Skip to main content

New Product Discovery (NPD) Module

Updated over a week ago

Overview

The New Product Discovery (NPD) module helps you track newly launched products across retailer websites. When you launch a new product, there is typically a delay before it appears in your analytics platform. NPD closes that gap by letting you submit product details directly to CommerceIQ, which then searches retailer sites to find and match your products automatically.

Once a product is discovered, it is tagged and added to your reporting, so you can start monitoring metrics like availability, content compliance, and search performance within days of launch rather than weeks.

Getting Started

To access the NPD module, navigate to Tools and Settings in the left sidebar of your CommerceIQ platform, then select New Product Discovery. You will see the Discovery Tracker Dashboard, which is your central hub for submitting and tracking all NPD requests.

The Discovery Tracker Dashboard displays all your NPD requests and their current status.

Submitting an NPD Request

You can submit NPD requests in two ways: individually or in bulk via CSV upload. Both options are available from the dashboard.

Option 1: Bulk Upload (Recommended)

Bulk upload is the fastest way to submit multiple products at once. Click the + Add NPD Request button in the top-right corner of the dashboard to get started.

  1. Download the CSV template by clicking the Download file link in the upload dialog.

  2. Fill in the template with your product details (see the Required Fields table below).

  3. Return to the upload dialog, drag and drop your completed CSV, or click Upload File to browse.

  4. Click Submit to start the discovery process.

The Bulk Upload dialog walks you through downloading the template, filling it in, and uploading.

Option 2: Single Product Request

For one-off submissions, you can add a single product by filling in the request form fields directly. This uses the same required fields as the CSV template but is entered through a form interface.

Required and Optional Fields

The table below lists all fields available when submitting an NPD request. Providing more detail improves matching accuracy and speed.

Field

Required?

Description

Retailer

Yes

The retailer name (e.g., Amazon, Walmart, Ocado)

Product Title

Yes

Full product name as it appears on packaging

GTN / GTIN

No

Global Trade Number, if available

Brand

Yes

The product brand name

Sub Brand

No

Sub-brand, if applicable

Category

Yes

Product category (e.g., Sparkling Soft Drinks)

Sub Category

No

More specific category classification

Manufacturer

Yes

Manufacturing company name

Launch Date

Yes

Expected launch date (YYYY-MM-DD format)

Product URL

No

Direct link to the product page, if known

Additional Tags

No

Unique identifiers to help locate the product

Tip: Including a Product URL or GTIN significantly speeds up the discovery process, as the system can go directly to the product page rather than running a broad search.

Tracking Your Requests

After you submit an NPD request, you can monitor its progress on the Discovery Tracker Dashboard. Each request goes through a series of statuses as the system processes it.

Understanding Request Statuses

Status

What It Means

Submitted

Your request has been received and is queued for processing.

In Progress

The system is actively working on your request batch.

Searching

CommerceIQ is scanning retailer sites to locate your product.

In Review

A potential match has been found and is being verified.

Discovered

Your product has been successfully matched and added to tracking.

To see more details about any request, click View Details in the Actions column. This opens a side panel showing the full product information and a Discovery Log timeline that tracks every step of the process.

The detail panel shows product metadata and a step-by-step Discovery Log of the matching process.

What Happens After Discovery

  • Once a product reaches Discovered status, CommerceIQ has successfully matched it to a product listing on the retailer's site. At that point:

  • The product is automatically tagged and pushed to your reporting dashboards.

  • You can click the Product URL link in the dashboard to view the matched product page directly.

  • Analytics data (availability, content, search rankings) will begin populating within the standard data refresh cycle.

Notifications and Alerts

CommerceIQ sends automated notifications to keep you informed throughout the discovery process. You will receive email and in-platform alerts when:

  • Your product is successfully discovered and added to reporting.

  • A product could not be found by the specified launch window, so you can take action.

  • A bulk upload has been processed, with a summary of results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long does it take for a product to be discovered?

A: Most products are discovered within 7 days of their launch date. Products with a GTIN or direct URL are often found faster, sometimes within 1–2 days.

Q: Can I submit requests for products across multiple retailers?

A: Yes. Each row in the CSV represents a unique product-retailer combination. You can submit the same product for multiple retailers by including a separate row for each one.

Q: What should I do if a product stays in Searching status for a long time?

A: If a product has not been found within the expected launch window, check that the product details (title, brand, category) are accurate. You may also want to verify that the product is actually live on the retailer's site. If the issue persists, contact your CommerceIQ account team.

Q: What is the difference between NPD and Category Discovery?

A: NPD is a supplementary process specifically designed for newly launched products. It complements the existing Category Discovery feature, which continuously scans for all products in your tracked categories. NPD is client-triggered for specific products you know are launching, while Category Discovery runs automatically in the background.

Q: Can I upload products before they are available on the retailer site?

A: Yes. You can submit NPD requests in advance of your product's launch date. The system will begin searching on or near that date, so your product can be picked up as soon as it goes live.

Q: What file format is required for bulk uploads?

A: The bulk upload requires a CSV file. Download the template from the upload dialog to ensure your columns are formatted correctly. The template includes all required and optional fields.

Q: How do I know if my product was matched to the correct listing?

A: When a product reaches Discovered status, a Product URL link appears in the dashboard. Click this link to verify the matched listing on the retailer's site. If you believe the match is incorrect, contact your CommerceIQ account team for correction.

Q: Is there a limit to how many products I can submit at once?

A: There is no strict limit on bulk uploads. However, for best results, we recommend batches of up to a few hundred products per upload to ensure smooth processing.

Q: Where do I find the NPD module in the platform?

A: Navigate to Tools and Settings in the left sidebar, then select New Product Discovery. The Discovery Tracker Dashboard will appear, showing all your current and past requests.

Q: Will I be notified if a product cannot be found?

A: Yes. If a product has not been discovered by the end of the specified launch window, you will receive an alert notification so you can investigate or resubmit with updated details.

Need more help? Reach out to your CommerceIQ Customer Success Manager or contact support at support@commerceiq.ai.

Did this answer your question?