How to fix: Product ID already used

In this article

• Why this issue is happening
• Common reasons for “Product ID already used”
• How to fix the issue
• Next steps

Why this issue is happening

You are seeing this issue because one or more of your product IDs are already used. Specifically, a multi-channel product targeting marketing methods for physical stores conflicts with a local-only product. This conflict occurs because both share the same product ID, content language, and feed label.

Common reasons for Product ID already used

• A local-only product is uploaded while there exists a multi-channel product that is effective for any marketing method for physical stores, with the same product ID, content language, and feed label. In this case, the local-only product fails to be uploaded and the “Product ID already used” error is returned.
• A multi-channel product that targets any marketing method for physical stores and has local inventory or online vehicle fulfillment cannot become effective for the marketing method because there exists a local-only product with the same product ID, content language, and feed label. In this case, the multi-channel product is disapproved for the marketing method with the “Product ID already used” error.

How to fix the issue

If the issue occurs on local-only product insertion

1. Check if the local-only product is necessary: a local-only product might not be necessary as you already have a multi-channel product that is already being used with marketing methods for physical stores.
2. If a local-only product that is different from the multi-channel product is necessary, use a different product ID.
3. If you do need different products for different marketing methods with the same product ID, remove the existing multi-channel product. Then, reinsert with all marketing methods for physical stores excluded with help of the excluded destination [destination_excluded] attribute, or reinsert it through a data source that targets marketing methods for online store only. You will be able to insert your local-only product after 5 minutes.

If the issue is reported for a multi-channel product

1. Check if the conflicting local-only product is necessary: it might not be necessary as you already have a multi-channel product that is ready to be used with marketing methods for physical stores.
2. If the conflicting local-only product is necessary, use a different product ID.
3. If the multi-channel product does not need to be used with marketing methods for physical stores, exclude all marketing methods for physical stores with help of the excluded destination [destination_excluded] attribute or reinsert it through a data source that targets marketing methods for online store only.

Fix affected multi-channel products one by one directly in Merchant Center

To use the excluded destination [destination_excluded] attribute for an affected multi-channel product:

1. Navigate to Productsin Merchant Center, then select the Needs attentiontab.
2. Use the filtericonabove the table to find all products affected by your issue.
3. Click on the title of the product you want to fix, then click Editproduct.
4. Click Additional product attributesand add all marketing methods for physical stores as excluded destination [destination_excluded] attribute, one marketing method per excluded destination [destination_excluded] entry in the Additional product attributeslist. Verify your product data before uploading.
5. Select Save.

Fix multiple products at once

1. Navigate to Productsin Merchant Center, then select the Needs attentiontab.
2. Use the filtericonabove the table to find all products affected by your issue.
3. Select the Downloadiconto download a list (.csv) of all affected products for all issues or this particular issue.
4. Cross reference the downloaded list with your product data, and ensure not to submit identical product data (same product ID, content language, and feedlabel) through different data sources.
5. Reupload your corrected product data to Merchant Center using your chosen upload method.

Next steps

After making the requested changes, check that you’ve fixed the issue by making sure it’s no longer listed on the “Needs attention” page.

Keep in mind: It may take up to 72 hours for your change to be reflected on the “Needs attention” page.