# item_group_id

The item_group_id attribute groups the rows that are variants of the same product, so a channel can show one listing with a size or colour picker instead of several unrelated listings. On Shopify the natural source is the product ID, shared by every variant row generated from that product.

- **Canonical URL:** https://www.feedlab.io/knowledge/attributes/item-group-id
- **Last reviewed:** 16 September 2026
- **Source:** feedlab knowledge base
- **Licence:** free to quote and cite with attribution to feedlab


## Specification

| Property | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Attribute | `item_group_id` |
| Plain name | Item group ID |
| Data type | Text |
| Limit | 50 characters |
| Format | Any stable string, identical across every variant of one product and different for every other product. It must be as permanent as the id attribute: changing it regroups the listing and resets the grouping's history. Products with a single variant may omit it. |


### Example values

- `shopify-7891234`
- `MERINO-CREW`



### Support by channel

| Channel | Requirement | Field name | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Google Shopping | Required in some cases | `item_group_id` | Required when a product has variants. Must accompany the variant attributes. |
| Meta | Required in some cases | `item_group_id` | Drives the variant picker in Shops. |
| Microsoft Advertising | Required in some cases | `item_group_id` |  |
| Pinterest | Optional | `item_group_id` |  |
| OpenAI | Optional | `group_id` | Called group_id rather than item_group_id, and it travels with listing_has_variations set true and a variant_dict mapping option names to values. A Google mapping has to be rebuilt here, not renamed. |












## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between id and item_group_id?

id is unique to one purchasable variant; item_group_id is shared by every variant of the same product. In a Shopify feed, id comes from the variant and item_group_id comes from the product, so a jumper in three sizes produces three ids and one item_group_id.

### What happens if item_group_id is missing?

Each variant appears as an independent listing. Shoppers see the same jumper three times with no way to switch size, the listings compete against each other, and variant-level features such as the colour picker in Shops do not appear.

### Do single-variant products need an item_group_id?

No. A product with one variant has nothing to group, so the attribute can be omitted. It does no harm to include it consistently, which keeps the mapping simpler than special-casing.




## Primary sources

- [Google: item_group_id attribute specification](https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/6324507)