Customizing Channel Attribute Prompts
Merchkit's default channel prompts are smart and well-tested. But sometimes you need to customize them to match your specific products, data structure, or marketplace requirements.
Why Customize a Prompt?
You might customize a default prompt when:
- Your products have unique data — Your specs are formatted differently than the default prompt expects
- Category-specific rules — Sofas need different logic than chairs, even within the same channel
- Marketplace nuances — A marketplace has specific formatting requirements the default doesn't capture
- Brand standards — You want to emphasize certain attributes consistently
- Learned insights — After generating content once, you see what works and refine
How to Customize a Prompt
Step 1: Open the Channel and Locate the Attribute
In your channel grid, find the attribute you want to customize. For example, "Care Instructions" in Wayfair.
[SCREENSHOT: Channel grid with Care Instructions attribute column]
Step 2: Access the Prompt Editor
Click on the attribute header or a small gear/settings icon next to the attribute name. This opens the prompt editor.
Alternatively, some channels show a prompt tooltip when you hover over an attribute—click "Edit Prompt" to open the editor.
[SCREENSHOT: Attribute header with settings icon]
Step 3: View the Default Prompt
The prompt editor shows:
- Default prompt — The out-of-the-box prompt Merchkit uses
- Your custom prompt (if you've already edited it)
- Prompt description — What this attribute is for
[SCREENSHOT: Prompt editor showing default Care Instructions prompt]
Step 4: Edit the Prompt
Click in the prompt text area and modify it. You can:
- Rewrite it completely — Throw out the default and write something new
- Edit specific lines — Adjust instructions while keeping the core logic
- Add context — Include category-specific or brand-specific guidance
- Clarify output format — Specify how the output should be structured
Example: Default Care Instructions Prompt
"Extract care and maintenance instructions from the product description. If not available, infer reasonable care instructions based on the product's material composition."
Your custom prompt
"Extract care and maintenance instructions for furniture from the product description. Format as a comma-separated list of actions (e.g., 'Vacuum weekly, Spot clean with mild soap, Avoid direct sunlight'). If care instructions are not in the description, return 'Professional cleaning recommended'."
This custom prompt is much more specific to your needs.
Step 5: Save the Prompt
Click Save or Apply. Your custom prompt is now the default for this attribute when you generate content.
[SCREENSHOT: Save button in prompt editor]
Step 6: Regenerate the Attribute
Once you've saved a custom prompt, you can:
- Select the products you want to regenerate
- Use the Generate action to fill the attribute using your new prompt
Merchkit applies the custom prompt to your selected SKUs.
Customization Examples
Example 1: Dimension Attributes for Different Categories
Default prompt for Width:
"Extract the width from the product specifications in inches."
Custom prompt for sofas:
"For sofas, extract the width measurement in inches. If only a range is given, use the largest dimension. Round to the nearest 0.5 inch."
Custom prompt for chairs:
"For chairs, extract the seat width in inches, not the overall frame width. Round to the nearest 0.5 inch."
By creating category-specific prompts, you ensure consistency within each category.
Example 2: Bullet Points for Amazon
Default prompt:
"Create 5 engaging bullet points for this product's key features and benefits."
Your custom prompt:
"Create exactly 5 bullet points for this product. Each bullet should be 1-2 sentences. Focus on: 1) Material quality, 2) Dimensions/fit, 3) Durability, 4) Ease of care, 5) Style versatility. Use action words like 'features', 'includes', 'offers'."
This ensures consistency in Amazon listings.
Example 3: Handling Missing Data
Default prompt:
"Extract assembly time in minutes from the product description."
Your custom prompt:
"Extract assembly time in minutes. If not in the description, check specifications. If still not found, return 'No assembly required' if it's a soft good, or '30-45 minutes' if it's a furniture piece. Add a note: '(estimated)' if you're inferring."
This handles missing data gracefully.
Best Practices for Custom Prompts
Be Specific About Format
Instead of: "Extract color"
Write: "Extract the primary color name only (one word). If multiple colors, use the dominant color. Return in Title Case (e.g., 'Navy Blue')."
Include Examples
If your attribute needs to follow a specific format:
"List all dimensions as: Width x Depth x Height in inches. Example: '84 x 36 x 32'. If the product is soft goods without fixed dimensions, return 'N/A'."
Specify Fallbacks
Tell the AI what to do if data is missing:
"If dimensions are unavailable in the description or specifications, skip this field (leave blank) rather than guessing. Do not infer or estimate."
Test Before Rolling Out
Before applying a custom prompt to 500 products, test it on a small batch:
- Select 5-10 representative SKUs
- Generate with the custom prompt
- Review the results
- Refine the prompt if needed
- Roll out to the full catalog
Document Why You Customized
In your team's notes, record:
- What prompted the customization
- How it differs from the default
- Which categories or SKU ranges use this custom prompt
This helps team members understand the logic later.
When NOT to Customize
You might be tempted to customize too much. Here's when to stick with defaults:
- Your products match the default logic — If the default prompt produces good results, leave it
- Data is sparse — If many of your products are missing the underlying data, a custom prompt won't help
- You're unsure of requirements — Check the marketplace guidelines first before customizing
- Testing would take too long — If you're on a deadline, use defaults and refine later
Rolling Back a Customization
If you customize a prompt and later want to go back to the default:
- Open the prompt editor
- Look for a "Restore Default" or "Reset" button
- Click it to revert to Merchkit's original prompt
Your previously generated values remain unchanged—only future generations use the restored prompt.
Next Steps
Ready to put your custom prompts to work? Head to Generating Channel Content to learn how to select SKUs and generate channel content with your custom prompts.
For more on effective prompt writing, review Writing Effective AI Prompts.