Introduction to Limited Performance Due to Missing Identifiers (GTIN, MPN, brand)
You’ve added your products to your store, and now you’re ready to send your first feed. Before you do, you want to make sure there’s nothing missing from your product data that might impact the performance of your ads or landing page experience on Google. If you are reading this article, you probably see the Limited Performance Due to Missing Identifiers (GTIN, MPN, brand) warning in your diagnostics page. If so, please read the entire article for a permanent solution to your problem. First thing is first, you probably know what Brand stands for, but what is GTIN and MPN?
What is GTIN?
The GTIN, or Global Trade Item Number, is a unique code that identifies a product. This is the type of ID used to identify products in Google Shopping. It is also known as UPC or Barcode. Something like the image below:
GTINs are used by Google Merchant Center for purposes, such as:
- The identification of products in the Google Merchant Center.
- The identification of products in the Feed API (which feeds data from your store to Google Merchant Center).
- To show the same items together in a manner that allows customers to compare prices from merchants.
Here is an example of how your products may show up in Google Shopping if everything is setup correctly:
What is MPN?
What is MPN?
MPN stands for “Manufacturer Part Number” and is a unique product identifier. The MPN serves as a direct link to the specific product you are selling, ensuring that users can find your products when searching on Google. This is important because if your product doesn’t show up in their search results, they may never see your ad copy and click through to buy from you! If your product does not have an MPN, you can create one yourself. If you have a small number of products, you can do it manually, but if you have a large feed, I recommend using Feed rules.
I Do Not Have GTIN’s, What Should I Do?
Google Merchant Center requires at least 2 out of the 3 attributes in order to show your products to those searching. If you do not have the GTINs, you can simply provide the Brand and the MPN of the product. If you do not know what the MPN for your products are or if you are the manufacturer of the products, you can create one yourself. It can be anything you want as long as there is something in the MPN field. Here is an example of the MPN and Item ID being the same and it is acceptable by Google:
Can I add identifiers to my Google Shopping feed using a feed rule?
Yes, you can use a feed rule to add identifiers to your Google Shopping feed.
You can add a GTIN, MPN, brand or all of them at once. You can also specify which product attributes should not be included in the data that you send to Google for the identifier(s).
Step 1: Create your feed rules by going to Products -> Feeds. See the screenshot below:
Step 2: Click on the feed you are trying to create new rule for. Click on feed rules tab.
Step 3: Click on the plus sign and then click on “Processed attributes”. From the drop down menu, select MPN.
Step 4: Click on the plus sign and then click on “Processed attributes”. From the drop down menu, select MPN.
Step 5: Right below Edit Source, click on “Conditions”. From the drop-down menu, select MPN.
Step 6: Next to the MPN, from the drop down menu, select “has no value”. Next, select “Set to” and from the drop down menu, select ID. If you followed my instructions, this is what it should look like:
Step 7: Click Ok and then you should see the next screen. This step is important, make sure to “Save as draft.”
Step 8: This is the final step. You can either Apply the new rule, which would go into effect immediately. Alternatively, you can “run a test” and within 10-15 mins, Google would show you how this new rule would change your current feed.
Learn how to add all required product identifiers to your Google Shopping feed.
The Google Merchant Center cannot use product data without all required identifiers, so you must add them to your Google Shopping feed.
An item’s GTIN and MPN are the most important because they’re used to identify products in all of our advertising channels. Product attributes such as size and color are also essential; you can use feed rules to add missing brand information.
If you have items that don’t have a GTIN, you can add MPN instead. As long as you have two of the three, you are good. There are some cases when Google will require GTIN. This can happen only if the product is widely known and Google has GTIN in the system for those particular products. Of course, the best option is to get all three attributes. Read on to find out how.
How do I get GTINs and MPNs for my products?
If Limited Performance Due to Missing Identifiers (GTIN, MPN, brand) error is stopping you from running ads and you do not want to create a generic MPN to solve the issue, then the first thing to do is contact your manufacturer. They may be able to help you locate this information, or they may be able to provide more information about when and where each piece of packaging was produced.
If you don’t have access to your manufacturer at the moment (or if all else fails), then look for a label on the product itself. If there isn’t one, check for stickers on the packaging or box instead; these are just as reliable as labels because they have been applied directly by manufacturers during production and shipping processes respectively.
Conclusion
Overall submitting the Brand and generic MPNs has been a lifesaver for me personally to address “Limited Performance Due to Missing Identifiers (GTIN, MPN, brand)” for my client’s accounts. But if you are adamant about adding the MPN number from the manufacturer and you search for it, you will find it. In some cases, MPN may be a selling point, in this case, find it and add it to your listing. Avoid adding MPNs into the title of the products, it just does not look professional.
In this article, we’ve covered the importance of product identifiers and how to add them to your Google Shopping feed. If you have any questions or need help with adding identifiers, please reach out to us! We can help you implement the right solution for your business. Read other articles on optimizing your google shopping feeds.
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