Google recently updated its shipping policy in Google Merchant Center, allowing merchants to set the minimum handling time to 0 days. This change will significantly improve consumer decision-making and increase potential conversions.
What Has Changed?
Previously, the minimum handling time you would set in your Merchant Center shipping settings was 1 day, even if you could ship an order on the same day it was placed. With the new policy update, you should now submit a value of 0 if you can ship an order on the same day, provided the order is placed before your defined cutoff time.
This small but essential change helps businesses more accurately reflect their shipping capabilities in their product listings and provide better delivery estimates to customers.
Why This Update Matters
Accurate shipping information is crucial for customer trust and can help a shopper decide whether to buy from you or a competitor. Even a one-day difference in delivery time can sway purchasing decisions, especially in highly competitive markets.
Google requires that your shipping details in the Merchant Center match your website’s shipping policy. This means you should update not only your Merchant Center settings but also ensure that:
- Delivery times are clearly displayed on your site
- Your shipping policy matches the data submitted to Google
Being transparent and accurate with your shipping information helps avoid suspensions or disapprovals due to policy violations.
Important Notes for Shopify Users
If you use Shopify to manage your store, take extra care. Shopify may automatically submit shipping information to Google Merchant Center, which could override the settings you manually configure in Merchant Center.
To prevent this:
- Go to your Shopify settings and turn off automatic submission of shipping details to Google.
- Update your shipping settings directly within Google Merchant Center to reflect the new 0-day minimum handling time.
How to Configure Your Settings
Here’s how you should update your handling times in the Merchant Center if you offer same-day shipping:
- Minimum handling time: 0
- Maximum handling time: 1 (if you’re committing to ship within 1 day)
Ensure your settings are accurate and consistent with your shipping capabilities and policies.