Frequently Asked Product Catalog Questions and Answers

Q: My script only downloads the files when the file date changes. Will this work with Product Catalog?

A: Yes, you should be able to use the date stamp of the file in the directory (which indicates the creation time in UTC) to see what’s been changed and pull only the newest items.

 Q: What are the folders that I see in my FTP account?

A: The folders in your FTP account are for each advertiser that you are eligible to get Product Catalog files from. The folders contain the category-specific Product Catalog files for the advertisers.

 Q: Do I need to be approved by each advertiser for use of their Product Catalog data feed?

A: Yes, there are two levels of approval for Product Catalog. First, you receive technical approval and then you will need advertiser approval. You will need to request Product Catalog approval when you apply to a new advertiser program, and/or request it separately from existing advertiser partners.

Q: What do I do if an advertiser’s Product Catalog data is stale?

A: It is best to let the advertiser know directly. You can find an advertiser’s contact information on their program page in the dashboard. If you are not sure if what you are concerned about is a stale data issue, feel free to contact customer support. To find an advertiser’s contact info in your dashboard, please search the advertiser’s name or MID in the Search box and click through their logo to get to their advertiser details page.

 Q: What is the unique product identification? Is it optional?

A: Product ID is optional only for advertisers sending us data for the feed. Publisher Product Catalog files will always include a product ID. Even though the SKU may not be unique, all products will have a unique product ID.