Connexity Product Feed: Setup, Fields, and Optimization Guide

What is the Connexity Product Feed?

The Connexity product feed is a structured data file that transmits your product inventory to Connexity's network of shopping channels and retail partners. Connexity distributes your product listings across multiple shopping destinations, including comparison shopping engines, marketplaces, and affiliate networks. By maintaining an accurate, complete product feed, you expand product visibility and drive qualified traffic across multiple channels from a single data source.

Merchants use Connexity to reach customers across multiple shopping platforms without managing separate feeds for each channel. The platform handles feed distribution, allowing you to optimise once and reach many destinations simultaneously.

Core Feed Fields and Requirements

The following table outlines each required and optional field in the Connexity product feed, its purpose, and impact on listing performance.

Field Mapping and Data Quality Standards

Unique ID Best Practices

Your Unique ID must remain constant across all feed updates. If you change an ID, Connexity treats it as a new product, orphaning the old listing and losing all performance history. Use SKU, internal product code, or a permanent identifier that does not change when inventory levels fluctuate.

Example: Use SKU-12345 rather than INVENTORY-12345-STOCK-100. The ID should reflect the product itself, not its current state.

Title Optimisation

Titles are your primary opportunity to influence search ranking and click-through rates. Structure titles to include the most important attributes first.

Format: Brand + Product Type + Key Attribute + Variant.

Weak title: "Shoe"

Strong title: "Nike Air Max 90 Men's Black Running Shoe Size 10"

Include colour, size, material, or other distinguishing features that shoppers search for. Avoid keyword stuffing, ALL CAPS, or special characters beyond hyphens and slashes.

Description Content Strategy

Descriptions should answer common shopper questions: What is this product? What problem does it solve? What are its key features? Who should buy it?

Structure descriptions as:

1. Opening sentence: Product overview and primary benefit.
2. Key features: Bulleted list of main attributes.
3. Specifications: Materials, dimensions, weight, care instructions.
4. Use cases: Who benefits from this product and why.

Use plain language and avoid marketing hyperbole. Connexity's quality systems flag overstated claims, which may reduce listing visibility.

Category Assignment

Connexity uses a defined category taxonomy. Incorrect categorisation is one of the leading causes of listing rejection. Verify your category against Connexity's current category structure before uploading your feed.

Mismatched categories result in:

• Listing rejection or suspension.
• Reduced visibility in relevant shopping searches.
• Lower click-through rates due to irrelevant placement.

Use the most specific category available. If a product fits multiple categories, choose the primary one where customers search most frequently.

GTIN and MPN for Product Identification

GTIN (also called UPC, EAN, or ISBN) and MPN are critical for product identification across Connexity's partner network. These fields enable:

• Automatic product matching across multiple shopping channels.
• Prevention of duplicate listings from competing merchants.
• Integration with price comparison tools and review aggregation.

If your product has a GTIN, include it. If you do not have a GTIN, provide MPN if available. Products without either field receive lower quality scores and reduced distribution.

For private label or unbranded products, leave both fields empty rather than using placeholder values.

Image URL Specifications

Image URLs must be:

• Publicly accessible (no authentication required).
• Hosted on a reliable domain with 99.9% uptime.
• At least 200x200 pixels; 800x800 or larger preferred.
• Formats: JPEG, PNG, or GIF.
• File size under 5 MB.
• No watermarks, borders, or lifestyle photography in the primary image.

The primary image should show the product clearly against a plain or neutral background. Additional images can include lifestyle shots, detail views, and packaging.

Broken or slow-loading images cause listing rejection. Test all image URLs before upload.

Condition, Availability, and Price Accuracy

These three fields must match your actual inventory state. Connexity performs automated validation and manual spot checks.

Condition mismatches (e.g., listing a used item as new) violate consumer protection laws and result in account suspension.

Availability must sync with your inventory system. If a product shows "In Stock" but is out of stock at fulfillment, you waste advertising spend and damage your merchant rating. Implement automated feeds that update availability in real time or at least daily.

Price must match your website within 24 hours. Connexity detects price discrepancies and may suspend listings automatically. If you offer discounts, update your feed immediately.

Variants, Item Groups, and Attribute Fields

When you have products available in multiple colours, sizes, or materials, use Item Group ID to group variants under a single product in shopping results.

Example: A t-shirt available in red, blue, and green.

Create three feed rows:

• Row 1: Unique ID = "TSHIRT-001-RED", Item Group ID = "TSHIRT-001", Colour = "Red", Title = "Cotton T-Shirt Red"
• Row 2: Unique ID = "TSHIRT-001-BLUE", Item Group ID = "TSHIRT-001", Colour = "Blue", Title = "Cotton T-Shirt Blue"
• Row 3: Unique ID = "TSHIRT-001-GREEN", Item Group ID = "TSHIRT-001", Colour = "Green", Title = "Cotton T-Shirt Green"

Connexity then displays these as a single product with colour options, improving user experience and reducing duplicate listings in results.

Use Colour, Size, Gender, Age Group, Material, and Pattern fields consistently across all variants within the same item group. Inconsistent attribute values may prevent proper variant grouping.

Shipping Cost and Weight

Ship Cost and Ship Weight are optional but recommended fields that significantly impact conversion rates.

Ship Cost displayed in shopping results influences shopper decision-making. Products with high shipping costs experience lower click-through rates. If you offer free shipping, set Ship Cost to 0.

Ship Weight is used by Connexity's logistics partners to calculate accurate shipping costs and identify products that may incur additional fees (oversize, heavy items). Inaccurate weight data causes disputes and return requests.

Provide weight in kilograms to two decimal places.

Adult Products

If your product is restricted to adults (alcohol, tobacco, adult content, weapons, or pharmaceuticals), set the Adult field to true. This prevents Connexity from displaying your product to minors and ensures compliance with applicable regulations.

Missing Adult values for restricted products may result in listing suspension or account termination.

Feed Format and Technical Delivery

Connexity accepts product feeds in CSV, XML, and JSON formats. Choose the format that integrates most easily with your inventory system.

CSV Format

CSV feeds are simple and widely supported. Use the following structure:

• First row: Field names (Unique ID, Title, Description, etc.).
• Subsequent rows: Product data.
• Delimiter: Comma (,).
• Text qualifier: Double quotes (") for fields containing commas or line breaks.
• Character encoding: UTF-8.

XML Format

XML feeds are self-documenting and handle complex data structures well. Use the following structure:

<products>
  <product>
    <unique_id>SKU-12345</unique_id>
    <title>Product Name</title>
    <description>Product description</description>
    <!-- Additional fields -->
  </product>
</products>

JSON Format

JSON feeds are flexible and integrate well with modern APIs. Use the following structure:

{
  "products": [
    {
      "unique_id": "SKU-12345",
      "title": "Product Name",
      "description": "Product description",
      "category": "Category Name"
    }
  ]
}

Feed Upload and Synchronisation

Connexity supports two feed delivery methods:

Manual Upload

Upload your feed file directly through the Connexity merchant portal. This method suits small catalogues or one-time uploads. Manual uploads require user action each time your inventory changes.

Automated Feed Delivery

Host your feed file on your server and provide Connexity with a URL. Connexity retrieves the feed at scheduled intervals (typically daily). This method ensures your listings stay in sync with your inventory without manual intervention.

To set up automated delivery:

1. Host your feed file at a stable, publicly accessible URL.
2. Ensure the URL is accessible 24/7 with 99.9% uptime.
3. Provide the feed URL to Connexity through your merchant account.
4. Connexity begins automatic retrieval on the schedule you specify.

Automated feeds reduce errors and ensure listing accuracy. We recommend automated delivery for all merchants with more than 100 products.

Feed Validation and Error Handling

Connexity validates all feeds upon receipt. Common errors include:

• Missing required fields (Unique ID, Title, Category, etc.).
• Invalid URLs (broken links, inaccessible images).
• Malformed data (invalid prices, dates, or boolean values).
• Duplicate Unique IDs.
• Category mismatch.
• Price discrepancies.

Connexity generates an error report for each upload. Review errors immediately and correct them before resubmitting.

Partial feed acceptance is possible. If 95% of your products are valid, Connexity may accept the feed and list valid products while rejecting invalid rows. Check your error report to identify which products failed validation.

Feed Optimisation for Listing Performance

Quality Score Factors

Connexity assigns each listing a quality score based on data completeness and accuracy. Higher quality scores result in better placement in shopping results and lower cost per click.

Quality score improves when you:

• Include all optional fields (GTIN, MPN, Additional Image URLs, etc.).
• Provide accurate, up-to-date inventory data.
• Use high-quality product images.
• Write descriptive, accurate titles and descriptions.
• Match product category precisely.
• Include variant attributes (Colour, Size, etc.) for multi-variant products.

Conversion Rate Optimisation

Beyond listing approval, feed optimisation directly impacts conversion rates. Products with complete, accurate data convert 20-30% better than minimal listings.

Focus on:

• Multiple high-quality images (primary + 3-5 additional images).
• Detailed descriptions that answer common questions.
• Accurate pricing and shipping costs.
• Proper variant grouping with colour, size, and material attributes.
• Competitive original prices (if applicable) to highlight savings.

Inventory Synchronisation

Out-of-stock listings waste advertising budget and damage merchant ratings. Implement real-time or daily inventory synchronisation.

If you use an automated feed:

• Update your feed file whenever inventory changes.
• Set Connexity to retrieve your feed multiple times daily during peak sales periods.
• Use inventory management software that exports feeds automatically.

If you use manual uploads:

• Upload a new feed at least daily, ideally after each inventory change.
• Remove out-of-stock products from your feed entirely, or set Availability to "Out of Stock".

Price Competitiveness

Connexity's shopping comparison tools highlight price differences. Prices that are significantly higher than competitors' receive lower placement.

Monitor competitor pricing and update your feed regularly. If you offer discounts, use the Original Price field to display savings prominently.

Troubleshooting Common Feed Issues

Listings Not Appearing

If your products do not appear in Connexity results after upload:

1. Check the feed validation report for errors.
2. Verify that all required fields are present and valid.
3. Confirm that product URLs are accessible and resolve within 5 seconds.
4. Check that images are publicly accessible and meet size requirements.
5. Verify that your category matches Connexity's taxonomy exactly.
6. Ensure your merchant account is active and in good standing.

Low Click-Through Rates

If your listings receive impressions but few clicks:

1. Review your titles and descriptions for clarity and completeness.
2. Ensure your primary image is high quality and shows the product clearly.
3. Check that your price is competitive relative to similar products.
4. Verify that your product category is correct; incorrect categorisation reduces relevance.
5. Add optional fields (GTIN, MPN, Additional Images) to improve quality score.

High Return Rates

If customers frequently return your products:

1. Review your product descriptions for accuracy. Missing details about size, colour, or condition lead to returns.
2. Add multiple high-quality images showing different angles and details.
3. Ensure your condition field matches the actual product state.
4. Check that your size and colour attributes are accurate and consistent.
5. Include care instructions and material information in your description.

Feed Rejection or Suspension

If Connexity rejects or suspends your entire feed:

1. Check your merchant account for policy violations or account warnings.
2. Review the feed validation report for systemic errors (e.g., all prices missing).
3. Verify that your product URLs are accessible.
4. Check that your images are not broken or inaccessible.
5. Confirm that your Condition and Availability values are accurate.
6. Contact Connexity support with your feed validation report and account details.

Best Practices Summary

To maximise Connexity feed performance:

1. Include all required fields and as many optional fields as possible.
2. Use accurate, descriptive titles and detailed descriptions.
3. Provide high-quality product images (primary + additional views).
4. Include GTIN and MPN for all products that have them.
5. Group variants using Item Group ID with consistent attribute fields.
6. Synchronise your feed with your inventory system daily or in real time.
7. Update prices within 24 hours of any change.
8. Test all product URLs and images before upload.
9. Monitor your feed validation reports and correct errors promptly.
10. Review click-through and conversion rates regularly and optimise accordingly.

Integration with Other Platforms

If you distribute products across multiple channels, you may maintain separate feeds for different platforms. Connexity's field structure aligns closely with other major shopping platforms, but field names and requirements vary.

Refer to platform-specific guides for detailed field mapping:

• Amazon Product Feed Specifications and Field Mapping Guide
• eBay Product Feed Setup and Field Mapping Guide
• Criteo Product Feed Setup and Field Mapping Guide

For custom feed formats, refer to:

• Custom CSV Configuration: Technical Documentation and Field Mapping
• Custom XML Implementation: Technical Documentation and Field Mapping
• Custom JSON Integration: Technical Documentation and Field Mapping

Conclusion

The Connexity product feed is your primary tool for reaching customers across multiple shopping channels. Accurate, complete, and well-optimised feeds directly impact listing approval, visibility, click-through rates, and conversion rates.

Focus on data quality: ensure all required fields are present, accurate, and kept in sync with your inventory. Add optional fields to improve quality scores. Use descriptive titles and detailed descriptions to help shoppers understand your products. Provide multiple high-quality images. Group variants properly to reduce duplication.

Implement automated feed delivery if possible to keep your listings in sync without manual effort. Monitor your feed validation reports and address errors promptly. Track your listing performance and adjust your feed data based on click-through and conversion metrics.

By treating your product feed as a core business asset rather than a technical requirement, you unlock the full potential of Connexity's distribution network and drive meaningful revenue growth across multiple shopping channels.