Promotions Feed Builder for Google Merchant Center

How to build a Google Merchant promotions feed

A Google Merchant promotions feed lists every sale and coupon you want Google to show with your products. This builder turns an ordinary sheet into that file and checks each row against Google's promotions data specification and its editorial rules for promotion titles.

1. List your promotions. One row each: title, start date, end date and the discount (20%, $10, free shipping, free gift or buy 2 get 1 free). Add a coupon code, minimum purchase or product IDs when they apply.
2. Check the columns. The builder recognizes common headers such as Coupon code, Valid from or Min spend. Fix any wrong match in the list.
3. Set country, currency and time zone. They turn plain dates into Google's date range and plain numbers into amounts like 10.00 USD.
4. Fix what's flagged. Promotions with errors, or with an offer the builder can't read for sure, are left out of the download and listed in a file to fix. Warnings point to things reviewers often reject.
5. Download. Get the tab-separated promotions feed, plus a product file when a promotion lists product IDs.

Merchant Center promotions feed template: the columns

The file starts with Google's seven required headers. The builder adds only the optional ones your promotions use: generic_redemption_code for codes, percent_off or money_off_amount for the value, minimum_purchase_amount, the brand or product_type filter, and coupon_value_type, which Google says speeds up review. Promotions shown on more than one destination get one promotion_destination column each, as the specification asks. Online and in store is one redemption_channel value, in_store, online, as on Google's redemption channel page (its local promotions page spells it online_and_in_store). Google says in-store values only apply to merchants in the local promotions open beta.

Promotion effective dates format

Google wants start and end in one cell, with times and a time zone offset: 2026-11-27T00:00:00-05:00/2026-11-30T23:59:59-05:00. The builder works out the offset for each date, so a promotion that crosses a daylight saving change still starts and ends at midnight your time.

What to do next in Merchant Center

1. Register the source once per country. Click Promotions in the left menu, open the Add promotion dropdown and choose Add promotion source. Pick the target country and click Continue.
2. Choose how to send it. Name the source, then pick Upload, Scheduled fetch or Google Sheets. Upload the TSV, or paste the copied rows into a sheet.
3. Upload the product file too. If you got one, add it as a supplemental source of your product data, so the products carry their promotion_id.
4. Wait for review. Plan for one to three days: Google reviews each promotion close to its start time.

Common merchant promotion errors and fixes

Merchant promotion disapproved for the title

Reviewers compare the title with your checkout. It must state the exact value with the currency, what it applies to, any minimum purchase and whether it's only for new customers. Generic titles such as “Spring shoe sale”, exclamation marks and capitals for emphasis are rejected.

Coupon code in the title

“Use code SAVE15” in long_title breaks the rules. Put the code in generic_redemption_code and keep the title about the offer.

“Up to” in a product promotion

For promotions mapped to products, Google doesn't allow ceiling values. Write the lowest discount instead, such as “$10+ off”.

Promotion longer than six months

The effective dates can cover 183 days at most. Split a year-round offer into two promotions with different IDs.

Free shipping without a code

Every shipping promotion needs a redemption code. Free shipping that applies to everyone belongs in your shipping settings, not in a promotion.

Discount below the minimum

Google's policy asks for at least 5% off the current price, or USD 5 in local currency, whichever is lower. Free gifts are exempt, and 100% off is not allowed.

In-store promotion without a page

Local promotions need promotion_url, a page on your site that shows the same terms, and store_applicability. The builder sets all stores unless you limit it in Merchant Center.