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Setting up your Google Merchant Center to Sell with Google Free Listings, Google Ads, and Buy on Google
Setting up your Google Merchant Center to Sell with Google Free Listings, Google Ads, and Buy on Google

How to set up your Google Merchant Center so you can sell on the Google ecosystem.

Ziggy avatar
Written by Ziggy
Updated over a week ago

Woohoo!  You're getting ready to be a part of Google's marketplace and add a powerful channel to your sales mix.  Before you can start selling you need to set up your Merchant Center.  This article will help walk you through what's required and any questions you might have.

Note: Buy on Google is formerly known as "Google Express" or "Google Shopping Actions", and Google Free Listings are formerly known as "Surfaces Across Google".

Sign Up and Basic Info

Note: be sure to check all the tabs across the top of each section.

1. Sign Up - link

2. Set up Shipping and Returns - Google Help Article for Shipping and Returns
 - In the Settings (wrench icon in the top right).
 - Be sure to enter handling time for each shipping option!
 - Note: the pricing needs to match the options on your webstore.
 -  Be sure to enter at least one policy and one returns address.

3. Set up Tax - Google Help Article
 - In the Settings (wrench icon in the top right).
 - A nexus is wherever you have a physical location or warehouse.
 - This should be the same nexus you have on your webstore.

4. Set up Business Information - Google Help Article
 - In the Settings (wrench icon in the top right).

5. Set up Payments - Google Help Article
 - Like getting paid?  Make sure you do this one!
 - In the Settings (wrench icon in the top right).
 - Note: if you can't access this, check Settings (wrench) > Account Access and make sure you have access as a Payments Manager.

6. Verify your Webstore (skip if websiteless) - Zentail Help Article
 - This ones a bit tricky, so if you need help with us, our support team has done it plenty of times!
 - Verifying your Webstore with Shopify
 - Verifying your Webstore with BigCommerce

7. Upload Branding - Google's Branding Requirements
 - Ensure you select branding for both Ads and Shopping if participating in both programs.
 - Branding can take up to a week to approve, so using the Default Round Logo is a great way to check this off and continue onboarding.  Then upload the final logo at completion.
 - You may need to work with a graphic designer. We recommend this designer -- contact them by clicking Custom Order and sharing this link along with your logo.

Buy on Google Setup

If you were not currently already selling on Google Shopping Actions you will see a button to "Complete Interest Form". This will allow you to enter the Buy on Google public beta in September 2020. Please fill out the form to express your interest.

The steps below and above will still need to be completed to participate in all three of these programs.

Clicking each link in the Merchant Center for Google Onboarding will take you to the appropriate location in the Merchant Center to complete the information.  We recommend working through the steps directly in the merchant center, then referencing this help article or Zentail support for additional questions and connecting Zentail to Google.

1. Products - video
 - Note, if you don't have a Zentail feed in your Merchant Center then you can either:
 - a. Follow the steps in this article, or
 - b. Hit us up!  This is what Zentail does, and your products are already going to be categorized.  Chat is in the lower right corner of the screen.

2. Taxpayer Identification - Google Help Article
 - This is setup as part of the Payments component above.  If it's not checked off, review the linked Google help article to check for missing steps.

3. Banking - Google Help Article
 - This is setup as part of the Payments component above.  If it's not checked off, review the linked Google help article to check for missing steps.

4. ID Verification - Google Help Article
 - Once you set up your payment and tax information in Google, you may receive an email from Google requesting ID verification.

5. User Roles
 - A specific Zentail email address should be added with several permissions (including Order Manager).
 - This is captured in the help article for Connecting Google and Zentail.

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