Optimizing Product Structured Data: Should You Remove Fake MPNs from Your E-Commerce Site?
In the world of e-commerce, structured data plays a crucial role in enhancing product visibility, search engine rankings, and overall customer experience. A common question among online retailers is whether to include accurate manufacturer part numbers (MPNs) in product schema, especially when the available data is incomplete or potentially inaccurate.
Understanding the Role of MPN in Product Schema
Manufacturer Part Number (MPN) is a key identifier used by brands and manufacturers to uniquely distinguish products. Including accurate MPNs in your product structured data helps search engines better understand your listings, improve search accuracy, and enhance features like rich snippets and shopping ads.
However, in many reseller situations—where you’re not the manufacturer—obtaining precise MPNs for all products can be challenging. Instead, some e-commerce sites rely on internal SKUs as fallbacks, which can inadvertently lead to mismatched or placeholder MPNs.
Common Scenarios Faced by Resellers
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Available Manufacturer MPNs:
Many products do have official MPNs, but these may not be documented or entered into your system yet. Filling this data can be time-consuming but ensures better accuracy. -
Missing MPNs:
Some items simply lack manufacturer-provided MPNs, creating gaps in your structured data. -
Placeholder or Fake MPNs:
When the MPN is unavailable, some sites resort to using internal SKUs or other identifiers, which may not align with manufacturer data.
Implications for Structured Data and SEO
While Google’s Merchant Center and Search Console often accept and validate your product data without issues—even if some MPNs are placeholders—this doesn’t necessarily mean your structured data is optimized for search enhancements. Faux MPNs, like internal SKUs, may lead to less effective product recognition, reduced eligibility for rich results, or potential confusion for search engines attempting to match products with manufacturer catalogs.
Best Practices and Recommendations
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Strive for Accurate Data Entry:
Wherever possible, update your product feed with actual manufacturer MPNs. This improves data quality and aligns with best practices for structured data optimization. -
Assess the Impact of Placeholder MPNs:
If your current setup with internal SKUs as MPNs is validated, and your primary goal is compliance, you might leave them as-is. However, consider the long-term benefits of data accuracy. -
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