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Setting up a Google Shopping API

Do you want to learn interactively all basics related to the creation of an API export, or how to make an advanced setup for an API in Channable? Learn how to create a Channacademy account in the Channable app through this Help Center article and start with the Basic APIs or Expert APIs course.

There are two ways with which you can create Google Shopping Ads in Google Merchant Center: you can either export a feed or send your products via an API. This article covers the Google Shopping API.

Table of contents

  1. Preparation
  2. Create a new connection
  3. Create the API
  4. Create your product listings
  5. Send your product listings to Google Merchant Center
  6. Check your product listings for errors

Preparation

  • Failed API message: Your Shopping Ads connection might expire after using it for a while. This will result in a 'failed API' with an error message. To refresh your connection, follow the steps in this article.
  • Merchant Center account: You need a Google Merchant Center account to make use of our Google Shopping API. You can take a look at this Google Support article and create an account on sign up on merchants.google.com.

Step 1: Create a new connection

First, go to "[your company name in the top right corner] > Connections" and click on "+ Add a new connection > Google Shopping".

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You can now fill in a name for the connection under "Label" and "Connect with Google Shopping". You will be redirected to Google Merchant Center, which means the connection is made. Return to Channable to continue to set up your API.

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Step 2: Create the API

To create a new API, go to your project and "APIs > + Add new API" and select the Google Shopping connection you have previously created. 

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You will be redirected to the API settings, where you can name the API and select the unique ID per item. Add your Google Merchant ID, the country you target as well as the language. You can also make use of master rule group(s). Then, click on "Continue" to create the new Google Shopping API.

Step 3: Create your product listings

Note: In the coming months, we are gradually rolling out Marketplaces V2. If your API is on Marketplaces V1, these steps might be different. Refer to this article for more information!

To set up your API, follow the steps outlined below. Click on each step to expand and view the detailed instructions, which will guide you through the entire process.

1. Categorization

For your product data to be created, your products need a category. Add categories to your products by using the generate categories feature, or create new categories from scratch.

  • Smart Categorization: This feature automatically assigns categories to your products based on predefined criteria, simplifying the categorization process.
  • Manual Categorization: Manually assign categories to your products by setting specific rules. You can create detailed filters to map each product to the correct category.
  • Uncategorized Items: Review and categorize any items that remain uncategorized to ensure all products are properly organized.

Click here to read more about the Categorization in APIs.

2. Rules

Create different rules to optimize your product data. For examples, refer to our common rules support article for guidance.

  • Rules Setup: Set up various rules to refine your product data. This can include filtering, modifying, or enhancing data fields to meet marketplace requirements.

Click here to read more about the Rules in APIs.

3. Build step

The Build step in Channable allows you to configure all necessary attributes for your items, ensuring your product data aligns with marketplace requirements. This step is crucial for successful product listings and avoiding errors.

3.1 Overview

  1. Access the Build step: Start by accessing the centralized interface of the Build step. This is where you will manage and map all product attributes.
  2. Identify mandatory and optional Fields: Mandatory fields are highlighted in pink, indicating they are essential for listing your products. Optional fields are marked in orange and can be filled based on specific needs.

3.2 Populate Shared Attributes

  1. Fill Shared Attributes: Enter common details that apply to all products, such as EAN, prices, and titles. This step ensures uniformity in basic product information across your listings.
    • Use static or dynamic Values:
      • Static Values: Directly input values that remain constant, like brand name or manufacturer.
      • Dynamic Values: Utilize fields that automatically update based on linked data, ideal for variables like stock levels or prices.

After you have filled in the desired values for the Shared attributes, continue to the Category specific attributes below.

3.3 Specify Category-Specific Attributes

  1. Select product category: Choose the relevant category for your product, such as clothing or furniture.
  2. Input Category - specific attributes: Fill in attributes that are specific to the selected category, such as size for clothing or dimensions for furniture. This step helps in fine-tuning your listings according to category requirements. Here you can again use static or dynamic values.

Click here to read more about the Build step.

4. Quality step

The quality step provides instant feedback on setup quality, highlighting mandatory and optional errors to ensure your product data meets the marketplaces' standards.

Actions

  • View items: See products with specific issues.
  • View in build: Redirects to the build step to map missing information.
  • Set categories: Directs to the categories step to categorize items.
  • Show source: Available for ID fields, directing to the settings step.

Click here to read more about the Quality step.

5. Preview step

The preview step displays mapped attributes for multiple items, highlighting errors before exporting to the marketplace.

Features

  • Search & filter: Find specific products or filter by error message/category.
  • Item overview: Shows all items to be exported; it can filter to show only items with errors.
  • Detailed product preview: Displays missing information and dynamic actions to correct errors.

Checklist for finalizing attributes

  • Review shared attributes: Ensure all mandatory shared attributes are filled.
  • Review category-specific attributes: Ensure all mandatory category-specific attributes are filled.
  • Check for errors: Correct any red-marked fields.

Click here to read more about the Preview step.

6. Result step

The result tab provides an overview of your API setup outcomes, including successful uploads, errors, and a preview of the products to be listed. This tab ensures your product data is correctly processed and identifies any issues that need resolution.

  • Overview: The result tab shows the status of your product listings, highlighting errors and issues for detailed insights.
  • Preview products: Displays an overview of products to be sent to the marketplace, allowing verification of correctly filled attributes.
  • Successful: Lists products successfully processed and ready for listing, confirming compliance with marketplace requirements.
  • Errors: Identifies errors during processing, providing detailed information to troubleshoot and resolve issues.

Optional tabs like repricer errors, repricer event history, stock updates, and fulfillment updates appear only if relevant to the API you are using. Click here to read more about the Result step.

Additional notes for the Google Shopping API

Attributes are not available for Google Shopping, you can skip that step.

  • Out-of-stock products
    Do not exclude products that are out of stock as Google works with the availability status of the products. So make sure you set up the availability based on your stock value in the rules instead.
  • EAN codes
    Sending an EAN code for your products is not mandatory, you can also use a rule to empty invalid EAN codes. Excluding the products with an invalid EAN is unnecessary as this is not mandatory, but you should not send invalid EAN codes to Google. 

Step 4: Send your products to Google Merchant Center

Once you have finished setting up your product listings, you can send them to your Google Merchant Center. If you have not activated the project yet, navigate to "Settings > Project settings> Activate project". Then, go back to "APIs > Your Google Shopping API > Settings > Activate API". When you click on "Run now", your product listings will be sent to Google Shopping.

Step 5: Check your product listings for errors

After you have sent your ads to Google Shopping, go to the "Preview" tab. By clicking on "Errors" you can see which product listings have errors and will not be set live by Google. Click on an error to see what the error message is and which products have that error.