Product Ads allow you to include images and other rich product information in sponsored search ads. Offers from your Merchant Center Catalog are eligible to display as an ad in the mainline and sidebar, and include catalog elements such as title, description, image and price.
Below are policies applicable to Product Ads.
Advertising policies
We strive to provide the best possible experience for all of our customers. To participate in Product Ads from Microsoft Advertising, you must comply with Microsoft Advertising policies as well as Merchant Center.
These policies are only applicable to merchant offers served on our advertising network as part of the Product Ads program, and do not apply to other Microsoft Bing offerings. It is primarily your responsibility as an advertiser to comply with these policies, as well as any applicable legal requirements. Non-compliant offers will be removed.
Product description and conditions
Your product description must be truthful accurate and not misleading or deceptive, including, but not limited to: product features, benefits, qualities, brand, conditions, availabilities, quantity, qualities and comparisons, pricing, saving claims, rebate offers, shipping, warranties, sponsorships, uses, grade, refunds, taxes, etc.
- Condition: Only "New" products will be shown. Even though you may not experience a rejection, "Used," "Collectible," "Open Box," "Refurbished" and "Remanufactured" products will not be shown.
- Availability: Only "In Stock" products are shown. "Out of Stock," "Pre Order" and "Back Order" products will not be shown.
- Payments must be collected on a secure site.
- Any products promoted must be available for purchase and shipping in all of the geographical locations targeted.
- The product promoted must be available on the landing page, displayed prominently above fold in a position where it can be easily located.
- When shipping information is provided, shipping costs, estimated timing and the location from which the items are being shipped must be clearly identified.
- Descriptions should not be wrapped in quotes.
- Please do not include promotional text in the image.
- Products that have been recalled or that are otherwise subject to recall must not be advertised.
- Any claims associated with the product must be realistic, substantiated and not misleading or deceiving for users.
- Any risks associated to the product or its uses must be fairly disclosed on the landing page, including disclaimers which may be required by law.
- Refund and return policies must be easily accessible on your website.
Pricing
The offer must disclose all of the material terms of the transaction and obtain customers’ express informed consent. The pricing and billing models must be truthful, accurate and easy to understand, and must be at all times compliant with Microsoft Advertising misleading content policies.
- The default price should be in the local currency of the market you are targeting. For example, U.S. offers must be priced in USD by default.
- Price, discounts or offers displayed in the product feed must be available on the landing page.
- One or more products must be available at the offered price, and must be easily accessible to users within a few clicks of the landing page.
- Price, discounts or offers displayed in the product feed must be available on the landing page.
- One or more products must be available at the offered price, and must be easily accessible to users within a few clicks of the landing page.
- For multiple pricing options, such as variable prices based on different quantities or subscription options, the default price on the landing page should be the price shown in the product feed.
- All applicable conditions, taxes, costs, discounts, etc. must be clearly displayed before purchase.
- Taxes and additional fees must be disclosed at check out. Where legally required however the price displayed in your product feed must be inclusive of all applicable taxes.
- For products sold in bulk quantities or at a price per unit, the ad should list the total price based on the minimum number of units that can be purchased. For example, if the cost per unit is $1 with a minimum purchase allowed of 10 units, the price used in the product feed, as well as the default price on the landing page, should be $10.
- Recurring payments or installments are acceptable, provided that all material terms are fairly disclosed prior to the purchase, including the total final price amount, the amount of each individual payment, the total number of payments, and applicable manner and means of cancellation.
Savings and rebate claims
- Discounts can be disclosed either in the product feed, on the landing page or at check out. Conversely, base prices at check-out higher than presented in the product feed are disallowed.
- If a rebate is offered, all conditions must be clearly displayed (e.g., mail-in vs. instant rebate).
- Do not represent false, misleading or deceptive reasons for savings claims (e.g., going-out-of-business sale where the business is not closing).
- Savings, rebate and discounts are often subject to local regulations in the geographical area(s) you are targeting. You are responsible for compliance with all applicable local regulations, including among others those related to "free offers," representations regarding "clearance" pricing, calculation of saving and ordinary price claims (e.g., "Save X%" "Now $X off") etc.
Subscription offers
- Pricing, recurring billing, frequency of payments, the duration, auto-renewals and refunds must be clearly disclosed to users before they subscribe.
- If subscriptions are available at a lower price during a promotional period, it must be made clear prior to the subscription when the promotional period ends and what the regular price will be at the end of the promotional period.
- Applicable cancellation procedures must be easy to understand, use and accessible to users.
Images
Images must comply with Microsoft Advertising Image, audio and video policies.
- Images must be relevant to the product offer. You may not use low quality, inaccurate or out-of-date images, including inaccurate or out of date brand names or brand images.
- Images must not result in blanks or "image not available."
- The most prominent part of the image must be the product promoted. The white space in the background must not exceed about one third of the image.
- The background of the image must be clearly distinct from the image of the product itself. Do not use similar color tones or patterns that may cause the image of the product to appear less visible.
- Product offers for lingerie and bathing suits must comply with the "Nudity, offensive advertising" section of the Microsoft Advertising Image, audio and video policies.
Restricted and disallowed categories
Restricted and disallowed advertising categories are regulated by the applicable Microsoft Advertising policies for the market(s) you are targeting. Please review the specific policies for each markets to understand applicable restrictions.
We reserve the right to remove additional categories or feeds, at any time and at our sole discretion, under specific circumstances, such as intervened illegality, products of questionable legality, or that do not align to our brand and image, performance exclusion (see below), etc.
Adult advertisers
- Product Ads does not support merchant offers for adult products and services.
Security at checkout
Microsoft values the security and privacy of our end-users, as well as sustainable and healthy relationships with our customers. Payments must always be collected through a secure checkout process.
Online financial transactions are an area of high exposure, considering the significant consequences of data breach and compromise of payment instruments. Using a secure check out system can reduce, though not entirely eliminate, associated threats.
To learn more about secure checkout requirements and companies that provide such services:
This reference is for informational purposes only. Microsoft does not endorse any companies listed at the above links. Microsoft is not to be held accountable for any loss of financial data, data breach and other compromises to your customer's personal and financial information, and reserves the right to remove non-compliant merchants, as detected, at our sole discretion and without advanced notice. We encourage you to seek independent advice and assistance with any related matters.
Performance exclusions
From time to time we may analyze and focus on product categories that have an ongoing history of interest to users, as demonstrated by user searches and activity. Some categories will have a rich product search experience that is displayed with Product Ads and others will not which may change over time based on interest and user behavior.
Online tracking technologies
The inclusion of any online tracking technologies, such as web beacons, pixels, LSOs etc., is strictly disallowed unless with prior written consent of Microsoft. Compliance with online privacy regulations and industry standards is required; this may include, among others, functional opt-out, privacy statement and other data collection and usage disclaimers, and limits to third party data sharing. It would always be entirely your responsibility as an advertiser to ensure compliance thereof.
Use of product feed data
The use of your product feed data must not infringe upon intellectual property or other rights of others. As a participant in Product Ads you represent and warrant that you possess all necessary rights related to the submission and usage of images, and that all other data included in your product feeds is in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations. At times, Microsoft may elect to utilize certain portions of your product feeds for other, unrelated purposes of its choice, including but not limited to, ad campaigns optimization, marketplace management, sponsored and non-sponsored results optimization and enhancement processes, and others as Microsoft may elect from time to time. By virtue of your participation in Product Ads you agree to the usage of your product feed data in accordance to the Microsoft Advertising Agreement, this Product Ads policies and other applicable Microsoft policies.