ARTS releases new standards to simplify search engine advertising
Following a test under which Circuit City Stores Inc.’s online division successfully submitted detailed product information through Channel Intelligence Inc. to the AOL Shopping platform, the Association for Retail Technology Standards has announced new standard formats to simplify how retailers submit data to search engines.
Jay Heavilon, who chaired the ARTS committee that developed the new standards, says they will replace the current “digital tower of Babel” that prevents consistent and accurate exchange of data between e-retailers and Internet search engines and shopping portals. “These specs allow advertisers, engines, and agencies to exchange product data more efficiently,” says Heavilon, who is a partner with online ad agency MARS Interactive LLC.
“Circuit City sells 9,000 great consumer electronics products online,” says David Mathews, president of Circuit City Direct. “Standard data formats will help us get our product information out to our search engine partners with more speed, accuracy, and consistency. Our goal is to help online shoppers get better information when researching and buying consumer electronics.”
ARTS, which is associated with the National Retail Federation, announced the new standards at the NRF’s Shop.org conference and trade show last week.
Other members of the ARTS committee that developed the standards include Target Corp., J.C. Penney Co. Inc., REI, Yahoo Inc., AOL and Microsoft Corp.
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