Google announced last week that it will begin reviewing and enforcing price accuracy at checkouts. Up to now Google has checked the accuracy of prices between a retailer’s Merchant Center product data and their landing pages, and this is now being extended also to checkouts.
Sites in violation will receive a 28-day warning and then have 28 days to resolve the issue, or be liable to suspension.
“Beginning April 6, in addition to reviewing and enforcing price accuracy between your Merchant Center product data and your landing pages, we will begin to review and enforce price accuracy at checkout.
If during an account review Google finds that the price provided for one of your products at checkout is higher than the price provided for that product on its landing page, you will receive a 28-day warning to resolve these mismatches, otherwise your account will be subject to suspension at the end of the warning period.“
In its announcement, Google stressed the importance of consistent and accurate pricing, saying it’s one of the most important factors for shoppers in deciding on a purchase. If there is a higher price at checkout than the buyer has seen earlier, the sale is likely to be abandoned.
Google checkout requirements and best practice state that the price should be consistent throughout the checkout process, not just between the product feed and your landing page. It shouldn’t increase at checkout, though may be lowered if, for example, a promo code is added. No additional charges or fees should be added at the checkout stage.
Google has more about pricing information and checkout requirements and best practices on its help pages.
Google’s announcement gives time for retailers to check that their pricing is correct. They will confirm when enforcement goes live.
