Prepare product identifiers, variants, price, availability, images, shipping data, and structured data before publishing a catalog.
Create a stable product identity
Assign a stable internal ID to every product and variant. Store title, description, brand, product type, SKU, GTIN or MPN when legitimately available, option values, package dimensions, weight, and status in defined fields. Do not invent global identifiers. Decide which system is authoritative and prevent each sales channel from silently becoming a separate master. Preserve the original ID during imports and migrations so orders, inventory, reviews, and reports can still be reconciled.
Make price and availability agree
The price, currency, sale period, availability, and condition shown to a customer should match the submitted feed and structured data. Google Merchant Center documentation emphasizes that structured data must correspond with visible product information. Test scheduled promotions, out-of-stock variants, preorder language, minimum order requirements, and country-specific pricing. Record the exact refresh path from the source catalog to the storefront and merchant feed, including how quickly corrections appear.
Use inspectable product media
Keep original image files outside the platform, name them consistently, and record alt text and usage rights. Use clear primary images that reveal the actual product, with additional views for scale, packaging, and relevant details. Check crop behavior on mobile cards and product pages. The Google Merchant Center 2026 specification announces enforcement of at least 500 by 500 pixels for product images beginning January 31, 2027, so new catalog workflows should already preserve sufficient source resolution.
Validate imports before scaling
Import a small representative set first: a simple product, a multi-option product, an item on sale, an unavailable item, and an item with shipping complexity. Compare field values before and after import, then place an order and export it. Check duplicate handles, broken image paths, variant inventory, canonical URLs, metadata, and feed diagnostics. Keep a change log and a rollback copy. Expand the import only after exceptions have named owners and repeatable correction steps.
Completion controls
- Stable product and variant IDs
- Visible price matches feed data
- Availability updates have an owner
- Original images are retained
- Representative import is reconciled
- Duplicate and canonical checks complete
Put the guide to work
Official sources
Sources support the operating controls described above. Provider requirements and public rules can change; verify the current source before acting.