And the only way that a comparison shopping engine

And the only way that a comparison shopping engine can compare your item to your competitor’s item is via a uniform identifier, such as the item’s 12-digit bar code number (UPC) or its manufacturer’s part number (MPN). Because many of the search engines don’t currently require UPCs, MPNs, or ISBNs (International Standard Book Numbers), those important product attributes often get neglected.

It never hurts to double check the feed specifications to see which product attributes are currently being accepted by a CSE before you submit your data feed. The more accurate the information you can provide about your products, the better.

Another area that often gets overlooked is the taxonomy that each comparison shopping engine uses to categorize your store items. Categories work like this: If a shopper searches a generic term like “Sony PlayStation,” the visitor will then be able to filter through the results by category. Categorizing your items might seem like a long and tedious process, but it can be a very beneficial one. By making sure that your items fall into their most accurate categories, you’re making sure that each item is as visible as it can be to each shopper. And on the paid CSEs, your items are charged based on the category/subcategory rate.