Shoppable Catalogues
Part of Shoppable product catalogues
Preparing product data for social catalogues
Prepare product records for a social catalogue with a field checklist, clear data ownership and checks for publishing errors.
Decide which store record owns each fact. Then compare the exported catalogue item with that record and the store page.
Start with a few products that cover a simple item, a variant and a changing offer. Required fields and eligibility rules depend on the channel; a complete spreadsheet does not prove that an item is published.
Describe the sale clearly
Use this preparation worksheet, then map it to the chosen integration’s requirements:
| Check | Question to answer |
|---|---|
| Item identity | Which store product and variant does this record represent? |
| Name and description | Can a shopper tell what is sold, including important limitations or pack contents? |
| Image | Does the main image show the offered item or variant? |
| Price | Does the amount and currency match the current store offer? |
| Availability | Does the status reflect the saleable item? |
| Destination | Does the address lead to the intended product or a clear variant choice? |
| Category and policies | Has the merchant supplied what this channel requires? |
This is an editorial checklist, not a platform feed specification.
Keep an identifier that lets the team trace each catalogue item to its source product or variant. Where size, colour or pack contents change what the customer receives, describe the offered choice accurately.
Correct the source before syncing
Look for missing images, descriptions copied from another model, expired promotional prices and variants without a usable destination. Compare the candidate record with the store page, rather than relying on two exports of the same data. Resolve a disagreement before distributing the offer.
For Shopify’s Facebook and Instagram by Meta integration, check Shopify’s current documentation for publishing requirements and reported errors. Do not assume that requirements for one integration apply to another route.
Assign ownership for changes
Record the source field, its catalogue mapping, who may change it and what event calls for a review. For example, merchandising might own price, operations might own inventory and the ecommerce team might own the destination. Assign someone to resolve conflicts between those inputs.
If the channel permits an override, record why it exists and when to review it. Otherwise, a later store edit can leave a separate channel value describing an old offer.
Check the integration’s documentation to understand how product availability is applied.
Check a sample in the channel
Sync a small set and inspect its product status and reported errors. Correct those errors, then inspect the public item where the feature is available.
Compare its title, image, price and variant with the store page after the change appears. Include an item with an exclusion or unusual fulfilment condition in the sample.
The ACCC can require businesses to back up claims about their products or services and may investigate and take compliance or enforcement action if a business misleads. Channel acceptance is therefore only one check; the customer-facing offer also needs to be right.
