An MPN (Manufacturer Part Number) is the unique code a manufacturer assigns to one of its products, used together with the brand field to identify products that do not have a GTIN.
Last updated
When a product has no GTIN — or before a GTIN has been issued — Google and most marketplaces accept the combination of brand + MPN as an alternative identifier. The MPN is whatever code the manufacturer uses internally: a model number, a part code, a SKU as long as it is the manufacturer's SKU and not the retailer's.
The format is loose. MPNs can include letters, numbers, dashes, and dots; there is no check digit and no central registry. The only rule is uniqueness within the manufacturer: every retailer selling the same product should be submitting the same MPN under the same brand. When two listings disagree on MPN for the same product, Google treats them as separate items and the listings compete with each other rather than aggregate.
A common pitfall is to put the retailer's own SKU in the MPN field. The retailer's SKU is typically internal and varies between shops — using it as MPN breaks the cross-shop match Google needs to merge listings. FeedArc keeps the manufacturer's MPN in a dedicated field and the retailer's SKU in the id field, where it belongs.
Where do you find an MPN? It is printed on the product's packaging or label, listed in the manufacturer's spec sheet, and shown on the manufacturer's official product page — there is no central registry to look one up, so the manufacturer is always the authoritative source. Two rules keep MPNs clean: only submit a value you are certain is correct (Google disapproves guessed or invented MPNs), and give each variant its own number, because a different colour or size is a different part with its own MPN. FeedArc validates the brand + MPN pairing on every export, so a missing, duplicated, or guessed identifier is caught before Merchant Center ever sees it.
Where the concept above breaks down or needs careful application — written honestly so you can make better decisions.
Google’s official definition of the mpn attribute: when it is required, the manufacturer-assigned rule, and the per-variant expectations.
A Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) is the international barcode identifier — UPC, EAN, JAN, or ISBN — that uniquely identifies a manufactured product worldwide, issued by GS1.
Google Merchant Center (GMC) is the Google platform where you upload, validate, and manage product feeds that power Google Shopping ads, free listings, Performance Max, and Demand Gen campaigns.
Feed validation is the process of checking a product feed against a channel's schema and rules — required fields, data types, value formats, and business logic — before upload, so errors are caught locally rather than after disapproval.
Build a Google Shopping XML feed that clears Merchant Center review. FeedArc maps required attributes and fixes GTIN and category errors before export.
Export an Amazon product feed in the flat-file layout Seller Central expects. FeedArc maps feed_product_type, validates fields, and flags errors before upload.
A diagnostic guide to Google Merchant Center disapprovals: the 12 most common causes, how to fix each one, and how to stop them recurring before re-upload.
How to turn a valid product feed into one that wins clicks and sales: title structure, complete attributes, custom labels, and error fixes across every channel.
FeedArc handles manufacturer part number — and 31 other feed concerns — automatically. Free to start, no credit card needed.
Create free account