Topic: DataPort
Last Updated On: March 2, 2006
Applies to: MC Storefront Software, versions 4.0+

Summary

Froogle

The quickest way to get your products on Froogle is to send a data feed to Froogle. You can create this file using DataPort with a click of a few buttons. This guide includes step-by-step instructions that will show you the simplest way to create a file feed.

What you will need to create a data feed

  • MonsterDataPort
  • Spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel
  • FTP Program (FTP programs can be downloaded from the Internet) or Windows DOS prompt

Requirements

The content in your feed must be the same as the content visible to users on your site. The description and price that you provide must be exactly the same as the description and price on your product page. The image URL must be the actual product image. If you are hotlinking images to your products, Froogle will not accept the feed. The images must reside on your site.

Froogle requires that you include the following information for each product:

The product URL
Customers must be able to purchase the product directly from this page.
The product name
The product name, as it appears on your site. Up to 80 characters will be displayed.
A description of the product
Full text from your site describing the product. Froogle searches this text when matching user queries to your product. The maximum length for the description is 65,536 characters.
The URL for the image of the product
Submit the same size image that appear on your product page. Froogle cannot accept thumbnail images that are 90 by 90 or smaller.
Examples:
  • Good:
    • http://yourdomain.com/productimages/image.gif
  • Bad:
    • /productimages/image.gif
    • www.yourdomain.com/productimages/image.gif
    • http://www.notyourdomain.com/images/image.gif
The product category
Froogle will match your categories with the Froogle categories. You must submit the same category structure that is currently on your site.
The product price
Currently, U.S. dollars are the only supported currency. Commas are not acceptable (DataPort will automatically remove them).

Creating Your Data Feed File

A data feed is a file that contains a listing of your products.

To create your Data feed file:

Froogle
  1. Open DataPort
  2. Download your products from your MonsterCommerce store to DataPort by clicking on the button showing the MC logo pointing to ‘DP’.
  3. Enter in your URL (https://www.yourdomain.com or https://207.205.xxx.yyy)
  4. Enter in your password, which you set in your Admin Panel
  5. Select the Connect button - The categories should be displayed in the box below. You can check all or uncheck all by right clicking on the categories.
  6. Select the “Proceed” button
  7. Select the “Froogle Export” button
  8. Select ‘Use Detailed Description’ and ‘Use Image’
  9. Select the “Export” button
  10. Save the file to your hard drive.
Froogle

If you have a single store, the file name should be the username that was assigned to you (by Froogle), followed by .txt. For Example, if your username is “abcstore”, the file name should be abcstore.txt.

Note: If you're going to use the DOS prompt to send Froogle your data feed file, it's best to save the feed to your default local disk (usually the C: drive). The file will be easier to find later.

The file name MUST be the same every time you send your feed to Froogle or your file will not be processed and your products won't appear on Froogle.

Do not include the date in the name of the file.

Visit Froogle's Merchant site for instructions how to send the file feed to Froogle. You will also find tutorials, FAQs and more!

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