Google Tightens Shopping Ad Rules Before 2026
â–Ľ Summary
– Google is updating its Shopping promotion policies to allow new promotion types, including subscription discounts and common promotional abbreviations.
– A key change supports promotions tied to subscriptions, such as free trials or initial discounts, which merchants can set up in Merchant Center.
– The policy now permits common retail abbreviations like BOGO and MSRP in promotion text, reducing the risk of ad disapproval.
– In Brazil specifically, Google will allow promotions requiring a specific payment method, such as cashback offers linked to digital wallets.
– These updates aim to align promotions with modern retail models and give advertisers more flexibility to compete, with changes taking effect in January 2026.
Google is expanding the types of promotions eligible for its Shopping ads, providing merchants with greater flexibility and new competitive tools ahead of a major policy update in 2026. This strategic shift allows advertisers to highlight value beyond just price, aligning campaigns more closely with contemporary consumer purchasing habits like subscriptions and localized payment incentives.
The core of the update involves supporting additional promotion formats that reflect how people shop today. Google will now allow promotions tied directly to subscription services. This includes offers like free trial periods or percentage- and amount-based discounts for recurring plans. Retailers can implement these by choosing the “Subscribe and save” option within Merchant Center or by utilizing the `subscribeandsave` redemption restriction in their promotion feeds. Practical applications could involve a free first month for a premium service or a significant price cut for the initial billing cycles of a subscription.
Language restrictions are also being relaxed. Common promotional abbreviations such as BOGO (Buy One Get One), B1G1, MRP, and MSRP are now officially supported. This change makes it simpler for brands to use the shorthand terms familiar to shoppers in physical retail environments without having their ads disapproved by the platform’s systems.
A notable, market-specific change is rolling out in Brazil. Google will begin supporting promotions that require a specific payment method, which includes cashback offers linked to digital wallets. To use this feature, merchants must select “Forms of payment” in Merchant Center or apply the `formsofpayment` redemption restriction. Currently, Google has stated there are no immediate plans to extend this payment-method promotion feature to other countries.
For digital marketers and e-commerce teams, these adjustments are significant. Promotions are a vital tool for boosting visibility and driving conversions within Shopping results. By unlocking these new formats, Google is reducing the friction and disapproval rates merchants often face, enabling ads to be more competitive at the crucial moment a purchase decision is made. Retailers with subscription models or those operating in markets like Brazil with strong digital wallet adoption now have fresh avenues to attract and convert customers directly on Google’s platform.
These policy revisions signal Google’s intent to better synchronize its Shopping ad ecosystem with modern retail trends. The emphasis on subscriptions and localized payment behaviors indicates a move towards accommodating the nuanced ways consumers now buy products and services. Ultimately, by broadening the scope of eligible promotions, Google is furnishing advertisers with more creative room to emphasize overall value propositions as they prepare for the formal policy implementation in January 2026.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
