Category-Specific Attributes that are Required or Optional, but Recommended in Google Shopping

In the previous article, we covered the required attributes for Google Shopping. However, there are other attributes that may also be required or recommended depending on the target country or product category.

We will help you understand the other attributes that could be required or recommended to boost product performance in Google Shopping.

In this article, you'll learn:

• What are category-specific product attributes?
• When commonly used attributes are required or optional.
• Which attributes have specific requirements for apparel products?

What Are Category-Specific Attributes?

Category-specific attributes are product attributes that become relevant, recommended, or required for certain product types/categories.

For example, Size, Color, Gender, and Age Group have specific requirements for products in the Apparel & Accessories category. Similarly, a multipack is required when you group identical products.

These attributes become important for correctly representing the product or its variants. Google requires item_group_id for product variants in applicable cases and recommends using the relevant variant attributes alongside it.

Why Do Attribute Requirements Vary?

Google does not apply the same requirements to every product. The required and recommended attributes can depend on the product type/category and target country.

For example:

• A product with a manufacturer-assigned GTIN should include that GTIN in the product data.
• A product without a manufacturer-assigned GTIN may need other product identifiers, such as Brand and MPN.
• Used and refurbished products require the Condition attribute.
• A retailer-defined multipack requires the Multipack attribute. However, a manufacturer-defined pack does not need a multipack attribute.
• Apparel products have additional requirements for attributes such as Gender, Age Group, Color, and Size.

This is why an attribute should not be considered universally required or optional without checking product type/categories and the target country.

Note: Only submit values that accurately describe your products.

Below is a list of attributes that may be required or recommended as mentioned above.

1. Brand

The Brand attribute tells Google the manufacturer associated with the product.

When required

• Add the brand name when the product is associated with a specific brand or manufacturer.
• If you manufacture the product yourself, provide the brand name you use for the product.

When optional

• You can leave this attribute blank when the product does not have an identifiable brand. This can apply to products such as books, movies, music, or posters.

For example, if you sell a Nike T-shirt, enter Nike as the Brand value.

Tip: If a product does not have a brand, don't enter placeholder values such as "N/A," "Generic," or "No Brand." Leave the attribute empty when it is not applicable.

2. GTIN

The GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is a unique product identifier assigned by the manufacturer. Depending on the product and market, GTIN can be different types of ID numbers, such as UPC, EAN, JAN, ISBN, or ITF-14.

When required

Google strongly recommends providing a GTIN when the manufacturer has assigned one. If a product has a valid GTIN and you do not submit it, the product may not be eligible for shopping ads.

Each product and variant should use the valid GTIN if it is available. We have a help video that explains the common errors related to GTIN and how to resolve them.

When optional

Not every product might have a GTIN. In that case, do not create or assign a random GTIN.

Products that may not have a GTIN include:

• Custom-made products
• Handmade products
• Some vintage or antique products
• Store-brand or private-label products

For products without a GTIN, Google may use other product identifiers such as Brand and MPN to identify the product.

3. MPN

The MPN (Manufacturer Part Number) is a part number assigned by the manufacturer to identify a specific product or product variant within its own catalogue.

When required

MPN is required for products that do not have a GTIN. Google uses this attribute to identify the product more accurately.

When optional

MPN is optional if the manufacturer has not assigned one to the product, which may be the case for some handmade or custom-made products.

Tip: Only submit an MPN when you are sure it is correct. Do not create or guess an MPN unless you are the manufacturer and the product requires one.

4. Condition

The Condition attribute describes the condition of the product you are selling.

Google supports three values:

• New
• Used
• Refurbished

When required

Condition is required for used and refurbished products.

When optional

Condition is optional for new products.

For example, a pre-owned smartphone should be submitted as used, while a professionally restored product should be submitted as refurbished.

Note: These values should always be submitted in English so Google can read them correctly.

5. Multipack

The Multipack attribute indicates that you, as the retailer, have grouped multiple identical products together and are selling them as one product.

For example, if you combine three identical T-shirts and sell them together as one product, the product is a retailer-defined multipack.

When required

Multipack is required:

• For products you've created as multipacks when submitting them to Google free listings.
• For Shopping ads, when the target country is Australia, Brazil, Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, or the United States.

The value should indicate how many individual products you have grouped together.

For example,

1. If a manufacturer sells a factory-packaged box of 3 T-shirts and has assigned a separate GTIN to that 3-pack.

In that case, the product is a manufacturer-created multipack, so you should submit:

Multipack: Do not submit this attribute.

   GTIN: Use the GTIN assigned to the 3-pack by the manufacturer.

   Brand: Use the brand of the multipack.

   MPN: Use the MPN of the multipack.

1. If you sell 3 identical T-shirts together as one product, and you created this pack yourself, then the values should be:

Multipack: 3

   GTIN: Use the GTIN assigned to one individual T-shirt.

   Brand: Use the brand of the individual T-shirt.

   MPN: Use the MPN of the individual T-shirt, if available.

When optional

The attribute is optional for other products and target countries where the above requirement does not apply.

Do not use the Multipack attribute for a multipack created by the manufacturer. In that case, the manufacturer's product identifiers(GTIN, MPN, and Brand) should be used instead.

6. Apparel & Accessories Category-Specific Attributes

Products in the Apparel & Accessories category may require additional attributes to describe characteristics such as their size, color, gender, and intended age group.

The main apparel & accessories-specific attributes covered in this section are:

• Age Group
• Gender
• Size
• Color
• Material
• Pattern
• Size Type
• Size System
• Item Group ID

The requirement for these attributes varies depending on the attribute, product category, target country, and whether the product is a variant.

Note:

1. For Google free listings: Age Group, Gender, Size, Color, & Item Group ID are required for Apparel & Accessories products.
2. For Shopping Ads: Age Group, Gender, Size, Color, & Item Group ID are required for Apparel & Accessories products targeting Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

6.1 Age Group

It indicates the target audience group for which the product is designed.

Some specific Apparel & Accessories subcategories have different requirements, where the age group may be optional.

6.2 Gender

It specifies the gender for whom the product is designed.

If the product varies by gender, submit the appropriate Gender value for each variant.

Some specific Apparel & Accessories subcategories have different requirements, where Gender may be optional.

6.3 Size

It specifies the standardized size of the product.

If the size of a product is based on more than one measurement, enter the measurements together in the Size field using a “/”. For example, a shirt with a 16-inch neck and 34-inch sleeve can be entered as 16/34.

You can include up to three size components when required. For example, 16/34 Tall can indicate the neck size, sleeve length, and fit.

If a product is available in different sizes, submit each size as a separate product variant and use the same Item_Group_ID to group the variants.

6.4 Color

This specifies the primary color of the product.

If a product has multiple colors, you can include up to three colors in the Color value, separating each color with a slash (/). For example, a dress available in red, white, and blue can be entered as Red/White/Blue.

If your product has different color variants, submit the appropriate Color value for each variant and use the same Item_Group_ID to group the variants.

6.5 Material

This specifies the primary material used to make the product.

For Apparel & Accessories, Material is recommended because shoppers may search for products based on their material, such as leather jackets or cotton shirts.

6.6 Pattern

It describes the pattern or graphic print on the product.

For Apparel & Accessories, Pattern is recommended. If the product varies by pattern, submit the appropriate Pattern value for each variant.

6.7 Size Type

Size Type provides additional information about the cut or fit of an apparel product, such as:

Regular [regular], Petite [petite], Maternity [maternity], Big [big], Tall [tall], Plus [plus]

Also, these values should be submitted in English only and not be translated into any regional language.

This attribute is optional and is available for apparel products.

6.8 Size System

Size System identifies the country or region whose sizing standard you use, such as AU, BR, CN, DE, EU, FR, IT, JP, MEX, UK, US.

It provides additional context for the Size attribute and is recommended for apparel products.

6.9 Item Group ID

Item Group ID is used to group product variants that belong to the same product.

For example, if a T-shirt is available in different colors and sizes, each variant should have its own product ID while sharing the same Item Group ID.

Our plugin submits the WooCommerce product ID as the Item Group ID for the product's variants.

How Does Google Determine Which Attributes Apply?

The applicable requirements depend on the product, the product category/type, and the target country.

The Google Product Category attribute can also help Google understand the type of product being submitted.

Note: Google Product Category is different from your WooCommerce product category. Your WooCommerce categories are created for organizing products in your online store, while Google Product Category uses Google's predefined taxonomy.

Let’s understand this with an example: Apparel Product

Suppose you sell a men's running shoe in blue and offer it in sizes 9, 10, and 11.

Depending on your target country and the applicable Google requirements, the product data may include:

Each size variant should have its own product ID and the appropriate Size value, while the variants should share the same Item Group ID.

Best Practices

Keep the following practices in mind when configuring condition-based attributes:

• Assign the most accurate Google Product Category to your products.
• Check the requirements for your target country, especially when selling apparel products.
• Use the correct GTIN, Brand, and MPN when these identifiers are available and applicable.
• Do not guess or create GTINs or MPNs unless you are the manufacturer and the identifier is pre-assigned.
• Provide variant-specific values for attributes such as Size and Color when they are used to define product variants.
• Use the same Item Group ID for variants that belong to the same product.
• Provide accurate values that match the product information on your WooCommerce store.
• Do not use placeholder values for attributes that do not apply to your products.
• Review Google Merchant Center diagnostics if you receive warnings or errors related to missing or invalid attributes.

Need More Help?

If you receive a missing or invalid attribute warning in Google Merchant Center and need help to solve the issue, contact our support team at support@simprosys.com.