Google Shopping
A step-by-step guide detailing how to set up the Google Shops app for your free online store from within your Freewebstore Control Panel.
About Google Shopping
The Google Shopping app allows you to upload your products to the Google Shopping platform and display your products to millions of people around the world. This is the perfect way to increase the number of customers that land on your store and ultimately purchase products from you.
Please note that Google Shopping uses a bidding system for their Ads. Google does not have a minimum bid or a minimum cost for Google Shopping / Product Listing Ads. You can choose a cost per click as low as $0.01, and there is no minimum daily budget, so you have a lot of flexibility with how much you spend on Google Shopping.
Google Shopping Requirements
Before you start setting up your Google Shopping Feed, there are a few prerequisites. You will need to make sure you have done the following:
Attach a Domain to your store - this could be one that you have transferred, connected or bought from us.
Set up a Google Merchant Account - You can set up an account by going to the Google Merchant Center page.
Claim your Domain in the Merchant Center - You can view a video that shows how to claim your domain name here.
Make sure you meet Google's requirements - Check if you meet the requirements by heading over to this Google support page.
Map your Google Categories - Google provides its own category structure for products. When uploading products to Google Shopping, you are required to select one of these categories for each of your products. The easiest way to do this is to map your existing categories to Google's category structure. Your products will then be automatically assigned to the relevant category when uploaded to Google. To do this, visit the Marketing > Google Tools > Google Shopping section and click the "Map Google Categories" button.
Set up your Unique Product Identifiers (UPI) - Unique Product Identifiers (UPIs) are product codes or other values associated with an individual product. Most products have these unique codes, which are usually associated with a barcode printed on retail merchandise. Google now requires that all of your products contain UPI data. You can add this UPI information to a product while editing it by using the "Advanced Details" panel.
However, some products, such as custom-made goods, do not have an associated UPI. To get around this issue, we recommend that you simply edit your products and use the "Advanced Details" panel to add an MPN code. As this is the Manufacturer's Product Number, and you are technically the manufacturer, you can enter anything you like in this field and it should be accepted by Google. The quickest way to do this would be to use the Import/Export > Export Products section to produce a spreadsheet containing all of your product data. You could then quickly edit the spreadsheet to add the MPN data, and then re-import the file via the Import/Export > Import Products section. This would allow you to update all of your products at once.
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Setting up Google Shopping
Make sure you do not request a feed until your store is ready and you have uploaded all of the products that you plan on selling on your store.
Creating a Google Feed
If you haven't already, head over to the Marketing > Google Tools > Google Shopping section of your control panel and enable the Google Shopping app. (This can also be done via the App Center).
Once enabled and you have navigated to the Google Shopping section, you will be asked to enter a Google Feed Name. This can be absolutely anything you like so long as you keep the special characters used to "-" (hyphen) and "_" (underscore). There is no need to add any other special characters.
Once you are happy with the feed name you have entered, click the "Request Feed" button. This will then send the request to us so we can process and generate your feed. This process can take 48 - 72 hours.
Merchant Account Details and Claiming your Domain
Once you have your feed, log in to your log in Google Merchant Center account.
You may need to tell Google about your business and the products you sell.
Once you land on the dashboard, you will need to: - Add your business address - Verify your phone number to confirm it's you - Confirm the online store of your business - Add details to show how you ship your products - Add your products
You must claim your domain name, this can be done by locating the "Your Business" panel at the bottom of the dashboard and clicking "Manage Business Details". You will then see two options, click "Confirm Online Store". There are many ways you can verify your store, we recommend choosing to "Add an HTML tag or file". Once clicked you will see the necessary code needed below. Simply copy and paste everything in the quotation marks that follow the "Content" part of the code and enter that in the relevant panel of the Site Verification section of your control panel, do not close the Merchant Center page as you will need it for the next step.
Once you have added the code to the Site Verification section of your control panel and have saved it. Head over to the Merchant Center again and click "Verify your online store" found in the bottom-right of the screen.
If successful, this button will change to "CLAIM your online store", click this button and then click Continue when the claim has been completed.
Now you have successfully set up your feed and claimed and verified your store. You can carry on adding the necessary details needed.
Uploading Your Google Feed
Once all your details are added, you will need to add your products. So click Add next to add your products.
You will be asked if you would like to sell your products in other countries. If you do, click "Add or remove countries", add the countries you wish to sell in and click Continue when you are happy.
On the next page, you will be asked how you would like to add your products to Google Shopping. As you have already generated a file, we recommend that you select the Add products from your file option and click Continue.
It is important to note that Google still has the right to reject any feed and they are under no obligation to provide the reason why. So it is still your responsibility to make sure that your store and products comply with their Editorial Guidelines and Program Policies.
What Now?
Once you have created your feed and uploaded it to the merchant center. The Google Shopping page in your control panel will be able to tell if you have any ineligible products that won't be uploaded to your feed and let you know if you have any unmapped categories.
There is also a Feed Activity panel that will enable you to view the current status of your feed along with any information on errors that may crop up.
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