What is the Webgains product feed?
Webgains is a performance marketing network that connects merchants with affiliate partners. Merchants submit product data feeds to Webgains, which then distributes that information to thousands of affiliated publishers, bloggers, comparison sites, and marketing channels. These affiliates use your product data to create listings, promotions, and content that drive traffic back to your store.
The Webgains product feed is the primary mechanism for getting your product catalogue into the hands of affiliates. Without a properly structured and optimised feed, your products may be rejected, appear incomplete in affiliate listings, or fail to generate affiliate traffic altogether.
Merchants use Webgains because the affiliate network provides access to a large, pre-screened partner base without upfront fees. You pay only when an affiliate drives a sale or conversion. The network handles affiliate vetting, payment processing, and dispute resolution.
Core feed fields and their impact on product approval
Webgains evaluates feeds against strict quality standards. Each field serves a specific purpose in product visibility, affiliate compliance, and customer trust.
| Field | Purpose | Impact on approval |
|---|---|---|
| product_id | Unique identifier for each product | Required; must be consistent across all feed submissions. Duplicates or missing IDs cause rejection. |
| product_name | Product title displayed in affiliate listings | Must be accurate and match your website. Misleading names trigger manual review. |
| description | Detailed product information for affiliate context | Helps affiliates create compliant marketing materials. Thin or keyword-stuffed descriptions lower approval odds. |
| deeplink | Direct URL to the product page on your site | Critical for tracking and conversion. Broken or redirect-heavy deeplinks cause feed rejection. |
| price | Current selling price in merchant currency | Must match your website. Price mismatches trigger affiliate complaints and feed suspensions. |
| currency | ISO 4217 currency code (e.g. GBP, EUR, USD) | Webgains uses this to standardise pricing across regions. Incorrect currency codes cause feed errors. |
| category_name | Product category for affiliate filtering | Must map to Webgains taxonomy. Vague or missing categories reduce affiliate discoverability. |
| brand | Manufacturer or brand name | Used for brand-level filtering and compliance checks. Missing brand data weakens feed quality scores. |
| availability | Stock status (in stock, out of stock, pre-order) | Affiliates filter by availability; incorrect status leads to customer complaints and affiliate churn. |
| image_url | Standard product image URL | Required for most affiliates. Missing or broken image links reduce click-through rates and cause feed warnings. |
| image_large_url | High-resolution product image | Used by premium affiliate channels. Improves conversion rates on visual-focused platforms. |
| image_thumbnail_url | Small preview image for quick loading | Used in list views and mobile contexts. Optimises affiliate page load times. |
| delivery_cost | Shipping or delivery fee in merchant currency | Affiliates display total cost to customer. Omitting this field causes pricing disputes. |
| delivery_period | Estimated delivery time (e.g. 2-3 days, 1 week) | Customers expect transparent shipping timelines. Inaccurate or missing delivery periods reduce affiliate trust. |
| in_stock | Boolean flag for stock status | Provides quick availability check for affiliate systems. Must align with availability field. |
| normal_price | Original or recommended retail price | Used to calculate discount percentages in affiliate promotions. Inflated normal prices trigger manual review. |
| baseprice | Price per unit or base measurement (e.g. per 100ml) | Required for regulated categories (cosmetics, food, supplements). Missing baseprice can cause regulatory compliance failures. |
| european_article_number | EAN / barcode for the product | Used for product matching and compliance verification. Incorrect or missing EANs weaken data quality. |
| manufacturers_product_number | MPN or SKU from the manufacturer | Helps Webgains match your products to external databases. Improves feed matching and reduces duplicate listings. |
| short_description | Condensed product summary (50-150 characters) | Used in mobile and email affiliate campaigns. Poorly written short descriptions reduce click-through rates. |
| keywords | Comma-separated search terms | Helps affiliates understand product intent. Keyword stuffing or irrelevant terms trigger quality flags. |
| language | ISO 639-1 language code (e.g. en, de, fr) | Webgains distributes feeds to region-specific partners. Incorrect language codes cause feed routing errors. |
| manufacturer | Company that made the product | Used for brand verification and affiliate filtering. Omitting this weakens product context. |
| best_sellers | Flag indicating if product is a top seller | Helps affiliates prioritise high-performing items. Used to boost visibility in affiliate listings. |
| promotions | Active promotional offers or discount codes | Increases affiliate incentive to promote. Missing promotions reduce competitive appeal. |
Field mapping best practices
Product identification and matching
The product_id field must be unique and stable across all feed updates. If you change product IDs between submissions, Webgains treats them as new products, breaking affiliate links and tracking. Use your internal SKU or a database-generated ID, not a timestamp or session variable.
The manufacturers_product_number and european_article_number fields help Webgains match your products to external catalogues and prevent duplicates. If you sell branded goods, always include these identifiers. Missing EANs for regulated products (cosmetics, food, health supplements) can cause compliance rejections.
Pricing and currency accuracy
Webgains is strict about price consistency. Your price field must match your website on the day of feed submission. If your website shows £29.99 but your feed lists £25.99, Webgains flags the discrepancy and may suspend the feed pending manual review.
Always include currency as an ISO 4217 code (GBP, EUR, USD, etc.). Do not write "pounds" or "£" in the currency field; use the standardised code only.
If you offer tiered pricing (e.g. £10 for 1 unit, £8 per unit for 10+), use the single-unit price in the price field. Include volume pricing details in the description or short_description field so affiliates can communicate the offer.
The normal_price field should reflect a genuine recommended retail price, not an inflated figure designed to exaggerate discounts. Webgains reviews this field for compliance with advertising standards. If normal_price is significantly higher than price without justification, the feed may be flagged for manual review.
Include delivery_cost even if shipping is free; set it to 0. Omitting this field leaves affiliates guessing about total cost, increasing cart abandonment and affiliate complaints.
Product content and affiliate compliance
Your product_name should be clear, accurate, and match your website listing. Avoid keyword stuffing or abbreviations that obscure the product. For example, use "Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, Black" instead of "BT Hdphones Blk - Best Quality Audio Tech".
The description field is where you provide context for affiliates. Write for both the affiliate and the end customer. Include key features, materials, dimensions, and use cases. Avoid marketing hyperbole; focus on factual, verifiable information. Thin descriptions (under 50 words) or keyword-stuffed content trigger quality warnings.
The short_description field is critical for mobile and email campaigns. Keep it between 50 and 150 characters. Write it as a standalone sentence, not as a truncated version of the full description. For example: "Premium wireless headphones with 30-hour battery life and active noise cancellation."
Use the keywords field to list search terms relevant to the product, separated by commas. Include brand names, product types, and common alternative names. For example: "headphones, wireless, bluetooth, audio, noise cancelling, Sony, WH-1000XM5". Avoid stuffing unrelated keywords; Webgains filters feeds for keyword spam.
Images and visual content
Include all three image fields if possible: image_url (standard), image_large_url (high-resolution), and image_thumbnail_url (small preview). Affiliates choose which size suits their layout.
Image URLs must be publicly accessible and stable. Do not use session-based or time-limited URLs; they will break within hours. Host images on a reliable CDN or server.
Images should be clean product shots on neutral backgrounds. Avoid watermarks, logos, or promotional text that obscure the product. Webgains rejects feeds with broken image links or images that do not match the product_name.
Availability and stock management
The availability and in_stock fields must align. If availability is "out of stock", in_stock should be false. Conflicting signals cause affiliate systems to malfunction and generate customer complaints.
Update these fields frequently. If you use a real-time feed integration (XML, JSON, or API), refresh at least daily. Static CSV feeds should be updated whenever stock changes significantly.
Use clear, standardised availability values: "in stock", "out of stock", "pre-order", or "discontinued". Do not use custom statuses like "limited" or "low stock"; Webgains may reject non-standard values.
Include delivery_period for every product, even if it varies by region. Use a format like "2-3 business days", "1 week", or "Ships within 24 hours". Vague or missing delivery periods frustrate affiliates and customers.
Category and brand filtering
The category_name field must map to Webgains' approved taxonomy. Common categories include Electronics, Fashion, Home & Garden, Sports, Beauty, and Food & Drink. Webgains provides a category list during feed setup; use it to ensure consistent mapping.
If your product fits multiple categories, choose the primary one. Webgains does not support multiple category values in a single feed field, so select the most relevant category for affiliate discovery.
The brand field should match the manufacturer or brand name exactly as it appears on the product and your website. Consistency matters; if you list "Sony" in some products and "SONY" in others, Webgains may treat them as separate brands, fragmenting your brand visibility.
Promotional and competitive information
The promotions field should list active offers, discount codes, or limited-time deals. Format it clearly: "20% off with code SAVE20" or "Buy 2, get 1 free". Affiliates use this field to create compelling marketing copy.
Update the promotions field whenever offers change. Stale or expired promotions damage affiliate trust and reduce conversion rates.
The best_sellers flag helps Webgains rank products in affiliate feeds. Set this to true only for your top-performing products (typically the top 10-20% of revenue). Overusing this flag dilutes its effectiveness.
Feed validation and quality assurance
Before submitting a feed to Webgains, validate it against these checks:
- Completeness: All required fields (product_id, product_name, description, deeplink, price, currency, category_name) are present for every product.
- Format consistency: Dates use ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD). Prices are numeric values with no currency symbols. URLs are fully qualified (https://example.com/product).
- Data accuracy: Prices match your website. Descriptions are original and not copied from competitors. Images are live and display correctly.
- Link integrity: All deeplinks are tested and return HTTP 200 status. No redirect loops or broken pages.
- Taxonomy alignment: Categories and brand names match Webgains' approved lists.
- Regulatory compliance: Products requiring special attributes (baseprice for food, age restrictions for alcohol) include those fields.
Webgains provides a feed validator tool in the merchant dashboard. Use it to catch syntax errors, missing fields, and data mismatches before submission.
Deeplink configuration for affiliate tracking
The deeplink field is the most critical field for affiliate performance. Every product must have a unique, working deeplink that points directly to the product page on your website.
Deeplinks must include affiliate tracking parameters so Webgains can attribute sales back to specific affiliates. Work with Webgains' technical team to add the correct tracking parameter to your deeplinks. Common formats include:
https://example.com/product/sony-headphones?webgains_id=12345https://example.com/product/sony-headphones?utm_source=webgains&utm_medium=affiliate
Test all deeplinks before feed submission. Open them in a browser, complete a test transaction, and verify that Webgains records the conversion. Broken deeplinks are the leading cause of feed suspension.
If your website uses URL rewrites or redirects, ensure they preserve tracking parameters. Some affiliate networks lose tracking data when URLs are rewritten.
Multi-channel distribution and feed optimisation
Webgains is one of many affiliate networks and product distribution channels. If you also distribute to Amazon, eBay, Awin, or other platforms, maintain separate feeds for each channel, as field requirements and approval standards vary.
For example, Amazon requires ASIN and specific category hierarchies; eBay requires item condition and seller ratings; Awin requires compliance with brand-specific guidelines. A single generic feed rarely meets the requirements of multiple channels.
Create a master product database with all fields, then generate channel-specific feeds using field mapping rules. This approach ensures consistency while respecting each channel's unique requirements.
If you use a product information management (PIM) system or feed management tool, configure it to generate Webgains feeds automatically. This reduces manual errors and ensures feeds stay up-to-date as your catalogue changes.
Common rejection reasons and how to avoid them
Webgains rejects feeds for specific, actionable reasons. Understanding these helps you pass approval faster:
- Missing required fields: Ensure every product has product_id, product_name, description, deeplink, price, and currency. Partial feeds are rejected outright.
- Broken deeplinks: Test every link. Redirect chains, 404 errors, or pages that do not match the product_name cause rejection.
- Price mismatches: Your feed price must match your website. Even a 1-2% difference triggers manual review.
- Thin descriptions: Descriptions under 50 words are often rejected. Write full, informative descriptions of 100-200 words.
- Duplicate product IDs: If you submit the same product_id twice with different data, Webgains rejects the feed. Use unique IDs.
- Non-compliant imagery: Broken image links, images that do not match the product, or images with watermarks cause rejection.
- Restricted categories: Some categories (alcohol, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, weapons) require special approval. Check Webgains' restricted category list before submitting.
- Trademark or copyright issues: Do not use competitor product images or copy their descriptions. Use original content.
Feed submission and ongoing management
Webgains accepts feeds in XML, CSV, and TSV formats. Choose the format that best fits your infrastructure.
For high-volume catalogues (1000+ products), use XML or a direct API connection. These formats handle large datasets more efficiently than CSV.
Submit feeds via the Webgains merchant dashboard or via SFTP, depending on your account setup. Schedule regular updates (daily or weekly) to keep product data fresh.
Monitor feed submission reports in the Webgains dashboard. Check for validation errors, rejection reasons, and approval status. Address any issues promptly; feeds stuck in pending status do not generate affiliate traffic.
After initial approval, review affiliate performance metrics quarterly. Identify products with low click-through rates or high bounce rates, and optimise their descriptions, images, or pricing.
Summary
The Webgains product feed is your primary tool for reaching thousands of affiliate partners. Success depends on accurate data, clear product information, and compliance with Webgains' technical standards.
Focus on these essentials: unique product IDs, consistent pricing, accurate deeplinks, clear descriptions, and high-quality images. Validate feeds before submission, test deeplinks thoroughly, and monitor approval status closely.
Webgains is one of several affiliate and distribution channels you may use. Maintain separate, channel-optimised feeds for each platform rather than a single generic feed. This ensures each channel receives data in the format and structure it requires.
Regularly review affiliate performance and update feed data to reflect current pricing, promotions, and stock status. A well-maintained feed drives sustained affiliate traffic and revenue growth.