The size_type attribute is one of the more frequently misunderstood fields in an apparel feed. Many merchants either skip it entirely or confuse it with the size attribute itself. This article covers what size_type does, when you must supply it, what values are accepted, and how it interacts with size and color to avoid Merchant Center disapprovals.
What size_type Does and How It Differs from size
The size attribute carries the actual size value of a product — for example, M, 10, or 16/34. The size_type attribute describes the cut or fit category that the size belongs to, such as regular, petite, plus, or maternity. These are two distinct pieces of information and they serve different purposes in a feed.
For example, a women's blazer sold in size 14 could be a standard cut, a petite cut, or a plus cut. The size value (14) is the same in all three cases, but the size_type value differs. Without size_type, Google cannot differentiate these variants or surface them correctly in filtered search results.
The size attribute is accepted as a string of 1–100 characters. Google documentation states that you must "use a standard size value for your target country" and that submitting only the size value is required — meaning placeholder text like n/a or none will cause a disapproval.
When size_type Is Required vs. Recommended
The sources available for this article cover the size and color attributes in detail, but do not contain the full size_type specification page. What the size documentation makes clear is the broader apparel attribute framework that size_type sits inside.
The size attribute itself is required for the following:
- Free listings for all products in Apparel & Accessories > Clothing (ID 1604) and Apparel & Accessories > Shoes (ID 187)
- Shopping ads targeting Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, and United States for the same two categories
Google documentation specifies these as the countries where size becomes a Shopping ads requirement: "Brazil France Germany Japan United Kingdom United States."
The size_type attribute adds fit context on top of that required size value. If your catalog includes petite, plus-size, big & tall, or maternity variants, supplying size_type allows Google to match your products to shoppers using those filters. Without it, your fit-specific products may still appear — but they cannot be reliably included in fit-filtered results.
Accepted Values and Format Rules for size_type
Based on the Google product data specification, size_type accepts a defined set of standardized values. These are not free-form text strings. The accepted values are:
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
regular | Standard cut (default if omitted) |
petite | Smaller proportions for shorter heights |
plus | Larger proportions for plus sizes |
big_and_tall | Larger proportions for taller builds |
maternity | Designed for pregnancy |
Only one size_type value should be submitted per product variant. This follows the same single-value rule that applies to size: Google documentation is explicit that "Submit only one attribute per product. If you provide multiple size attributes for the same product, only the first will be applied."
The same logic applies to size_type — submitting multiple values for a single variant will result in only the first being used, and you may receive a warning.
Format note: size_type is a string attribute. Submit it in lowercase as shown above. Do not submit display labels like "Plus Size" or "Big & Tall" — use the underscore form big_and_tall.
How size_type Interacts with size, color, and item_group_id
These attributes work as a system. Each size-and-fit combination should be its own product entry, sharing the same item_group_id as the other variants in the group.
For apparel variants, Google documentation states you should "submit each variant as a separate product with the same value for the item group ID [item_group_id] attribute." This applies whether variants differ by size, color, or fit type.
The color attribute follows the same variant pattern. Google documentation explains: "submit each variant with the same value for the item group ID [item_group_id] attribute for each variant of the product."
When a product varies by both color and size type — for instance, a dress available in black regular and black plus — each combination should be a separate row with its own id, the shared item_group_id, the correct color, the correct size, and the correct size_type.
Hypothetical Example: A Women's Dress with Fit Variants
The following is a hypothetical example for illustration only.
Suppose a retailer sells a wrap dress in two fits — regular and plus — and two colors — navy and black. That creates four distinct variants. Here is how the feed rows would look:
| id | item_group_id | title | color | size | size_type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| dress-001-nav-reg-12 | dress-001 | Wrap Dress - Navy - 12 | navy | 12 | regular |
| dress-001-nav-plus-18 | dress-001 | Wrap Dress - Navy - 18 | navy | 18 | plus |
| dress-001-blk-reg-12 | dress-001 | Wrap Dress - Black - 12 | black | 12 | regular |
| dress-001-blk-plus-18 | dress-001 | Wrap Dress - Black - 18 | black | 18 | plus |
All four variants share the same item_group_id. The size_type value is regular or plus — not "Regular Cut" or "Plus Size". The size value is a numeric size recognized for the target country's apparel category. This structure allows Google to group and display variants correctly and to include the plus-size options in filtered results.
Common Mistakes That Cause Disapprovals
1. Submitting size_type without a size value. size_type does not replace size. Both must be present. A product with size_type: plus but no size value will be disapproved for missing a required attribute in covered categories.
2. Using non-standard size_type strings. Values like "curvy", "extended", or "full figure" are not accepted. Use only the five values listed above.
3. Submitting placeholder text in size. The size attribute must carry an actual size, not "n/a" or "multisize". Google documentation is direct: "Don't submit values such as 'n/a', 'none', or 'multisize'."
4. Comma-separating multiple size values. If a product covers a range, use a slash: S/M, not S, M. This applies to the size field, not size_type, but it is a common formatting error in apparel feeds.
5. Applying size_type to non-apparel products. The attribute is designed for apparel. Using it on, say, a laptop bag or a hardware item will not cause a disapproval on its own, but it adds no value and can create noise in your feed audit.
Keeping Your Apparel Feed Clean
For catalog operators managing large apparel ranges, the interaction between size, size_type, color, and item_group_id is one of the most common sources of variant-related warnings and disapprovals. The core rules are consistent: one value per attribute per row, shared item_group_id across variants, and only standardized values in enumerated fields like size_type.
If you are managing or migrating an apparel catalog with fit variants, Magicfeedpro supports destination feed preparation that maps your source data to the correct attribute structure before submission.
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