FAQ for retailers

Updates, price files and information

How can I correct incorrect information or the name of a particular product?

A lot of the information we display comesdirectly from the retailers. So if you find an error, it is quite probable that something is wrong on the retailer page. We would be grateful if you could report incorrect information to us via email.

How can I change incorrect company/retailer information?

Our customers can change this themselves via our retailer admin pages. Please contact us if you do not have login information.

Why do we not have any recently updated prices visible on PriceRunner?

When a retailer makes a change to its site or in the price file, this means we have to import the file again before the changes are displayed on PriceRunner. The file is imported automatically every day, but we can also schedule the file to be imported several times a day or do it manually straight away if you request it.

If you have added/removed columns in a price file or rebuilt your site, this can cause our import of your file to not work as it should. It is therefore sensible to be proactive and inform us of such changes in advance so we can adapt to them.

Things you should know about PriceRunner price updates:

  • Prices or information about products that are already on PriceRunner will be updated immediately after we import the price file or site.
  • New products often take around 24 hours after importing the price file or site before they appear on the site.
  • If you add or change products, categories or make other important updates, it is always good if you can let us know. Then we can speed up the process and make sure everything takes place as smoothly and correctly as possible.
  • Always consult with PriceRunner before you restructure or make major changes to your site or price file.

What can happen if we change our price file or site without informing you?

If you simply add new products, categories or other existing information to the price file or on the site, everything will be fine.

But if you make significant changes to the structure of your site/price file, there is a risk that products will disappear from PriceRunner or that there may be problems when we try to import the file or site. If you make changes in the field for each product's unique article number (SKU), this means that each product must be recreated in our database, and this means the accrued popularity (number of clicks) for those products will disappear. Always inform us if you are planning major or important changes. Then we will make sure that they take place as smoothly and correctly as possible.

Always consult with PriceRunner before you restructure or make major changes to your site or price file.

Why does it take a while before new products appear on PriceRunner?

The time it takes from a product being added at your website or included in your price file to become visible at PriceRunner varies and can depend on a range of things.

It can take up to 24 hours before new products are displayed on PriceRunner. If these are completely new categories for you, however, it can take longer. If you add or change products, categories or make other important updates, it is always good if you can let us know. Then we can speed up the process and make sure everything takes place as smoothly and correctly as possible.

We strongly recommend that you provide the manufacturer's barcode number (EAN) or article number (MSKU) in your price file or on your site. This means that matching to the right product on our site will be automatic and that updates will be quicker.

How often do you import our site or price file?

Your site or price file is imported 1-4 times per day. The number of times we import the file depends on how much system resources the data collection takes. If you have preferences about the times for importing the price file, we are happy to accommodate these.

Prices or information about products that are already live on PriceRunner will be updated immediately after we import the price file or site.

Why are several of the products from us missing images?

The explanation can be that your image links which we load the images from have stopped working, or you have replaced the images on existing image links, which means we need to re-upload them to our system. Another possible reason is that we do not support your image format.

Make sure you always have clear and correct product images, as this increases your chances of more clicks. Contact us if you have problems with your images on PriceRunner.

PriceRunner Buyer Protection

What is PriceRunner Buyer Protection?

PriceRunner Buyer Protection is a service that benefits both the retailers that are customers of PriceRunner and the consumers and users of PriceRunner. Statistics show clearly that our users feel safer and are therefore more likely to buy something if they see that a retailer is associated with the PriceRunner Buyer Protection. This means that the consumer is financially covered up to £5,000 by PriceRunner. The Buyer Protection is free for both the retailer and the buyer. This Buyer Protection applies to all retailers that have the badge on PriceRunner at the time of purchase.

How does PriceRunner Buyer Protection work?

PriceRunner Buyer Protection covers consumers when they shop online. In the unlikely event that things go wrong and the retailer does not assume their statutory liability, PriceRunner make sure that the consumer gets his/her money up to £5,000 per purchase refunded. Read our more detailed terms and conditions here.

Are there any limitations, or does the PriceRunner Buyer Protection covers anything that can happen?

Yes, there are limitations. The Buyer Protection applies to all retailers on PriceRunner that have the Buyer Protection badge visible in the price lists and covers the purchase and delivery, but not the product that was purchased. In other words, it is not a product guarantee.

The Buyer Protection applies in cases where the retailer does not comply with its statutory liability. There is an upper limit of £5,000 per purchase. And of course there is also a certain amount of small print that you need to know and which you can read here.

Why is there a limit of £5,000?

We know that very few online purchases exceed £5,000. So for the majority of consumers this limit will never be relevant.

Why do you offer the Buyer Protection?

PriceRunner is on the consumer's side. We want everyone to feel safe when they shop and purchase something via our service.

Can our shop be covered by the PriceRunner Buying Protection?

With the PriceRunner Buying Protection, we want to contribute to a more safe online shopping experience and to increase the trust between consumers and retailers. As a retailer, to be covered by the Buying Protection, you must fulfil the following terms and conditions:

  • You must have been a paying customer of PriceRunner for the last three months.
  • You must not have any outstanding with PriceRunner, such as unpaid invoices.
  • You must include information about the PriceRunner Buying Protection on your website.
  • We also want you to use Verified Reviews on your site.

Category types, listing and sorting

My product has the lowest price but is still not at the top of the price list?

There may be several reasons for this. One is that PriceRunner lacks information about your shipping costs. If we have no shipping information, we will place the price from you at the bottom of the comparison list for price sorting including shipping.

There are also products that we have not yet created a sorted price comparison for. These products are not sorted in ascending price order, but instead on the basis of relevance amongst other things.

Why are my prices on my products so far down the list?

The most likely explanation is that you either have a higher price for the product than many of your competitors or that we have no shipping costs for the product. For price sorting including shipping costs, such products without shipping costs always end up at the bottom.

There are also products that we have not yet created a sorted price comparison for. These products are not sorted in ascending price order, but is instead based on, among other things, relevance.

Why does the listing look different in certain categories?

PriceRunner strives to display products in the way that users appreciate the most. This means that the default selection for some categories is a list that primarily consists of text (list view), while the default selection in other categories is for the product image to have a more prominent position in the product listing (grid view).

For all products where we have a price comparison, the standard setting is to show the lowest price excluding shipping costs at the top. The products then follow in ascending order of price. Users can always change how the list is sorted. For example, you can sort the list by lowest price including shipping costs or by shortest delivery time.

Searches and product categorisation

Why can't I find the product I'm looking for?

The easiest way to find what you are looking for is to type your query in the search bar at the top of the site. You can enter the brand, model or type of product you are looking for.

A product can also be found in several categories. Or the product you are looking for can also be found in a category different from one the search leads to. So always look at the search results where other categories are displayed too.

Why do our products sometimes end up in the wrong PriceRunner category?

PriceRunner matches every product category with the retailer to the PriceRunner category that has the best match. In some cases, the content of the retailer's category does not match the title. For example, a category entitled "Mobile phones" can also include accessories for mobile phones. Then there is a risk that these will not be in the right category on PriceRunner. Of course we always strive to make sure that everything is right, but we cannot guarantee 100% accuracy. If you think that a product is incorrectly categorised, simply contact us and we will try to find a solution.

Be clear with your product categorisation and make sure you do not mix up product types to avoid products ending up incorrectly categorised or it not being possible to list them on PriceRunner.

Clicks, tracking and conversions

Why have all my products disappeared from PriceRunner?

If a retailer disappears from PriceRunner, it is normally due to one of the following reasons. Of course we have procedures to avoid this, but unfortunately we cannot guarantee that it will never happen. The explanation can be that one of the following things has happened:

  • Your price file can no longer be found on the specified link.
  • Your price file has changed in a way that means our import no longer works.
  • Your site has changed in a way that means our import no longer works.
  • Your categories have changed and now require new manual matching by us.
  • You have reached your monthly spend limit.

Always consult with PriceRunner before you restructure or make major changes to your site or price file.

Why is it that according to PriceRunner our shop has received a certain number of clicks, but Google Analytics gives a different figure?

It is common for statistics to be different in Google Analytics compared with PriceRunner's figures. This is because Google Analytics shows sessions and not clicks (which is what we count and invoice for).

This means that users on PriceRunner can click on several of your product links during a short period of time and still be registered as a single session by Google Analytics. It is very common for our users to click on more than one link from the same retailer, and by that it is normal that you have more clicks than sessions.

PriceRunner has protection against "robot clicks" which means that all clicks that take place within 10 seconds on a product with a retailer are always recorded as a single click in our systems.

Can we see how many sales PriceRunner has generated to our shop?

Yes, you can track this if you use an analysis tool and have the correct tracking parameters added on your product links. Then you can keep track of both sales and traffic from PriceRunner, and thus, among other things, find out which products are selling well and which are not. The most common tool is Google Analytics, and we add their tracking parameters to all retailers we list, provided that there are no other parameters already in use. If necessary, extended tracking can be added, for example to a product and category: https://www.yourstore.com/category1/product1.html?utm_source=pricerunner&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pricerunner.

With tracking like this, we recommend that you look under "campaigns" in Google Analytics for the most accurate statistics.

Why is the number of clicks to my shop reduced?

A reduction in traffic from PriceRunner can have many different causes. A few of the common ones are:

  • The number of products on your site or in your price file have been reduced or matching of the categories is problematic.
  • Your products have insufficient information to be matched.
  • There have been complications during the import of your site or price file.
  • The number of competitors in your retailer's segment has increased and reduced your share of the total clicks.
  • Your prices are no longer among the cheapest.

Keep track of your activity on a regular basis via our retailer admin pages.

Why do we have low conversions in general or on particular products?

There are many different reasons for low conversions. This often varies quite a lot from retailer to retailer, so you can contact us if you have questions about your conversions and we can do an analysis for your particular store.

A few probable causes are listed below:

  • The prices do not match. If a higher price is displayed on the retailer's page than on PriceRunner, there is a risk that the consumer will abandon the purchase.
  • Your site is not customised for mobile use. The majority of PriceRunner's visitors use mobile. If your site is not customised for a mobile user experience, there is a risk that visitors will not purchase anything.
  • It is a hassle to pay. If the purchase process is complicated or unclear, or if you lack an established payment method, some visitors will not buy from you.
  • You charge additional fees. If there are shipping costs, handling charges or similar fees that are not visible on PriceRunner, there is a risk that the consumer will abandon the purchase.
  • Product information or images are unclear or incorrect.
  • The stock status is not correct. If a product is in stock according to PriceRunner, but out of stock on the retailer page, the consumer will probably find another retailer.
  • Popular products that are out of stock can get lots of clicks despite being described as out of stock on PriceRunner, because the consumer wants to double-check that the stock status is correct.
  • The consumer can feel insecure because of an unprofessional impression of the retailer page.
  • The company information on the retailer site is incomplete or poorly written.
  • The retailer has no Verified Reviews on PriceRunner or is not covered by the PriceRunner Buyer Protection.
  • The requested delivery methods by the consumers are missing.

Analyse your business and consult with PriceRunner if you want to improve your conversions.

Reviews

Is it important to have visible and current reviews on PriceRunner?

Yes, both our own and external surveys have shown that retailers with lots of positive reviews visible online, and above all on price comparison sites, sell more than those without reviews. This is because safety and security are among the most important factors when consumers shop online. PriceRunner offers paying customers of PriceRunner the possibility of using Verified Reviews, which means that your paying customers can submit reviews.

Display your average score from PriceRunner in real time on your own site with the help of our widget.

How do we get more reviews on PriceRunner?

Ensure that the script for Verified Reviews is added on your order confirmation page for all purchases carried out. You can also send a link to the survey in your order confirmation email. It may occur that the script disappears if you restructure or change your site and this will also remove the opportunity for your customers to contribute a review via PriceRunner.

Be active and inviting when you offer the consumer the opportunity to evaluate you. You should ideally use an image with text explaining that reviews are useful both for you and for other consumers. Everything should also be placed in a clear, visible way, so that no one can miss it.

Retailers sometimes offer their reviewers a reward or the opportunity to participate in a competition for a product or gift card. We know this has a positive effect on the number of reviews that are received.

Can you remove a negative review we have received?

PriceRunner is an independent price comparison site and its primary main objective is to help consumers. For this reason, we cannot remove a review at the request of a retailer. If you receive a negative review, you can answer the review via our retailer admin pages. We can also contact the reviewer for you, to find out what has happened and give you the chance to correct the fault. Where the retailer and consumer agree on a solution, the reviewer has the chance to update the review. If there is strong evidence that a review is fake, of course we can delete that.

Resolve any problems together with the consumer and give them a chance to change their score on PriceRunner.

Can we answer reviews?

Yes, you can do this via our retailer admin pages. We can also contact the reviewer and ask he/she to contact you if something needs to be resolved.

Be active and pleasant in your responses to show that you have good customer service and value the consumers' feedback.

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