Why are Google fields not importing after CSV product export?

Technical Q&A
1

Hi @Shopify_77

I have a major problem. When I export my products via CSV then change the Google / MPN field and the Google shopping category field they are not being imported when I then save and import that file.

This is a major issue as we have over 600 products and I don’t feel we should have to spend what would be literally days changing the google fields one by one in the browser for a service we are paying a monthly fee for.

As it currently stands Google merchant centre is displaying the following error

Limited performance due to missing identifiers [gtin, mpn, brand]

Yet we are unable to resolve this in a reasonable fashion. You advertise full Google shopping integration and I feel this is not what we are getting currently.

Please can you let us know if / when you intend to rectify this as I do feel it is quite an important matter in todays economic climate to have Google shopping set up correctly.

2

If you are using the free shopping app, then this app has for 4+ months had issues related to product identifiers. IE: Not able to submit what you have assigned it too.

I have even used a 3rd party app to bulk edit custom products, to set as false, no longer works in the past 3 weeks.

In my professional opinion, save yourself time and use an app that works such as: https://apps.shopify.com/multiple-google-shopping-feeds

I use it for a lot of my clients, you can automate the rules so that if the products have barcodes, it submits brand + barcode, if the products have no barcode, it will auto remove brand + mpn and set identifier exists to no.

That will resolve your issue.

However, one Google policy rule you need to remember is that certain categories require a barcode, regardless if you have them or not. So if you are a reseller, contact the manufacturer. If you are the manufacturer, you need to buy official GS1 barcodes. Don’t buy any just yet, first setup the rules correctly and confirm in Google Merchant Center > Products > all products > click on a product > scroll to the bottom > final attributes > that this info is correct.

3

Wait so the answer is to pay more money for a service I am already paying for, that’s not how you keep customers.

Imagine I send a product to a customer and it is either broken or not delivered and my reply is to tell that customer to pay more money for a replacement.

I know you’re not a Shopify employee, but you can see what I mean, right..? This being totally ignored by @Shopify_77 is in bad taste.

4

I agree, in that case, if you do not want to use a paid service is to contact Shopify, they are the app developers, which maintain the free app you currently are using. Nobody on this community will be able to fix the app itself, only Shopify can do that. The more people complain to Shopify, the more likely they will do something about it.

I also recommend you check the reviews of the current app you are using, you will see lots of negative reviews.

Because I service clients that want to achieve goals (sales and profit), I personally do things differently, when I know an app is not capable of achieving goals, I use a different app that can. Because in the end what is important for my clients is sales and profits.

If I can not generate profit with the free app due to limitations, bugs, etc. Then I will use something else. Yes, profit will be slightly lower, but in the end, there are more sales, because I am able to set up a much better feed. Of course certain recommendations I make, will be outside the profits of my clients, but that is very rare, as all merchants have to spend to make money.

Same with Google-related issues, if Google is unable to achieve something I need for my clients, I find other ways to get the results I need.

From 12+ years in business, I have quickly found that I can give my clients better results by using tools that work, rather than trying to force use free tools, that don’t work.

Again, I understand from your perspective as a merchant, from my business perspective, I make decisions that help my client’s overall goals.

Having issues with the feed need to be resolved. Regardless of what app you use.

You can if you want something absolutely free, is to create a data feed manually, using a spreadsheet. You can follow the guide here:

https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/7052112?hl=en
https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/160567

5

Hi EmmanuelFlossie,

Thank you for the information and support.

I do understand what you are saying. I do however have issue with the term ‘free app’ I pay shopify a monthly subscription for advertised services, one of which is Google integration, so I would say the app isn’t free if used as a selling point for a service.

I have been using @Shopify_77 to try and bring their attention to it, however, it seems they just don’t care about it.

Once again, thank you for the help and advice.

@Victoria_13 I know you replied to my Facebook feed upload issues, I don’t suppose you have any input on this matter at all..?

6

I recommend you contact them directly via Shopify Support in your account, not here publicly. You should get support with your questions.

I say free app, because it’s not a default feature. All apps that you install, are in my view extra features. Not default features.

If it was a default feature, it would have been natively, which is not the case.

However if you say Shopify has misled you in purchasing their services, then I recommend you get in touch with your local ombudsman, ie a public service that deals with misleading advertising.

7

I don’t think we need to go that far yet, I am just trying to raise awareness.

I will try, as you say, contacting them thru our dashboard.

Again, thankyou for the help & advice.

8

OK, so little bit of an update for anyone following this. I have spent this morning talking with Shopify support over chat and once I explained the issue I had the following response.

So, I checked this and those columns are not in use at all anymore. They used to apply to the old Google Shopping app by Shopify but since the move to the Google Channel, they no longer work. In accordance to this, I have raised the issue to our developers to remove the columns and avoid confusion for all of our merchants.

The columns they refer to are the columns in the CSV file.

I asked if they knew of any plans to add new fields that would work and this was the follow up.

Right now, I am not aware of any plans to do so. I believe it was removed because with the new channel it was not possible to integrate this. It is possible that they may be looking at alternative ways to do it, but I will add that request to my request to remove the current fields

So it seems the Google channel was a step backwards in some respects.

9

any update on this thus far?

10

I’d agree, definitely seems like a step backwards. Why doesn’t it just default to false to begin with?

11

Well, the Google sales channel is supposed to be operated by Google as of the 1st of September. I am still waiting on the notification Shopify said I would receive when this actually occurs.

I am hope when Google take control of it they will in fact make it easier to work with bulk editing.

As for the column headings in the CSV file even though shopify said they would remove them as they don’t work, big surprise, they did not as they remain in the CSV file and broken to this day.