Streamlining Your E-commerce Business with Google Merchant Center

If you want to shop from the comfort of your home, Google is an obvious choice. Every day, many shopping sessions take place on Google, according to Martha Welsh, Google’s Director of Special Projects. Morgan Stanley reports that almost 60% of online shoppers go to Google first.

This report indicates that Amazon Prime subscribers are still searching for products on Google, even though it was not long ago when Amazon was the top search engine. The possible cause of this shift could be attributed to shortages in supply from Amazon and buyers’ ability to find multiple vendors through Google Shopping.

This report indicates that the same trend holds among Amazon Prime subscribers, even though not long ago, Amazon was deemed the preeminent search engine for product searches. The reason behind this lies in both Amazon’s supply shortages and Google Shopping’s ability to offer buyers multiple vendors from which to choose.

So, what steps do you need to take to get your business up and running on Google Shopping and ensure potential buyers see it? The answer lies within Google Merchant Center (GMC), an essential tool for all things related to Google Shopping. You may have yet to hear about GMC, but ask any seller who promotes their products on Google, and you’ll find that GMC is a vital part of the process. To help you get started, here’s a breakdown of what you need to know about using GMC for your business.

What is Google Merchant Center (GMC)?

Launched in 2010, Google Merchant Center is a free platform provided by Google that allows you to integrate your product data and stock with its range of eCommerce solutions. It serves as the central hub for your business, where you can upload information about both online and physical store merchandise and oversee everything from Shopping ads to complimentary product listings.

Per Google:

“Merchant Center lets you control how your physical and digital product range is represented on Google. Our merchant solutions enable you to reach hundreds of millions of consumers searching for products like yours daily.”

Benefits of using Google Merchant Center

The best advantage of GMC is that it stores all your data and operations together in one location. This eliminates the need to switch between platforms and reduces costly inaccuracies resulting from inconsistent data. In addition, GMC makes it simple to explore all Google’s merchant services, tools, and media, including:

• Google offers businesses the chance to advertise their products for free on the Shopping tab of Google.com. These listings will also appear on shopping.google.com, where users can get personalized product recommendations based on their Google and shopping history. Both online and in-store products are eligible for inclusion in Google Shopping, but local inventory items will only appear on the Shopping tab if you have enabled this feature. If you own a physical store, it is beneficial to allow local inventory as it lets customers know when products they need are available in their area.
• Buy on Google is an opportunity available to merchants within the U.S. who can deliver and accept returns from buyers. This program facilitates a simplified checkout process by allowing customers to buy directly through Google without extra commission costs. Merchants can also link their payment, inventory, and order management systems with Google Merchant Center (GMC).
• More information is available on Google’s website. By signing up for Buy on Google, you can make the purchase process more accessible and convenient for your customers while avoiding commission fees. Take advantage of this program today to unlock the potential of your business.
• Google Ads is Google’s advertising platform that covers a range of products and services, from Search to YouTube, Display, Maps, Play, and more. To run Shopping ads and have your product listings appear on Google search results, you need to link your Google Merchant Center account with Google Ads. This will allow Google to pull information from your product feed and create content for your Shopping campaigns. Investing in Shopping ads is a great way to ensure that your products are prominently featured at the top of search results on both Google and its search partners.
• Google Display & Video 360 is a comprehensive demand-side advertising platform encompassing media planning, ad creation, measurement, and campaign management. Discontinuing the use of four separate entities—DoubleClick Bid Manager, Campaign Manager, Studio, and Audience Center—this new tool takes information from product data feeds on Google Merchant Center to generate intelligent ads based on the parameters set.
• Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is an excellent way for local businesses to manage their online presence. You can add important details such as business hours, type, address, and more here. You can also upload product photos or respond to Google users’ reviews. Plus, all the info can be managed within your Shopiroller account. Connecting your Business Profile with your Google Merchant Center (GMC) allows you to have free listings of Shopping ads. You can also add multiple locations for businesses that are available in different regions. This makes it easier for customers to find your business no matter where they live or work. Customers can also easily find directions to your business, contact you and even write reviews. Being active on Google Business Profile and responding positively to customer feedback is a great way to build trust with potential customers.
• Through Google Manufacturer Center, brand manufacturers can supply detailed data regarding the items they produce. Linking your Google Manufacturer account to GMC can enable consumers who search for a product similar to yours to find and purchase it easily. According to Google, this “helps increase the likelihood that someone searching for a product like yours will find your product.”.
• Google Manufacturer Center helps brands increase their visibility and reach potential customers searching for similar products. By providing accurate, up-to-date product information, you can ensure that consumers find the products they’re looking for and make informed choices. This can help drive more sales for your business.
• GMC facilitates a range of third-party integrations, like PayPal and ShipStation, which can be obtained from the Shopiroller App Market. You can flawlessly control your providers for multi-channel shipping, fulfillment, and additional services through GMC.

How to set up your Google Merchant Center account?

Creating a GMC account is at no cost. We have compiled detailed steps for registering, but here is a brief overview:

• Before beginning, make sure to read Google’s Merchant Center regulations thoroughly. It is essential to note that you must have an online store to be included in Google Shopping Ads and free listings. According to Google, the links from these ads should take users directly to a page where they can purchase advertised items.
• If you do not already have a Google Account, create one.
• Log into Google Merchant Center with your Google Account credentials.
• Secure your store’s web address and verify its ownership
• Enter all relevant business details into the system
• Provide essential product information, including registering any free listings
• (Optional) Enable Buy on Google to allow customers to buy products without leaving the search engine results page

Once you’ve entered your business details into GMC, you can add individual products or upload them in bulk via a product feed. If you’re a Shopiroller Premium customer, the Adscale app can make this process easier. It will set up a merchant account for you and also help create Google Shopping Ads that are paid for.

Where to find more support for GMC?

As with many of its offerings, Google has a comprehensive support hub devoted to anything related to GMC. Users can search for solutions, peruse popular topics and even submit queries to community experts or Google. Get advice on establishing your account, improving product feeds, and making the most out of all that GMC provides.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWER 

1. What is Google Manufacturer Center?
2. Google Manufacturer Center helps brands increase their visibility and reach potential customers searching for similar products. By providing accurate, up-to-date product information, you can ensure that consumers find the products they’re looking for and make informed choices.
3. What integrations are available with GMC?
4. GMC facilitates a range of third-party integrations, like PayPal and ShipStation, which can be obtained from the Shopiroller App Market. You can control your providers through GMC for multi-channel shipping, fulfillment, and additional services.
5. How do I set up my GMC account?
6. To create a GMC account, you must have an online store and read Google’s Merchant Center regulations thoroughly. Log into Google Merchant Center with your Google Account credentials, secure your store’s web address and verify its ownership, enter all relevant business details into the system, provide essential product information and enable Buy on Google (optional).
7. What other support is available for GMC?
8. Google has a comprehensive support hub devoted to anything related to GMC. Users can search for solutions, peruse popular topics and even submit queries to community experts or Google. You can also use Shopiroller’s Adscale app to set up a merchant account and create Google Shopping Ads.
9. How can I maximize the performance of my virtual store?
10. To increase the chance of customers purchasing from you, you can offer discounts for first-time buyers, same-day shipping in eligible regions, and other strategies to boost conversion rates. Shopiroller provides advanced features, like product feeds and advertising automation, to help you optimize your store’s performance. Find out more information on how to sell online with Shopiroller and maximize the performance of your virtual store now.

CONCLUSION

With Shopiroller, you can keep your store and product data in one place. You can easily export your shop catalog (including inventory, prices, and other details) to Google Merchant Center. This way, buyers who find your products on Google will have a more compelling shopping experience. To increase the chance of customers purchasing from you, you can offer discounts for first-time buyers, same-day shipping in eligible regions, and other strategies to boost conversion rates. Remember that attracting customers to your Shopping listings is only the first step. The second step is utilizing the advanced features of Shopiroller to drive those visitors to take the desired action. Get more information on how to sell online with Shopiroller and maximize the performance of your virtual store now. Shopiroller can help you take your business to the next level – sign up today!