Google has recently updated its Merchant Center pricing policies, bringing some significant changes that could impact how your product feeds and pricing information are currently displayed in the search results. Google Merchant Center is a powerful tool for driving visibility and sales and with this latest update, Google aims to ensure shoppers can see the actual product cost upfront, eliminating hidden fees or last-minute surprises at checkout that may differ from the initial display. This is good news for customers, which means merchants should now take extra care when they handle fees, taxes, installments, and regional pricing. Here are some of the most important changes you should consider.
Key Policy Changes
- Merchant-imposed fees disclosure. Fees such as service, processing, activation, or handling charges must now be all included in the shipping attribute so customers can see them before they get to the checkout.
- Installment and certification. If you offer installment payments, ensure that you set them up correctly and that the price field always displays the full product cost. Additionally, place the details about installment plans under the certification section.
- Price matches and automated updates. A common reason products get disapproved in Google Merchant Center is that the price does not match what is shown on the site. Now, merchants are encouraged to use automated updates to avoid any disapprovals between feeds, landing pages, and structured data.
- Mandatory taxes and duties are kept separate. This should now be clearly disclosed on the website, checkout page, or shipping policy to avoid any extra charges before finalizing their purchase.
Why This Matters
These new updates are designed to help protect customers and for merchants to be more responsible with their listings. Any price mismatch, unclear fees, or incorrect information can lead to account issues or disapprovals. Being on top of the new update can help merchants build a strong trust with their buyers and potential returning customers.
Need Help on Google Merchant Center?
With Google’s September pricing policy update, it’s more important than ever to understand what information must be included in your feeds to avoid disapprovals and maintain customer trust. At Boston Web Marketing, we specialize in auditing and optimizing product feeds to ensure they meet Google’s latest requirements. On top of that, we also optimize your website and product pages to keep your listings accurate, compliant, and performing at their best. Get in touch today to learn more!