Our Product Descriptions Scraped by . . .Google Shopping!

[robert76]

Finding our unique product descriptions scraped by Google and shown in their product shopping results as the universal description for the product.

If I were to look at the terms and conditions for this shopping service, I'll probably find that I once agreed to allow Google to use our descriptions as they see fit since that's pretty standard for these type of shopping products. Still without any attribution to us, it seems just terribly wrong.

Perhaps if we weren't a highly pandalized 2/24/11 site without any recovery, I wouldn't be as upset.

This is not just on one description. I find it on multiple products and I've only just begun looking. And as usual, A is listed directly under the descriptions as the most relevant store.

I've tried changing the description to incorporate our company name in the opening line but this does not seem to be something that is refreshed by Google. Once in their db as the description for a product, I think it stays.

What would you do or say to Google about this?

[linkbuildr]

Were you actually getting a good ROI from being on there?

[ohno]

Same here, sure it's being happening for quite a while? AS you say, even if you then change your description they still seem to use your old one!

[bhelm]

@Robert76
Actually Google is not scraping your website. What is happening is one of the retailers that sell your products are sending merchant feeds to Google. They are controlling the information. You can change that by entering your information into Ezeedata search. I find it amazing how this topic is becoming more and more relevant and no one is answering the questions. Here is an article that better explains is. Point #2 gives you how that works.http://goo.gl/kyCJx

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

What would you do or say to Google about this?

Point it out to Matt Cutts, he's in charge of webspam and plagiarized content may fall under his domain. Your other option is a DMCA but I think that would be a bit draconian in this case, the goal is to make money for both you and Google so compromise may be a better solution.

As for stealing content, everyone's every word is recorded by search engines and most is available in some service or other. Search companies are indeed the biggest copyright violating companies on the planet... but as long as they send visitors most don't object.

Boy - if people started objecting :/

[ohno]

@bhelm, WE are sending the feed to Google! They then use OUR description as the header for say 5+ companies! If we then change OUR feed description OUR original content stays in place. It look like Google came up with it when they didn't, it also dilutes our excellent descriptions for other companies benefit.