There are multiple ways to add your product data to Merchant Center. You can choose to use a combination of methods to fit your needs as a retailer, and where you keep your product information today.
This guide can help you decide which upload methods will work best for you.
Your product data sources are managed in the “Sources” tab, that is found in the top right of Merchant Center under the account “Settings” icon.
On this page
- Add products automatically from your online store
- Connect your ecommerce platform to Google
- Add products from a file
- Use a Google Sheets template
- Add products one-by-one
- About using API method
- Next steps
Add products automatically from your online store
How it works
You can let Google automatically add any new products that are added to your online store to Merchant Center. This can be done by adding suitable information about your products in a standard format to your online store, and enabling Google to collect this information.
Google automatically finds your products from the latest product information provided in your online store and adds the information to Merchant Center. Learn more about allowing Google to retrieve information from your website.
In order for your Merchant Center to be eligible for this method of adding products, we suggest adding schema.org structured data markup to all product pages on your website. Learn more about structured data markup for Merchant Center and automatically added products.
What makes this method great
- It's very simple to set up, all we need is the URL for your online store that you provided in Merchant Center.
- Your product information in Merchant Center is updated automatically. Google looks at your online store for any changes (such as price changes or product removals), and then updates the information in Merchant Center.
Things to note
- You can edit product information manually in Merchant Center after it’s been automatically added, or choose to manage the same products via a different upload method.
- Once a product is managed via a non-automatic method it will no longer be updated automatically using crawled data.
- After products have been added to Merchant Center, you control where they’re visible on Google.
- This method isn't compatible with local inventory ads or free local listings.
Note: We're always working on ways to improve our products, and this includes experimenting with how automatically added products are managed in Merchant Center. Therefore, some merchants may see different experiences.
Connect your ecommerce platform to Google
How it works
If you have a store that runs on a third-party platform (for example, Shopify), you can connect it to Google. All of your product information from your store (such as images, prices, and descriptions) will be automatically updated in Merchant Center.
What makes this method great
- It's simple to set up. Select your ecommerce platform and follow the on-screen instructions to connect the platform with Merchant Center.
Things to note
- After connecting your ecommerce platform to Merchant Center, it’s recommended to manage your product data using that platform. Product data is updated automatically (so there’s no need to maintain a separate data set for use on Google).
Instructions
- In your Merchant Center account, select your ecommerce platform from the ones listed in Merchant Center. You will then be presented with instructions specific to that platform type.
- Your products will be added to Merchant Center a few minutes after completing the instructions.
Add products from a file
How it works
In Merchant Center, you add a file that contains all your product details such as images, prices, descriptions, and more. Each product detail in your file should map to our list of attributes.
What makes this method great
- It allows you to use a file you already have and offers the same convenience of automatic update methods, but with more versatility.
- Produces a rich set of product data. For example, your file can be a combination of data from different sources. Learn more about creating a product file for Merchant Center.
Things to note
- The formatting of your file is very important. Incorrectly formatted or missing data can cause errors in your account. Learn more about creating a product file for Merchant Center.
- You can choose to do a one-time upload of a file from your computer or host your file from a URL that is synced with Merchant Center every 24 hours. Any updates that you make to the file are reflected in Merchant Center.
Instructions
- Create your file by following the Merchant Center requirements and specifications.
- Choose whether you want to upload the file or host the file from a URL. Follow the on-screen instructions for the method you choose.
- If you choose to host the file at a URL, Google will retrieve the file from your URL every 24 hours (you will still also be able to upload a new file at any time).
Use a Google Sheets template
How it works
If you're looking for a template to help you share product details, use this option. With this method, you'll maintain a spreadsheet with all your product data. Any changes you make to the information in the spreadsheet will automatically be reflected in Merchant Center.
What makes this method great
- Provides you with a template for your data.
- Updates automatically.
Things to note
- The spreadsheet must follow the template to work correctly.
Instructions
- Select the “Use a Google Sheets template” option and open the spreadsheet template.
- Fill in the spreadsheet with your product details following the instructions included in the template.
- After you fill in the template, select “Add products from spreadsheet” in Merchant Center. The data in the spreadsheet is used to add products in Merchant Center.
- Your spreadsheet is synced with Merchant Center every 24 hours.
Add products one-by-one
How it works
You will create your product data by manually entering the information for each of your products in Merchant Center.
What makes this method great
- It's easy to create and edit products, and you can get products live very quickly.
- You can add one or just a few products.
Things to note
- Offers don't expire.
- You can use this method in conjunction with other methods (for example, adding additional products to those that Google was able to extract from your website).
Instructions
- After you select this method, you'll fill out all of the details about each product directly in Merchant Center.
- After you add your products, you can edit, delete or add more at any time.
- If you want to add multiple similar products this way, use the "Save & add another" option when saving, and the product data will be copied into a new form where you can make edits and save a new, similar product.
About using API method
How it works
The Content API for Shopping allows apps to interact directly with the Merchant Center platform, vastly increasing the efficiency of managing large or complex Merchant Center accounts.
What makes this method great
- The Content API for Shopping can be used to manage your Merchant Center configuration, act as an input source for your product data, and provide reporting.
- If you plan to upload a large number of feeds or make frequent changes to your product data, it’s strongly recommended that you upload this directly using the Content API.
Next steps
After you've uploaded your products to Merchant Center, you can update details about the product, including specifying its availability at your online and physical stores using the “Sales channels” tab. Learn more about showing your products across Google.