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

# Pre-Export Validation Checklist

> Verify your channel data is complete, accurate, and error-free before exporting to marketplaces.

# Pre-Export Validation Checklist

Before you export channel content to a marketplace, you need to validate that your data is complete, accurate, and meets all marketplace requirements. A few minutes of validation now can save you hours of troubleshooting rejections later.

## Why Validation Matters

Marketplaces have strict data requirements. If your feed violates their rules:

* **Feed rejection** — Your entire feed gets rejected; nothing uploads
* **Partial uploads** — Some products upload; others are flagged as errors
* **Suppressed listings** — Products upload but aren't visible to shoppers
* **Account warnings** — Multiple rejections can lead to account restrictions

Validation catches these issues before submission.

## The Validation Process

Validation happens in this order:

1. **Required fields check** — All mandatory attributes are filled
2. **Format validation** — Data is in the correct format (numbers are numeric, dates are valid, etc.)
3. **Category assignment** — Products are assigned to the correct marketplace category
4. **Completeness review** — Recommended (optional) attributes are filled where possible
5. **Spot check** — Manual review of a sample of products

## Required Fields Validation

Every marketplace defines which attributes are **required**. Missing required fields = feed rejection.

**Critical required fields by channel:**

| Channel             | Critical Required Fields                                         |
| ------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Wayfair**         | Carton dimensions, Assembly info, Material composition, Category |
| **Amazon**          | Title, Description, Image, Category, Price, Availability         |
| **Walmart**         | Title, Description, Category, UPC, Price                         |
| **Google Merchant** | Title, Description, Image, Price, Availability, Category         |
| **Houzz**           | Title, Images, Dimensions, Category/Room type                    |
| **Nordstrom Rack**  | Brand, Title, Category, Price, Images                            |

## Format Validation

Your data must match the marketplace's expected format.

### Common Format Rules

**Numeric attributes** (dimensions, weight, price):

* Must be numbers, not text
* Must use the correct unit (inches, pounds, dollars)
* Example: `84` ✓ not `eighty-four` ✗

**Date attributes** (assembly time, warranty expiration):

* Must be in the correct format (usually YYYY-MM-DD or MM/DD/YYYY)
* Must be valid dates (no February 30th)
* Example: `2026-04-05` ✓ not `April 5th` ✗

**Select/dropdown attributes** (color, size, style):

* Must match exactly one of the marketplace's allowed values
* No custom values or variations
* Example: `Navy Blue` ✓ not `Navy` ✗ if "Navy Blue" is the exact option

**Text attributes** (descriptions, titles):

* Must not exceed character limits (varies by attribute)
* Must not contain invalid characters (some marketplaces restrict HTML or special symbols)
* Example: "Beautiful sofa" (15 chars) ✓ not "Beautiful sofa with wonderful features that your family will love" (67 chars) ✗ if limit is 50

### How to Check Format

1. **Use Merchkit's validation** — The system flags format errors in red
2. **Review sample products** — Click individual products and check their attributes
3. **Check the marketplace's documentation** — Each marketplace publishes format requirements

\[SCREENSHOT: Format error highlighted in red in channel grid]

## Category Assignment Validation

Products must be assigned to the marketplace's categories.

### Category Importance

* **Wayfair:** Different categories require different attributes; wrong category = missing required fields
* **Amazon:** Products in wrong category won't be found by shoppers
* **All marketplaces:** Category assignment affects visibility and searchability

### How to Validate Categories

1. **Open category view** (for category-specific channels like Wayfair)
2. **Check that products are assigned to the right category**
3. **For multi-category products,** verify they're in the primary category
4. **Cross-reference with your source data** — Confirm category assignments match your internal taxonomy

\[SCREENSHOT: Category selector in Wayfair showing assigned categories]

**Wayfair category examples:**

* "305 – Sofas" for sofa products
* "306 – Chairs" for chair products
* Products in the wrong category won't have required attributes for that category

## Completeness Review

Beyond required fields, check that **recommended/optional attributes** are filled where possible. This improves conversion and visibility.

### High-Impact Optional Attributes

| Channel             | Attribute               | Impact                                      |
| ------------------- | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| **Amazon**          | Additional images (6-8) | 40%+ higher conversion with multiple images |
| **All**             | Detailed descriptions   | Better SEO and shopper understanding        |
| **Wayfair**         | Care instructions       | Reduces returns                             |
| **Google Merchant** | Size/color variants     | Better filtering in search results          |
| **Houzz**           | Lifestyle images        | 3x higher engagement                        |

### Optional Attribute Check

1. **Filter to show "Recommended attributes"** — See which optional fields aren't filled
2. **Prioritize high-impact attributes** — Focus on those that improve conversion
3. **Decide per-product** — Some products might not need all optional attributes (e.g., warranty on low-cost items)

\[SCREENSHOT: Filter showing recommended (optional) attributes]

## Spot Check: Manual Review

Before export, manually review a sample of your products.

### How to Spot Check

1. **Select 5-10 random products** — Mix of different categories and price points
2. **Click each product to view its detail**
3. **Read through each attribute** — Ask: "Would a shopper understand this? Is it accurate? Does it look professional?"
4. **Look for red flags:**
   * Gibberish or nonsensical text (AI generation error)
   * Missing data (empty required fields)
   * Format inconsistencies (e.g., prices sometimes with \$, sometimes without)
   * Typos or grammatical errors

\[SCREENSHOT: Product detail view for spot checking]

### Spot Check Checklist

For each sampled product:

* [ ] Title is clear and keyword-rich
* [ ] Description is accurate and complete
* [ ] Dimensions/specs are correct
* [ ] Images are high-quality and relevant
* [ ] Price is accurate and current
* [ ] Category is correct
* [ ] All required fields are filled
* [ ] Optional fields that matter are filled
* [ ] No typos or formatting errors
* [ ] Attributes are marketplace-appropriate (not generic)

## Common Validation Issues

### Issue 1: Missing Required Field

**Problem:** A required attribute is blank.

**Fix:**

* Manually enter the value, or
* Edit the channel's AI prompt and regenerate that attribute, or
* Check if the source data in Products view is missing (fix there first)

### Issue 2: Format Error

**Problem:** A number is entered as text, or a date format is wrong.

**Fix:**

* Click the cell and re-enter in the correct format
* Use Merchkit's format helpers if available (date picker, number field)
* Check marketplace documentation for exact format

### Issue 3: Wrong Category Assignment

**Problem:** Products are assigned to the wrong category.

**Fix:**

* In category-specific channels, move products to the correct category
* Update your category mapping in the Products view
* Regenerate with the correct category

### Issue 4: Gibberish AI Generation

**Problem:** AI generated text that doesn't make sense.

**Fix:**

* Manually edit and correct
* Review your source data in Products view (is the source data also poor?)
* Refine the AI prompt and regenerate
* Train your team on data quality standards

### Issue 5: Inconsistent Formatting

**Problem:** Some attributes are formatted one way, others differently (e.g., "Navy Blue" vs. "navy blue").

**Fix:**

* Edit the channel prompt to specify exact formatting
* Regenerate to apply consistent formatting
* Manually edit any outliers

## Pre-Export Checklist

Before you click Export, confirm:

* [ ] All required fields are filled for all products
* [ ] All data is in the correct format (numbers, dates, selections)
* [ ] All products are assigned to the correct category
* [ ] High-impact optional attributes are filled
* [ ] Spot check revealed no major issues
* [ ] No red error indicators in the channel grid
* [ ] Validation dashboard shows 0 critical errors
* [ ] Product images are high-quality and relevant
* [ ] Prices are current and accurate
* [ ] Descriptions are clear and professional

## Fixing Issues at Scale

If you discover the same issue across many products:

1. **Identify the pattern** — Is it missing an attribute? Wrong format? Wrong category?
2. **Edit the prompt** — Fix the AI prompt that's causing the issue
3. **Regenerate** — Select all affected SKUs and regenerate with the fixed prompt
4. **Validate again** — Check results before export

This is faster than manual editing each product.

## Next Steps

Once validation is complete and you've fixed all critical issues:

* [Exporting Channel Data](/product/channels-and-content-generation/exporting-channel-data) — Download and submit your marketplace feed
* [Feed Validation & Error Resolution](/product/channels-and-content-generation/feed-validation-errors) — If the marketplace rejects your feed, resolve the issues here