How Product Catalog Enrichment Transformed Paid Search for Boston Proper
How Product Catalog Enrichment Transformed Paid Search for Boston Proper
Stylitics Marketing Team
The Stylitics Marketing Team explores the intersection of AI, retail, and shopper experience, sharing strategies and insights that shape the future of product discovery and visual merchandising.
Table of Contents
Paid search is only as strong as the data behind it.
For many retailers, that means the quality of their Google Merchant Center (GMC) feed. With the rise of AI-driven discovery, new search interfaces, and higher shopper expectations, ad performance in GMC now depends more than ever on high-quality product data.
Boston Proper, a women’s apparel brand, wanted to see how enrichment could improve their paid search program by adding richer attributes such as colors, patterns, occasions, and style themes to their product feeds.
Together, we put it to the test.
Key Takeaways:
- Paid search performance depends on product data. Google Merchant Center feeds need to be structured, normalized, and enriched so products surface for the right shopper queries and align with intent.
- Boston Proper ran a controlled A/B test. Enriched products were compared directly against standard feeds within identical campaigns, isolating the impact of enriched metadata.
- The results were measurable and significant. Enriched products delivered a +7.6% CTR lift, +6.32% ROAS growth, higher conversions and AOV, and a 16.4x ROI.
- Enrichment is practical and scalable. Implemented via a supplemental GMC feed, it’s fast to activate, low-lift for IT, and delivers immediate value in paid search.
The Challenge
Like many retailers, Boston Proper’s catalog had solid foundations, but product titles and attributes often missed the long-tail keywords and shopper language that drive discovery. Item names didn’t always align with how customers searched, limiting visibility in Google Merchant Center, the primary way products index on Google.
- Improving discoverability: Making sure products surfaced for the right shopper queries.
- Scaling search relevance: Enhancing feeds dynamically without overhauling the entire catalog.
- Proving incremental value: Showing measurable lift in CTR, conversion, and ROAS before scaling.
The Approach
Stylitics partnered with Boston Proper and their media agency, Tinuiti, to run a controlled A/B test in Google Merchant Center.
- Randomized split: Products were divided into test and control groups.
- Daily enrichment: The test group received enriched metadata via a supplemental feed.
- Consistent execution: Tinuiti managed identical campaigns across both groups to ensure a fair test.
This setup allowed Boston Proper to isolate the impact of enriched data on paid search performance.
The Results
The test delivered clear, measurable gains:
- +7.6% CTR lift: Enriched products attracted more clicks.
- +6.32% ROAS growth: Campaign efficiency improved.
- Higher conversion & AOV: Shoppers bought more, at higher values.
- 16.4x ROI: Annualized incremental revenue far outpaced the additional spend.
For a 4,400-item catalog, these results translate into meaningful top-line impact.
Why It Matters
Boston Proper’s test shows that feed enrichment is a true growth lever. Stronger product data improves visibility, ensuring products surface in Google Shopping and emerging AI-driven search channels. It also drives efficiency, helping the same ad spend generate more clicks and conversions. Just as important, enrichment is simple to implement in Google Merchant Center, making it a practical way for retailers to strengthen paid search performance today.
FAQ
How quickly can enrichment be activated in Google Merchant Center?
In most cases, enrichment is deployed through a supplemental feed and can be live within 2 weeks.
Does enrichment require heavy IT involvement?
No. GMC enrichment is lightweight to implement using a supplemental data feed, without major engineering work.
Can I test enrichment without committing to my entire catalog?
Yes. As Boston Proper’s test showed, enrichment can be applied to a subset of products to measure incremental impact before expanding.
Is enrichment only valuable for paid search?
Paid search is where most retailers see immediate ROI. Over time, enriched product data can also strengthen SEO rankings, surface more relevant results in on-site search, and improve product matching in emerging AI-driven shopping interfaces.