Feed Management Marketplaces: What is that?

What is data feed management?

Data feed management is the process of importing, optimizing, and updating product feeds to improve the results of online shopping. These results are optimized by increasing the visibility of the products for commercial purposes on different platforms. A data feed management tool uses templates that are automatically filled with the associated data files. Example of a data feed: Google Merchant Center Sales channels and marketplaces have a list of feed specifications that you must meet in order to use that platform. Usually, it is indicated whether entering the information is mandatory or optional. For example, see the requirements for creating a product feed at Google.

Why should you use a feed management tool?

There are thousands of sales channels, marketplaces, comparison platforms, marketplaces, affiliate marketing websites and social media platforms where you can get your products listed. Each of these platforms has its own unique requirements and regulations. Without a feed management tool, you would have to manually adjust the product information for each platform accordingly.

In order to tackle your business goals in a highly competitive field, you have to reach your target audience, show your products and services correctly and drive traffic to your webshop. The benefits of additional shopping channels include:

  • More traffic – spread the risk of traffic loss
  • International reach/ expansion
  • Control on ROI and profitability
  • Tag channels and analyze the performances through Google Analytics
  • Reach new target groups
  • Extra visibility for your products and services.

Feed management helps you to manage your KPI’s efficiently and ensure you are prepared properly to effectively sell online.

Another advantage of using a feed management tool, is that you get more brand awareness if you offer your products with the name of your online store in more places. This makes a huge difference in advertising costs.

What is a good data feed management system?

If your ambition is to grow your business – nationally and/or internationally – then you are looking for ways to work at low costs with higher efficiency. A good data feed management system is crucial to make your e-commerce processes profitable. There are a number of points to keep in mind when choosing a data feed management system:
  • First of all, it is important that you can easily and effectively import the data in different formats, after which you can adjust and optimize them.
  • It must be possible to simultaneously monitor the product information and adapt it to the different sales channels.
  • Product feeds must be able to be deployed and adapted to the specific strategies and requirements unique to particular platforms and distribution channels.
  • By centralizing data of products, orders, sales, etc. from the different sales channels, it should provide you with a simple overview of the products and sales activities.
  • At the touch of a button, it should show a performance report per product (number of clicks, costs, sales, margins, ROI, etc.).

What is Feed Management used for and by which companies?

Feed Management is used for all important actions that a retailer must perform in order to stay up-to-date with his (or her) online business and to maintain or increase a good competitive position. You can think of:
  • Display of products including descriptions, prices, type, quantity, characteristics, etc.
  • Photo editing and correct HTML tags for SEO
  • Comparison of products and prices
  • Remarketing
  • Offers for specific regions/countries
  • Inventory management
  • Warehouse management
  • Orders
  • Delivery and returns
  • Track & Trace system
  • Payments and Refunds
  • Customer contact and complaints handling
  • Affiliate Marketing
  • Terms of delivery
  • Advertisements
  • Keep social media platforms up to date
  • Manage reviews
  • Dropshipping