Google’s New Rule: Separate IDs for Multi-Channel Products
▼ Summary
– Starting in March 2026, Google will require separate product IDs for items sold online and in-store if their details differ.
– Advertisers must create a second product version with a distinct ID when in-store attributes like price or availability differ from the online default.
– Google is emailing affected accounts to flag products needing updates before the deadline, urging retailers to review their data feeds now.
– This change shifts more feed management responsibility to advertisers, especially large retailers, to give Google cleaner cross-channel data.
– Retailers risk visibility and eligibility issues if they do not treat non-identical online and in-store products as separate items.
Beginning in March 2026, a significant update to Google Merchant Center will change how retailers manage products sold across both digital and physical storefronts. The new rule mandates the use of separate product IDs for online and in-store items when their specific attributes are not perfectly identical. This shift aims to provide shoppers with more accurate and reliable information, directly impacting how products appear in search results and local inventory advertisements.
Currently, many businesses use a single product identifier to manage an item across all sales channels. Google’s upcoming policy alters that fundamental approach. The platform will now treat online product details as the baseline. Should the in-store version of that same item have any differing characteristics, such as price, availability, promotional status, or even condition, advertisers must create a distinct product listing with a unique ID for the physical store variant. These separate entries will need to be managed independently within the product data feed.
Google has already begun notifying affected merchant accounts via email, identifying products that will require adjustments before the March 2026 deadline. Retailers are advised to proactively audit their product feeds to ensure clear segmentation between online and in-store offerings. This is especially critical for businesses utilizing Local Inventory Ads or those selling products across various Google surfaces like Shopping, Search, and Maps. Proper segmentation now can prevent future disruptions in ad visibility and product eligibility.
The core implication for marketers is substantial. Many retail operations have built their feed management processes around the convenience of a unified product ID. This update disrupts that efficiency, placing a greater burden of data organization on advertisers themselves. For larger retailers with complex and extensive inventories, the task of reviewing and potentially duplicating thousands of product listings represents a considerable operational challenge.
Ultimately, this move allows Google to aggregate cleaner and more consistent product data from its merchants, enhancing the overall user experience. However, it transfers significant feed management responsibility from the platform back to the advertiser. The bottom line is clear: if the online and brick-and-mortar versions of a product differ in any meaningful way, they must soon be treated as entirely separate entities in the Merchant Center. Failing to comply risks diminishing a product’s visibility in crucial shopping channels.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
