How to Set Up Google Shopping Shipping in the Google Merchant Center

Before we jump into learning about Google Shopping Shipping, let us answer some quick questions.

What is Google Shopping?

It’s a platform where customers can search and compare prices for the products they want and can directly purchase onsite or from the retailer’s website.

Who can list products on this platform?

Everyone. Whether it’s a brick-and-mortar store or an online WooCommerce store like yours, you can list and promote your products on this platform.

Is it good or profitable?

Well, just saying good would be an understatement. Google Shopping is an outstanding platform for retailers.

It gets a whopping 1.2 billion monthly visitors. In simple words, the platform can help you significantly grow your reach, brand value, and conversions.

How much does it cost?

Absolutely nothing. You can also run paid ads on the platform if you wish.

How to list your products on Google Shopping?

You need to upload a product feed to Google Merchant Center. And that’s where you can configure Google Shopping shipping settings. You can also insert the Google shopping shipping attribute in your feed to automatically include shipping settings for your products.

Without further ado, let’s find out how to set up shipping for Google shopping.

How to Set Up Google Shopping Shipping in the Google Merchant Center

When you list your products for Google Shopping, it doesn’t only display your products on the Google Shopping site but also across the entire web, including all of Google’s display networks and partner sites.

Be it YouTube, Google search engine result page, Gmail, images, or even Google Maps, your products will appear everywhere. You can imagine the exposure your products will get.

And Google Merchant Center (GMC) is the platform responsible for distributing your products across Google Shopping and Google network. GMC has two versions –

1. Google Merchant Center Next (Latest version)
2. Google Merchant Center Classic (Former version)

Now, let’s talk about Google Shopping shipping. Accurate and efficient shipping settings are crucial for the success of Google Shopping campaigns.

They directly impact the overall customer experience and can influence your product’s ranking and visibility in search results. By providing reliable shipping information, you ensure that customers have a clear understanding of costs and delivery times, leading to increased conversions and customer satisfaction.

Regarding Google shopping ads and even free listings, Google shopping feed shipping annotations play a crucial role in attracting and converting potential customers.

Let’s check out how to set up Google Shopping shipping in Google Merchant Center Classic.

Setting up Google Shopping Shipping Rules in GMC Classic

Those who have used Google Merchant Center before are very familiar with the platform’s old classic look and features. If you want a complete walkthrough on how to sell on Google Shopping, head to this article.

You will be asked to complete these steps after you have completed the initial steps of setting up GMC.

To set up Google Shopping Shipping, proceed to the shipping setup step.

Click the Add Shipping Service button. Set a service name and select country and currency.

Next, you need to set delivery times.

Here are three ways Google Shopping allows you to determine delivery times:

1. Your carrier and location: Google estimates delivery for each customer using your carrier’s shipping times and the location of your shipment.
2. Partner shipping data: Connect to a partner, and Google will calculate delivery times based on their data.
3. Set your own delivery time range: You choose fixed delivery time ranges, which is useful if shipping from outside the U.S.

We will go with the first option for this article. Click the Add Shipping Location button.

If you already have an address added, you can select that one or add a new one. Next, select your carrier.

When you select a carrier, Google Shopping will automatically display the available carrier service level (shipping delivery time). Select an option and hit Next.

Setting Google Shopping Shipping Cost

You can choose the option that best describes your shipping policy.

• Free Shipping Over a Certain Amount: Customers get free shipping if their order total is above a specific amount.
• Free Shipping: This option allows you to set Google Shopping free shipping or Google Shopping ads free shipping. All items are shipped for free, regardless of order value.
• Range-Based Shipping: Shipping costs vary based on the total amount of the order.
• Flat Rate Shipping: Customers pay a fixed shipping fee for all orders.
• Carrier-Defined Shipping: The shipping cost is determined by the shipping carrier you use.

For example, select the option Range-based.

Add shipping cost based on your preference. Similarly, selecting the free shipping option will set free shipping on Google Shopping for all your products. Along with that, you can add free shipping to Google shopping ads.

Save your settings, and you will see GMC checkmark the Google Shopping Shipping task as complete. You can change the settings anytime you need or explore advanced settings for more complex shipping rules.

Setting up Google Shopping Shipping in Google Merchant Next

New users and even old users are now automatically migrated to GMC Next, the latest version of the platform. It has a dedicated menu for Google shopping actions shipping settings.

You can add a shipping policy and a ship-from location from the following page.

We have already added an entry for each one. Let us quickly walk you through it. After you hit the Add Shipping Policy button, it will ask you for shipping countries.

Select all or specific products. GMC will fetch product data from the product feed.

Similar to classic, set your delivery times through carriers or manually.

Select the appropriate shipping cost type. GMC Next has more features for calculating shipping costs.

For example, you can pick the Advanced cost table option for Google shopping ads with calculated shipping.

It lets you set complex shipping cost rules.

If you prefer the older version, you can go back to classic by clicking the help icon.

Scroll down and select the “Use Classic Merchant Center” option.

Important Note: Setting up shipping in Google Merchant Center can be an option for stores with fewer products. However, if you have a fully functioning WooCommerce store with a decent number of products and different shipping rules, setting up Google Shopping Shipping would be incredibly difficult and will require a lot of manual labor.

It would be best if you opted for an automated solution. And the best choice for you is to include shipping details in the product feed you upload to GMC.

Setting up Google Shopping Shipping Through Product Feed

In simple words, a product feed is a data spreadsheet (CSV, XML, etc.) file that contains all of the product details of an online store. Be it the product’s title, description, price, availability, or links to images, the feed file has it all included.

The characteristics (title, description, price, availability, brand, etc.) are known as attributes. Google Shopping has its own set of attribute lists.

You can find a complete walkthrough on generating a Google Shopping feed in this article. The attribute we are looking for is the Google Shopping feed shipping attribute.

Attribute name – Shipping [shipping]

Let’s take a deep dive into the matter.

Understanding the Google Shopping Feed Shipping Attribute

The shipping [shipping] attribute in your Google Shopping feed helps you provide detailed information about shipping costs and speed for individual products. It’s useful when you need to override your account’s general shipping settings, such as for a busy large store with complex shipping rules.

Here’s a simple breakdown of how it works:

• When to Use: You can use this attribute when your shipping settings aren’t defined at the account level, or when you need to set specific shipping details for certain products.
• What It Covers: Shipping includes costs like handling, delivery, and logistics, as well as the shipping speed (how long it takes for a product to reach the customer). It combines both the time spent processing the order and the time spent in transit.
• Sub-attributes: The shipping attribute has several parts:
  • Country [country]: Specifies the country where the product can be delivered.
  • Region [region]: Defines a specific area or state for delivery.
  • Price [price]: The shipping cost.
  • Handling Time: The number of days between placing the order and handing it off to the carrier.
  • Transit Time: The time it takes for the product to reach the customer after being shipped.
• Why It Matters: Accurate shipping information is crucial because delivery cost and speed are among the top reasons why shoppers abandon their purchases. Getting this right can help improve the performance of your ads and free listings.

Using the shipping attribute allows you to fine-tune your shipping details per product, ensuring customers have a clear understanding of when and how their orders will arrive.

Example of the Google Shopping Feed Shipping Attribute

Let’s say you’re selling a large, fragile item that requires special handling, and you want to set a specific shipping cost and speed for this product, different from your regular items. Here’s how you would structure the shipping attribute:

Product: Glass Coffee Table

• Country: US
• Region: CA (California)
• Service: Ground Shipping
• Price: $50.00
• Handling Time: 2-3 days
• Transit Time: 5-7 days

Shipping Attribute Google Shopping Format (XML)

<g:shipping>

  <g:country>US</g:country>

  <g:region>CA</g:region>

  <g:service>Ground</g:service>

  <g:price>50.00 USD</g:price>

  <g:min_handling_time>2</g:min_handling_time>

  <g:max_handling_time>3</g:max_handling_time>

  <g:min_transit_time>5</g:min_transit_time>

  <g:max_transit_time>7</g:max_transit_time>

</g:shipping>

This example tells Google that for this coffee table, shipping to California via ground service will cost $50, with a handling time of 2-3 days and a transit time of 5-7 days. If a customer in California adds this product to their cart, this specific shipping information will override the general settings for your other products.

Again, it still sounds like a tough task and a lot of manual labor?

No worries; the best way to automate the entire process is to use a product feed plugin such as CTX Feed. In fact, this is the best plugin for automatically generating feed files for all your products and, again, automatically uploading and updating on GMC.

The best part is that you don’t need to learn anything. If you have already set different and complex shipping rules for all your products in your Woo store, CTX Feed will automatically fetch all those data and insert them into the feed.

And with its URL connection features, you can connect the feed to Google Shopping and let the plugin and GMC take care of your product listings without you worrying about anything.

Configuring Google Shopping Shipping with CTX Feed

The steps are pretty straightforward. After you install the plugin, go to the following menu.

Set your initials.

Select the Google Shopping channel, and you will be pretty much done.

CTX Feed will generate the necessary attributes and collect the data for them automatically.

Hit the generate button, and the plugin will input all your product data, including Google Shopping Shipping details, into the feed. Upload this feed, and GMC will be fetched all your shipping details.

Finally, Google Merchant Center will display the same shipping information as you set on your WooCommerce store, saving you time and increasing your accuracy and efficiency.

Let’s say you want to manually insert the shipping attribute. Click the (+) button to add an attribute in the feed window.

Search and find the Shipping attribute. You will find all possible shipping attribute formats to add, including shipping label Google Shopping.

From the Value dropdown, you can select the shipping value.

Best Practices for Google Shopping Shipping

By following the following Google Shopping best practices for shipping, you can improve your Google Shopping campaigns, enhance customer satisfaction, and increase your online sales.

Accurate and Up-to-Date Shipping Information:

• Regularly update shipping rates and carrier services: Ensure your shipping information is always current to avoid discrepancies and penalties.
• Provide accurate delivery times: Use realistic estimates based on your shipping carrier’s performance and your order processing time.
• Include handling time: If applicable, specify the time it takes to process and prepare orders before they are shipped.

Optimize Shipping Costs:

• Negotiate shipping rates: Work with your shipping carriers to secure competitive rates, especially for bulk orders.
• Consider shipping zones: Divide your shipping area into zones to offer different rates based on distance.
• Offer free shipping strategically: Use free shipping as an incentive for customers to purchase larger orders or specific products.

Improve Customer Experience:

• Provide real-time tracking: Use shipping carrier APIs to integrate tracking information directly into your website and emails.
• Offer multiple shipping options: Give customers a choice of shipping speeds and costs to accommodate different preferences.
• Communicate shipping delays proactively: Keep customers informed of any shipping delays or disruptions to avoid dissatisfaction.

Optimize for Mobile Devices:

• Ensure your shipping information is easy to read on mobile devices: Use clear formatting and font sizes.
• Simplify the checkout process: Make it easy for customers to select their preferred shipping method and view shipping costs on mobile devices.

Adhere to Google Shopping Policies:

• Follow Google’s guidelines for shipping attributes: Ensure your product feed includes all required shipping information.
• Avoid misleading or deceptive shipping practices: Be transparent about shipping costs, delivery times, and any additional fees.
• Maintain a high-quality product feed: Regularly check for errors and optimize your feed for better performance.

Leverage Shipping Carrier Integrations:

• Integrate with shipping carriers: Use APIs to automate shipping label creation, tracking, and rate calculation.
• Offer carrier-specific shipping options: Highlight the benefits of using specific carriers (e.g., expedited shipping, insurance).

Monitor and Analyze Shipping Performance:

• Track shipping costs and performance: Use analytics tools to measure the impact of shipping on your sales and customer satisfaction.
• Identify areas for improvement: Analyze customer feedback and shipping data to identify opportunities to optimize your shipping process.

Wrap up

Google Shopping is a powerful platform for e-commerce businesses to showcase their products directly in Google Search results. When users search for specific products, Google Shopping ads appear prominently, displaying product images, prices, and descriptions. This visibility can significantly boost online sales and brand awareness.

Having accurate Google Shopping Shipping settings is key to running a successful Google Shopping campaign. It affects how customers experience your store and can impact how well your products show up in search results. Clear shipping info helps customers know what to expect for costs and delivery times, which can lead to more sales and happier customers.