You’ve decided to run Google Shopping ads or list products for free, and now you’re staring at a blank Merchant Center sign-up screen. This guide is for store owners and marketers doing that first setup. By the end, you’ll have created the account, claimed your website, added products and set up shipping and returns. You’ll also know what happens during the first review. You’ll need a Google Account, a live online store and admin access to your website.
Sign in with a Google Account, complete the business sign-up, add and claim your website URL, connect your products, then add shipping and return policies before you wait for review [1]. That order matters. Many first-week problems come from doing the steps out of sequence or skipping the ones that look optional.
Before you start: what to have ready
Gather these before you open Google Merchant Center. It saves you stopping halfway through.
- The Google Account email you want to own the account. One email address can only create one Merchant Center account [1].
- Your website URL, including http:// or https:// [2].
- Admin access to your website or store platform, such as Shopify or WooCommerce.
- Your shipping rates and delivery times, as they appear at your checkout.
- Your returns policy, published on a page anyone can open without logging in [5].
Tip
Use a shared company email as the owner, not one person’s inbox. If the person who created the account leaves, you don’t want to be hunting for access.
Step 1: Create your Google Merchant Center account
This is the Google Merchant Center sign-up. Go to the Merchant Center start page and sign in with your chosen Google Account. Google then walks you through a short questionnaire [1].
- Enter your business name and the country where your business is based.
- Say where you sell: online, in a physical store or both.
- Choose your checkout options, which tell Google how customers buy from you.
- Add product information and, if you use one, a third-party platform such as Shopify [1].
- Accept the terms and finish the sign-up.
Watch out
The country you choose at setup cannot be changed later [1]. Pick the country where your business operates and check it twice before you click through.
A common mistake here is trying to create a second account with the same email because the first one “didn’t work”. It won’t let you, because one email address can only create one Merchant Center account [1]. Sign in again and look for the account you already started.
Step 2: Add and claim your website
Google needs to know the store is yours before it will show your products. Claiming the site is how you prove it [2].
- In Merchant Center, open Settings, then Business info.
- Find the online store section and select Edit online store.
- Enter your URL, starting with http:// or https://.
- Select Continue and follow the on-screen prompts to verify and claim it [2].
A single URL can only be claimed by one account [2]. If you see a message that the site is already claimed, someone else, perhaps a former agency or developer, may have set up an account on your domain. Ask around internally before doing anything else. Don’t try to work around it with a different domain or a fresh account.
Tip
Use the exact version of your URL that customers see. If your store redirects to the www version of your domain, enter that version, not an old one.
Step 3: Check your website is ready for Google
Do this before you add a single product. Google reads your site as well as your product data, and mismatches between the two can cause problems later. Open a few product pages in a private window and look at them like a shopper would.
- Prices on the page should match what you’ll submit.
- Stock status should be clear on the page.
- Your contact details should be easy to find, ideally in the footer of every page.
- Checkout should work, and it should use a secure connection.
- Your returns and shipping information should be readable without logging in.
Adding products automatically also needs structured data on your site, which is machine-readable product information in the page code [3]. Your store platform or theme may add some of it already, but it can be incomplete. Check a product page with Google’s Rich Results Test if you’re unsure.
Step 4: Add your products
With the website claimed, you can pull products in. For many stores, the automatic route is the simplest place to start [3].
- Open the All products tab.
- Select Add Products.
- Choose the card named “Add products from [online store]”.
- Follow the prompts to confirm.
This option needs structured data on your site and a verified, claimed website, which is why Steps 2 and 3 come first [3]. Google then checks your site at least once every 24 hours, so changes to prices or stock on the page can be picked up without you re-uploading anything [3].
If you run a larger catalogue or your site can’t output clean structured data, you can use a feed instead. A feed is a file or a connection that lists your products and their attributes, such as “title”, “price”, “availability” and “gtin” (the barcode number). Whichever route you choose, the data has to match the product page.
Common mistake: submitting products with placeholder prices or leaving out the “gtin” when you have one. If your products carry barcodes, include them. Don’t make one up if you don’t have it.
Step 5: Set up shipping
Shipping settings tell Google what delivery costs and how long it takes, so set them up carefully. In Merchant Center, open Shipping and returns under Products & store, then Shipping policies, then Add shipping policy [4].
- Name the policy so you’ll recognise it later.
- Choose the country it applies to.
- Enter your delivery times and your rates.
- Save the policy.
You can have up to 20 shipping policies per country [4]. Keep your costs as close as possible to what your website charges. If you can’t match them exactly, overestimate rather than underestimate [4]. A shopper who sees a lower delivery cost in the ad than at checkout may well leave.
Carrier-calculated rates are only available in Australia, Germany, the UK and the US [4]. Elsewhere, you’ll need to enter your rates yourself.
Step 6: Add your return policy
Open Return policies and select Add return policy [5]. You’ll be asked for details including:
- The return policy URL.
- The countries it applies to.
- The return window, meaning how many days a customer has to send something back.
- The return method, such as by post or in store.
- Any restocking fee.
- How long you take to process a refund [5].
The policy page has to be readable without logging in [5]. Use plain language. Say so clearly if the customer pays for return postage, rather than hiding it in a long paragraph. And make sure what you enter here matches the policy on your site, word for word on the key points.
Step 7: Understand the first review
Once products, shipping and returns are in place, Google reviews your account and products. Expect the first review to take up to 3 to 5 business days for Shopping ads and a few weeks for other features such as free listings [6]. Don’t treat that as a promise. It’s the range Google gives.
You’ll see one of these statuses [6]:
- Under review: Google is still checking. Wait.
- Processing: the data is being read. Wait here too.
- Approved: eligible to appear.
- Limited: eligible, but with restricted visibility.
- Not approved: something needs fixing before it can show.
Check each product’s status in Merchant Center [6]. If something is Not approved, open the issue, read the exact wording, then compare the feed or page against it. Fix the source, not the symptom. If products are approved but still aren’t showing, work through https://oxfordimpulse.com/fix-products-not-showing-google-shopping/ step by step.
Watch out
Don’t open a new account while you’re waiting. A single URL can only be claimed by one account [2], so a duplicate account on the same site will only cause a claim conflict.
Common first-week mistakes
- Choosing the wrong country. It can’t be changed [1]. Check before you finish sign-up.
- Skipping the website claim. Without it, the automatic product route won’t work [3].
- Shipping costs that don’t match checkout. Overestimate if you can’t match [4].
- A returns page behind a login. Google needs to read it [5].
- Panicking at Under review. It’s normal. Give it the time Google states [6].
Setup checklist
Once you’re live, there’s plenty more to learn about feeds and diagnostics, and https://oxfordimpulse.com/google-merchant-center/ is a good place to carry on. Check your product statuses again in a few days.
FAQs
How do I set up a Google Merchant Center account from scratch?
Sign in with a Google Account and complete the sign-up questions about your business. Then add and claim your website, add your products and set up shipping and return policies. Google reviews everything after that.
What does Merchant Center ask for during sign-up?
Sign-up asks where you sell: online, in a physical store or both [1]. It also asks about your checkout options, your product information and any third-party platform you use, such as Shopify [1]. You’ll also choose your country, which can’t be changed later.
Can I have more than one Merchant Center account?
One Google Account email address can only create one Merchant Center account [1]. Trying to sign up again with the same email won’t create a second one. For a single store, one account is all you need.
Can I change the country in my Merchant Center account later?
No. The country you select at setup cannot be changed afterwards [1]. That’s why it’s worth checking twice before you finish sign-up.
How do I verify and claim my website in Merchant Center?
Open Settings, then Business info, then select Edit online store. Enter your URL starting with http:// or https:// and select Continue [2]. Then follow the prompts to verify and claim it.
Why does Merchant Center say my website is already claimed?
A single URL can only be claimed by one account [2]. Another account, possibly one set up by a past agency or developer, may already hold it. Find out who created it and ask them to give you access.
How do I add products to Google Merchant Center?
Open the All products tab, select Add Products and choose the card named “Add products from [online store]” [3]. This needs structured data on your site and a verified, claimed website.
How often does Google check my website for product updates?
Google checks your site at least once every 24 hours when you add products automatically [3]. Changes made on your site can take that long to be picked up.
Do I need to set up shipping and returns in Merchant Center?
Yes, you should. Shipping policies sit under Shipping and returns [4]. Returns are set in Return policies [5]. Keep both in line with what your website says.
How long does the first Merchant Center review take?
It can take up to 3 to 5 business days for Shopping ads and a few weeks for other features such as free listings [6]. During that time your products may show as Under review or Processing.
Sources
Google Merchant Center Help: Get started with Merchant Center — https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/12159157
Google Merchant Center Help: About online store URL verification — https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/11586344
Google Merchant Center Help: Add products automatically from your online store — https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/12158480
Google Merchant Center Help: Set up shipping settings for an entire account — https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/12577710
Google Merchant Center Help: Set up your return policies for Shopping ads and free listings — https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/14011730
Google Merchant Center Help: Check product visibility and status in Merchant Center — https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/12488713
