How to update identifier_exists through Shopify ?

user072319
Shopify Partner
128 0 15

Hello there,

 

We've activated Google Shopping shopify app for our store a month ago. In Google Merchant Center > Products  > Diagnostics , we're getting warning like Limited performance due to missing identifiers [gtin, mpn, brand]

 

screencapture-merchants-google-mc-products-diagnostics-2020-05-07-10_41_52.png

 

To fix this error, how to update identifier_exists for the products which gives this warning?  How to bulky update the products identifier_exists as we've to update 5000+ products? (If we've to do it via excel upload, what is the column name and value we've to provide?)

 

Any help would be appreciated. 

 

Replies 48 (48)

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

From other merchants, I have read that you can no long bulk upload Google Shopping related data.

 

To resolve the issue, make sure to add a bar code and brand value in Shopify.

 

If you don't have this, go to Google Merchant Center > Products > Feeds > click on the feed > feed rules.

Now add a feed rule to set identifier exists to the value no

More info: https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/7450276?hl=en

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
viky
Excursionist
40 1 4

How long does it take for that error to go away?

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

 If you have added the data correctly, within 24 hours. If its not added within 24 hours, then something went wrong. You should contact the app support team you are using.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
viky
Excursionist
40 1 4

It worked. Thank you

RuthO
Visitor
1 0 0

This is really helpful, thank you!

Should the feed rule be set to:

Idenifier_exists set to "no", or set to "false"? Is there a difference?

Thank you in advance.

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

False is the original value, last year Google changed it to no (I guess to save a few bytes of data)

You can use both currently, however, I would set it to no as this is the new updated guideline.

Reference: https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/6324478

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
melOn-Design
Excursionist
12 0 14

I have literally spent all day going around in circles, from 'link to link' to work this out and I wanted to help people save time and unnecessary stress!

First of all.....STOP searching in Shopify and head over to your Google merchant centre account, go to the left hand menu and click 'feeds'.

If you sell custom products and don't have a clue about 'feeds', gtin's / mpn's etc. then here's how to get rid of the 'missing identifiers' error you're probably seeing at the bottom of your product diagnostics page.

(this is for anyone who has linked their store to Google from Shopify, (added as a sales channel), which automatically uploads all your products using 'content API').....I'm not sure if you will have the same options if you've uploaded your products one by one, sorry!

1. Click on the content API link under 'feed name'

2. There you will find the elusive 'feed rules' menu....click!

3. Click the blue + button to create new feed rule

4. Choose processed attributes

5. Scroll down to choose 'identifier exists' and set to 'no'

6. Then click 'save as draft' and click test, (or apply if test doesn't work) *

* For me, the 'test' didn't work, so after waiting approx 10 mins, I tried again, still didn't work....so after another few mins, I clicked 'apply', waited 10 mins, went to back to feeds - content API - feed rules - and your new attribute rule should be there, set to no!

To check it worked properly, go back to your product diagnostics in the left hand menu....and voila! your error message should be gone 🙂

I really hope this helped.....as it has driven me crazy for the last couple of months, but today was the day to sort it out!!!! 

(I think the last 2 steps in the screenshots might be the wrong way around, but I ran out of brain cells by the time I realised, hope it still makes sense) 🙂

Good Luck,

Mel xx

melOn Design
daron76
Tourist
4 0 2

What about if you have only a few custom products and you want to set identifier exist to NO only for those custom products and not for the entire feed?Thank you!

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

Either use feed rules to target these specific products: https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/7450276?hl=en

Or create a supplement feed: https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/7439058?hl=en

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
tonybabel
Visitor
2 0 0

Hi Mei,

I followed your steps and created the feed rule.  However those warnings did not go away 1 hours after applying the changes.  I refreshed the merchant center pages many times still no luck.     Any steps did I miss?  Thank you!

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

As of July, certain products regardless if you remove product identifiers, still require product identifiers. Which categories these are, I don't know but you would see the limited performance warning, if you still have no brand, mpn and gtin, and have set identifier exists to no.

You can check what you did in Products > All Products > click on a product > check the final attributes.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
tonybabel
Visitor
2 0 0

Hi  

Thanks for replying!  I had two warnings before I set feed rule " identifier exists to no":

warning #1   Limited peformance  due to missing identifiers [gtin,mpn,brand] 

warning #2  Limited performance due to missing value [gtin]

After setting " identifier exists to no" and resynced products to google via content API,  warning #1 is gone but warning #2 still persists.   

I wonder what's the difference between the two warnings?   How do I fix the second warning?   Will "Account isn't eligible for enhanced free listings" error gone after I fix the second warning?

Thank you very much!

 

 

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

Number two is most likely because you have products in a category that requires barcodes. Nothing you can do to resolve that other than submitting barcodes. If you don't have any, then not much can be done and you have to accept the limitations.

Enhanced listings is connected to submitting accurate product identifiers, so if you don't have valid data, you will not be eligible for free listings.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
aburak256
Tourist
8 0 0

Hi, I have a similar problem with Google Merchant Store. I am selling Aquarium Filters and I think this is one of the categories that require GTIN barcodes.

2 weeks of time after I submitted my products to Merchant Store, products are still pending with GTIN warnings. Even though I set products as custom on Shopify Google app, data on Merchant Store says that the API posted identifier_exist as true, so Google tries to search for a barcode at this situation. When I add a rule for it to change identifier_exist to false, then it says This item has an internationally recognized, unique identifier. Submit a valid GTIN, and either set this value to true or remove this value. So how can I solve this problem, is deleting the product category is going to solve this problem? I am selling these products on Amazon and my own store too, can I use the ASIN number for this?

Or there is no way for me to list my products on the Google Merchant Store?

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

First double check with the manufacturer, that these products indeed have no bar codes, and also check the packaging of the products, there should be a bar code.

If so, fill out the required data. (Brand+GTIN)

If the products don't have a barcode, remove brand, mpn and gtin values, and set identifier exists to no. Double check what the results are of your rules by going to Google Merchant Center > Products > all products > click on your product > scroll to the bottom and view the final attributes.

 

If there is no brand, mpn and gtin, and identifier is false or no. And Google complains, then most likely there are valid barcodes in existence as otherwise Google would not complain.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
khamir
Excursionist
11 0 2

This is hugely helpful. I've spent a long time trying to figure this out with google and shopify and just went in circles.

Followed the steps as suggested but the test got stuck at 50% at which point i just applied it.

Now, the problem i was trying to solve for was how to get approved products published. 

khamir_0-1632232398855.png

The steps which you explained were the ones google's content api team suggested i take. Now that i've done that, when can i expect the products to get published assuming i've gone about it correctly?

Also, in my previous (failed) attempt to do this i ended up creating something which i can't seem to get rid of..

khamir_1-1632233042487.png

Will this be an issue?

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

Click on all other attributes, when a new page opens, delete the supplement feed.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
khamir
Excursionist
11 0 2
Started here and clicked on the All attributes..

[image: image.png]

When i attempt to delete it by click on the dustbin icon in the right
corner...

[image: image.png]

This is what i see and am forced to save it as a draft...

[image: image.png]

which brings me back to this previous page..

[image: image.png]
and upon discarding the draft i'm back to square one..

[image: image.png]

What should i be doing differently?
EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

None of your images are showing.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
khamir
Excursionist
11 0 2

yup...just learnt that hitting the reply button in the email to post a message doesn't post the images. Just posted here on the forum directly and you should be able to see the images.

khamir
Excursionist
11 0 2

Oops...looks like the images didn't come through..sharing them here based on the sequence of screens i see..

1. Click on All attributes

khamir_0-1632289023136.png

2. Trash icon only offers 'save as draft' option or cancel the whole step

khamir_1-1632289053461.png

3. Saving as draft brings me back here where i choose the 'discard' option

khamir_2-1632289090722.png

4. Which brings me back to square one

khamir_3-1632289139974.png

 

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

You always need to save as draft, then after simply click on apply draft and your gold.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
khamir
Excursionist
11 0 2

This is simply fascinating. Managed to delete as you suggested.

khamir_0-1632290928581.png

I'm wondering how come google's support on phone/chat/faq/search couldn't tell me about this one last step.

Finally done....phewwww!!!!

 

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

Because Google support does not use their own tools as you and I. They tend to read scripts, and answer based on the provided scripts.

If you have questions, simply ask the community, the answers tend to be from experience, rather than scripts.

https://support.google.com/google-ads/community?hl=en

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
khamir
Excursionist
11 0 2

It's been 3 days since i made the changes but i continue to see...

khamir_0-1632570716177.png

Is that normal? Can i ask Google to re-crawl my site or is it a wait-n-watch scenario from here on?

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

You need to contact Shopify support, or use a different data feed app.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
RA86
New Member
16 0 0

@EmmanuelFlossie I applied the same to my products for which I donot have GTIN number. I set the identifier to No in feed rules but not all my products are showing disapproved. I am not sure how to fix this problem. I have checked with manufacturers and they have told me they dont have any such GTIN or MPN numbers. Any chance you share a fix? if I donot set the identifier to No, I get the error message of limited performance due to missing identifiers. 

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

Yes, assuming you have submitted correct details. You will have to accept limited performance. There is no advice I have to change that.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
RA86
New Member
16 0 0

@EmmanuelFlossie thanks is there a way to update the identifier exist attribute for products in bulk editor? The rule in feeds applies to all products

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

Consider using: https://apps.shopify.com/bulk-product-editor?surface_detail=albastar&surface_inter_position=1&surfac...

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
RA86
New Member
16 0 0

@EmmanuelFlossie thanks this looks like a good app. I will surely try. I have another question regarding feed rules and the logic behind "identifier exists".

 

If I am marking my product "identified exists" = No , then do I need to keep all other fields blank/empty (Brand, MPN, GTIN)? 

 

Secondly, if some of the products are non-branded, i.e. sourced from multiple suppliers and shipped directly to customers (in a dropshopping model) then the brand field has to be left blank and "identifier exists" will be ofcourse set to no. Is that correct?

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

Yes, keep brand, mpn and gtin empty if identifier exists is set to no.

As you are saying, no there are no identifiers, so if you add data, then you are contradicting the info you submit.

 

You need to check the product packaging if it has barcodes, if it has no barcodes, then do not submit any values and set identifier exists to no.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
melOn-Design
Excursionist
12 0 14

Hi,

Glad it helped you 🙂

I have just created a test feed to see how it would be deleted, (screenshot attached)......I hope this helps.

merchant center feed.jpg

Thank you @EmmanuelFlossie 🙂

melOn Design
ABCC
Visitor
1 0 1

I just wanted to say "Thank you so very much". I have been on numerous emails with shopify and google. A month after adding all of my products, I am still listed as a "Parked Domain" because my products are not uploaded to google. I can't upload them until google approves them so the whole mess is just frustrating. I was about to pay a shopify expert $115.00 per hour for help, knowing that it was most likely something simple but also something that google was unwilling to help me with. I just kept getting pre-made responses and no one has called me as requested in two weeks. I found your post this morning and in ten minutes my problem is fixed. OMG! I can't believe it. You saved my bank account and my sanity.

 

Much appreciated

 

Cathy

melOn-Design
Excursionist
12 0 14

Hey Cathy,

You're very welcome......I'm so glad this helped you....I was literally tearing my hair out with it.

 

I'm glad I stopped you spending a small fortune too!

 

This made my day, so thank you so much for letting me know.

 

Mel :O)

melOn Design
Roxee541
Shopify Partner
29 2 5

This solution actually works. Thanks MelOn-Design! I have been wrestling with this for a several weeks now as over 600 of our products were limited by this issue. So, I created the supplemental feed for Content API for 'identifier exists' and set it to 'no', went ahead and just applied it, checked back about 20 minutes later and those 600 products are off the list! Wa-la!

 

melOn-Design
Excursionist
12 0 14

@Roxee541 

 

Yaaaaay! I'm so happy to hear this helped you....my head was about to explode, so I feel you! 🙈

 

Have a great Christmas and relax knowing you're all set 🎄😃

melOn Design
MidCenturyStyle
Tourist
5 0 5

A million thank you MelOn-Design!!!! This solution worked flawlessly, the first time, even the test! It took a long time to go through but I waited it out. Then clicked apply and it's done! I had to fuzzle around a bit to find everything but these issues were all solved! Thank you so much for helping me in this maddening e-commerce world.

MinnieLittyy
Excursionist
28 3 7

I tried this and I am still getting an error 😞 

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

You may want to follow the below info.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
rjr4e
Tourist
8 1 4

Does the process in your video wipe out wrong information that has been used in years past? Long ago we used the wrong UPC and the wrong MPN in amazon. Amazon ran shopping ads for our products on google. I believe Google has a record of these wrong numbers that we should not have used. We are the manufacturer and we do not have UPC. Our listings on shopify do not have UPC, and are fed into GMC with Google You Tube. However one listing got uploaded incorrectly and now has a warning: Limited performance due to missing identifiers [gtin, mpn, brand]. 

No amount of uploading with [identifier_exists] as No or FALSE would fix it. The warning goes away when I enter the old MPN into GMC on each variant by hand. I thought the problem was solved, however when I had to upload again for a different reason (modifying Google Shopping / Custom Label 0), the problem came back even though the old MPN was in the sheet, and [identifier_exists] as Yes. 

So to recap - does the process in your video wipe out the old/wrong information in GMC's memory? Thanks very much in advance.

 

PS, Amazon does allow us to sell without UPC because we are the manufacturer, however, they will not allow us to update old listings with "no upc required" without losing our reviews.

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

Not wrong, as it will not be able to validate. It only checks if the barcode is 12 to 14 digits long. Anything else will be cleared.

 

Yes, as a manufacturer, you can assign the MPN + brand and that will the problem in case Google still complains that there is no valid product identifier.

 

Most likely because you have previously added product identifier information, Google will complain for other products that does not have this info.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
rjr4e
Tourist
8 1 4

So, just to be clear, the process will not clear old upc? But will clear mpn?

 

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

GTIN: If the barcode is 12 to 14 digits, it will not be cleared

MPN: If the barcode is cleared, the mpn will be cleared

 

So if you want to keep the MPN, and Brand, then don't use those rules.

 

The video I shared, is applicable to most merchants, yours seems to be different, so only apply what you need. Or don't apply anything at all.

 

As you seem to need to keep the MPN values.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
rjr4e
Tourist
8 1 4

Entering the MPN in each variant removed the warning, but it would appear again after we would upload an update to the listing in shopify. We are the manufacturer and do not need GTIN to sell on google. However we were getting this warning  Limited performance due to missing identifiers [gtin, mpn, brand] when we uploaded an update spreadsheet into shopify.

This was the resolution:

We had uploaded listings to shopify last year using a sheet stating [identifier_exist] set to FALSE which allowed us to sell without Upc on shopify. Recently re installed the Google You Tube app, and it uploaded into Google merchant center without warnings. These warnings only appeared when we uploaded a sheet with some update. A feed rule alone did not solve it. The feed rule was "identifier exists" set to no, if it has no value take value from feed. However when I added a Modifier to the feed rule "Standardize 'FALSE' to No, the warnings went away. 

The new products we upload use [identifier_exists] set to No (instead of FALSE) and there has been no problem since.

MinnieLittyy
Excursionist
28 3 7
Thank you!
gooodman1
Tourist
5 0 1

Mel you are the best, thank you

sampymishra
Shopify Partner
296 10 35

Hi @user072319 

 

You can check the article on the related topic, and this might help you with your issue: https://blog.adnabu.com/google-merchant-center/how-to-fix-gtin-errors/

Sampy Mishra | Customer Success Manager @ AdNabu

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