To sell products through Google Shopping, set up Google Merchant Center, verify and claim your store website, configure shipping and returns, and submit accurate product information. Eligible products may then appear in free listings on Google. To run paid Shopping ads, link a Google Ads account, add a payment method, and create a campaign. Availability and requirements vary by country.
How Google Shopping works for sellers
Google Merchant Center is the hub for your business details and product data. It supports free product listings and paid advertising, but those are separate marketing methods: adding products does not by itself launch an ad campaign. Google may show eligible free listings across its surfaces, but inclusion does not guarantee that a product will appear. Google’s free-listing guidance explains eligibility, while its marketing methods overview describes how listings and campaigns are selected.
| Option | Direct advertising cost | What you need | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free listings | No advertising cost for the listing itself | Merchant Center, eligible and reviewed product data, and the relevant marketing method enabled | Retailers seeking unpaid visibility for eligible products |
| Shopping ads | Paid advertising; Google describes charges for ad performance such as clicks or engagements | Merchant Center linked to Google Ads, a payment method, and a campaign | Retailers who want to run a campaign with a budget |
You can use free listings and paid ads together. Campaign controls and setup are managed through Google Ads, even when you start a campaign in Merchant Center. Google’s current Merchant Center campaign flow uses Performance Max. Google’s campaign setup instructions cover linking, payment, and campaign creation.
Set up Google Merchant Center
1. Create or open your account
Create a Merchant Center account or sign in to the one associated with your business. Enter the requested business information. Google says new accounts are opted into free listings by default; if you already have an account, check its Marketing methods status rather than assuming that your products are enabled for free listings.
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- Seamless Multi-Platform Compatibility: This Bluetooth shipping label printer works effortlessly with all major platforms, including Amazon, eBay, Shopify, USPS, UPS, Etsy, PayPal, Poshmark, DHL, and more, ensuring smooth and efficient label printing. (Note: Save the logistics label as a PDF file on the shipping platforms, then import it into the 'FlashLabel Pro' app for printing).
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2. Verify and claim your website
Verify that you control your store website and claim it in Merchant Center. Google lists website verification and claiming among the required setup tasks for paid Shopping campaigns. Use the method Merchant Center offers for your account, and make sure the claimed address corresponds to the site where shoppers can buy the products.
3. Set shipping and returns
Configure shipping in Merchant Center or supply shipping costs in your product data, as appropriate for your setup. Shipping settings or shipping attributes are required in many countries, including the United States and United Kingdom. Google also expects return-policy information to be available on your website and recommends adding it in Merchant Center. Check current requirements for every country you target before submitting products.
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4. Add product data
Google’s free-listing setup guidance identifies these attributes as required for all products:
- ID: A stable identifier for the product.
- Title: The product name shoppers need to understand what is being offered.
- Link: The product page on your store.
- Image link: A link to a sufficiently large product image without promotional content.
- Price: The product’s price, kept consistent with the price shoppers see on your site.
Some product categories call for additional details or recommendations. Make sure information in Merchant Center matches the live store, including price and availability where applicable. You can use the account’s “Needs attention” area to find detected product-data or policy issues. See Google’s free-listing setup guidance for the applicable requirements.
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Choose free listings, paid ads, or both
Free listings can provide unpaid visibility for eligible products after review, but Google does not promise display. Paid Shopping ads require a campaign and payment configuration in addition to product data. In Merchant Center’s campaign flow, provide a campaign name and budget; Google says additional controls can be edited in Google Ads. Paid advertising is charged based on ad performance, such as clicks or engagements, rather than being part of the free-listing option.
Merchant Center may offer other marketing methods, including local or video-related options, depending on account setup and availability. Check the methods shown in your account before planning around a feature.
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Create a paid Shopping campaign
- Link Google Ads. In Merchant Center, connect an existing Google Ads account or create one through the available flow.
- Set up payment. Add a payment method to the Google Ads account before expecting a campaign to run.
- Start the campaign in Merchant Center. Follow its campaign flow, which uses Performance Max, and provide a campaign name and budget.
- Review additional controls in Google Ads. Google says more campaign controls can be edited there. Check the campaign settings and budget before launch.
Product data alone is not an ad campaign: the linked account, payment setup, and campaign are separate requirements. For current steps and account-specific options, consult Google’s Merchant Center advertising instructions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Sell in more than one country
For each target country, check whether your shipping coverage, shipping costs, prices, and tax treatment fit local requirements. A product data source does not automatically configure a campaign for additional countries. Google’s multiple-country setup guidance covers the country, shipping, and tax considerations to review.
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In certain European countries, sellers must account for the Comparison Shopping Service (CSS) program. Google says merchants in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom must use at least one CSS to place Shopping ads and free product listings. CSS providers differ in service and charging models, so compare their scope, reporting and bidding support, fees, and geographic coverage directly. Google’s CSS guidance explains the program.
Options for stores with physical locations
If you sell from physical stores and can maintain accurate local inventory data, review free local listings and local inventory ads. Google describes free local listings as a way to show local products and store information; local inventory ads are a paid option. Availability depends on country. See Google’s overview of local inventory ads and free local listings before building a plan around these features.
Keep products eligible after launch
Check Merchant Center regularly for product statuses, account notices, and issues under “Needs attention.” Correct inaccurate or disapproved data and keep submitted information aligned with the store. Review shipping, returns, and country settings when your business policies or target markets change. Eligibility and review determine whether products can appear; enabling a marketing method is not a guarantee of placement.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
