Google Merchant Center Multi-Channel Products Update

01/07/26
Source: Search Engine Roundtable by barry@rustybrick.com (Barry Schwartz). Read the original article

TL;DR Summary of Google’s Multi-Channel Product Management Update

Google is updating its multi-channel product system to unify inventory management for products sold both online and in physical stores. This change, effective March 2026, ensures consistent product data across channels and reduces discrepancies from separate listings. Merchants must avoid using the same product ID for different channels or create separate listings to maintain distinct attributes. The update improves product visibility and simplifies inventory oversight through a single product representation.

Optimixed’s Overview: Streamlining Inventory Management for Online and In-Store Product Sales

Unified Product Listings Enhance Consistency

Google’s upcoming update to its Merchant Center will consolidate multi-channel products—those sold both online and in physical stores—into a singular product listing. This unified approach eliminates the previous practice of creating separate internal records for the same product across channels, reducing inconsistencies in product attributes such as titles and descriptions.

Key Changes and Merchant Recommendations

  • Single Product Representation: Merchants will manage one product listing for both online and local sales, simplifying inventory management.
  • Consistent Core Attributes: Product data like descriptions and titles will remain uniform across channels to provide a cohesive customer experience.
  • Distinct Product IDs for Different Attributes: If merchants require different product attributes for online versus in-store versions (e.g., pricing or labels), they should create separate products with unique IDs.
  • API Integration: The Content API’s channel field will help merchants distinguish product performance across programs such as Shopping ads and local inventory ads.
  • Avoid Conflicts: Using identical product IDs, languages, and feed labels for multi-channel and local-only products can cause errors, so merchants must ensure uniqueness.

Additional Best Practices for Data Accuracy

To maintain precise listings, merchants should keep supplemental data sources current and submit each product through a single authoritative data source to avoid processing errors. This update emphasizes clarity and accuracy in product information, ultimately supporting better ad spending and product display across Google’s platforms.