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How to use an XML feed in Spotler Activate?

The XML Feed is an XML file with products and their associated product fields. By importing the XML file periodically into Spotler Activate, products are updated.

The implementation of the XML Feed consists of:

Note: A feed made for Google Merchant Center can also be read by Spotler Activate! You can then use the same source without any modifications.

Checking the XML Feed

  • Go to the Feed validator

  • Enter the feed URL and press 'Validate feed'

  • Check the response and modify the XML Feed if necessary

Setting up the XML Feed

The XML feed can be set up in XML RSS 2.0 or ATOM 1.0 format

Product fields

To process products in Spotler Activate, the following product fields are minimally required in the XML.

Product field Notation in XML Example of notation in XML
     
ID (or SKU in Spotler Activate id <id>123</id>
Title title <title>Blue jeans</title>
Link (or URL in Spotler Activate) link <link>https://www.mywebsite.com/bluejeans</link>
Image_link or image_links image_link
image_links

<image_link>https://www.mywebsite.com/urlofbluejeans.jpeg</image_link>

<image_links>https://www.mywebsite.com/urlofbluejeans_leftside.jpeg</image_links>
Price + Currency price <price>1249.95 EUR</price>
Availability availability <availability>In stock</availability>
Inventory inventory <inventory>12</inventory>
Brand brand  <brand>Levi’s</brand>
Descripition description <description>Pretty blue jeans</description>
Sale price sale_price <sale_price>1039.95</sale_price>
Condition condition <condition>New</condition>

Remarks:

  • Image_link or image_links
    • Image_link for one image of the product
      • Minimum 600x600 pixels
      • Preferably square
    • Image_links with several images of the product
      • Maximum 20 images
  • Price + Currency & Sale Price

    • Price in decimals

    • No separator for thousands

    • Point as decimal separator

  • Availability
    • The following options can be handled by Squeezely:
      • In stock (default)
      • Out of stock
      • Available for order
      • Preorder
  • Condition

    • The following options can be handled by Squeezely:

      • New (default)

      • Used

      • Refurbished

Special product fields

For subdividing products in variants (for example size or color), the following field can be used:

Product field Notation in XML Example of notation in XML
     
Parent_id parent_id  <parent_id>321</parent_id>
Category_id or Categories

Short option

category_ids

category_ids

OR

category_ids

category_id

category_id

Extended option

categories

category

id

title

description

link

Short option

<category_ids>Jeans</category_ids>
<category_ids>Blue</category_ids>

OR

<category_ids>
<category_id>Jeans</category_id>
<category_id>Blue</category_id>
</category_ids>

Extended option

<categories>
<category>
<id>TV-1234</id>
<title>TV's 22"</title>
<description>Only the best TV's 22"</description>
<link>https://www.example.com/tvs/22</link>
</category>
</categories>
Custom product fields (example: subscription) subscription <subscription>Premium</subscription>Parent_id

Remarks:

  • Category
    • Please note that the use of Google Product category differs! For more information read the API documentation.
    • More information about Concise and extended categories in XML Feed you will read here.
  • Custom product fields
    •  Before saving custom product fields in Squeezely, the fields must first be created. More information Create custom product fields

Languages

When products are offered in multiple languages, you have two options:

  • Upload a separate file per language. This is usually the most structured solution.
  • Use multiple languages in one file, by using the "language" attribute in combination with an ISO country code, for example nl-nl.

In the last scenario you can choose to only include non-language fields for one language, or repeat them for each language. Important is that in both scenarios the product IDs have to match per language.

Importing the XML Feed

The XML Feed can be imported as follows:

  • Go to Sources
  • Click on 'New Product source'
  • Enter the following settings:New product source settings.png
  • Name: the name of the Product Feed
  • Store url : the basic URL of the shop (for example https://myshop.com).
    Note: also indicate whether the shop uses the http or https protocol.
  • Link type: select 'Feed url
  • Import interval: the interval in hours in which the XML feed will be imported. Note: the interval only starts when the import of the feed is completely finished. So suppose the interval is 1 hour, the feed will be imported at 01:00, then the import can take 10 minutes and the next import will be at 02:10.
  • Feed url: the URL where the XML Feed is live
  • Feed language: the language of the XML feed. You can override this by using the language attribute.
  • Click on Save Product source

Check the import of the feed

  • Go to Sources

  • Click on the import log icon:
    Import_log.png

  • Check whether the data corresponds with the settings.