How to create custom channels

Custom channels let you define your own feed structure and format, giving you full control over field names, data layout, and output format. Unlike built-in channels (such as Facebook or Google) which have predefined fields, custom channels are entirely configured by you.

When to Use Custom Channels

Custom channels are useful when:

You need to export to a platform not supported by Feedr's built-in channels
A marketplace or partner requires a specific format you can't achieve with a built-in channel
You want to send product data to internal systems like an ERP, PIM, or inventory tool
You need full control over field names, structure, and output format
You want to generate multiple formats (XML, CSV, JSON) from a single channel definition

Creating a Custom Channel

Navigate to your shop in the sidebar
Click Custom Channels
Click Create in the top right
Enter a title and select one or more output formats

TIP

You can select multiple formats (XML, CSV, JSON) for a single channel. Each format has its own configuration options, so you can tailor the output for different consumers from a single channel definition.

Supported Data Formats

Format	Best for	Extension
XML	Ad platforms, marketplaces, structured data	`.xml`
CSV	Spreadsheets, simple imports, flat data	`.csv`
JSON	APIs, modern integrations, nested data	`.json`

Configuring XML

The XML format gives you control over the document structure, namespaces, and element wrapping.

XML Options

Option	Description
Wrapper elements	Root element name. Can be nested multiple levels (e.g., `rss` → `channel`).
Item element	The element wrapping each product. Defaults to `item`.
Attributes	Key-value pairs added to wrapper elements (e.g., `version="2.0"`).
Namespaces	XML namespace declarations — map a prefix to a URI (e.g., `g` → `http://base.google.com/ns/1.0`).
Static children	Hardcoded child elements with a name, value, and optional CDATA wrapping. Useful for metadata like `<title>My Feed</title>`.

Example XML Output

xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0">
  <channel>
    <title>My Product Feed</title>
    <item>
      <name>Blue T-Shirt</name>
      <price>29.99</price>
      <description><![CDATA[A comfortable blue t-shirt]]></description>
    </item>
    <item>
      <name>Red Hoodie</name>
      <price>59.99</price>
      <description><![CDATA[A warm red hoodie]]></description>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>

Configuring JSON

The JSON format lets you control the structure of the JSON document and add static metadata fields.

JSON Options

Option	Description
Item key	The key for the products array. Defaults to `products`.
Wrapper elements	Nested object layers around the item array (e.g., `data` → `catalog`).
Static fields	Hardcoded key-value pairs at each wrapper level (e.g., `"version": "1.0"`).

Example JSON Output

json

{
	"version": "1.0",
	"data": {
		"catalog": {
			"products": [
				{
					"name": "Blue T-Shirt",
					"price": "29.99"
				},
				{
					"name": "Red Hoodie",
					"price": "59.99"
				}
			]
		}
	}
}

Configuring CSV

The CSV format offers detailed control over delimiters, quoting, and how nested or multi-value fields are represented.

CSV Options

Option	Description	Default
Delimiter	Field separator (comma, semicolon, tab, pipe)	`,`
Include header	Whether to output a header row	Yes
Quote character	Quoting style (double quotes, single quotes, or none)	`"`
Line ending	LF or CRLF	LF
Empty field value	Value to use for empty fields	(empty)
Multi-value separator	Separator for fields with multiple values	`\|`
Nested field format	How nested fields are formatted: `key_value` or `value_only`	`key_value`
Key-value separator	Separator between key and value in nested fields	`:`
Pair separator	Separator between key-value pairs in nested fields	`;`
Group separator	Separator between nested groups	`\|`

Example CSV Output

csv

name,price,description
"Blue T-Shirt","29.99","A comfortable blue t-shirt"
"Red Hoodie","59.99","A warm red hoodie"

Managing Output Fields

Output fields define which fields appear in your feed and in what order. You manage them from the Output Fields tab on your custom channel.

Adding — click Add to create a new field. Fill in the title and configure options.
Editing — click on a field row to open the edit modal.
Deleting — click the delete button on a field row. You'll be asked to confirm.
Reordering — drag and drop fields using the drag handle to change their order in the output.

Field Options

Option	Description	Applies to
Title	The field name as it appears in the output	All formats
Output type	Data type hint (text, url, image, date, boolean)	All formats
Namespace	XML namespace prefix for this field	XML only
CDATA	Wrap the value in a CDATA section	XML only
Multiple	Field can contain multiple values	All formats

Creating Nested Fields

Custom channels support a parent-child field hierarchy up to two levels deep. Nested fields let you group related data under a parent element.

To create nested fields:

Add a parent field (e.g., shipping)
Add child fields and set their Parent to the field you just created (e.g., country, price)

INFO

A parent field acts as a container — it won't have a value of its own. Only child fields carry product data.

How Nested Fields Render

The same parent-child structure renders differently depending on the format:

XML — nested elements inside the parent element:

xml

<shipping>
  <country>US</country>
  <price>5.99</price>
</shipping>

JSON — nested object inside the parent key:

json

{
	"shipping": {
		"country": "US",
		"price": "5.99"
	}
}

CSV — flattened using the configurable separators:

csv

shipping
"country:US;price:5.99"

Creating a Feed with a Custom Channel

Once your custom channel is configured with output fields, you can create a feed that uses it:

Go to Feeds → New Feed
Select your custom channel from the channel list
Click Create
Copy the feed URL to use in your integration
Configure Output Mapping to map your product data to the output fields you defined

Accessing Different Formats

If your custom channel has multiple formats enabled, you can access each one by changing the file extension in the feed URL:

https://feeds.feedr.com/your-hash.xml
https://feeds.feedr.com/your-hash.csv
https://feeds.feedr.com/your-hash.json

Only formats that you configured on the channel will be available. Requesting a format that isn't configured will return an error.

WARNING

Make sure you've configured the format-specific options (wrapper elements, delimiters, etc.) for each format you enable. The defaults work for simple cases, but most integrations will need some customization.

Duplicating a Custom Channel

You can duplicate an existing custom channel to create a copy with all output fields and format configurations intact. This is useful when you need a similar channel with small variations — duplicate it and adjust the differences instead of starting from scratch.

How to create custom channels ​

When to Use Custom Channels ​

Creating a Custom Channel ​

Supported Data Formats ​

Configuring XML ​

XML Options ​

Example XML Output ​

Configuring JSON ​

JSON Options ​

Example JSON Output ​

Configuring CSV ​

CSV Options ​

Example CSV Output ​

Managing Output Fields ​

Field Options ​

Creating Nested Fields ​

How Nested Fields Render ​

Creating a Feed with a Custom Channel ​

Accessing Different Formats ​

Duplicating a Custom Channel ​