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Integration with Google Seller Ratings (PLA)

TrustMate.io allows merchants to integrate their reviews with Google Shopping using an XML file of product reviews to display ratings and images in ads with product lists.

Read this guide carefully and follow the instructions to synchronize your reviews data with Google Shopping.


What is Google Shopping?


Google Shopping allows users to search for products on online shopping sites and compare prices between different vendors. By showing your products on Google Shopping, you can attract more traffic to your online stores. One of the most effective ways to highlight your products on Google Shopping is to post product reviews.


Google Requirements


Google has strict guidelines on who can integrate reviews with Google Shopping and how the integration should be done. The most important requirements are:

  • You have a Google Merchant account,
  • You have a store product feed and a product reviews feed from TrustMate.io,
  • You have product identifiers that Google can use to match your product to product reviews (e.g. GTIN, MPN + brand name, SKU),
  • You have gathered over 50 product reviews,
  • All reviews have to be displayed on product pages that are in the feed (including negative ones),
  • Reviews must not infringe copyright, be offensive or contain spam
  • Product reviews for Google Shopping must come from actual customers who have purchased products from your store. The Google Merchant Center site says, "Reviews files should be collected and owned by merchants. You have to collect and own the reviews you share with Google. " Violation of these terms comes with severe consequences, including blocking access to Google, therefore we exclude any reviews imported from Allegro, AliExpress, or Ceneo from Google's XML channel.

We will put all of your approved reviews into an XML file. If you only approve reviews with 4 or 5 stars and hide reviews with lower ratings, Google may reject your integration request. We recommend approving all reviews and adding public responses to address any negative feedback.


Read the full Google policy at: https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/6098512?hl=en&ref_topic=7307120

Keep in mind that Google will manually review your application and may reject the integration at their discretion.



Step One: Create Merchant Center and upload product feed




Step Two: Create a review feed file in TrustMate.io


  • Go to tab “Integrations” → “Google reviews”
  • Click on the “Create a reviews file” button
  • Google will use GTIN and meta data such as SKU, Brand + MPN, and URLs to associate products.

Important:


  • Use the GTIN number as a strong identifier in your product data file and product reviews file.
  • Create a product data file with the SKU code as the product identifier.

Step Three: Apply for Product Ratings


  • Request the integration of product data file with product reviews by filling out Google's Product Ratings request form. You can skip this step if the "Product Reviews" section (left menu) is already available (in Merchant Center).

https://support.google.com/merchants/contact/product_ratings_interest_form?hl=en&ref_topic=7307120&visit_id=637521984554170333-2516614033&rd=1

 


  • Under the section "If you use a third party service which service do you use?", answer "Other" and type “TrustMate.io" in the appropriate text box.


















  • In the space for the number of reviews, give the actual data. You can find them in your TrustMate Panel under “Integrations” → “Google reviews”.


  • Send an application. After a few days, you will receive an email from Google stating that "your intermediary TrustMate.io” does not yet have an approved partnership in the Product Ratings program with Google [. . . ], so in the meantime "<your store> can send direct product ratings submitted to Google" (email may be in English).

Don't worry!

This means that TrustMate.io is in the process of being certified to become an "approved Product Ratings partner". You still can integrate your photo reviews with Google Shopping using the XML file link.


Step Four: Confirm that TrustMate.io is your provider


  • Reply to this email and let Google know that you will be sending a data file of direct product ratings to your Merchant Center.

You can use the suggested message to Google:


"Good morning,

we would like to put the collected reviews into the Merchant Center. I will submit a direct product ratings feed to my Merchant Center. Please enable the reviews tab. Immediately after it appears, I will upload my feed with the content of the review there."


If everything is fine, Google will email you with a response and the "Product Reviews" section will now be available in your Merchant Center (menu on the left).


Expect such a message:


"Product Reviews" section in Google Merchant Center


​​Step Five: Upload the product review feed to Merchant Center


  • Log in to Merchant Center
  • Click on the “Marketing” tab and then “Product reviews” tab
  • Select Product reviews feeds to open the XML upload page
  • Click the "+" button on the "Feeds" page
  • Name the file. This is a name meant only for you.
  • Select "Scheduled fetch"


  • Enter a file name
  • Select the download frequency as "Daily"
  • You can keep the default value for the download time and time zone settings.
  • Paste Feed URL. You can find it in the TrustMate panel under “Integrations” → “Google reviews”
  • Click “Create feed”

Important!


  • TrustMate.io will refresh your file daily
  • Feed does not require a password
  • Google will manually check your file after the first upload, which can take 2 to 4 weeks. The checking process may require your support in correcting any data file errors.
  • Product ratings will only appear online once the review process has been successfully completed and you will be notified by Google.

If everything is fine, Google will contact you by email. However, it can take from 2 to 6 weeks before all of your product reviews appear on Google Shopping. An example of a confirmation email from Google:


"I am happy to inform you that the Google Product Ratings feed for the store "" has been successfully integrated into our system. Attached are the screenshots of some of your reviews currently live online on Google Shopping pages."