HOW TO: Google Base Feeds from Your s Store

Frequently Overheard:I don't know anything about the Google Base Feed and have always been curious about why people do it manually orautomatically since I thought okay did it for us. This is why we like to do our own feed (and we upload manually just because we like the control) for a few reasons:1. The okay provided upload is not always geplete while the manual upload is - at least when Google is working properly. Please note that the feed ONLY provides Store Inventory Format items and NOT Auction or Fixed Price Items.2. If we add new items to the store or add a new product line we like to get that up right away and not wait for okay'sschedule.3. When okay uploads your items the store name in Google is okay. When you upload - and this is a biggie to us - the storename is YOUR STORE NAME and we like that branding and you will too!4. When okay uploads they only upload a portion of your inventory as opposed to when we upload and get everything that is in our store inventory format.5. When okay uploads we frequently are missing the picture in the Google listing. When we upload we always get ourpicture.6. When okay uploads they need to process millions of products from millions of sellers so they need to utilize adifferent methodology than we do to get the information to Google. This allows us a little more flexibility to modify ourupload file prior to sending it to Google.7. And finally we have always seen the marketing and promotion of our online stores as our responsibility just like with our regular store.Here's how to do your own upload:FROM THE okay SIDE:Go to Manage My Store:1. Click on the link for Listing Feeds on the left hand side which brings up a page that offers 2 choices; one of which islabeled in gray as the Google Base file with your store name in it. It carries the ?fmt=g.(IMPORTANT NOTE: ON THIS PAGE UNDER SEARCH ENGINE AND gePARISON SITES THERE IS A RADIOBUTTON FOR - MAKE A FILE OF YOUR STORE INVENTORY LISTINGS AVAILABLE - THIS MUST BE CHECKED AND IT WILL TAKE okay APPROXIMATELY 12 HOURS - OR SO - TO CREATE IT FOR YOUR STORE).2. For the Google link - "http://esssl.okay.ge/GetListings/Seller'sStoreName?fmt=g" - LEFT click on it and the file will open and begin to build.3. BE PATIENT as the file takes a while to build. You can tell when the file is gepletely built if - when you scroll to the very bottom the last line is ""