Google Merchant Centre Product Data Feed and Ads - availability attribute

[Mantra]

SD 16.1.2
I am using the Standard Meta Tags layout and the code line I have for availability is shown below:

"availability": <actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22availability%22%20%2f%3e%20%3d%3d%20%22in%20stock%22" ></actinic:block>"http<actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22SSLUsed%22%20%2f%3e" >s</actinic:block>://schema.org/InStock",

I do not use Sellerdeck stock monitoring but have a product variable set up for Google Data Feed "availability" with values "in stock" (top level), "out of stock" and "preorder" so that a product can be marked "out of stock" when not available.

This displays correctly in the google-products.xml data feed, however, I have noticed on a few occasions products that have been marked "out of stock" are still displayed as Ads on Google search results and in some cases clicked through and converted to an order.

I checked a typical "out of stock" product URL and found that Google Search Rich Test resulted in "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", as per the Standard Meta Tag layout code.

Can the above code line be changed to reference the "availability" variable so that an "out of stock" product displays correctly in the Google Rich Test results as per the google products data feed?

Or do alternative Schema "availability" values "InStock", "OutOfstock" need to be used instead using another "availabiltySchema" variable?

Any suggestions or advice most welcome.

[brucet]

I haven't experimented, but I would assume you can use any variable, so long as the values returned are valid for the 'availability' attribute. See https://support.google.com/merchants...52112?hl=en-GB

[Buzby]

I haven't experimented, but I would assume you can use any variable, so long as the values returned are valid for the 'availability' attribute. See https://support.google.com/merchants...52112?hl=en-GB

This works for me fine. After all as long as the variable just drops in some usable text then there is no issue.

[Mantra]

I got this one sorted using a new "availabilitySchema" variable with alternative Schema "availability" values in the Schema Mark layout (v18) so Google Ads no longer appear for an "Out of Stock" product and Google search results now show "Out of Stock" when a product is not InStock.

There is another attribute [availability date] required for products with the availability attribute "Pre Order/PreOrder" and I would welcome any ideas on how this could be set up so that the [availability date] can return a future date - say 5 or 7 days in advance of the current date.

Products that are not InStock but can be Pre Ordered that do not have an [availability date] are now dissapproved by Google Search and Ads.

Any suggestions or advice on this one most welcome.

Martin
Mantra Audio