> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://learn.orbexa.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# ACP product data quality best practices

> ACP product data quality standards — best practices for ID stability, URL conventions, prohibited content rules, and feed optimization.

# Data Quality Best Practices

Product data quality directly affects how your items appear in ChatGPT and ultimately impacts conversion rates. This chapter consolidates ACP's data quality requirements and recommendations.

## 6.1 ID Stability

Product IDs and variant IDs must remain stable throughout their entire lifecycle.

```
Correct: prod_earbuds_001 — always use this same ID
Wrong:   generate a new ID on every upload — loses purchase history and recommendation data
```

**Why this matters**:

* ChatGPT tracks purchase history and user preferences by product ID
* Changing an ID is equivalent to creating an entirely new product; all prior data is lost
* ID instability degrades the product's ranking and frequency in AI recommendations

## 6.2 Description Format

Provide at least one description format. Plain text is recommended:

```json theme={null}
{
  "description": {
    "format": "plain",
    "content": "Premium wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation, 30-hour battery life, and IPX5 water resistance."
  }
}
```

Descriptions should:

* Accurately reflect the product's actual features
* Include key specifications (dimensions, weight, materials, etc.)
* Avoid marketing hyperbole
* Be easy for AI systems to parse and retrieve

## 6.3 Variant-Specific Fields

The following fields should be set independently on each Variant, not only at the Product level:

| Field          | Purpose             | Rationale                                       |
| -------------- | ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| `title`        | Variant title       | Distinguishes different specifications          |
| `url`          | Variant page URL    | Links directly to the specific variant page     |
| `description`  | Variant description | Describes specification-specific differences    |
| `media`        | Variant images      | Shows images for the corresponding color/style  |
| `availability` | Stock status        | Different variants may have different inventory |
| `price`        | Price               | Different variants may have different prices    |

### variant\_options

Use `variant_options` to label user-facing specification dimensions:

```json theme={null}
{
  "variant_options": [
    { "name": "Color", "value": "Midnight Black" },
    { "name": "Size", "value": "256GB" }
  ]
}
```

These dimensions are presented to users as selectable options in ChatGPT's product display.

## 6.4 URL Conventions

### Add Tracking Parameters

Include `utm_medium=feed` in all product URLs to track traffic originating from ACP:

```
https://store.example.com/products/earbuds-pro?utm_medium=feed
```

### Use Durable Public URLs

Seller URLs must:

* Be durable public URLs
* Not contain expiring session tokens or temporary parameters
* Remain accessible over the long term

```
Correct: https://store.example.com/products/earbuds-pro
Wrong:   https://store.example.com/session/abc123/products/earbuds-pro
```

### URL Encoding

All URLs must be valid and properly encoded:

```
Correct: https://store.example.com/products/my%20earbuds
Wrong:   https://store.example.com/products/my earbuds
```

Encode spaces as `%20` and handle special characters per URL encoding standards.

## 6.5 Prohibited Content

The following product categories **must not** be submitted through ACP:

| Category                        | Description                                               |
| ------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| Adult content                   | Pornographic or sexually explicit material                |
| Alcohol / Tobacco / Gambling    | Alcoholic beverages, nicotine products, gambling services |
| Weapons                         | Firearms, ammunition, regulated bladed weapons            |
| Prescription drugs              | Medications requiring a doctor's prescription             |
| Unauthorized financial services | Unlicensed financial or investment products               |
| Illegal goods                   | Any products violating applicable laws                    |
| Deceptive products              | False advertising, counterfeits, misleading merchandise   |

Submitting prohibited content may result in merchant account suspension or termination.

## 6.6 Data Freshness

Keep inventory and pricing data up to date:

| Data Type            | Recommended Update Frequency                            |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| Stock status         | Real-time or hourly                                     |
| Price changes        | Immediately upon change                                 |
| New product listings | Push via API immediately                                |
| Product delistings   | Update immediately or remove in the next daily snapshot |
| Promotions           | Create in advance; set automatic expiration             |

Stale inventory and pricing data leads to poor user experiences (e.g., a user attempts to purchase an out-of-stock item) and may reduce the merchant's visibility weighting on the platform.

## 6.7 Image Quality Guidelines

| Requirement      | Details                                                                          |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Resolution       | High-resolution with clearly visible product details                             |
| Background       | Solid white or neutral background preferred                                      |
| Angles           | Primary image shows the product front; supplementary images show multiple angles |
| Format           | JPEG or PNG; URLs must be publicly accessible                                    |
| Consistency      | Maintain a consistent style across images of the same product                    |
| No text overlays | Avoid adding promotional text on product images                                  |

```json theme={null}
{
  "media": [
    {
      "type": "image",
      "url": "https://cdn.example.com/products/earbuds-pro-front.jpg"
    },
    {
      "type": "image",
      "url": "https://cdn.example.com/products/earbuds-pro-side.jpg"
    }
  ]
}
```

## 6.8 Quality Checklist

Before submitting product data, verify each item:

* [ ] All IDs are stable and unique
* [ ] Every Product has at least one Variant
* [ ] Every Variant has a title, price, and availability status
* [ ] Prices use minor units (cents, not dollars)
* [ ] At least one description format is provided
* [ ] URLs are valid and properly encoded
* [ ] URLs include the `utm_medium=feed` tracking parameter
* [ ] Image URLs are publicly accessible
* [ ] No prohibited-category products are included
* [ ] Variant-specific fields are set independently on each Variant

***

**Next chapter**: [Chapter 7: Testing and Validation](/en/book-4/ch7-testing) — Small-batch testing, format validation, and common error troubleshooting