Google Merchant Center Launches “Build to Order” for Cars
▼ Summary
– Google has introduced a new “build to order” availability value in Merchant Center specifically for vehicle sellers offering customizable, factory-order vehicles not physically in stock.
– Sellers must consistently update both their structured data and Merchant Center feed with this new value to avoid listing disapprovals.
– This attribute addresses a previous limitation by better reflecting the sales models of modern automakers and direct-to-consumer brands, setting clearer shopper expectations.
– Listings using “build to order” must be marked with a “new” condition attribute, as Google considers these vehicles newly configured, not used.
– The update provides a more accurate way to signal vehicle availability, but requires proper alignment across feed data, structured data, and condition fields.
Google has rolled out a significant update for automotive retailers within its Merchant Center platform. The new “build to order” availability attribute is designed for dealers and manufacturers who sell vehicles that are not physically on the lot but can be customized and purchased directly by the customer. This change provides a much more accurate way to represent inventory for modern sales models, improving both user experience and data quality for search results.
For sellers to implement this feature correctly, updates are required in two specific areas. First, the structured data on their websites must set the availability value to BuildToOrder. Second, the product feed submitted to Google Merchant Center must use the build to order availability setting. It is absolutely critical that these two sources of information match perfectly; any inconsistency between the structured data and the feed is likely to result in product listing disapprovals by Google’s systems.
This development addresses a longstanding gap for automotive sellers. Previously, there was no clear method to indicate that a vehicle was not available for immediate pickup but could be ordered. The new attribute accurately mirrors the operational reality of many contemporary automakers, particularly direct-to-consumer brands where buyers select their configurations before the car enters production. For traditional dealerships offering factory orders, this creates clearer expectations for potential buyers browsing online and delivers cleaner, more structured data for Google’s shopping algorithms.
A crucial technical detail to note is that any vehicle listing marked as “build to order” must also have its condition attribute set to “new.” Google’s policy explicitly states that build-to-order vehicles are considered newly configured. If a listing is marked as “used,” it will be disapproved, as the platform does not associate the custom order process with pre-owned inventory.
In essence, this update offers a valuable tool for any business selling customizable or factory-order vehicles, allowing for precise availability communication. However, its benefits are only realized when the product feed, structured data, and condition fields are meticulously aligned and correctly configured. The feature was first highlighted by Google Shopping specialist Emmanuel Flossie, who provided detailed implementation guidance. For comprehensive technical specifications, sellers should refer to the official “Availability” documentation within the Google Merchant Center help resources.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
