DataKick and Google Merchant with Combinations

[30knees]

Hi @datakick, we are testing your module and are struggling with setting it up for Google Merchant with Combinations.

The problems we have are:

1. The Combinations feed always fails. A regular Products feed works.
2. Where in Google Merchant do we connect the endpoint URL? When I run the endpoint URL that is generated, it creates an XML file. When I enter that URL in Google, it says the URL is invalid because it would need a file ending.

Thank you

[30knees]

Yeah, it looks like the XML format that the module provides via Google Merchant Combinations is faulty. Manually uploading a combination export gives the error:

1 ERROR: XML formatting error

[30knees]

Here's the answer from @datakick (Thank you!)

This is the process in short:

1. install GMC feed template into datakick
   • install GMC feed template from the store - you can open store in datakick using menu in upper right corner
   • there are two feed versions you can choose from - products only or combinations. If you use product combinations in your shop, use the later, otherwise use the first one

2. Choose a way to generate an XML file from template

   • you have two options to generate XML file
   • endpoint - you can create a special URL. Anytime this url is opened, fresh XML file is generated and send to the requester. This is the easiest method, that ensures that data are always fresh. However, it can be used only if the feed generation time is low (less then few seconds). If you have many products in you store, this task can take much longer, even a few minutes. Then you have to choose the second option
   • scheduled task - you can create a scheduled task, that will periodically generate the xml file and stores it on your server, or upload it to the ftp server. For this to work, you first need to setup CRON task - cron is an external application that opens some url on your server periodically, so we can use this event to execute our processes.

3. you can also generate the XML file directly from datakick module. Just open the template, an in upper right corner click on ‘more’ button. Then you can download file to your computer (the same mechanism as visiting endpoint, or generate xml file on your server - simulates scheduled task).

4. upload file to Google Merchant Center

That’s basically it.

After you upload your file for the first time, google will process it and it may return bunch of errors.

The most common issue is that product feed does not contain ID of your products, or IDs are duplicate. This problem is caused by the fact that datakick uses product reference code as ID when sending data to google. Prestashop doesn’t require this field to be set, or to be unique, and that may cause the issue. If you have this problem, you can either fix your data - find product with missing / duplicate reference and fix these, or change the template and use product real ID as GMC id. The second solution will work just find, however it may cause you problems later - for example, if you delete all you products from prestashop and re-import them, they will get assigned different IDs, and google will not be happy with that.

[30knees]

Also from the module author:

PS: if you need to mass-assign / generate reference ids for your products, then there is already a prepared mass update for this in the store — it will update all products with missing reference id — assign a new one using formula REF-{productId} You could also schedule this mass update to run on regular basis to ensure that there will never be product without reference id.

It's great support!

[datakick]

Thanks @30knees

I'd like to add one more think - during investigation I found out that there is a problem with database collations. This issue cause some sql to throw exception (for example sql to retrieve data for gmc combinations template). I already have a fix for this problem, and I'll release it today / tomorrow as part of 2.1.0 release together with XML import.

[datakick]

just FYI, i've just released a new version that fixes the collate problem.

[30knees]

I'd just like to re-state how fantastic @datakick's customer support is. The tool is also incredibly powerful. You can use it as a bulk editing, too, too. It's highly recommended. One of the few exceptionally well-done modules out there.

[datakick]

@30knees said in DataKick and Google Merchant with Combinations:

I'd just like to re-state how fantastic @datakick's customer support is. The tool is also incredibly powerful. You can use it as a bulk editing, too, too. It's highly recommended. One of the few exceptionally well-done modules out there.

Thank you @30knees , I really appreciate the shout-out