What is Shipping [shipping] Product Attribute? Google Free Listings (2025)

Online shoppers heavily consider speed and cost when deciding whether to finalize a purchase. If your listed shipping options are confusing, incomplete, or inaccurate, there’s a high chance of cart abandonment. The Shipping [shipping] attribute allows you to specify detailed shipping information—cost, speed, and more—for your products in Google’s free listings.

What is Shipping [shipping] Product Attribute?

The Shipping [shipping] attribute is designed to override or complement the shipping settings you’ve set up at the account level within Merchant Center. It helps you provide specific shipping cost or speed details for products that fall outside your general rules. This can be critical if you sell bulky items, offer tiered shipping services (like “Express” vs. “Standard”), or simply want more granular control.

What are Free Listings? Google’s free listings allow merchants to show their products across Search, Shopping, and other Google surfaces without direct advertising costs. Providing clear and accurate shipping details can enhance user trust—leading to higher conversion rates and fewer abandoned carts.

When done correctly, your listings can display shipping costs or estimated delivery times upfront. Shoppers know exactly how long delivery might take and how much it will cost, making them more likely to check out.

Where Does Google Merchant Center Fit In?

Google Merchant Center is the platform where you organize your product data, including shipping attributes. You can set shipping services at an account level or define them per product using the Shipping [shipping] attribute. Overriding default settings for specific items can be handy when certain goods require special handling or different shipping strategies.

When to Use Shipping [shipping]

Google requires merchants in certain countries (like the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Australia, and many others) to submit shipping details for Shopping ads and free listings. You can rely solely on Merchant Center’s account-level shipping settings or use this attribute for any of the following scenarios:

• Overriding Account Settings: If you have general rules but need a separate cost for a heavier or fragile product, you can specify it here.
• Defining Regions or Postal Codes: Use sub-attributes to indicate shipping availability and costs for different geographic areas.
• Providing Multiple Shipping Speeds: Offer “Standard” vs. “Express” at the product level.
• Specifying Handling & Transit Times: If you want to show more precise estimates than your default settings, override them per product.

If you fail to provide required shipping info in countries that mandate it, your products risk disapproval.

Sub-Attributes of Shipping [shipping]

The Shipping [shipping] attribute supports several sub-attributes that let you detail shipping methods, costs, and speeds:

1. Country [country] (Required)
   Specify the ISO 3166-1 country code (e.g., “US,” “GB”).
2. Delivery Area (Optional)
   • Region [region]: Acceptable for certain countries like Australia, Brazil, etc.
   • Postal code [postal_code]: Provide a code or a range (e.g., “94043” or “94002–95460”).
   • Location ID [location_id]: A numeric location criteria ID from the Google Ads API (e.g., “21137” for California).
   • Location group name [location_group_name]: A region group set in your Merchant Center settings.
3. Service [service] (Conditionally Optional)
   Use “Standard,” “Express,” or a custom label for different shipping options.
4. Price [price] (Required to Provide Shipping Speed Overrides)
   A fixed shipping cost—use a period for decimals (e.g., “12.00 USD”).
   If you include this sub-attribute, Merchant Center’s account shipping settings are ignored for that location.
5. Handling Time (Optional)
   • Minimum handling time [min_handling_time]
   • Maximum handling time [max_handling_time]
6. Transit Time (Optional)
   • Minimum transit time [min_transit_time]
   • Maximum transit time [max_transit_time]

By including these details, you create a more precise shipping portrayal for prospective buyers.

Minimum Requirements for Shipping [shipping]

To avoid product disapprovals and to keep your listings looking sharp, follow these core rules:

1. Provide Country [country]: Google needs to know where the product ships.
2. Use Accurate Speed & Cost: Shoppers rely on this info to finalize purchases. Overestimate if unsure but avoid massive discrepancies.
3. Bundle Handling & Delivery Fees: Shipping costs cover all fees with words like “handling,” “delivery,” or “logistics.”
4. No Government-Imposed Fees: Duties, recycling fees, or state-specific taxes shouldn’t be bundled in shipping.
5. Unique Shipping for Each Region: If you charge different rates for various postal codes, break them out using multiple shipping attributes.

Shipping [shipping] vs. Account-Level Settings

You might wonder why you’d bother with the Shipping [shipping] attribute instead of just configuring shipping in Merchant Center’s dashboard:

A) Merchant Center Shipping Settings (Account-Level)

Ideal for broad, one-size-fits-all policies. If you charge a flat rate within a country or use carriers with consistent rates, account settings are enough.

B) Shipping [shipping] Attribute (Offer-Level)

Great for exceptions. If certain items deviate from your norm (e.g., a large TV requiring special freight, or a fragile antique with higher fees), you can override default shipping cost, speed, or region coverage. This attribute ensures that you deliver an accurate shipping promise to the buyer.

Best Practices

Elevate your listings with these tips:

• Stick to Supported Currencies: Ensure your shipping price can be parsed by Google for your target market. (For instance, 2.50 USD or 3.00 GBP.)
• Provide Multiple Services: If you offer standard and express, define them separately with the service [service] sub-attribute.
• Avoid Conflicts: Submitting contradictory shipping values for the same region can create confusion.
• Include Handling & Transit: Show a combined timeline. For example, 1-3 days handling plus 2-5 days transit clarifies how quickly your product can reach the customer.
• Use Shipping Promotions: If you’re doing a free shipping promo for a limited time, upload a promotional feed rather than editing this attribute, so the dates and offer specifics are clear.

Pro tip: Use an AI tool to optimize your product feed

Examples

The table below highlights common mistakes and improved approaches:

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Pro tip: See two Google product feed examples (from 2 different online stores)

Why the Right Shipping Data Matters for Free Listings

In an era where speed and cost heavily influence purchase decisions, accurate shipping data can be a deal-maker or breaker. If a shopper sees “Arrives in 2 days, $5 shipping” but experiences a 7-day wait, dissatisfaction leads to potential returns or negative reviews. Conversely, a well-detailed shipping attribute with the correct timing can instill trust and encourage a quick checkout.

Moreover, showing up with transparent shipping costs often boosts click-through rates. Shoppers are more likely to purchase when they aren’t hit with surprises at checkout. Clarity = confidence, which drives more successful sales.

Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them

• Overlooking Mandatory Countries: If you sell in the U.S., U.K., or another supported country, not providing shipping details can lead to disapprovals.
• Using the Wrong Currency Symbols: Always follow the ISO 4217 format (e.g., “USD,” “GBP”) and use a period for decimals.
• Ignoring Handling Time: If it takes 3 days to prepare a product, failing to mention it will lead to inaccurate speed estimates.
• Mixing Up Taxes & Shipping: Don’t put taxes or government-mandated fees in your shipping cost. Keep them separate.
• Submitting Conflicting Shipping Overwrites: If you provide two different price sub-attributes for the same region, Google might not know which one to prioritize.

Related Attributes

Shipping works in conjunction with other product attributes to form a complete listing. Watch out for the following related fields:

• Shipping Label [shipping_label]: Use this to group products with special shipping requirements.
• Shipping Weight [shipping_weight], Shipping Length [shipping_length], etc.: Provide physical dimensions if relevant.
• Ships From Country [ships_from_country]: Indicates the origin location.

In Merchant Center, keep an eye on the “Needs attention” section for warnings about missing or invalid shipping data. If you use structured data, refer to schema.org’s Offer.shippingDetails property. Below is a table of attributes—those marked Required are mandatory for free listings, while “recommended” ones enhance clarity.

FAQs About Shipping [shipping]

If I have simple shipping costs, do I still need the shipping attribute?

Not necessarily. If you use Merchant Center’s account-level shipping settings and they accurately cover all products, you’re set. The Shipping [shipping] attribute is primarily for overrides or detailed per-offer shipping data.

Can I provide multiple services like “Standard” and “Express”?

Yes. By including the service [service] sub-attribute multiple times (one per shipping entry), you can list each shipping option, along with its cost and speed details.

Will Google calculate my shipping speed automatically?

Google only calculates shipping speed if you submit complete data: handling time (max handling time [max_handling_time] required), transit time (max transit time [max_transit_time] required), and price [price]. If any piece is missing, speed estimates may be ignored.

Should I inflate shipping costs to cover packaging fees?

Yes—if the packaging fee is a direct part of “shipping,” “delivery,” “handling,” or “logistics.” It’s better to overestimate slightly than underquote. However, don’t excessively inflate costs since it can hurt your listing’s competitiveness.

What if my shipping cost changes by day of the week?

The attribute doesn’t support dynamic pricing that changes daily. If your shipping cost changes frequently, consider an average or maximum cost. Alternatively, rely on advanced shipping settings in Merchant Center that can partially reflect more nuanced data.

Can I include membership-only rates?

No. If your free or reduced rate only applies to members of a special program, that’s not considered a universal shipping cost. Submit the standard rate that any shopper can access without membership.

How do I handle cross-border fees or duties?

Government-imposed fees—such as import taxes—should not go in your shipping cost. If you typically label them “handling” or “carrier” fees, that might be acceptable. But if they’re purely customs or duty charges, separate them.

Conclusion

Clearly defined shipping details can make or break a sale. By using the Shipping [shipping] attribute to specify accurate costs, speeds, and handling times, you help shoppers feel confident about their order—no last-minute surprises. Whether you’re overriding default shipping for a handful of items or specifying distinct regions and services, the ability to customize at the product level keeps your listings transparent and competitive.

When setting up your feed, remember to include country codes, consistent currency formatting, and any relevant sub-attributes (like handling or transit times). Doing so can improve click-through rates, reduce cart abandonment, and boost overall satisfaction in the fiercely competitive world of Google’s free listings.

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