How Google Shopping works

Consumer information

When you use Google Shopping, you're browsing products from advertisers and merchants who have chosen to feature their products on Google Shopping.

Unless otherwise indicated, offers on Google Shopping are ranked based on relevance, including your search terms and other Google activity.  Some ads data is used to improve the quality of results.

Offers that have the 'Sponsored' label means that advertiser payment to Google may also influence how items are ranked and grouped. Google is compensated for clicks on these ads.

For Buy on Google offers that appear on Google Shopping, Google receives a commission for each purchase.

To customise your Google Shopping results, you can sort or filter by things like price, product category and brand.

You can view your activity from your Google Account by going to My Activity, and visit Google's Consumer Ads Help Centre to learn more. To block specific advertisers, opt out of personalised ads or confirm your opt-out status, visit Google's Ads SettingsLearn more about how users can control the information used to personalise their experience.

The products displayed on Google Shopping search results may not include all available products.

Product information

Merchants and advertisers who feature their products on Google Shopping are participating in commercial activity. They must comply with Google Shopping policies that spell out what can and cannot be listed on Google Shopping.

Google Shopping will remove items that don't comply with these policies and may suspend a merchant who violates these policies.

Advertisers provide details about their products and update their listings on a regular basis. After an advertiser updates a listing, there may be a slight delay before the new information shows up on their listing on Google Shopping.

Reviews

To help you research products, we gather reviews through the Google Customer Reviews programme. These reviews are completely voluntary and we don't compensate reviewers for submitting their opinions.

We also gather reviews from advertisers, merchants and third-party review providers. They are required to provide all reviews (both positive and negative) and they may have compensated reviewers for giving their opinions.

An automated system processes these reviews before they show up on Google Shopping to remove spammy or inappropriate language. Spammy content includes reviews with the same content posted multiple times or from multiple accounts.

After a review is published, it can't be modified or updated and we aren't able to contact reviewers or ask reviewers to update what they wrote. However, we may take down reviews that are flagged to us, in order to comply with legal obligations. A review can appear on Google Shopping for as long as the reviewed item is advertised on Google.

Reviews may be sorted in a number of different ways, including chronologically.

Making a purchase

When you find something that you're interested in on Google Shopping, you'll see the item price and applicable taxes. With the exception of Buy on Google offers, you can click on the product to go to the merchant's site and purchase it.

Delivery costs can vary depending on destination, delivery method and merchant, so it's a good idea to check the final price on the merchant's website. On the merchant's site, you'll also find information about any applicable insurance or warranties.

Each merchant is responsible for their own customer support. If you have any issues with your purchase, please contact the merchant directly.

Notice to purchasers regarding Connecticut sales and use tax
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 12-408f(b)(1) Notice: Connecticut tax may be due on purchases delivered to persons in the state. Connecticut requires purchasers to file a use tax return if sales tax due was not collected by the retailer. Visit this link for additional information.

About Google Shopping

Google Shopping is:

  • Powerful: Google Shopping applies Google's search technology to help you find and research products from online shops across the web and then points you directly to where you can buy them.
  • Comprehensive: Find everything from common to unusual products.
  • Fast: Almost instantly after entering a search, you'll see photos of relevant products and links to more information, including the shops that sell them.

Frequently asked questions

  

What is Google Shopping?

Google Shopping is a new product discovery experience. The goal is to make it easy for users to research purchases, find information about different products, their features and prices, and then connect with merchants to make their purchase.

How does Google Shopping work?

Google Shopping enables users to view product information from the merchants that is updated on a regular basis by merchants. Online retailers submit feeds containing product information to Google Shopping. Since this product information comes directly from the merchant, this means that we're able to show the current prices, latest offers and current product availability.

To learn more about how our product feeds and submissions work, visit our Google Merchant Center Help Centre.

How can I use Google Shopping to find exactly what I'm looking for?

When you do a search within Google Shopping, you'll see a variety of filters (like price, size, technical specifications, etc.) that can help you quickly narrow down to the right product. When viewing certain clothing product detail pages (like dresses, coats and shoes), you'll also see items that are 'visually similar' to the item that you've selected. These are just a few of the many tools within Google Shopping and we look forward to providing more in the future.

Can I search for products within a particular category?

You can narrow your results by category. For example, a search for 'bulb' shows results for both the plant and lighting categories. By clicking on your desired category, you'll see results only in the category that you've selected.

How are the products in the 'Recently Viewed' section on Google Shopping generated?

The products shown in the 'Recently Viewed' section on Google Shopping are items from your Web and App Activity in My Activity. Visit your My Activity page to view or delete items.

How does Google Shopping compare with other shopping sites?

Google Shopping does not sell products directly to shoppers; instead, we collect product information from participating merchants and make those products searchable for you. When you find what you're looking for, you can go to the shop's website to buy it, or you may be able to buy it on Google.

How are product recommendations on Google Shopping generated? (available in the US, UK, France, Germany and Japan)

Product recommendations are based on information from your Google Account, including your Web and App Activity. To view or delete items or turn off recommendations, go to My Activity.  

Can I buy items directly from Google Shopping?

Google Shopping allows you to shop across merchants and easily compare products and prices. Items that have the basket icon next to them can be purchased through Google's platform.

How up to date is the product information?

Most of the information that you see on Google Shopping is provided by participating merchants. When a merchant updates its information – such as changing the prices of a product – there may be a delay before that information goes live on Google Shopping. Therefore, you should check the merchant's product landing page for the most up-to-date information.

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