Google has recently announced updates to its product data specifications for the Merchant Center, aiming to improve the shopping experience on its platform. These updates for 2024 include new attributes for AI-generated content, a loyalty program attribute, a minimum price attribute, updated guidance on installment-based offers, a free shipping threshold attribute, and changes regarding shipping costs and pickup methods.
Starting from April 9, 2024, merchants will need to disclose text content created using generative AI by using the structured title and structured description attributes. This ensures transparency and accuracy in product data. Additionally, merchants can now use the loyalty program attribute to set up member prices and loyalty points in the U.S. and Japan. This helps Google accurately represent the benefits of a loyalty program across its properties.
The introduction of the minimum price attribute allows merchants to set the lowest or minimum advertised price (MAP) to which a product’s price can be reduced. This information is used by Google for features such as sale price suggestions, automated discounts, and dynamic promotions.
Google has also updated its guidance on installment-based offers. Merchants can now specify if a product requires a partial upfront payment using the new downpayment sub-attribute. This expands the usage of the installment attribute and provides more flexibility for sellers. Furthermore, a credit type sub-attribute has been introduced specifically for Vehicle ads to specify whether the type of installment credit is lease or finance.
Marketers in all countries can now use the free shipping threshold attribute to indicate the minimum order value above which shipping is free. This can incentivize customers to spend more to qualify for free shipping, ultimately boosting ROI. Google has also updated its guidance on shipping attributes, advising merchants not to include government-imposed fees in the shipping cost.
Starting from July 31, 2024, Google will require shipping costs to be included in offers for India and New Zealand. Offers without shipping costs will be disapproved in these countries. And starting from September 1, 2024, the pickup method attribute will be optional for Local Inventory Ads (LIA) merchants using the pickup today or pickup later features. Google is simplifying inventory handling for LIA merchants by making this attribute optional. Additionally, Google is deprecating the energy efficiency class attributes in favor of the certification attribute that was launched in 2023. Finally, after September 1, 2024, Google will no longer support providing downpayments using the price attribute in combination with the installment attribute.
Following these updates and adhering to Merchant Center guidelines ensures that product listings are eligible to show in search results. The introduction of new attributes like loyalty programs and the free shipping threshold can incentivize customers and increase sales. It’s important for marketers to stay up-to-date with these changes to optimize their success on Google’s platform.
To learn more about these updates, you can read Google’s full announcement.
