Google announces new measures

Google recently announced some new measures for merchants on their Google Shopping platform. The decision to enforce penalties was made to ensure a smoother shopping experience for consumers.

From the 6th of April 2021, Google will introduce sanctions for retailers whose products display a greater price at checkout than they’re advertised for on Google Shopping. Although the guideline itself is not new to the platform, Google will shortly begin enforcing suspensions for accounts not abiding by the consistent pricing policy.

Shoppers are more likely to abandon their purchase journey through your website if the displayed checkout price is higher than in the relevant product’s ad, free product listing, or even on the product landing page. Therefore, by advertising your products at a lower price than you intend to sell them for, you put your own conversion rate and ROAS at greater risk.

Moreover, Google will begin to penalise merchants who do not maintain accurate pricing by suspending their account. If Google finds inconsistencies in your pricing during account reviews, you will be notified with a 28-day warning to remedy the situation. Otherwise, your account will be suspended.

If the country you operate in requires you to display the product’s VAT, this must also be included in the price attribution. Shipping costs are considered separately and must be declared at the feed- or account-level. For retailers in the US, you must also input sales tax into your account-level settings.

For more advice on managing your Google Shopping account from product feed to checkout, please get in touch by booking a call today.