog, which updates as you update your product catalog, and can be populated with any type of marketing data you want. The best part about this tool is it makes it easy to give any CSE what they require and allows you to create a unique marketing language based on your marketing vision, which you can automatically send to unique CSEs or all of them at one time.
Channel Management even schedules the feeds so you can leave your office and have feeds updated in the middle of the night when there is less traffic online. Because Channel Management deals with all of the technical aspects of feeding data, this frees the online merchant, or head of marketing, to focus on planning, marketing, and strategy, not IT issues.
And the best part of this whole process is that when you have a system working seamlessly to send your product catalog data, you are more likely to fall in the 24 hour bracket to see your products listed, rather than the 48 hour bracket or worse. After all is said and done, it is really a magical feeling to see your data showing up on the sites, especially when it's less than 24 hours.
Now, if you still insist on taking on the demons of the "feed machine" of each and every CSE by manipulating each feed to update products, prices, descriptions, pictures and marketing language, be very precise in understanding each CSE's feed specs. Most of the time, we have found it is the merchant's misinterpretation of how to optimize the feed based on the provided IT specs, rather than the CSE's "feed machine" malfunctioning.
Our advice, if you want to work with shopping comparison engines, or are working with them already, is to use a feed manager tool that can help you execute your marketing plans on any and all CSEs to which you feed. This valuable tool will save you time configuring and updating various feeds, ensure that you only feed perfect data, allow you to focus on marketing products rather than IT issues, and then allow you to analyze how your feeds are performing for you and respond to this analysis in real time. From there you can adjust your feeds immediately and get a new feed out within minutes, which is impossible to do using any other method, but for hiring lots of programmers.
Channel Management with Chanalytics(sm) relieves you from feeling dejected as you attempt to decipher and wade through cryptic messages from coded emails that tell you your feed has been rejected.
To learn more about how our clients get their products listed most of the time within 24 hours and then respond to analysis of how their marketing feeds are performing, please join us for a complimentary 30 minute webinar on Wednesday May 16 from 2:00-2:30pm EDT, 11:00-11:30am PDT.
This webinar will help you better understand how to use CSEs and also how use a tool based solution to maximize your marketing efforts across any channel.
To sign up for this complimentary webinar, please click here now
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Tips and Tricks to Sending a Product File
by Kevin Packler, Account Manager
 If you are just getting to know how Comparison Shopping Engines work, often known as CSEs, or just looking to use one of many CSEs, then the article included in this newsletter is a great place to start: How Long Does It Take to Get My Products to Appear on CSEs?
In order to take advantage of the CSE industry in the most effective way, I advise using a tool based product to effectively manage and analyze your feeds, which will save you time and offer you more creative ways to manage and analyze your product feeds. However, if you want to work with each CSE feed separately, here are some quick pointers that may help get products to appear properly and more quickly.
1. Verify a Method to Submit Products:
CSEs have developed systems to import common types of product information, such as products from a Yahoo! Store. However, if a CSE does this automatically, then the power of controlling product information resides with the CSE.
The easiest way to submit product information and still keep control of product information submitted is to set up an FTP location on the CSE's side. Setting up FTP submittal is easy to do. In most cases, a merchant needs to login to the CSE's merchant account control panel. Inside, there should be an option to send or update product information. Here, the merchant will be able to request submittal of product files via FTP. Alternatively, in some cases, the CSE may request an email from the merchant to set up this method.
2. Once the FTP location has been requested and approved, make sure to verify these options:
- The FTP location:
Example: ftp.shopping.com
This is where the product file is sent.
- The FTP username and password:
Tip: This is not the same as the login for the merchant account! The FTP username and password is unique. This can cause many headaches if a merchant is trying to send a file with general account passwords.
- The product file name:
Example: merchantname.csv
Some CSEs do not require this step, but for others this is often overlooked, causing the CSE to consistently pull the wrong file.
- Verify the product file format:
Example: merchantname.csv
Make sure the file extension matches the file format that is set up. So, 'merchantname.csv', should correspond to a selected format type of '.csv' or 'comma separated' option (instead of '.txt', '.xml'. etc.).
Also keep in mind; some CSEs require special processes. Shopzilla will usually ask to confirm the product file in the control panel area after submission. Shopping.com will do the same, but note that once you click to confirm all information, Shopping.com will not post the product feed until at least 24 hours from that point.
So, if you come back 20 hours later, and reconfirm, the clock will reset, and the products will not post until at least another 24 hours from that point.
3. Once the products are posted online, do a spot check!
Too many times, I have seen merchants who realize days, or perhaps weeks later that their products are not posting correctly for some reason. I suggest choosing a few products at random and checking the following:
- Are the products categorized correctly?
Make sure a computer cooling fan is not showing in the ‘Home’ section next to ceiling fans.
- Are the images displaying properly?
Make sure the correct image url's are being sent. This can be an issue with Yahoo! Stores, as the image url's are changed periodically.
- Are the products correctly identified?
Make sure your product codes or other variables are not causing, for example an iPod case to be included with an actual iPod. Remember, a product is not only placed into a category, but also placed in comparison with products from other merchants.
- Does the CSE link back to the correct product page?
Click on a few product listings and make sure the link takes you to the actual product page, and not a category page, a home page, or worse, an out-of-stock page.
- Remember you can usually contact the CSE directly!
Many times you will find an account manager or representative who can provide valuable tips and trouble shooting techniques. If you notice any errors, or would just like helpful advice, the CSEs themselves can be a great resource.
These tips, in combination with the article on getting moving in 12-48 hours, is a good way to get up and running quickly and easily to gain exposure across all channels of CSEs and marketplaces.
Check back next month for tips on setting up your channel feeds using Channel Management with Chanalytics(sm) to both ensure that;
1.) feeds are working the way you want them to work and
2.) how to change feeds immediately to get better results using CSEs.
MERCHANTADVANTAGE MERCHANT OF THE MONTH
We're thrilled and inspired by all the Channel Management success stories you share with us. Now we want to turn the spotlight on you! Send us your best Channel Management success story and you could be selected as our Merchant of the Month.
If chosen, your company will be exclusively showcased in an edition of our monthly newsletter, eTail dTail. Best of all, your monthly MerchantAdvantage fee will be waived in the month you are selected. Submit your Channel Management success story today to stories@merchantadvantage.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
(Note: MerchantAdvantage reserves the right to use any or all of your story, whether or not your article is selected as the winning entry.)
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About MerchantAdvantage
Merchantadvantage.com is an ecommerce software solutions company committed to championing and helping the small to midsized online ecommerce Merchant address complicated online issues and take a systematic, controlled and proactive approach to online product marketing. MerchantAdvantage provides long-term, cost effective software tools that enable an online business to grow by reaching the widest audience possible via online, broadband, and wireless devices. MerchantAdvantage's applications are designed to thoroughly connect the online retailer to their marketplace partners in a seamless motion of communication allowing Merchants to take control of their ecommerce channels, marketing strategies, IT solutions, and online order management demands. These software tools specifically help ecommerce retailers bridge the gap created by non-standardized data feeds to various online market places, shopping comparison engines, and other online shopping destination sites.
MerchantAdvantage is changing the macrocosm of ecommerce by staying ahead of the curve in providing business solutions to the growing online retail marketplace: We're here because America's commerce future is online.™
MerchantAdvantage, the premier software for on-line retailers looking for an efficient and effective method of online product marketing, order and customer service handling, introduces Channel Management with Chanalytics(sm). Channel Management helps online retailers save time and money while maximizing their return on investment and marketing budgets by allowing them to easily connect with shopping comparison sites. MerchantAdvantage is for online retailers wishing to better manage their online marketing efforts and increase their sales volume. |
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Do you have any issues, concerns or interests you would like to share?
Email us at:
tip@etaildtail.com
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• Froogle…GoogleBase…Google Product Submit?
Google has once again made changes to their method of providing shopping comparison services. Originally termed Froogle, and never taken out of the beta phase, the system was merged with Google’s all encompassing GoogleBase. Taken off of the Google home page, Froogle has now been officially re-labeled and launched as Google Product Submit. Look for an upcoming article with more information.
• 1 Million Orders for PriceGrabber Storefronts:
PriceGrabber Storefronts have tallied 1 million orders since their inception in 2003. The Storefronts system is set up to provide a complete checkout system within PriceGrabber.com. This way, a merchant does not have to process the order or pay per click as customers are redirected to the merchant’s site. Per PriceGrabber, the Storefront option is available for a $1 charge plus 5.75% commission rate per order.
• Upcoming Events:
A number of CSEs will be present at this year's IR 2007 Conference and Exhibition, on June 4-7:
• Become
• Jellyfish
• Smarter
• Shopzilla
MerchantAdvantage will also be in attendance, with an exhibit at booth 1225.
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"MerchantAdvantage is here to be your partner in growing your business in the multi billion dollar and complex world of online shopping. We are here because you are online.sm"
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Michael Lambert, CEO |
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For information on how MerchantAdvantage may help your business grow, please contact us:
Chip Arndt
Executive Vice President
Business Development and Strategy
305.895.9466 x113
partnerships@merchantadvantage.com
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