We've been running Advantage+ shopping campaigns for a client for a few weeks now and saw an alarming issue: showcasing products that were not available for purchase. So, let's discuss what data source to choose when setting up Meta Commerce Manager.
When you first set up a Meta Commerce Manager data source, you'll choose its naming convention. This will allow you to find the source when adding it to your Advantage+ shopping campaigns. Try to pick something that aligns with your target. If you have multiple brands you're running, perhaps simply use the brand name for which you're building out the campaign.
Once the naming structure has been chosen, the real trick begins. When adding a data source, you'll be presented with the following options:
Manual
Data Feed
Partner Platform
Pixel
Manual
This is a great option for individuals who perhaps have a dozen or so products they sell, and it never changes. This is very much a set it and forget type setup. Perhaps an Etsy store where you make the products so nothing is ever "out of stock" because you can always make it. Fill out the necessary fields for however many products you sell, and let your Meta campaigns do their thing.
Data Feed
We like this setup the most out of the 4, especially for stores with many products. It provides a lot of control meaning you can put in rules such as don't show products under $50 and certainly will pull merchandise out of stock. You'll need the URL to your feed and login if necessary, but the feed will update up to every 4 hours, which isn't necessary since most feeds run on a 24-hour update cycle. The best part about this is you can use the feed that you've optimized so heavily on for Google Shopping through the Merchant Center and apply it directly to your Meta Advantage+ campaigns.
Partner Platform
It's probably the easiest way to set up a data source outside the Pixel. You're usual suspects such as Shopify, Bigcommerce, Magento, Woocommerce, etc. Just login and poof your data source is ready to rock n roll. While we like the convience of this, we don't like the control, hence Data Feed will beat out Partner Platform is most desirable.
Pixel
Short answer: don't do this! The reason our client was seeing out-of-stock was because of the Pixel. The Pixel wasn't keeping up with what was happening on the site, and honestly, why should it? It's a third-party app periodically scrapping the site for information, whereas a Partner Platform or Data Feed gets its content directly from the source.
Open Up a Shop
Now that we know what data source to choose when setting up Meta Commerce Manager let's talk about opening a Shop. A Shop allows you to showcase your products in the real world. If you've ever seen an Instagram post that allows you to click on a dot on the image to see that great couture bag the person is carrying, that's a Shop.
We recommend using Shop since it will keep people in the app so they keep a great, well-balanced experience with your product! Something to note: Shops will not be supported after April 24, 2024, if you are not using the Facebook/Instagram checkout method. Your company will be subject to Facebook/Instagram processing fees, but attribution will be fantastic because it's all in the app and should create more purchases than sending them to your website.
We hope we've answered what data source to choose when setting up Meta Commerce Manager and that you feel more comfortable setting up your data source and Shop. If you have additional questions about Meta ads, please reach out, and we'll be happy to help!
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