Overview of Rakuten Advertising Product Feed
Rakuten Advertising is a performance marketing platform that distributes merchant product data across the Rakuten affiliate network and partner channels. Merchants submit product feeds to enable affiliate partners to create compliant listings, drive traffic, and track conversions through the platform.
Unlike marketplace feeds that directly list products for sale, Rakuten Advertising feeds serve as the source of truth for product information used by affiliates and promotional partners. Accurate, complete feed data directly affects listing approval rates, affiliate partner compliance, and campaign performance. Missing or incorrect data in key fields can result in listings being rejected or underperforming in affiliate channels.
Merchants typically use Rakuten Advertising feeds when they have affiliate partners, want to expand reach through performance marketing networks, or need to manage product information across multiple promotional channels from a single data source.
Core Required Fields and Identifier Setup
Every product in a Rakuten Advertising feed must include a unique identifier and basic descriptive information. These fields form the foundation of feed validity and product recognition across the network.
id is the unique identifier for each product within your feed. This must be consistent across all feed submissions and must not change between updates. Use your internal product SKU, product ID, or a stable reference number. The id field is required and must be unique per product variant. If you have multiple colours or sizes, each variant should have a distinct id.
title is the product name displayed in affiliate listings and partner channels. Keep titles concise, descriptive, and free of promotional language such as 'sale', 'free shipping', or 'limited offer'. Titles should be 40 to 150 characters. Include the brand name, product type, and key attributes (colour, size, material) if space permits. Avoid all-caps text and excessive punctuation. Rakuten Advertising uses the title field to match products with affiliate content and to generate listing headlines.
description provides detailed product information for affiliate partners and end consumers. Include key features, materials, dimensions, care instructions, and compatibility information. Descriptions should be 100 to 500 words. Use plain language and avoid marketing hyperbole. Rakuten Advertising partners use the description to write compliant product content and to answer customer questions. Incomplete or vague descriptions result in lower-quality affiliate listings.
link is the canonical URL to the product page on your website. This must be a direct, working link to the specific product, not a category page or homepage. The link must be accessible and remain stable. Rakuten Advertising uses this URL to send affiliate traffic and to track conversions. Broken or incorrect links prevent affiliate partners from sending traffic and block conversion tracking.
brand is the manufacturer or brand name of the product. Use the official brand name as it appears on the product packaging or the manufacturer's website. Do not use descriptors like 'generic', 'unbranded', or 'private label' unless the product genuinely has no brand. Rakuten Advertising filters and organises listings by brand, and accurate brand data improves discoverability.
gtin, mpn, and identifier_exists work together to establish product identity across retail systems. gtin is the Global Trade Item Number, which includes UPC (12 digits), EAN (13 digits), or ISBN codes. mpn is the Manufacturer Part Number, a unique code assigned by the brand. identifier_exists is a boolean field (true or false) that tells Rakuten Advertising whether a gtin or mpn exists for the product. If your product has a gtin or mpn, include it and set identifier_exists to true. If the product has no standard identifier (such as custom or made-to-order items), set identifier_exists to false. Rakuten Advertising uses these fields to prevent duplicate listings and to match products with affiliate inventory systems. Missing identifier data can cause products to be flagged as duplicates or rejected during feed validation.
google_product_category is the product category from Google's taxonomy. Use the full numeric category ID (for example, 3034 for 'Clothing & Accessories > Clothing > Dresses'). Rakuten Advertising uses this category to organise products, apply category-specific rules, and match affiliate content. Incorrect or missing categories can result in listings being placed in the wrong section or failing validation. Consult Google's product taxonomy guide to find the correct category for each product.
product_type is your internal product category or type. Unlike google_product_category, this field uses your own category structure. Examples include 'Women's Dresses', 'Running Shoes', or 'Kitchen Appliances'. This field helps Rakuten Advertising understand your product range and can be used for filtering and organisation within the feed.
Pricing and Availability Configuration
Pricing fields determine how much affiliates can promote products for and when they are eligible for promotion. Incorrect pricing data can lead to affiliate listings being disapproved or products being excluded from campaigns.
price is the current retail price of the product in your default currency (usually GBP). Include the numeric value only, without currency symbols or text. The price must match the price shown on your website at the time of feed submission. Rakuten Advertising uses this price to validate affiliate listings and to set baseline pricing for performance tracking. If the price on your website differs from the price field, affiliate listings may be flagged as non-compliant or rejected.
sale_price is a reduced price offered for a limited time. Include this field only if the product is currently on sale. The sale_price must be lower than the price field. If you do not have an active sale, omit this field entirely or leave it blank.
sale_price_effective_date specifies the date range during which the sale_price applies. Use the format 'YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS/YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS' to indicate the start and end date and time. For example, '2024-03-01T00:00:00/2024-03-31T23:59:59' indicates a sale running through March. Rakuten Advertising uses this field to ensure sale prices are only active during the specified period. If the effective date has passed, the sale_price is ignored and the regular price is used.
availability indicates whether the product is in stock and ready to ship. Use one of the following values: 'in stock', 'out of stock', or 'preorder'. If availability is 'out of stock', Rakuten Advertising will not allow affiliates to create active listings for the product. If availability is 'preorder', the product can be listed but is marked as a pre-order. Update this field regularly to reflect current stock status. Stale availability data causes affiliate listings to direct traffic to products that cannot be fulfilled.
availability_date is the date when a product will become available if it is currently out of stock or on preorder. Use the format YYYY-MM-DD. For example, if a product is on preorder and will ship on 15/04/2024, enter '2024-04-15'. Rakuten Advertising uses this date to schedule when the product becomes eligible for active promotion.
cost_of_goods_sold is your internal cost to acquire or produce the product. This field is optional and is not displayed to consumers or affiliates. Rakuten Advertising may use this data to help you analyse profitability and margin. Include the numeric value in your default currency.
Product Attributes and Variants
Product attribute fields allow you to specify variations such as colour, size, and material. These fields help affiliates and consumers find the exact product variant they are looking for.
color is the colour or colours of the product. If the product has multiple colours, separate them with a forward slash (for example, 'Red / Blue'). Use standard colour names rather than brand-specific names. 'Navy' is clearer than 'Ocean Midnight'. Rakuten Advertising uses colour data to filter search results and to match products with affiliate inventory.
size is the size or sizes available for the product. Use standard sizing notation for your product category. For clothing, use 'XS', 'S', 'M', 'L', 'XL', or numeric sizes such as '8', '10', '12'. For shoes, use UK shoe sizes. For products sold by volume or weight, include the measurement (for example, '500ml', '1kg'). If multiple sizes are available, separate them with a forward slash.
size_type specifies how size is measured for the product. Use one of the following: 'regular', 'petite', 'plus', 'big and tall', or 'maternity' for clothing. For other product categories, this field may not apply.
size_system indicates the sizing standard used. Examples include 'UK', 'US', 'EU', 'IT', 'FR', 'DE', 'JP', or 'CN'. This field is particularly important for clothing, shoes, and international products where sizing differs by region.
material describes the primary material composition of the product. Examples include 'cotton', 'polyester', 'leather', 'stainless steel', or 'plastic'. If the product is made from multiple materials, separate them with a forward slash (for example, 'Cotton / Polyester'). Rakuten Advertising uses material information to help consumers filter products by composition.
age_group indicates the intended age group for the product. Use one of the following: 'newborn', 'infant', 'toddler', 'kids', 'adult', or 'all ages'. This field is primarily used for clothing, toys, and children's products. Rakuten Advertising uses age_group to ensure products are listed in appropriate categories and to prevent non-compliant marketing.
gender specifies whether a product is designed for a particular gender. Use 'male', 'female', or 'unisex'. This field applies to clothing, shoes, and personal care products. Rakuten Advertising uses gender data to match products with affiliate content and to apply category-specific rules.
condition describes the state of the product. Use one of the following: 'new', 'refurbished', or 'used'. The vast majority of products should be 'new'. Use 'refurbished' only if the product has been professionally restored to like-new condition and is sold with a warranty. Use 'used' only if the product is second-hand. Rakuten Advertising treats refurbished and used products differently, and misclassifying condition can result in listing rejection.
Images and Media
Product images are critical for affiliate listings and consumer trust. High-quality, properly formatted images improve approval rates and click-through rates.
image_link is the URL of the primary product image. This image should show the product clearly against a plain background, be at least 500 pixels in width and height, and be no larger than 5MB. The image must be a JPEG, PNG, or GIF file. Avoid watermarks, text overlays, or logos that obscure the product. The image must be accessible and remain available for at least 90 days. Rakuten Advertising requires a valid primary image for every product. Missing or broken image links result in automatic feed rejection or product removal.
additional_image_link allows you to provide up to 10 additional product images. Separate multiple image URLs with a comma. Additional images should show different angles, details, or the product in use. High-quality additional images improve affiliate listing quality and consumer confidence. If you have additional images, include them; if not, this field can be omitted.
mobile_link is an optional URL to a mobile-optimised version of the product page. If your website automatically detects and serves mobile content, this field is not necessary. Use this field only if you have a separate mobile URL that differs from the standard product link.
Grouping and Bundling
These fields help organise product variants and bundle offerings within your feed.
item_group_id groups product variants (such as different colours or sizes of the same item) under a single parent product. All variants of the same product should share the same item_group_id. For example, a dress available in red, blue, and black would have three separate entries in the feed, each with a unique id, but all three would share the same item_group_id. Rakuten Advertising uses item_group_id to prevent duplicate listings and to group variants in search results. If you do not use variants, omit this field.
is_bundle is a boolean field (true or false) that indicates whether the product is a bundle of multiple items sold together. Set is_bundle to true only if the product consists of two or more distinct items packaged and sold as a single unit. For example, a skincare set containing a cleanser, toner, and moisturiser would have is_bundle set to true. Rakuten Advertising uses this field to correctly categorise and price bundle offerings.
multipack indicates how many units of a product are included in a single purchase. For example, if a product is sold as a pack of three, set multipack to 3. Use this field only if multiple identical units are packaged together. For bundles of different products, use is_bundle instead. Rakuten Advertising uses multipack to help consumers understand quantity and to calculate unit pricing.
Shipping and Logistics
shipping_weight is the weight of the product including packaging, used for calculating shipping costs. Include the numeric value and unit (for example, '500g' or '2kg'). Rakuten Advertising and affiliate partners use shipping weight to estimate delivery costs and to determine shipping eligibility. Missing or incorrect weight data can result in inaccurate shipping quotes.
Promotional and Administrative Fields
custom_label_0, custom_label_1, custom_label_2, custom_label_3, and custom_label_4 are five optional fields you can use to tag products with internal labels or categories. Use these fields to mark products for specific campaigns, seasonal promotions, or internal organisation. For example, you might use custom_label_0 to mark 'summer_collection' or 'clearance'. You can use custom labels to filter and segment your feed for different campaigns or affiliate partners. Rakuten Advertising does not display custom labels to consumers but allows you to use them for feed management and reporting.
promotion_id links a product to a specific promotion or campaign within Rakuten Advertising. If you have set up a promotion in the Rakuten Advertising platform, include the promotion ID here to automatically associate products with that promotion. This field is optional and is used only if you are running a structured promotion through Rakuten Advertising.
expiration_date specifies when a product listing should be removed from the feed or marked as no longer available. Use the format YYYY-MM-DD. Rakuten Advertising uses this date to automatically deactivate listings and prevent affiliates from promoting discontinued products. If a product has no expiration date, omit this field.
Energy and Pricing Transparency
energy_efficiency_class applies to products subject to energy labelling regulations, such as appliances and lighting. Use the official energy class label for your region (for example, 'A', 'B', 'C', etc., or 'A+++', 'A++', 'A+' for older EU standards). Include this field only if the product is subject to mandatory energy labelling. Rakuten Advertising uses this field to comply with consumer protection regulations and to display energy information in listings.
unit_pricing_measure is the quantity of product included in the price (for example, 'ml', 'g', 'l', 'kg'). For a bottle of shampoo priced at £5 for 250ml, set unit_pricing_measure to '250'. This field is used in conjunction with unit_pricing_base_measure to calculate unit price (price per ml, gram, etc.).
unit_pricing_base_measure is the standard unit used to compare prices across similar products (for example, 'ml' for liquids, 'g' for solids). For the shampoo example above, set unit_pricing_base_measure to '1ml' to indicate that the price should be calculated per millilitre. Unit pricing is required for certain product categories in some regions and is used to help consumers compare value. If your product category does not require unit pricing, omit these fields.
Practical Feed Setup and Optimisation
Structuring Your Feed File
Rakuten Advertising accepts product feeds in CSV, XML, or JSON format. Choose the format that integrates most easily with your product data system. CSV is the simplest format for small feeds; XML and JSON scale better for large catalogues. Ensure your feed file includes a header row (for CSV) or proper schema (for XML/JSON) that maps your data to the field names specified above.
Validation and Testing
Before submitting your feed to Rakuten Advertising, validate it against the feed specification. Check that all required fields are present and correctly formatted. Verify that all URLs (image_link, link, mobile_link) are accessible and return HTTP 200 status codes. Test that prices are numeric values without currency symbols. Ensure that gtin and mpn values are correctly formatted (gtin should be 8, 12, 13, or 14 digits; mpn should match the manufacturer's format). Use Rakuten Advertising's feed validation tool to identify errors before submission.
Mapping Your Product Data
Create a mapping document that connects your internal product fields to the Rakuten Advertising feed fields. For example, map your internal 'product_name' field to the title field, your 'sku' to id, your 'wholesale_cost' to cost_of_goods_sold, and so on. This mapping ensures consistency and makes it easier to automate feed generation and updates.
Handling Missing Data
If a field is optional and you do not have data for it, omit the field entirely or leave it blank. Do not include placeholder text such as 'N/A' or 'unknown'. Rakuten Advertising treats blank and missing fields the same way. However, for required fields (id, title, link, image_link, availability, price, brand, condition, gtin or mpn, identifier_exists, google_product_category), you must provide valid data for every product.
Updating Your Feed
Submit updated feeds to Rakuten Advertising on a regular schedule, at least weekly. Include all products in every feed submission, not just new or changed products. Rakuten Advertising uses the complete feed to identify products that have been removed or discontinued. Update pricing, availability, and promotional fields as frequently as your data changes. Real-time or daily feed updates are recommended if you have frequent stock changes or sales.
Category and Attribute Consistency
Use consistent values for categorical fields such as colour, size, gender, and age_group across all products. Inconsistent values (for example, 'red' in one product and 'Red' in another) may be treated as different categories by Rakuten Advertising. Establish a controlled vocabulary for these fields and apply it consistently across your entire feed.
Image Quality and Availability
Ensure that all image URLs in image_link and additional_image_link are permanent and will not change. Use HTTPS URLs where possible. Test that images load quickly and are not blocked by robots.txt or authentication. Replace broken images immediately, as Rakuten Advertising may remove products with missing images from active listings.
Monitoring Feed Performance
After submitting your feed, monitor the feed status in Rakuten Advertising. Check for validation errors, warnings, and rejection reasons. Address any errors immediately and resubmit. Track which products are approved, which are rejected, and why. Use this feedback to improve your feed data. Common rejection reasons include missing required fields, incorrect image URLs, mismatched prices, and duplicate identifiers.
Summary
A complete, accurate Rakuten Advertising product feed is the foundation for successful affiliate marketing and partner channel distribution. Each field serves a specific purpose: core fields like id, title, and link establish product identity; pricing and availability fields control when and how products can be promoted; attribute fields help consumers and affiliates find the right product variant; and image fields build trust and drive engagement.
Start by ensuring that all required fields are present and correctly formatted. Validate your feed before submission and monitor the feedback from Rakuten Advertising. Update your feed regularly to reflect changes in pricing, availability, and product information. Use custom labels and promotion IDs to segment and manage your products for different campaigns. By following these specifications and best practices, you can build a high-quality feed that drives affiliate traffic, improves listing approval rates, and maximises the return on your performance marketing investment.