Google alerts for products and categories?

[IanTheScot]

I get daily Google alerts for our site and a competitor's site. I have noticed that I am getting multiple alerts a day from Google about products and product categories on the competitor's site. Every now and then there's an actual alert for a linking blog post or something else.

How is Google noticing new product on this site but has never done the same for ours? Is there some kind of strategy involved here that I don't know about?

The site is http://bit.ly/Q0o2ob

[GeorgeAndrews]

Do you know if your competitor is also using Google Merchant Center?

[IanTheScot]

Yes, and so do we.

[GeorgeAndrews]

What is the competitor's site? You can direct message if you don't want to post here.

[IanTheScot]

The site is http://bit.ly/Q0o2ob

[GeorgeAndrews]

Ok, and what is your site?

[IanTheScot]

http://bit.ly/rbkYkp

[vbestic]

If you use same account for Google alerts and Google webmaster, why would Google alert you about your content?

[IanTheScot]

Is there documentation somewhere that says that alerts work differently when you also use webmaster tools?