[uf-discuss] Product Data Microformat Revisited

[Chris Roos]

I'd like to revisit the subject of a product microformat again if I may.

I think I've finally found a reason why I'd (personally) like to have a 
product microformat.  I'd like to be able to dynamically add a link to 
reevoo reviews on many different retailer sites (using something like 
greasemonkey).  Having looked at a few retailers this morning I realise 
that it's currently virtually impossible.  It would be trivial if their 
product data was marked up using a microformat containing identifying 
information.

The first obvious (and I'd suggest major) problem here is in getting the 
retailers on board.  Not only due to the extra work involved but also 
because it could make it easier for price comparison sites to work 
without their (the retailer's) involvement - actually I'm not sure 
that's a real problem...

I wonder if Mike (Dierken) and David (Beach) would have any info re the 
possibility of getting a microformat like this integrated into Amazon 
and Yahoo! Shopping?

I wonder also if anyone else has any more actual uses (I realise mine is 
kinda only relevant to me/reevoo.com) of a product microformat; and, 
almost more importantly, whether these uses would bring any compelling 
reasons for the retailers to sign up?  Personally I'm not convinced this 
is worth pursuing unless the retailers get on board.  Having just had 
another quick scan of the microformats wiki I wonder if the concept of a 
product microformat is quite different from all the others (could very 
easily be my lack of understanding).  I think that all the other 
microformats can be useful even if only used by individuals: where a 
product microformat only really becomes useful when used/endorsed by 
retailers.  Does this sound fair?

Look forward to hearing thoughts on this.

Chris