Overview of Impact.com Product Feed Distribution
Impact.com is a performance marketing platform that connects merchants with affiliate partners and publishers. The product feed serves as the central data source for all promotional activity across the Impact network. When you submit a product feed to Impact.com, your product catalogue becomes available to thousands of affiliates who can then promote your goods through their own channels, websites, and marketing campaigns.
Merchants use Impact.com feeds to expand reach beyond owned channels, leverage affiliate marketing networks, and maintain consistent product information across multiple partner storefronts. The quality and completeness of your feed directly affects how many affiliates can effectively list your products and how prominently those listings appear in search results and promotional materials.
Unlike direct-to-consumer platforms, Impact.com acts as an intermediary. Your feed data must be accurate, complete, and properly formatted so that affiliate partners receive reliable information for their own customer-facing listings. Missing or incorrect data can result in products being rejected, delisted, or ranked lower in affiliate search results.
Required and Core Fields
These fields form the foundation of every product record and determine whether your products are accepted into the Impact network.
id
The id field contains a unique identifier for each product in your catalogue. This must be a text string that remains consistent across all feed submissions. Impact.com uses this identifier to match incoming feed records with previously submitted products, track inventory changes, and link affiliate sales back to the original product.
Use your internal SKU, product code, or any value that uniquely identifies the product within your own system. Do not use generic values like 'product1' or 'item'. If the same product exists in multiple colours or sizes, assign a separate id to each variant. Changing an id between feed submissions causes Impact.com to treat it as a new product rather than an update, which breaks affiliate links and sales attribution.
name
The name field holds the product title or name as it should appear in affiliate listings. Keep names concise, descriptive, and free of unnecessary punctuation or special characters. Include the product type and key distinguishing features (brand, model, colour if relevant) but avoid marketing language or all-caps formatting.
Example: 'Blue Cotton T-Shirt Size M' is clearer than 'AMAZING SUPER SOFT PREMIUM QUALITY BLUE SHIRT!!!'. Affiliate partners often truncate product names in their own listings, so the most important information should appear first. Names that are too generic or vague make it harder for affiliates to differentiate your products and for customers to find them.
url
The url field specifies the direct link to the product page on your website. This must be a valid, working URL that leads to the specific product, not a category page or homepage. Affiliates use this link to create trackable referral URLs, so the destination must be correct and accessible.
Include the full protocol (https://) and ensure the URL works when clicked. If a product is temporarily out of stock, the URL must still resolve to the correct product page. Broken or incorrect URLs prevent affiliates from driving traffic to your site and break the sales attribution chain.
image_link
The image_link field contains a URL pointing to a product image. This image appears in affiliate listings and promotional materials. Provide a high-quality, representative image that clearly shows the product. The image must be accessible via a direct URL and should be at least 500 pixels wide for clarity.
Use the primary product image rather than lifestyle shots or models. Avoid images with watermarks, logos overlaid, or cluttered backgrounds. Poor or missing images reduce click-through rates from affiliate listings because customers cannot see what they are buying.
price
The price field contains the regular selling price of the product. This is the full, non-discounted price. Submit the price as a numeric value without currency symbols (for example, '29.99' not '£29.99'). The currency is specified separately in the currency field.
Impact.com uses the price field to calculate affiliate commissions, display pricing in listings, and track price changes over time. Prices that are too high or too low compared to actual product cost raise validation flags. If you have a sale price, include it in the sale_price field rather than overwriting the regular price.
sale_price
The sale_price field holds a temporarily reduced price. Include this field only when the product is actively discounted. When a sale ends, remove the sale_price value and revert to the regular price. Impact.com may highlight products with active sale prices in affiliate promotions, so maintaining accurate sale pricing improves visibility.
If sale_price is present, it must be lower than the regular price. Inverted prices (sale price higher than regular price) cause validation errors and confuse affiliates.
currency
The currency field specifies the currency code for the price and sale_price values. Use standard ISO 4217 currency codes (GBP for British pounds, EUR for euros, USD for US dollars, etc.). This field ensures that price values are interpreted correctly across different affiliate markets and payment systems.
Product Information and Classification Fields
These fields provide context, categorisation, and detailed product attributes that help affiliates and customers understand what you are selling.
brand
The brand field contains the manufacturer or brand name of the product. This should match the official brand as it appears on packaging or the manufacturer's website. Consistent brand naming helps affiliates filter and organise products, and allows customers to search by brand.
If you manufacture the product yourself, use your company name. Do not leave this field blank or use generic values like 'Generic' or 'Unbranded'. Brand is often a primary search filter in affiliate networks, so accurate brand data improves discoverability.
description
The description field provides a detailed explanation of the product, its features, benefits, and use cases. This is where you communicate key selling points to affiliates and their customers. Write clear, factual descriptions that highlight what makes the product valuable.
Include material composition, dimensions, weight, warranty information, and any special features. Avoid marketing hyperbole or unsupported claims. Descriptions that are too short (under 50 characters) or too long (over 5000 characters) may be truncated or rejected by Impact.com validation rules. A well-written description increases affiliate confidence in promoting the product and reduces return rates.
category
The category field classifies the product within your own catalogue structure. Use your internal category taxonomy (for example, 'Clothing > Mens > Shirts' or 'Electronics > Audio > Headphones'). This helps Impact.com route products to relevant affiliate partners and allows filtering by product type.
Use consistent category names across all products. Avoid overly broad categories like 'Products' or overly narrow ones that apply to only a single item. Categories should reflect how affiliates and customers naturally search for products.
google_product_category
The google_product_category field assigns each product to Google's standardised product taxonomy. This is a numeric code (for example, '185' for 'Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Shirts') that ensures your products are classified consistently across multiple distribution channels.
Using the correct Google category improves compatibility with affiliate partners who rely on Google's taxonomy for filtering and organisation. Incorrect or missing categories may result in products being placed in irrelevant sections or rejected by partners who have category restrictions.
Identification and Inventory Fields
These fields provide unique product identifiers and current stock status.
gtin
The gtin field contains the Global Trade Item Number (also called UPC, EAN, or ISBN depending on product type). This is a standardised barcode number assigned to products. If your product has a GTIN, include it here as a numeric string without hyphens or spaces.
GTINs allow Impact.com and affiliate partners to cross-reference your products with external product databases and verify authenticity. Products with valid GTINs are considered more trustworthy and are less likely to be flagged as suspicious or counterfeit. If your product does not have an official GTIN, leave this field blank rather than inventing one.
mpn
The mpn (Manufacturer Part Number) field holds the product code assigned by the manufacturer. This is useful for electronics, appliances, and branded goods where manufacturers issue official part numbers. Include the mpn if available.
MPN helps affiliates and customers identify the exact product variant and check compatibility with other items. For example, a smartphone model number or a car part code. Like GTIN, a valid MPN increases product credibility.
item_group_id
The item_group_id field groups product variants (different colours, sizes, or configurations of the same base product) together. All variants of a single product should share the same item_group_id, but each variant receives its own unique id.
For example, a shirt available in blue, red, and green would have three separate product records (one per colour), each with a unique id, but all three would share the same item_group_id. This allows affiliates to understand that these are variants of the same product and helps Impact.com manage inventory and pricing across the group.
availability
The availability field indicates current stock status. Use one of these standard values:
- 'in stock': Product is available for immediate purchase.
- 'out of stock': Product is currently unavailable.
- 'preorder': Product is available for pre-order with a future delivery date.
- 'backorder': Product is temporarily out of stock but will be restocked.
Impact.com uses availability to decide whether affiliates can actively promote the product. Out-of-stock products may be hidden from affiliate listings or marked with a 'notify when available' option. Accurate availability prevents affiliates from driving traffic to products you cannot fulfil.
condition
The condition field specifies the product's physical state. Use one of these standard values:
- 'new': Product is brand new, unused, and in original packaging.
- 'refurbished': Product has been restored to working condition and tested, but may show signs of previous use.
- 'used': Product is pre-owned and functional but may have cosmetic wear.
Most merchants submit 'new' products. Condition becomes important for second-hand retailers, refurbishment businesses, or marketplaces selling mixed inventory. Misrepresenting condition violates affiliate terms and damages trust.
Attribute and Variant Fields
These fields capture specific product characteristics that help customers narrow down their search.
color
The color field specifies the primary colour of the product. Use standard colour names (blue, red, black, white, etc.) rather than brand-specific names or hex codes. If a product is available in multiple colours, create a separate product record for each colour variant, each with its own unique id but sharing the same item_group_id.
Colour is a primary search filter for apparel, home goods, and accessories. Accurate colour data allows customers to find exactly what they want and reduces returns due to colour mismatch.
size
The size field specifies the product size or dimensions. For apparel, use standard sizing (XS, S, M, L, XL, etc.). For shoes, use shoe size (UK 6, UK 7, etc.). For other products, specify dimensions or capacity (for example, '500ml' for a water bottle or '50cm x 30cm' for a poster).
Like colour, size is often a primary search filter. Each size variant should receive its own product record with a unique id and shared item_group_id. Incorrect or missing size information causes customer confusion and increases return rates.
gender
The gender field indicates the intended audience for gendered products. Use one of these values:
- 'male': Product is designed for men.
- 'female': Product is designed for women.
- 'unisex': Product is suitable for any gender.
This field is most relevant for apparel, footwear, and personal care items. Leave blank for products that are not gender-specific. Gender helps affiliates filter products and allows customers to narrow searches by fit or style preference.
age_group
The age_group field specifies the intended age range. Use one of these standard values:
- 'newborn': Products for infants (0 - 3 months).
- 'infant': Products for babies (3 months - 12 months).
- 'toddler': Products for toddlers (1 - 5 years).
- 'kids': Products for children (5 - 13 years).
- 'teen': Products for teenagers (13 - 18 years).
- 'adult': Products for adults (18+ years).
This field is essential for children's products and toys, where age appropriateness is a safety and legal concern. Incorrect age_group classification can result in products being rejected or flagged as non-compliant. Leave blank for products not targeted at a specific age group.
additional_image_link
The additional_image_link field allows you to submit multiple product images beyond the primary image_link. Provide URLs to additional photos showing different angles, details, or product variations. Multiple images give affiliates and customers a more complete view of the product and increase confidence in purchasing.
Submit up to 10 additional images per product. Each URL must be valid and accessible. High-quality, varied images reduce return rates and improve conversion rates in affiliate listings.
Cost and Bidding Fields
These fields communicate financial information relevant to affiliate partnerships.
manufacturing_cost
The manufacturing_cost field contains your cost to produce or acquire the product. This is used internally by Impact.com to calculate margins and inform commission structures. Submit this as a numeric value in the same currency as price.
Manufacturing cost is not visible to affiliates or customers. It helps Impact.com validate that your pricing is realistic and identify potential fraud or data quality issues. A product priced at £5 with a manufacturing cost of £50 raises validation flags.
product_bid
The product_bid field allows you to set a custom commission or incentive amount for individual products. This is useful for promoting new products, clearing inventory, or incentivising affiliates to prioritise certain items. Submit this as a numeric value (for example, '2.50' for a £2.50 commission per sale).
Product-level bids override default commission rates set at the programme level. Affiliates see bid information when deciding which products to promote, so higher bids attract more promotional activity. Use this field strategically to influence affiliate behaviour and drive sales of high-margin or strategic products.
Feed Validation and Quality Standards
Impact.com applies validation rules to all submitted feeds. Common rejection reasons include:
- Missing required fields (id, name, url, price, currency).
- Invalid URLs that do not resolve or return 404 errors.
- Prices that are negative, zero, or unreasonably high compared to manufacturing cost.
- Duplicate ids within the same feed submission.
- Broken or inaccessible image links.
- Invalid currency codes.
- Inconsistent item_group_id usage across variants.
- Availability values that do not match the standard list.
Before submitting a feed, validate all URLs, verify that prices are realistic, and ensure all required fields are populated. Impact.com provides validation reports that flag specific errors, allowing you to correct them before resubmission.
Practical Feed Optimisation for Impact.com
To maximise product visibility and affiliate engagement, follow these practices:
Consistency across submissions: Use the same product ids, names, and categories in every feed update. Changes to these core fields cause Impact.com to treat products as new items, breaking affiliate links and sales attribution.
Complete product information: Populate all optional fields, not just required ones. Products with full descriptions, multiple images, and complete attribute data rank higher in affiliate searches and receive more promotional attention.
Accurate pricing: Keep prices aligned with your actual selling price. Affiliates trust Impact.com data and will promote products based on the prices you submit. If you later change prices significantly, update your feed immediately.
Regular updates: Submit feed updates at least weekly, or immediately when prices, availability, or product information changes. Stale data causes affiliates to promote products that are out of stock or incorrectly priced, damaging your reputation.
Variant management: For products available in multiple colours, sizes, or configurations, create separate records for each variant with unique ids but shared item_group_id. This allows affiliates to promote the exact variant customers want.
Image quality: Provide clear, high-resolution images that accurately represent the product. Avoid lifestyle photos or images with overlaid text. Multiple images per product significantly improve conversion rates.
Attribute accuracy: Ensure colour, size, gender, and age_group values are correct and consistent. Incorrect attributes cause products to appear in irrelevant searches and frustrate customers.
Commission strategy: Use product_bid strategically to highlight high-margin items or clear slow-moving inventory. Affiliates respond to higher commissions by increasing promotional effort.
Summary
The Impact.com product feed is your primary tool for reaching affiliate partners and expanding sales through performance marketing channels. Success depends on submitting complete, accurate, and well-formatted product data that meets Impact.com validation standards and helps affiliates effectively promote your products.
Focus on the core required fields first: id, name, url, price, currency, and availability. Then progressively add optional fields like detailed descriptions, multiple images, and accurate attributes. Regular feed updates, realistic pricing, and strategic use of commission bidding will increase affiliate engagement and drive measurable sales growth through the Impact network.
Review your feed submission regularly against Impact.com's validation reports. Address any flagged errors promptly and monitor how product performance changes as you refine your feed data. Over time, a well-maintained, comprehensive feed will become your strongest asset for affiliate-driven growth.