Google Merchant Center - what is XML and how to integrate GMC with PrestaShop

What is XML?

Use XML to integrate your PrestaShop store

A good exported XML file (feed) will make your store and products available to the world and save you a ton of time! In this post, we will discuss exporting your PrestaShop store data to Google Merchant Center's XML format and introduce a good PrestaShop module that guarantees well-generated XML feeds and a stable connection to Google Merchant Center.

XML is the most popular and widely used data storage format.

The XML file is the successor to the CSV (Excel) format. The data columns in the CSV file have become objects in the XML file.

The structured layout of an XML file makes it possible to save the same data, but with more complexity, while keeping the file light, clear and versatile.

XML files can carry information about a store, products, or customers. XML is used to transfer data between different platforms - most systems allow exporting and importing data in XML format.

A regularly updated XML file is commonly called an XML feed.

XML file example

Get familiar with the structure of the XML feed

Before you start working with an XML file, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with its contents. Getting to know the structure and data that are in the file will make it easier for you to import or export it to your PrestaShop store.

You can freely view each XML file. You can freely open files of up to a few tens of MB in a web browser. Larger files are worth opening in Notepad or Notepad++.

Below is an example of an XML feed that was exported from a PrestaShop store for uploading product information to Google Merchant Center. You can download the entire file by clicking here.

Przykład pliku (feedu) XML
An XML feed is a structured XML file that contains up-to-date data from your store. You can share feeds for others and upload your product information in them.

Feed XML for Google Merchant Center

How to integrate PrestaShop with Merchant Center?

XML can carry a variety of data and have different structures. For example, the feed you upload to Google Merchant Center advertising tools has a slightly different format than the feed for Facebook Marketplace advertising tools, or other XML-enabled tools.

Google describes in its documentation what an XML feed supported by their sales tools should look like and what data it should have. The structure of such a feed can be variable depending on the specifics of your store and industry, such as what products you sell, what forms of delivery you offer, or what currency you want to communicate prices in.

To save time and speed up the process of integrating your store, it is worth using a ready-made module that supports the GMC format, but also allows you to easily manipulate the data you want to export.

Feed XML for Google Merchant Center can consist of up to dozens of different fields describing the product:

  • Mandatory fields, e.g. "ID", "title" "image_link", "price", etc.
  • Optional fields, such as "additional_image_link" or "sale_price"

PrestaShop XML Feeder

A module for generating XML files in PrestaShop

  1. You can manage many different XML files in Feeder.
  2. Feeder has ready integrations for Google Merchant Center, Facebook Marketplace, Idealo, Delcampe, Ceneo and many other platforms.
  3. Feeder will allow you to build your own XML feed.
  4. Feeder exports information about products, customers and orders.
  5. Feeder works with PrestaShop 1.6, 1.7 and 8.x
  6. With regular updates, the module guarantees stable integration with GMC, Meta and other news and updates.
PrestaShop Feed XML Manager
PrestaShop Feeder module is an export and XML file manager

Feeder is a powerful tool and ready for your every move

The Feeder module uses the store database in a smart and secure way. Thanks to this, the module generates huge XML files quickly and does not significantly load your server.

So you can create multiple feeds - the module processes information in an efficient and optimized way.

Feeder - eksport danych z PrestaSHop
Feeder - select and modify the data you want to export to XML

Two methods of providing XML feeds

Feed XML "read-only"

Feeder generates XML file according to CRON schedule (e.g. at night) and keeps XML on the server until the next CRON generates XML file.

If you provide large XML files to multiple entities (e.g. Ceneo, Facebook, Google, etc.) - give them a read-only XML feed. Downloading such a file will only generate network traffic and will not load the CPU and RAM of the server.

Linku URL oraz CRON do feedu XML
In the module, you will find a link to the XML feed and to CRON, so that your XML feed will be refreshed regularly.

XML feed "on demand"

The feeder can generate a file when the URL is called. If you want, for example, to share an XML file with current data (prices, stocks, etc.) - use the XML feed on demand - the XML file will be generated the moment the URL link to the feed is called.

You can set the time for which once generated XML feed will be available for download (for example, for 30 minutes). Only after this time a fresh file will be generated. This will help you avoid generating files at the same time or in short intervals at the same time.

Ready-made XML templates that you can modify

PrestaShop Feeder has many ready-made XML integrations

In the module you will find ready-made integrations for the most popular sales platforms

  • "Full standard products.xml" - contains all the data about your products that are in the store.
  • "Full combinations.xml" - contains all data about your combinations and attributes of products that are in the store
  • Google Merchant Center
  • Facebook Marketplace
  • Create your own XML feeds
  • Idealo, Delcpampe, Cene, Skapiec and many more....

PrestaShop Feeder module is a guarantee of well-generated XML feeds and a stable connection with the tools you want to integrate into your store.

You can modify all XML files in PrestaShop Feeder module freely. All you have to do is duplicate the default XML to be able to change its configuration.

All XML files are compatible with our PrestaShop Importer module. This means that having Feeder and Importer modules, you can integrate any two PrestaShop stores between each other - one store exports the data and the other store imports the data.

Comments (2)
from 2
06:13 19/02/2023 /

очень хорошо

07:35 14/06/2023 /

Bardzo dziękuję za wpis. Przyjemnie wytłumaczony temat XML. Przy okazji dowiedziałam się co to PrestaShop :-) Czy Państwo zajmują się uruchamianiem sklepu na tym silniku?