Google Merchant Center: An Essential Free Marketing Tool You Can’t Miss

What is Google Merchant Center?

Google Merchant Center (GMC) is a free product showcase tool launched by Google, designed to help shoppers discover, explore, and purchase products within Google search results. Merchants upload product information following GMC guidelines to their Merchant Center accounts for editing and management. This allows buyers to conveniently find and purchase items directly from the search results.

What are the benefits of Google Merchant Center?

Google Merchant Center adds a “free sales channel” for retailers. When a user searches, GMC visually displays products within the search results, which often results in high conversion rates. Compared to SEM and SEO, it does not require managers to have specialized technical skills. The tutorial guides provided by GMC are straightforward, and the only requirement to get started is a Google account for registration. For retailers, it is definitely a sales tool that should not be overlooked.

Who is Google Merchant Center suitable for?

Google Merchant Center is suitable for retailers or those who operate physical stores. Common website types include platforms like Shopify, which can synchronize applications directly to Merchant Center through the backend. Other systems that require site building will need to find plugins developed by the platform or third-party integration tools to interface with the application.

Considerations for using Google Merchant Center:

Value-Added Tax (VAT) regulations vary by country and region: Different countries have different VAT rates, and it is necessary to submit products (including VAT-inclusive prices) for different countries.

Consistency with website pricing: When adjusting prices, ensure that the prices in GMC are consistent with those on the website.

Submitting total prices for minimum quantities: For products purchased in bulk, the total price that must be paid for the minimum quantity of goods should be submitted.

Shipping costs: If precise shipping costs cannot be provided, a slightly overestimated fee should be offered.

Post-sale costs: Any handling fees and insurance costs must be included in the shipping fee.