In this Guide: DataPort v5.0 - Froogle Feed Instructions
Summary
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
- FTP Program ( FTP programs can be downloaded from the Internet) or Windows DOS prompt
Requirements
The image URL must be the actual product image. If you are hot linking images to your products, Froogle will not accept the feed. The images must reside on your site and be in a .gif or .jpg format. The URL's for the feed must link to a live and working site. If your site is under construction or down for maintenance do not upload products to Froogle.
Froogle requires that you include the following information for each product:
- The product name
- The product name, as it appears on your site. In the export file this field will display as “Product.Name” and up to 80 characters will be displayed.
- A description of the product
- Full text from your site describing the product, taken from the “Long Description” field of your product information. Froogle searches this text when matching user queries to your product. In the export file this field will display as “Product.Long.Description” and the maximum length for the description is 65,536 characters.
- The product URL
- This is the direct web link to each product on your storefront.
- The product price
- This is the price displayed to your customers for this product on the storefront. If there is a Cost Markup, Advanced Variants, or Price Message (Call for Pricing) then a price of $0 will be exported. In the export file this field will display as “Product.CustomerPrice” or “Product.ListPrice”.
- 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. If this product is listed in multiple categories on your site then it will be displayed in separate lines within the export file. In the export file this field will display as “Product.Category”.
- The URL for the image of the product
- This will submit the same image that appears on your Product Details page (large product image). Froogle cannot accept images that are 90 by 90 or smaller. In the export file this field will display as “Product.Large_Image_URL”.
Creating Your Data Feed File
A data feed is a file that contains a listing of your products.
To create your Data feed file:
- Open DataPort 5.0
- Click on the “Product” link from the left side menu tree
- You will see your products listed in the main screen
- Select the “Export” button from the top menu bar for the product list screen
- A new “Select Export Type” window will open
- Select “Froogle” from the drop down menu
- Select the status for this export
- Select the “Export” button
- Save the file to your hard drive.
For usability purposes, if you have a single store we recommend using 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: DataPort 5.0 will not export hidden products or products that have hidden Manufacturers.
Note: You must synchronize new products with your store online before exporting these products in the Froogle format or the Image and Product links will be broken.
Note: DataPort 5.0 will remove all HTML from both the Product Name and Product Description fields.
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. This file is case sensitive and should not include the date in the name of the file. Product file uploads to Froogle should be made a maximum of one time per day, and it may take up to three hours for the status of the file to change in your account after the upload. After an upload is approved, Froogle will send an email to your account. Currently there is no maximum to the number of products allowed.
To upload your export file to Froogle
- In a web browser go to, www.google.com/froogle/merchants/welcome
- Log in to your Google Account
- Create an FTP Account for Google (keep the login and password different than your Google Account information)
- Enter your Store Name
- Enter the name of your upload file (file name from the DataPort 5.0 application)
- Enter the Product Type (this will usually be other)
- Enter the Currency so that it matches the currency for your store
- Leave the other product upload settings as default values
- Upload your DataPort 5.0 product text file directly or using Google FTP
- Check your feed for errors.
Visit Froogle's Merchant site for instructions how to upload file feeds to Froogle. You will also find tutorials, FAQs and more!