Surfaces across Google (also known as Google Platforms) is available in all countries in Europe where Google Shopping is active. Surfaces across Google means that products in the Google Merchant Center may be eligible for display in unpaid listings on Google platforms (such as the Google Shopping tab, Google Search, Google Images, Google Maps and Google Lens). These are therefore free listings. This has been available in Europe since mid-October 2020.
In Europe, given the Google CSS program, it is possible that there are multiple accounts that advertise for one domain (namely through multiple CSS partners). This creates a conflict: the free screenings can only be linked to one Merchant Center. Google automatically grabs the Merchant Center with the most products.
The status of your registration for Google Platforms can be found in the Google Merchant Center under settings > Google Platforms. Do all steps have a green checkmark? Then the products are eligible for free screenings and you don't have to do anything else. Go through all the necessary steps until there are green tick marks. Having problems or want to know more?
Tip: create a CSS CheckerEvery CSS partner has the possibility to claim/verify a domain, even if that CSS partner has not received permission from a webshop. CSS partners can therefore claim any domain name they want and advertise it in Google Shopping if they have a feed.
In addition to the Bigshopper CSS Merchant Center, we therefore recommend keeping a Google CSS account active. We call this a CSS checker, because only in this account can you see two important settings:
1. Which CSS-en have the possibility to advertise on behalf of your webshop.
2. Which CSS is used for the program Platforms of Google.
How to create a CSS Checker? 1. Create a new Google email address. For example
[email protected]2. Use this email address to create a new Google Merchant Center account.
3. Claim the domain in this Google Merchant Center account. You now get the message that only one domain can be claimed. You can ignore this message: the claim of your Bigshopper Merchant Center account will be maintained.
Where can I find the CSS settings in the CSS Checker?Log in to your CSS Checker. Under Settings you can go to "Affiliates & CSS". Then you will see a number of tabs including "CSS and". Here you get an overview of CSS parties who have claimed your domain name. Do you want to prevent affiliates or other CSS parties from advertising your domain name on your behalf? Then turn it off. CAUTION: make sure Bigshopper and Google are always active. You can also select Bigshopper CSS for Platforms from Google.
Many problemsFor many Google Merchant Center accounts, the products are rejected for Platforms from Google. A reason is always given and some are common such as:
CSS not selected for this destinationThis problem can be solved by selecting Bigshopper for Google Platforms in your CSS Checker (see above). Go to Settings > Affiliates & CSS and click on the CSS tab. If you click on Bigshopper 3 dots will appear on the right, this will open a menu where you can select Bigshopper for Google Platforms (see image above). NOTE: make sure that Bigshopper and Google Shopping are always marked with a green check mark!
Missing product dataMake sure you meet all additional requirements and that your feed is complete. You can read more about it in the
Google help center One domain name with multiple Merchant Center accounts (split by country)
Do you have a single domain name (e.g. a .com domain) that serves multiple countries from multiple Google Merchant Center accounts? (One Merchant Center per country for the same domain). Please contact us, we can make sure that instead of multiple options, only one option emerges for Google platforms within your account.