Feed Optimization Guide

Product Feed Optimization Guide for Microsoft Copilot Shopping

Learn the required fields, format specifications, and optimization strategies for Microsoft Copilot Shopping feeds.

WISEPIM·
13
Required Fields
40+
Optional Fields
Every 4 hours
Refresh Rate
Overview

What is Microsoft Copilot Shopping?

Microsoft Copilot is the unified AI surface for Windows, Microsoft 365, Edge, Bing, and MSN - reaching well over a billion devices through pre-installed integrations and the Microsoft 365 productivity stack. Copilot Shopping lets users describe what they want to buy in natural language and receive a curated shortlist with prices, retailer trust signals, and one-click checkout via Copilot Checkout (introduced January 2026 by Microsoft Advertising). For merchants, Copilot Shopping is reached through Microsoft Merchant Center: the same product feed that powers Bing Shopping ads also drives organic Copilot answers, the Edge price-compare overlay, MSN deals, and Windows Search product cards.

There is no Microsoft-specific feed protocol: Microsoft Merchant Center accepts Google Shopping XML (RSS 2.0 with the http://base.google.com/ns/1.0 namespace) and tab-delimited CSV. The schema is documented at help.ads.microsoft.com under Microsoft Merchant Center. Required attributes match the Bing Shopping requirements and are detailed in the bing-shopping guide. Microsoft has also signaled support for the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) - an open spec authored by Google and Shopify and published at ucp.dev - which Microsoft is adopting alongside other commerce platforms; UCP is not authored by Microsoft. As of early 2026, UCP adoption is at the experimental edge of Merchant Center for select advertisers; Google Shopping XML / MMC remains the practical path for the vast majority of merchants.

What makes Copilot distinct from other AI shopping channels is its tight integration with Microsoft Edge, Windows, and Microsoft 365. Copilot can compare prices across the user's open browser tabs, highlight better deals via Edge price-compare overlays, and complete checkout inside the Copilot side panel without the user leaving the page. This means MMC feed quality affects discovery in three independent contexts: conversational answers (Copilot.com), search results (Bing Shopping), and ambient surfaces (Edge price-compare overlay, Windows Search). Native WISEPIM support for Microsoft Merchant Center XML is the same path used by the bing-shopping integration; this guide covers Copilot-specific optimizations on top of the Bing baseline.

At a Glance

PlatformMicrosoft Merchant Center / Copilot Checkout
Feed Format
XML/CSV
Max ProductsUnlimited
Refresh RateEvery 4 hours
Field Requirements

Microsoft Copilot Shopping Field Requirements

Required and optional fields for your product feed

Required
ide.g. SKU-AIRMAX90-BLK-42
String
100
titlee.g. Nike Air Max 90 - Men's Running Shoes - Black/White - Size 42 EU
String
150
descriptione.g. Iconic Air Max running silhouette with visible Max Air heel cushioning, synthetic-leather and mesh upper, and a rubber waffle outsole.
String
10000
linke.g. https://www.example.com/products/nike-air-max-90-black
URL
2000
image_linke.g. https://cdn.example.com/products/airmax90-black-1200.jpg
URL
2000
pricee.g. 149.95 EUR
String
availabilitye.g. in_stock
Enum
brande.g. Nike
String
70
gtine.g. 0194501234567
String
14
conditione.g. new
Enum
google_product_categorye.g. Apparel & Accessories > Shoes > Athletic Shoes > Running Shoes
String
750
mpne.g. CW7483-002
String
70
shippinge.g. NL:::5.95 EUR
String
Optional
sale_pricee.g. 119.95 EUR
String
sale_price_effective_datee.g. 2026-05-15T00:00:00+02:00/2026-05-31T23:59:59+02:00
String
additional_image_linke.g. https://cdn.example.com/products/airmax90-side.jpg
URL
2000
colore.g. Black/White
String
100
sizee.g. 42 EU
String
100
materiale.g. Synthetic leather, mesh
String
200
item_group_ide.g. AIRMAX-90
String
100
product_typee.g. Footwear > Running > Men's
String
750
promotion_ide.g. SPRING2026
String
50
shipping_weighte.g. 0.85 kg
String
shipping_labele.g. free_over_50
String
100
custom_label_0e.g. bestseller
String
100
Feed Structure

How Microsoft Copilot Shopping Feeds Are Structured

Key structural rules and formatting requirements for this feed type

  1. 1

    Use the same Google Shopping XML you submit to Microsoft Merchant Center

    Microsoft Merchant Center reads Google Shopping XML (RSS 2.0 with the http://base.google.com/ns/1.0 namespace) and tab-delimited CSV. There is no separate Copilot-specific feed format. The same MMC feed that powers your Bing Shopping campaigns drives organic Copilot answers, the Edge price-compare overlay, MSN deals, and Windows Search product cards.

    <rss version="2.0" xmlns:g="http://base.google.com/ns/1.0">
    <channel><title>My Store</title><link>https://www.example.com</link>
    <item><g:id>SKU-001</g:id><g:title>Product Title</g:title></item>
  2. 2

    Include tax in the price for EU and UK markets

    Microsoft Merchant Center requires VAT-inclusive prices for EU/UK markets, the same as Bing Shopping. Setting an ex-VAT price triggers a price-mismatch detection at the landing-page check and item suppression. Always export the gross (VAT-inclusive) price for EU/UK locales.

    <g:price>149.95 EUR</g:price> <!-- VAT-inclusive for NL -->
    <g:price>129.99 USD</g:price> <!-- ex-tax for US -->
  3. 3

    GTIN drives cross-merchant matching in Copilot answers

    When Copilot generates a shopping answer, it deduplicates products across competing retailers by GTIN, then ranks the candidate retailers by price, shipping speed, and merchant trust signals. Listings without GTIN cannot enter the comparison and only surface for highly specific queries. Aim for 95+ percent GTIN coverage on branded SKUs.

    <g:gtin>0194501234567</g:gtin>
  4. 4

    Provide both gtin and mpn where the manufacturer publishes them

    Microsoft&apos;s ranking model gives a meaningful boost to listings that include both gtin and mpn (manufacturer part number). Where products have manufacturer-assigned MPNs (consumer electronics, appliances), populating both improves cross-merchant matching, especially for products with regional GTIN variation but a global MPN.

    <g:gtin>0194501234567</g:gtin><g:mpn>CW7483-002</g:mpn>
  5. 5

    Be aware of UCP for the future, but use Google Shopping XML today

    Microsoft has signaled support for the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) - an open spec authored by Google and Shopify, published at ucp.dev. UCP is intended as the canonical AI-commerce feed format across multiple platforms. As of early 2026, UCP adoption inside Microsoft Merchant Center is at the experimental edge for select advertisers and not yet the default ingest path. For 99 percent of merchants, the practical answer is: optimize the Google Shopping XML feed you already use for MMC and Bing Shopping. Watch the ucp.dev spec and Microsoft Advertising blog for general-availability announcements.

    Today: standard MMC XML feed
    Future watch: ucp.dev spec + Microsoft Advertising blog announcements
  6. 6

    Group product variants with item_group_id

    Each size, color, or material variant must be a separate item with a unique id but a shared item_group_id. Copilot uses item_group_id to render a single product card with selectable variants in the answer surface. Variants must each have their own image, price, GTIN, and availability - sharing one image across all variants causes Copilot to deduplicate them down to a single listing.

    <g:item_group_id>AIRMAX-90</g:item_group_id>
    <g:color>Black</g:color><g:size>42 EU</g:size>
Optimization

Microsoft Copilot Shopping Optimization Tips

Proven strategies to improve your feed performance and product visibility

  1. 1

    Optimize for Bing Shopping first - Copilot inherits the result

    Because Copilot Shopping is powered by the Microsoft Merchant Center index, the highest-leverage Copilot optimization is a clean Bing Shopping feed. Every improvement to title clarity, image quality, GTIN coverage, and price-match consistency on the Bing side automatically lifts Copilot answer inclusion and Edge price-compare overlay performance. Use the bing-shopping guide as the primary reference; treat this Copilot guide as supplementary.

    Same feed, same optimizations, three surfaces: Bing Shopping, Copilot answers, Edge overlay
  2. 2

    Lead titles with brand + product name + key differentiator

    Copilot&apos;s LLM matches user queries against product titles, descriptions, and category data. Lead with the brand and full product name in clear, search-friendly phrasing - then the most distinguishing attribute (color, size, capacity). Avoid keyword stuffing; the LLM detects unnatural phrasing and demotes those listings.

    Good: Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones - Black
    Avoid: Sony WH-1000XM5 Bluetooth Wireless Premium Active Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones
  3. 3

    Surface concrete features and quantitative claims

    Copilot lifts snippets of the description into the answer card and the Edge price-compare overlay. Concrete claims (30-hour battery, IP68 rating, 240Hz refresh rate) outperform adjective stacks (premium, high-quality, ultimate). Aim for the first sentence to contain at least two specific numbers or named features.

    Good: Active noise cancellation with 30-hour battery; multipoint Bluetooth pairs two devices.
    Avoid: Premium wireless headphones with industry-leading sound quality.
  4. 4

    Refresh feed every 4 hours, not daily

    Microsoft&apos;s indexing benefits from frequent re-checks - Bing&apos;s ranking gives weight to feed freshness, and Copilot answer inclusion follows. Schedule a 4-hour fetch in MMC for active catalogs. For high-velocity SKUs (limited drops, flash sales), consider Content API integration for real-time updates - critical because selling an item Copilot surfaced as in_stock when it&apos;s actually out of stock degrades trust signal across all Microsoft surfaces.

    Off-peak: every 4 hours via MMC scheduled fetch
    Peak/flash sales: real-time Content API
  5. 5

    Submit promotions through the MMC promotions feed for promo-code visibility

    MMC has a separate promotions feed (different URL, different schema) for site-wide and category-level promo codes. Copilot answers and the Edge price-compare overlay display the special offer chip on listings whose promotion_id matches an active promotions-feed entry. Without the promotions feed, promo codes are invisible across Copilot surfaces even if mentioned in the description.

    Product feed: <g:promotion_id>SPRING2026</g:promotion_id>
    Promotions feed: SPRING2026 entry, dates, discount mechanics
  6. 6

    Pursue the Microsoft Elite Merchant Badge for ranking uplift across all surfaces

    Microsoft awards the Elite Merchant Badge automatically based on quality signals (low complaint rate, strong product ratings, on-time shipping, clear return policy). The badge appears on Bing Shopping listings, in Copilot answer cards, and in the Edge price-compare overlay - lifting CTR meaningfully and providing a ranking boost in tied auctions on shared GTINs. Treat it as an outcome of clean ops rather than a program to apply for.

    Driving signals: low complaint rate, strong product ratings, on-time shipping, clear return policy
Troubleshooting

Common Microsoft Copilot Shopping Feed Errors

Frequent feed issues and how to resolve them

  • Error

    Tax-exclusive price submitted for EU/UK market

    Solution

    EU and UK Microsoft Merchant Center requires VAT-inclusive prices. Submitting an ex-VAT price triggers a price-mismatch error at the storefront landing-page check, suppressing the listing across Bing Shopping, Copilot answers, and the Edge overlay simultaneously. Configure your feed-generation pipeline to always emit gross prices for EU locales.

  • Error

    GTIN missing or fails check-digit validation

    Solution

    Copilot relies on GTIN for cross-merchant deduplication in answers. Missing GTIN keeps the listing out of comparison views. Failing check-digit validation triggers item-level disapproval. The most common cause is silent stripping of leading zeros during a CSV export. Store GTINs as strings throughout your data pipeline.

  • Error

    Image link returns 403 to Microsoft crawlers

    Solution

    Microsoft uses bingbot for general indexing, MSNBot-Media for image fetching, and AdIdxBot for ad URLs. CDN bot-management rules that block unknown bots silently drop these requests, causing items to be flagged as missing image. Whitelist bingbot, MSNBot-Media, and AdIdxBot in robots.txt, in your CDN bot rules, and in any WAF policies. Verify with curl -A 'MSNBot-Media' from a clean network.

  • Error

    Price mismatch between feed and landing page

    Solution

    Microsoft validates feed prices against landing-page DOM data on every refresh. Differences greater than 1 percent trigger 24- to 72-hour suppression across all surfaces. Causes: timezone-mismatched promo windows, stale feed cache, dynamic on-page pricing not reflected in the feed. Diagnose via the Diagnostics tab in MMC.

  • Error

    Mismatched product_type and google_product_category

    Solution

    google_product_category uses Google&apos;s taxonomy; product_type is your own. They should be roughly aligned. Microsoft flags listings where the two are wildly different (e.g., Apparel > Shoes vs Electronics > Phones) and reduces Copilot answer eligibility for the affected items.

  • Error

    Treating UCP as the required feed format

    Solution

    UCP (Universal Commerce Protocol, ucp.dev) is authored by Google and Shopify, not Microsoft. Microsoft has signaled future UCP support but it is not the current required path for Microsoft Merchant Center. Use Google Shopping XML / MMC&apos;s documented format today; watch ucp.dev and the Microsoft Advertising blog for any general-availability migration announcements.

Metrics

Feed Performance Metrics to Track

Key metrics that indicate how well your product feed is performing

  • Bing Shopping Feed Health Score

    Microsoft Merchant Center reports a feed health score (0-100) computed from approval rate, GTIN coverage, image accessibility, and price-match consistency. Aim above 92. This metric is the primary leading indicator for Copilot answer inclusion - drops here precede Copilot visibility drops by 24-48 hours.

  • Click-Through Rate (CTR) on Bing Shopping

    CTR averages 1.5-2.5 percent across categories on Bing Shopping. Copilot answer card CTR is typically higher (3-6 percent) because the user has already received a tailored recommendation. Track both - Bing CTR is the leading indicator of feed-quality issues that will eventually surface in Copilot performance.

  • Cost Per Click (CPC) on Bing Shopping

    Average CPCs on Bing Shopping run 30-50 percent below Google for equivalent product queries (Bing serves a smaller, demographically distinct audience). Copilot organic placement is unpaid - bidding affects Bing Shopping ad position only, not Copilot answer inclusion.

  • Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) on Bing Shopping

    ROAS on Bing Shopping typically runs 30-60 percent higher than Google for the same advertiser. Copilot organic traffic does not count in ROAS but contributes to total Microsoft-attributable revenue - track it separately as incremental lift on top of paid Bing Shopping.

  • Elite Merchant Badge status

    Awarded automatically by Microsoft based on operational quality signals. Visible on Bing Shopping listings, Copilot answer cards, and Edge price-compare overlays. Cannot be applied for - it is an output of clean ops. Track which merchants in your competitive set hold the badge to calibrate operational targets.

How to Set Up Your Microsoft Copilot Shopping Feed

Step-by-step guide to creating and optimizing your product feed

1

Set up or verify a Microsoft Merchant Center account

Visit ads.microsoft.com/merchants. You will need a verified domain, a registered business entity, and Microsoft Advertising in good standing. Existing Bing Shopping advertisers are usually approved within 48 hours. The same MMC account drives Bing Shopping ads, Copilot answer eligibility, the Edge price-compare overlay, MSN deals, and Windows Search product cards - one integration, multiple surfaces.

2

Build or reuse your Google Shopping XML feed

Microsoft Merchant Center accepts Google Shopping XML (RSS 2.0 with the Google namespace) and tab-delimited CSV. Most merchants point Microsoft at the same feed URL they already serve to Google. Adjustments needed: ensure VAT-inclusive prices for EU/UK markets, whitelist Microsoft crawlers in any bot-management rules, and consider adding the MMC promotions feed for promo-code visibility in Copilot answers and the Edge overlay.

3

Whitelist Microsoft crawlers (bingbot, MSNBot-Media, AdIdxBot)

Add bingbot (general indexing), MSNBot-Media (image fetching), and AdIdxBot (ad URLs) to robots.txt allow-list, to your CDN bot-management ruleset, and to any WAF policies. This must apply to the feed URL, all image URLs, and all product landing pages. Verify with curl -A 'MSNBot-Media' from a clean network. Without proper whitelisting, intermittent missing-image errors will cascade into Copilot answer-inclusion drops.

Free Download

Microsoft Copilot + Bing Shopping Feed Optimization Checklist

Download the complete checklist for getting your products into Copilot answers, the Edge price-compare overlay, Bing Shopping, MSN deals, and Windows Search through one Microsoft Merchant Center feed. Covers the Google-to-MMC migration, multi-crawler whitelist, promotions-feed setup, and the operational signals that drive the Elite Merchant Badge across all Microsoft surfaces.

  • Step-by-step Google-to-Microsoft Merchant Center feed migration playbook including EU/UK VAT-inclusive price adjustment and Copilot-specific optimizations on top of the Bing baseline
  • Multi-crawler whitelist configuration for bingbot, MSNBot-Media, and AdIdxBot across Cloudflare, Akamai, AWS WAF, and Fastly so feed and image ingest never silently fail
  • MMC promotions-feed schema with worked examples for percent-off, fixed-amount, free-shipping, and BOGO promotions and the promotion_id linking pattern
  • Operational-signal playbook for earning the Elite Merchant Badge - the single highest-leverage trust signal that lifts CTR across Bing Shopping, Copilot answers, and the Edge overlay simultaneously
Get Free Template

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Microsoft Copilot Shopping product feeds

Google Product Category Lookup

Full taxonomy list, IDs, and how to map your products correctly.

Explore More Feed Guides

checklist.html
  • Inventory all product sources
  • Define your attribute schema
  • Normalize brand names
  • Add alt-text to every primary image
+ more steps in the attachment
Printable checklistHTML · 10 steps

The product feed optimization checklist

Actions:10•Phases:4•Format:HTML · print → PDF•Owners included:Yes

Ten hard steps that bring your rejection rate down and your CTR up — from title templates to source-side structured data.

  • Record your current rejection rate first as a baseline
  • Per-channel title templates (no copy-paste)
  • Pipe errors into Slack/email for same-day triage

One email, no follow-up spam. Print it and get to work.

Inside WISEPIM

Generate every feed automatically from one catalog

The WISEPIM Feed Hub turns your central product data into ready-to-publish feeds for every channel in this guide — and dozens more. Map fields once, schedule refreshes, monitor errors per channel, and push fixes back to the source. No manual exports, no format-juggling, no chasing rejections one channel at a time.

WISEPIM Feed Hub — multi-channel feed management dashboard

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