CSS Product data specification

Use this guide to format your product information for Comparison Shopping Service Center (CSS Center). Google uses this data to match search queries to results. Sharing your product data in the correct format is important for showing your product pages organically.

Requirements

In addition to the following product data specification, the data you submit must also meet the following requirements:

Note: Each line in your product data must represent a product variant. If your product page includes multiple variants of the same product, submit a separate entry for each.

Definitions

Product: The actual product that potential customers search for on Google.
Variant: A specific version of a product that comes in different variations. For example, a shirt that comes in different sizes may have small, medium, and large size variants.
Offer: The price and condition offered by a particular merchant for the product on the CSS product page.
Headline offer: The offer that is shown prominently on your CSS product page. Its price is used to represent your product page on Google.

Required: Submit this attribute. If you don't, your product page won't be shown organically.

Optional: You can submit this attribute if you want to help boost your product's performance.

Attributes

The CSS product data specification includes 2 types of attributes:

Attributes that capture information about CSS product pages
Attributes that capture required product information
- Note: These are the same attributes that are used to capture product information in Merchant Center.

The product data you submit using these attributes is the foundation for showing your product pages on Google. If there’s any issues, Google will let you know in CSS Center.

CSS product page attributes

The information you submit using these attributes differentiates your CSS from your competitors’ CSSs. Make sure everything you submit is of the quality that you would show to a customer.

Attribute and format	Minimum requirements at a glance
CPP link `[cpp_link]` A link to your CSS product page (CPP). Required Example `http://www.css.com/asp/sp.asp?cat=12&id=1030`	Use your CSS Center domain name Start with `http` or `https`. Use an encoded URL that complies with RFC 2396 or RFC 1738. Don't link to an interstitial page unless legally required.
CPP mobile link `[cpp_mobile_link]` CSS product page link (CPP link) that is optimized for mobile. Optional Example `http://www.m.css.com/asp/sp.asp?cat=12&id=1030` Syntax Max 2000 alphanumeric characters	Meet the requirements for the CPP link `[cpp_link]` attribute.
Number of offers `[number_of_offers]` The number of offers for a product displayed on your product page. Required Example `5` Syntax Integer	Only offers that can be bought online can be included. The product page must include offers from at least 2 independent merchants who have a product in stock.
Low price `[low_price]` The lowest price for a product offered for immediate purchase by one of the merchants on the product page. Optional Example `15.00 EUR` Syntax Numeric ISO 4217	Follows the same requirements as the headline offer price `[headline_offer_price]` attribute. Applies to the offer with the lowest price that should be reliably reachable from your product page.
High price `[high_price]` The highest price for a product offered for immediate purchase by one of the merchants on the product page. Optional Example `15.00 EUR` Syntax Numeric ISO 4217	Follows the same requirements as the headline offer price `[headline_offer_price]` attribute. Applies to the offer with the highest price that should be reliably reachable from your product page.
Headline offer link `[headline_offer_link]` The landing page of your headline offer. Google uses the link to run data quality checks. Required Example `http://www.merchant.com/asp/sp.asp?cat=12&id=1030`	Ensure the link to the landing page of the headline offer is shown prominently on your CSS product page. The headline offer must have a product available for immediate purchase. Start with `http` or `https`. Use an encoded URL that complies with RFC 2396 or RFC 1738. Don't link to an interstitial page unless legally required.
Headline offer mobile link `[headline_offer_mobile_link]` A link to the mobile-optimized landing page of your headline offer, when available. Google uses the link to run data quality checks. Optional Example `http://www.m.merchant.com/asp/sp.asp?cat=12&id=1030` Syntax Max 2000 alphanumeric characters	Meet the requirements of the headline offer link `[headline_offer_link]` attribute.
Headline offer price `[headline_offer_price]` The product price of the headline offer. This price is used to represent your product page on Google. Required Example `15.00 USD` Syntax Numeric ISO 4217	Accurately submit the headline offer price and currency. The value must match the price shown: On your CSS product page On the landing page and at checkout of the merchant that stated this offer. For products sold in bulk quantities, bundles, or multipacks: Submit the total price of the minimum purchasable quantity, bundle, or multipack. Include value added tax (VAT).
Headline offer condition `[headline_offer_condition]` The condition of the product sold on the landing page of the headline offer. Optional for new products Required if a product is used or refurbished Example `new` Supported values New `[new]`: Brand new, original, unopened packaging Refurbished `[refurbished]`: Professionally restored to working order, comes with a warranty, may or may not have the original packaging Used `[used]`: Previously used, original packaging opened or missing
Headline_offer_installment `[headline_offer_installment]` Use the headline_offer_installment `[headline_offer_installment]` attribute to tell customers the details of a monthly installment payment plan that you offer. Optional for each product Example `headline_offer_installment(months:amount:downpayment)` Syntax The names of the sub-attributes that you want to submit separated by a colon `( : )`	Match the installment plan that you display on your landing page. Don’t require that users have a loyalty card in order to choose the installment option that you submit. Avoid using the installment attribute for software subscriptions. Use in approved countries only. Use for approved product categories only.
Headline_offer_subscription_cost `[headline_offer_subscription_cost]` Use the headline_offer_subscription_cost `[headline_offer_subscription_cost]` attribute to include the details of a monthly or annual payment plan that bundles a communications service contract with your wireless product (mobile phone or tablet). Optional for each product Example `month:12:50 EUR` Supported values Period `[period]` (Required): The duration of a single subscription period, either month `[month]` or year `[year]`. Period length `[period_length]` (Required): Integer, the number of subscription periods (months or years) that the buyer pays. Amount `[amount]` (Required): ISO 4217, the amount the buyer pays per month. This amount may round up to the nearest whole unit of local currency to save space. Note: The provided value must exactly match the amount as shown on your site.	Include the total amount due at checkout in the headline_offer_price `[headline_offer_price]` attribute. When used in combination with the headline_offer_installment [headline_offer_installment] attribute, also include the total amount due at checkout in the downpayment `[downpayment]` sub-attribute of the headline_offer_installment `[headline_offer_installment]` attribute. Match the communications payment plan that you display on your landing page. Don’t require that users have a loyalty card to choose the service plan that you submit. Don't use the subscription cost attribute for software subscriptions. Use in approved countries only. Use for approved product categories only.

Product data attributes

You also need to submit the following Merchant Center product data attributes in order to show your CSS product pages organically:

ID [id]

Title [title]

Description [description]

Image link [image_link]

Additional image link [additional_image_link]

Google product category [google_product_category]

Product type [product_type]

Multipack [multipack]

Bundle [is_bundle]

Certification [certification]

Age group [age_group]

Color [color]

Gender [gender]

Material [material]

Pattern [pattern]

Size [size]

Size type [size_type]

Size system [size_system]

Item group ID [item_group_id]

Expiration date [expiration_date]

Product length [product_length]

Product width [product_width]

Product height [product_height]

Product weight [product_weight]

Product detail [product_detail]

Product highlight [product_highlight]

Learn more about Merchant Center Product data specification.

CSS Product Listing Ad format

CSS product listing ads show a carousel of products on Google general search results. The following data feed attributes allow you to format the product information you upload to Comparison Shopping Service Center (CSS Center). Providing required attributes is important to ensure that your products show up in ads.

Attribute and format Minimum requirements at a glance

Headline offer shipping price [headline_offer_shipping_price]

The shipping price of the headline offer.

Required if shipping cost is non-zero

Use this attribute to outline the highest shipping cost associated with the headline offer to deliver in the target country. The format of the attribute is similar to the headline offer price [headline_offer_price] attribute.

This field is required if the shipping cost of the offer is more than zero.

Ads redirect [ads_redirect]

A URL used to specify additional parameters and tracking for your product page. Customers will be sent to this URL rather than the value that you submit for the link [cpp_link] or mobile link [cpp_mobile_link] attributes.

Optional for each product

Optional attribute that can be used to specify tracking URLs and parameters.

Custom label 0-4 [custom_label_0-4]

A label that you can assign to a product to help organize bidding and reporting.

Optional for each product

Use a value that you'll recognize in your campaign and manage effectively. The value won't be shown to customers who see your ads and free listings.

Pause [pause]

A setting you can use to pause and quickly reactivate a product for ads. A product can be paused for up to 14 days. If a product is paused for more than 14 days it will be disapproved. To re-approve, remove the attribute.

Optional for each product

Submit the attribute with a supported value for ads destinations.

You should only pause a product for 14 days or less.

Was this helpful?

How can we improve it?

CSS Product data specification

In this article

Requirements

Definitions

Attributes

CSS product page attributes

Product data attributes

CSS Product Listing Ad format

Was this helpful?

Need more help?

Try these next steps: