# How to safeguard your performance data from Shopify x Google & YouTube app changes

> <i class="fa-circle-info">:circle-info:</i> **This article applies if you:**
>
> * Use Shopify with the Google & YouTube app
> * Send products to Google Merchant Center
> * Manage Google Shopping or Performance Max campaigns
>
> [*Learn more*](/changelog/may-2026/may-12-2026-performance-data-risk-for-shopify-google-and-youtube-app-users.md)

If you send data to Google Merchant Center via Shopify's Google & YouTube app connection, Shopify's migration to Google’s Merchant API changes your product IDs in Google.&#x20;

Google treats new product IDs as new items, so item history and optimizations (like AI-optimized titles and supplemental feed mappings) will be [**permanently lost once migrated**](/changelog/may-2026/may-12-2026-performance-data-risk-for-shopify-google-and-youtube-app-users.md#how-to-check-if-you-were-impacted).

This article explains how to configure a rule in your Google Shopping feed in Channable and what to check and adjust in your Google accounts to safeguard your performance data.

***

### <i class="fa-memo-circle-check">:memo-circle-check:</i> Before you start

**You’ll need**

* [Items imported from Shopify](/import-data/import-how-to/import-your-product-data/import-via-a-webshop/shopify.md)
* [A Google Shopping feed channel](/list-advertise/google/list-items-on-google-shopping/set-up-a-google-shopping-feed.md) for each of your product feeds
* To know the format of your item IDs in Shopify (e.g. ‘shopify\_NL\_123456’...)

**Good to know**

* These steps only help if your account **hasn't been migrated yet**. If your account has already been migrated, you can't restore performance history data for the old product ids.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Important:** You need to **repeat these steps for each product feed you have.**
{% endhint %}

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Preserve your Shopify product IDs using Rules

1. Go to **Channels > \[your Google Shopping channel] > Rules**.
2. Click **Create rule**.
3. In **Rule templates**, select **Set Shopify product ID** **(Google & YouTube app format)**.
4. The following rule will appear:

**If** `all`

**Then** take `id` and `combine value` shopify\_NL\_`parent_id`\_`id`\_

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Important:** The ID format must exactly match what you see in Google Merchant Center. If you sell outside the Netherlands, click the textbox and replace 'NL' with your country code (for example, 'DE' for Germany).
{% endhint %}

5. Click **Save rule**.
6. Re-run your channel to send the updated information to Google Merchant Center.
   {% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Adjust your Merchant Center settings

After you set up your channel and add the rule, you need to link your supplemental source to your new primary source (not the Shopify app source).

1. In your [Google Merchant Center account](https://merchants.google.com/), go to **Settings > Data sources**.
2. In **Product sources**, open **Supplemental sources**.
3. Click **Add supplemental product data**.
4. Select **Add product data from a file**, then paste the supplemental source URL from Channable → **Continue**.
5. Select your **Feed label** (for example, `EN-UK-Optimized`).
6. Select the **Language**.
7. Click **Select primary data sources**. Options that match the same feed label and language will appear.&#x20;
8. Selecr your primary data source.
9. Click **Create data source**.
10. Repeat this step for each supplemental source type you use (e.g. Optimizer, Products AI).

Once your supplemental sources are applied to the new primary data source, you can delete the old versions.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** Depending on your account size, it can take a couple of hours for changes to appear in Google Ads.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Align your Google Ads campaigns

1. In [Google Ads](https://ads.google.com/nav/login), open **Campaigns**, then select your **Shopping** or **Performance Max** campaign.
2. Go to **Campaign settings**.
3. Open **Feeds**, then choose one option:
   * **Use all available feeds** (matches target markets based on feed language), or
   * **Select feed label** → choose your label (it must match Merchant Center).
4. Click **Save**.
5. Go to **Asset groups** → **Listing groups**.
6. In the table in the **Listing group** column, next to **All products**, click <i class="fa-pencil">:pencil:</i>.
7. At **Subdivide all products by**, hover over **Custom label**.
8. Confirm the correct custom labels are being shown (for example, **Custom label 0** for “High margin”), and select the one you want to use.
9. Go to **Products** > **Products**.
10. Confirm items are **Eligible** with no issues.

<img src="/files/Ifsfd2d2gyZZz3naeo0G" alt="" height="219" width="624">

<details>

<summary><strong>Some of my products are ineligible with the issue 'Excluded product or listing group'. What do I do?</strong></summary>

This often happens if your supplemental source is not correctly linked to your primary data source in Google Merchant Center. If it’s not linked, Google tries to filter on a value that doesn’t exist.

[Return to Step 2](#adjust-your-merchant-center-settings) and retrace your steps to see if the supplemental source was correctly applied.

</details>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Deactivate Shopify app sync

Once your items are eligible, you need to stop the Shopify Google & YouTube app from sending its own (unoptimized) product data. This prevents the app from overwriting the optimized attributes you send from Channable.

1. In Shopify, go to **Sales channels > Google & YouTube > Settings**.
2. At **Product feed**, click **Product sync**.
3. Change the sync method to **Manual** (or turn off Automatic sync)
4. Click **Save**.
5. In Google Merchant Center, go to **Settings > Data sources**.
6. In the **Actions** column, open the ⋮ menu and select **Delete source**.

This keeps the app connection for conversion tracking and account verification, but stops it from overwriting your Channable data.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

### Troubleshooting tips

| Issue                        | Possible cause               | Solution                                                                                                     |
| ---------------------------- | ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 0 products in ads            | Feed label mismatch          | Make sure the feed label in your Merchant Center account matches the feed label in your Google Ads settings. |
| Labels missing in Google Ads | Supplemental feed not linked | Check that your supplemental feed is linked to the new primary source in your Merchant Center account.       |
| Duplicate products           | Double syncing               | Confirm that your Shopify app is set to **Manual** and the old primary feed is deleted/disabled.             |


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://helpcenter.channable.com/css/readme/how-to-safeguard-your-performance-data-from-shopify-x-google-and-youtube-app-changes.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.