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    Field: gender

    Missing Gender Attribute in Google Shopping Feed

    Your product is missing the required gender attribute. For apparel products, gender must be provided using one of the accepted values: 'male', 'female', or 'unisex'.

    Use our free Feed Validator to check for this and other errors automatically.

    What This Error Means

    The gender attribute is required for all apparel and accessories products. It helps shoppers filter results and ensures your products appear in the correct search results.

    Valid gender values:

    • male — Products designed for men/boys
    • female — Products designed for women/girls
    • unisex — Products suitable for any gender

    When gender is required:

    • All clothing and apparel
    • Shoes and footwear
    • Accessories (bags, watches, jewelry)
    • Any product with gender-specific sizing

    Proper gender categorization is a core part of catalog optimization, ensuring your ads reach the right audience.

    How to Fix It

    1. Add gender attribute — Include "male", "female", or "unisex" for all apparel products.
    2. Use lowercase values — Google requires lowercase ("male" not "Male").
    3. Map your source data — Create transformations to convert "Men's", "Women's", "Boys'", "Girls'" to accepted values.
    4. Choose unisex appropriately — Use "unisex" only for truly gender-neutral products, not as a default.

    Examples

    Incorrect
    <!-- Missing gender: -->
<item>
  <g:id>JACKET-001</g:id>
  <g:title>Leather Jacket</g:title>
  <g:product_type>Apparel > Jackets</g:product_type>
  <!-- No gender attribute -->
</item>

<!-- Invalid values: -->
<g:gender>men</g:gender>
<g:gender>women</g:gender>
<g:gender>Men's</g:gender>
<g:gender>boys</g:gender>
<g:gender>girls</g:gender>

<!-- Case sensitivity: -->
<g:gender>Male</g:gender>
    Correct
    <!-- Male products: -->
<g:gender>male</g:gender>

<!-- Female products: -->
<g:gender>female</g:gender>

<!-- Unisex products: -->
<g:gender>unisex</g:gender>

<!-- Complete apparel product: -->
<item>
  <g:id>JACKET-001-M</g:id>
  <g:title>Men's Leather Jacket - Medium</g:title>
  <g:gender>male</g:gender>
  <g:age_group>adult</g:age_group>
  <g:color>Black</g:color>
  <g:size>M</g:size>
</item>

<!-- Kids product with gender: -->
<item>
  <g:id>DRESS-KIDS-001</g:id>
  <g:title>Girls' Party Dress - Size 8</g:title>
  <g:gender>female</g:gender>
  <g:age_group>kids</g:age_group>
  <g:size>8</g:size>
</item>

    Additional Tips

    • Gender affects how size is interpreted (men's 10 vs women's 10)
    • Use "unisex" for genuinely neutral items, not as a catchall
    • Map "Men's" → "male", "Women's" → "female" in your feed rules
    • Kids' products should also specify gender when applicable
    • Include gender in product titles for better visibility
    • Combine with age_group for accurate targeting (male + kids = boys)

    Related Issues

    Invalid Age GroupMissing SizeMissing ColorBrand Missing

    Validate Your Feed Now

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