Claiming is the recommended way to create a Hunch catalog. Instead of starting with a new catalog in Meta, you bring in a catalog you already use. Your template collections are then published into that catalog, so you keep everything it has built up.
Why claim instead of starting fresh
A new catalog in Meta doesn't perform at its best straight away. Meta first has to learn which products to show to which people, using the catalog's own history of events and results. Until it has enough of that history, the catalog goes through a ramp-up period where delivery and performance are usually weaker.
When you claim a catalog you already use, you skip that ramp-up and keep:
Its learning and performance, because Meta keeps everything it has already learned about the catalog.
Its pixel and event connections, so retargeting and catalog matching keep working.
Your existing campaigns, which can take Hunch ads through Connect Ads.
Before you start
Requirement | Why it's needed | Where to set it up |
Your team is authorised with Meta | Hunch needs access to your business and its catalogs. | |
The person who authorised has Admin access to the catalog and all its event sources | Hunch takes over the catalog's sync and connects its pixels and event sources, which needs full control. | Business settings in Meta. See Permissions for Hunch Integration. |
Template Collections plan (to assign templates) | You can claim a catalog without a plan, but you need to be subscribed to assign a template collection to it. |
You can claim catalogs in these verticals: E-commerce, Vehicles, Destinations and Real estate. A catalog can only be claimed by one Hunch catalog.
Don't claim a catalog that's managed by another creative tool, such as Marpipe, ROI Hunter or Smartly. Both tools would try to sync the same catalog and overwrite each other's data.
Claim a catalog
Go to the Catalogs page.
Select [Confirm: create button label] and choose [Confirm: claim option label].
Choose the business that owns the catalog.
Choose the catalog you want to claim.
Select [Confirm: confirm button label].
Hunch creates a new Hunch catalog from it. The business you chose is connected automatically.
What's brought into Hunch
When you claim a catalog, Hunch connects and creates the following in your new Hunch catalog:
What | What happens |
Product sets | All eligible product sets are created in Hunch, and Hunch keeps them updated from then on. Hand-picked sets, built by selecting individual products, aren't brought in. Sets created in Meta after the claim aren't brought in either. Create new sets in Hunch. |
Sync | The catalog's sync is set up in Hunch using the original feed's source and schedule. You can change the schedule later in your catalog's Settings. |
Pixels and event sources | Connected pixels and event sources are added to Destination Details. |
Assigning a template collection
When your template collection is ready to publish, you can assign it to the claimed catalog that's already syncing in Meta, instead of creating a new one. The first time you publish a template, and at least one template collection exists, a pop-up appears that lets you assign the published template to your output.
Stage | Who syncs the catalog |
Claimed, no template assigned | The catalog keeps syncing from its original feed, exactly as before. Nothing changes in Meta. |
First template collection assigned | Hunch takes over syncing the catalog. From this point, product data and creative come from Hunch. |
Once a collection is assigned, renaming it in Hunch also renames the claimed catalog in Meta.
Because nothing changes until you assign a template, you can claim a catalog safely, look around, and set up your templates first.
What happens to the original feed. When Hunch takes over, it removes the scheduled sync from the original feed in Meta. In Commerce Manager, you'll see Hunch's feed as the catalog's data source, without a schedule on it, because Hunch now runs the sync. There's no need to set up a schedule in Commerce Manager.
Your other ads aren't affected. Ads on this catalog that weren't created through Hunch keep showing your original product images after Hunch takes over. Only ads you create with Connect Ads use your templates.
Item IDs stay the same. Hunch keeps your existing item IDs, so pixel events keep matching your products after the takeover.
One collection per claimed catalog. You can assign only one template collection to a claimed catalog. If you delete that collection, a new one can't be assigned to the catalog.
If your plan changes
If your plan no longer covers your template collection (after a downgrade, cancellation or failed payment), Hunch stops syncing the claimed catalog. Because Hunch removed the catalog's original schedule when it took over, nothing updates the catalog until you replace the sync. Prices and availability go out of date for every ad using it, not only Hunch ads.
To keep the catalog up to date, replace its data source in Meta with one of these:
Replace with | What your ads show |
Your original feed | All ads show your original product images. |
All ads show the template connected to that enriched feed. |
Troubleshooting
What you see | What to do |
I can't claim a catalog | Make sure your team is authorised with Meta, and that the person who authorised has Admin access to the catalog and all its event sources. See Connecting your team to Meta. |
My catalog isn't available to claim | It may already be claimed by another Hunch catalog. A catalog can only be claimed once. |
My catalog isn't in the list | Check that you chose the business that owns it, and that it's an E-commerce, Vehicles, Destinations or Real estate catalog. |
I can't assign a template collection | Assigning a template needs the Template Collections plan. |
A product set from Meta is missing in Hunch | Hand-picked sets, built by selecting individual products, aren't brought in. Recreate the set in Hunch using filters. |
My catalog still shows data from the original feed | Hunch only takes over once the first template collection is assigned. |
Common questions
Should I claim a catalog or start a new one? Claim one whenever you already have a catalog in use on Meta. A new catalog needs time to ramp up, and your existing campaigns would need to be rebuilt to use it.
Can I claim a catalog before choosing a plan? Yes. You can claim a catalog and build templates without a plan. You need the Template Collections plan to assign a template collection to it.
Will claiming change anything in Meta right away? No. The catalog keeps syncing from its original feed until you assign the first template collection.
Can I undo a claim? Yes. Delete the Hunch catalog, then return your original feed to the catalog in Commerce Manager, with its sync schedule. Deleting the Hunch catalog doesn't affect your ads: they keep delivering, and Hunch simply stops syncing the catalog. Until you return the original feed, nothing updates the catalog, so prices and availability can go out of date. See If your plan changes.