Updated June 19, 2026 | 7 min read
Google Merchant Center Merchant Promotions Guide 2026
Merchant Promotions let you attach sale badges, discount callouts, and special offer labels to your Shopping ads and free listings. A "Special offer" label under your product in the Shopping carousel increases click-through rate because shoppers see the deal before they click. For competitive product categories where multiple sellers appear for the same query, a promotion badge can be the difference between your listing getting the click and a competitor's listing getting it instead.
This guide covers the full setup process, how to structure promotions to avoid disapproval, the different promotion types available, and the specific ways that promotional pricing can trigger a misrepresentation suspension if handled incorrectly.
What Merchant Promotions Are and When They Show
Merchant Promotions are a Merchant Center feature that attaches deal information to your Shopping ads and free listings. When active, promotions display as a blue "Special offer" expandable callout below your product listing in the Shopping tab and in the main search results Shopping carousel.
When a shopper expands the "Special offer" text, they see your promotion details: the discount type, the promotional price, and any promo code required. This expanded view appears before the shopper clicks through to your website, making promotions a pre-click selling tool, not just a post-click incentive.
Merchant Promotions are available for Shopping ads. For free listings, promotion visibility varies by context and is not guaranteed in all placements.
How to Enable and Access Merchant Promotions
Merchant Promotions is not enabled by default. To activate it:
- In Merchant Center, click the gear icon (tools) in the top right corner.
- Under the "Shopping ads" section, look for "Promotions." If it appears as a link, click it to confirm access.
- If you do not see Promotions in this menu, you need to request access. Google shows an interest form link inside your account (the location varies by Merchant Center version). Submit the form and expect a 1 to 3 business day wait for access approval.
- Once enabled, Promotions appears under the Marketing section in the left sidebar.
If you are using Merchant Center Next (the updated interface rolling out in 2026), Promotions is found under the Promotions section in the left navigation panel.
Promotion Types and When to Use Each
Google supports four Merchant Promotion types:
Generic promotion. Use this for offer types that do not fit the other categories: buy-one-get-one deals, free gift with purchase, free trial, early access, or time-limited special offers. The promotion text must be specific and verifiable. "Exclusive summer offer" is too vague and will be disapproved. "Free tote bag with orders over $50 through June 30" is specific enough.
Amount off. A fixed monetary discount on a specific product or order. You specify the discount amount and the minimum order value (if applicable). Example: "$15 off orders over $75." The discounted price that appears in Shopping ads must match what the shopper sees at checkout after applying any required promo code.
Percent off. A percentage discount on a product or order. Example: "20% off all running shoes." The percentage must be accurate: if a product is listed at $100 in your feed and the promotion says 20% off, the checkout price the shopper pays must be $80 (or less). Any discrepancy is a price mismatch and a potential misrepresentation flag.
Free shipping. Attached to a specific order threshold or all orders. The free shipping offer must exactly match your checkout shipping behavior: if the promotion says "Free shipping on orders over $35," checkout must apply $0 shipping to all orders over $35 in the eligible countries. Inconsistencies between the promotion and actual checkout shipping cost are common triggers for account warnings.
Setting Up a Promotion Step by Step
Go to Marketing, then Promotions, and click the plus button.
Step 1: Select your country and language. Promotions are country-specific. If you sell in multiple countries, you create separate promotions per country.
Step 2: Choose your promotion type. Select from the four types above. Your choice determines what input fields appear next.
Step 3: Enter promotion details. For a percent-off promotion: enter the discount percentage, select whether it applies to all products or a subset, enter the promotion title (this is what shoppers see in the "Special offer" callout), and optionally enter a promo code if the discount requires one at checkout.
Step 4: Set dates. Enter your promotion start and end date. Be precise. A promotion that runs past its actual sale end date keeps showing "Special offer" in your ads even after the deal is gone, which causes price mismatch issues when shoppers arrive at checkout and find full prices.
Step 5: Set product applicability. Apply the promotion to all products or filter using custom labels. If you only want the promotion to apply to specific product categories, add a custom label to those products in your feed (e.g., custom_label_0: "summer-sale") and then filter by that label in the promotion setup.
Step 6: Review and submit. Check that every detail matches your live website behavior, then submit. Allow 24 to 48 hours for Google's review before the promotion goes live.
Why Promotions Get Disapproved (and How to Fix Each Reason)
Vague promotion language. "Save big this summer" or "Special deal" are rejected because they are not specific enough for shoppers to understand the offer. Rewrite with a specific amount: "20% off all orders" or "Free shipping on orders over $40."
Promo code not working. If your promotion requires a promo code, Google tests that the code actually applies the stated discount at checkout. If the code is expired, mis-typed, or does not apply the correct discount, the promotion is disapproved. Always test the promo code in a fresh browser window before submitting the promotion.
Price mismatch at checkout. This is the most serious disapproval reason because it can escalate from a promotion disapproval to an account-level misrepresentation warning. If your promotion says "30% off" but the checkout price for a specific product is only 25% off (due to rounding, tax handling, or a product excluded from the sale), Google flags the discrepancy. Audit prices with the same care you would for any price mismatch issue.
End date already passed. Submitting a promotion after its end date (or with an end date in the past) results in automatic rejection. If you are reusing a promotion setup from a previous sale, always update the date fields.
Promotion below minimum discount threshold. Google requires promotions to represent a genuine discount. A "$0.01 off" promotion will be disapproved. The minimum meaningful discount varies by category but is generally at least 5% or $1, whichever is higher.
How Promotions Can Trigger a Suspension
Merchant Promotions create an additional layer of policy risk that many merchants overlook. When a promotion is active, your Shopping ads show a promotional price that must exactly match what shoppers find at checkout. If there is any gap between the advertised promotional price and the checkout price, this is treated as misrepresentation.
Common promotion-related suspension triggers:
- Promotion shows "20% off" but specific products in the feed are excluded from the discount without clear labeling
- Promotion runs past its end date while the website reverts to full price
- Promo code applied in feed price doesn't apply automatically at checkout (requires manual code entry that shoppers miss)
- Free shipping promotion shows in Shopping ads but shipping is only free above a threshold that isn't clearly communicated
If you get a misrepresentation suspension and you have active promotions, pause all promotions immediately while you audit. Check whether any promotion price in your feed differs from what shoppers see at checkout. Fix the discrepancy before requesting reinstatement. Run the free audit to catch all misrepresentation flags at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I enable Merchant Promotions in Google Merchant Center?
In Merchant Center, click the gear icon (tools), then find Promotions under the Shopping ads section. If you do not see it, request access through the interest form inside your account. Approval takes 1 to 3 business days. Once enabled, go to Marketing, then Promotions, then click the plus button to create your first promotion.
Why is my Google Merchant Center promotion disapproved?
Common reasons: vague language (say "20% off" not "save big"), a promo code that doesn't work at checkout, discounted price in the feed doesn't match the actual checkout price, the end date already passed, or the discount doesn't meet minimum threshold. Each disapproval includes a specific reason code in Marketing > Promotions.
Can Merchant Promotions cause my account to get suspended?
Yes. Promotions that show a discounted price in Shopping ads but direct shoppers to a higher price at checkout create a price mismatch, which is a misrepresentation violation. If Google detects a pattern of promotional pricing mismatches, the account can be suspended. Always verify the promotional price in your feed matches what shoppers see through the full checkout flow.
Do Merchant Promotions work with free listings?
Merchant Promotions are primarily designed for paid Shopping ads and display as "special offer" callouts in Shopping ad units. Free listings do not typically show promotion badges in the same way, though products with active promotions may benefit from slightly higher organic visibility in some Shopping contexts.
How far in advance should I create a promotion before it goes live?
Create promotions at least 24 to 48 hours before they need to go live. Google requires review time after submission. For important sale events (Black Friday, seasonal launches), submit 2 to 3 business days in advance to ensure the promotion is reviewed and active when your sale starts.
Running Promotions? Check for Price Mismatch First.
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