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    Field: shipping

    Incorrect Shipping Information in Google Shopping Feed

    Your product's shipping information is incorrect, incomplete, or doesn't match what's shown on your website. Accurate shipping data is required for Shopping ads.

    Use our free Feed Validator to check for this and other errors automatically.

    What This Error Means

    Google requires accurate shipping information so shoppers know the total cost before clicking. Incorrect shipping data can lead to disapprovals and poor user experience.

    Common shipping issues:

    • Shipping cost in feed doesn't match website checkout
    • Missing shipping for required countries
    • Invalid country codes or region specifications
    • Shipping service names don't match actual offerings
    • Free shipping claimed but not available
    • Missing shipping for heavy or oversized items

    You can set shipping at the account level in Merchant Center or per-product in your feed. Per-product shipping overrides account settings. Understanding systematic debugging can help identify if the mismatch is due to caching or sync timing.

    How to Fix It

    1. Verify shipping costs match — The shipping price in your feed must match what customers pay at checkout.
    2. Use correct country codes — Use 2-letter ISO country codes (US, GB, DE, FR, etc.).
    3. Set up account-level shipping — Configure shipping in Merchant Center for consistent rates across products.
    4. Use product-level shipping for exceptions — Override account settings for heavy, oversized, or special-handling items.
    5. Include all shipping options — List all available shipping methods with accurate prices and delivery times.

    Examples

    Incorrect
    <!-- Missing country code: -->
<g:shipping>
  <g:price>5.99</g:price>
</g:shipping>

<!-- Invalid country code: -->
<g:shipping>
  <g:country>USA</g:country>  <!-- Should be "US" -->
  <g:price>5.99 USD</g:price>
</g:shipping>

<!-- Free shipping claimed but not accurate: -->
<g:shipping>
  <g:country>US</g:country>
  <g:price>0 USD</g:price>  <!-- But checkout shows $5.99 -->
</g:shipping>
    Correct
    <!-- Complete shipping information: -->
<g:shipping>
  <g:country>US</g:country>
  <g:service>Standard Shipping</g:service>
  <g:price>5.99 USD</g:price>
</g:shipping>

<!-- Free shipping (when actually free): -->
<g:shipping>
  <g:country>US</g:country>
  <g:service>Free Shipping</g:service>
  <g:price>0 USD</g:price>
</g:shipping>

<!-- Regional shipping: -->
<g:shipping>
  <g:country>US</g:country>
  <g:region>CA</g:region>
  <g:service>Express</g:service>
  <g:price>9.99 USD</g:price>
</g:shipping>

    Additional Tips

    • Use Merchant Center's shipping settings for rates that apply to most products
    • Include shipping_weight for accurate rate calculations
    • Set up shipping_label for products with special shipping requirements
    • Consider using min/max delivery times for better user experience
    • Test checkout regularly to ensure shipping matches your feed
    • Update shipping during peak seasons when rates or times change

    Related Issues

    Inconsistent CurrencyInvalid Price FormatMismatched PriceLanding Page Not Accessible

    Validate Your Feed Now

    Use our free Google Shopping Feed Validator to check for this and other common errors before uploading to Merchant Center.

    Open Feed Validator