Google Now Automates EPREL – Energy Efficiency & CO2 Data In Google Merchant Center

A Major Update to the Certification Attribute

Google has introduced an update to the certification attribute within the Google Merchant Center, streamlining the process of submitting Energy Efficiency and CO2 data for products. Previously, merchants had to manually retrieve this information from external databases, which was time-consuming and inefficient, particularly for businesses with large inventories.

The Previous Manual Process

Before this update, merchants needed to:

1. Visit an external website like EPREL (European Product Registry for Energy Labelling).
2. Search for their product by brand, model identifier, or other details.
3. Extract the relevant energy efficiency data.
4. Manually input this information into their Google Merchant Center feed.

This process was daunting for businesses with thousands of products. Community feedback indicated that this requirement was frustrating and impractical.

Google’s Automation Solution

Now, Google has simplified this process by automating the retrieval of certification data. If merchants do not provide the energy efficiency certification data, Google will automatically populate this information based on the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) and MPN (Manufacturer Part Number).

Key Benefits of Automation:

• Time-Saving: Merchants no longer need to search and input certification data manually.
• Accuracy: Ensures that product certification information is correctly displayed on Google.
• Ease of Use: Small businesses, which may lack technical resources, benefit significantly from this automation.
• Flexibility: Merchants can still manually submit or update certification attributes if needed.

Ensuring Data Accuracy

While automation is a great improvement, it is still essential for merchants to ensure their product information is accurate:

• GTIN and Brand Name: These should be correctly provided, as Google uses them to fetch certification data.
• MPN (if used): Many merchants do not provide accurate MPNs. If including MPN, verify its correctness with the manufacturer.
• Differentiating SKU and MPN: SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) are not the same as MPNs. Merchants must ensure they use the correct values.

Potential Limitations and Considerations

1. Data Visibility: From experience Google’s historicly does not allow the download of automated attributes. This makes editing and reviewing the certification attribute very difficult.
2. Manual Overrides: Merchants can override Google’s automated certification data if inaccuracies arise.
3. Feedback and Testing: Merchants should test this feature and provide feedback to Google if they encounter issues. And if they find that the downloaded product data does not contain the certification attribute, mention this to Google.