Shipping speed attributes control your delivery badges in Shopping ads and Google Free Listings. Get them wrong and you lose the badge. Get them very wrong and you face a suspension. This guide covers every attribute, badge threshold, how Google verifies your claims, and the most common suspension triggers.
Google Merchant Center splits total delivery time into two phases, each with a minimum and maximum value. You configure these in your feed or in the Merchant Center shipping settings.
| Attribute | What it measures | Accepted values |
|---|---|---|
min_handling_time |
Fastest days from order to carrier pickup | 0 (same-day handoff) to 14 |
max_handling_time |
Slowest days from order to carrier pickup | 0 to 30; must be ≥ min_handling_time |
min_transit_time |
Fastest days from carrier pickup to delivery | 0 to 60 |
max_transit_time |
Slowest days from carrier pickup to delivery | 0 to 60; must be ≥ min_transit_time |
Handling time 0 means the package leaves your facility on the same calendar day the order is placed, if it arrives before your cutoff time. Transit time 0 means same-day delivery from the carrier. Most domestic ground shipments in the US have a transit time of 1 to 5 business days depending on origin and destination zone.
By default, Google counts business days (Monday through Friday, excluding public holidays in the destination country). If your warehouse ships on weekends or you use a carrier with Saturday delivery, you can configure this in the shipping settings under "Handling time" to unlock faster badge eligibility.
Google awards three types of fast delivery annotations in Shopping ads and Free Listings. Each has precise attribute thresholds.
To qualify for the same-day badge, all of these must be true:
min_handling_time = 0 and max_handling_time = 0min_transit_time = 0 and max_transit_time = 0Same-day delivery is typically only feasible for merchants with local delivery operations or access to a service like DoorDash Drive or Instacart. Most standard e-commerce operations cannot qualify.
max_handling_time = 0max_transit_time = 1UPS Next Day Air, FedEx First Overnight, and USPS Priority Mail Express are common carriers that support next-day delivery in the US. Google validates badge eligibility against actual carrier service maps, so if overnight service is not available for a given zip code pair, the badge will not show for that buyer.
max_handling_time = 0 or 1max_transit_time = 2Amazon-style 2-day delivery has become an expectation. Google's 2-day badge drives measurable click-through improvements in competitive categories like electronics and apparel. If you can support it, the attribute setup is straightforward, but the carrier configuration must be precise.
Google does not take your feed attributes at face value. Three verification mechanisms run in parallel.
When a carrier code is present in your feed or order confirmation, Google can retrieve tracking events from the carrier API. It compares the actual first scan date (carrier pickup) against the expected date based on your max_handling_time, and compares the final delivery scan against the date your max_transit_time would predict. If a statistically significant portion of your shipments arrive later than promised, Google flags your shipping settings as inaccurate.
Merchants who participate in Google Customer Reviews collect structured post-purchase feedback, including delivery satisfaction. Consistently negative delivery experience signals feed into Merchant Center quality scores and can trigger a shipping accuracy review.
Google's automated systems periodically test your store by simulating purchases and comparing the delivery estimate shown at checkout against your declared attributes. If your checkout shows "ships in 3 to 5 days" but your feed says max_handling_time = 1, that mismatch is flagged as a misrepresentation of shipping information.
The most common shipping-related suspension cause. This triggers when Google's carrier data shows that your actual delivery times consistently exceed your declared max_transit_time or max_handling_time. The fix is not to appeal: adjust your attributes to reflect reality first, then request a re-review. Appealing without fixing the attributes will result in denial.
Google maintains a list of recognized carrier codes. If you submit a carrier code that Google does not recognize (for example "MyShipper" instead of the correct code for your 3PL), Google cannot retrieve tracking data and cannot validate your shipping claims. This breaks badge eligibility and, in combination with misrepresentation signals, can contribute to a suspension. Check your carrier codes against the Google-approved carrier list.
If your product page or checkout says "estimated delivery: 7 to 10 days" but your feed has max_transit_time = 3, Google's automated checks will flag a misrepresentation. Keep your feed attributes and your on-site delivery estimates in sync. The feed value controls what appears in ads; the checkout value controls what the customer sees when they land on your site. A mismatch between the two is a misrepresentation trigger.
Some product categories trigger additional scrutiny. Perishables, medical devices, and time-sensitive items are cross-checked more aggressively. If your declared shipping speed is incompatible with known carrier constraints for that product type (for example, declaring 1-day shipping on a product that requires hazmat handling), Google can flag the listing.
Since late 2025, Google requires transit time attributes for all products eligible for fast delivery annotation. Products without min_transit_time and max_transit_time are ineligible for badges and may receive lower ad rank in delivery-sensitive queries. Missing attributes are not themselves a suspension cause, but they cost you badge eligibility and competitive position.
max_handling_time and max_transit_time to values you can reliably meet 95% of the time. Under-promise slightly to build buffer.Our SEO Monitor checks for shipping attribute mismatches, carrier code errors, and delivery promise inconsistencies across your store and feed. Run a free scan and see exactly what Google's automated system sees.
Run Free SEO Scan →Not all shipping issues carry the same suspension risk. Here is a practical priority ranking:
| Issue | Suspension risk | Badge loss | Fix priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checkout estimate inconsistent with feed | High | Yes | Immediate |
| Actual delivery exceeds max_transit_time | High | Yes | Immediate |
| Wrong carrier code | Medium | Yes | High |
| Missing transit time attributes | Low | Yes | Medium |
| min/max handling time reversed | Low | Possible | Medium |
The four attributes are min_handling_time, max_handling_time, min_transit_time, and max_transit_time. Handling time covers order placement to carrier pickup. Transit time covers carrier pickup to delivery. You need both pairs to qualify for fast delivery badges.
Google cross-checks stated shipping attributes against carrier tracking data from past shipments, customer delivery feedback collected through Google Customer Reviews, and automated spot-checks that compare your checkout delivery estimate to your declared attributes. If actual delivery times consistently exceed your stated maximum, Google flags the account.
Google awards a "Get it today" badge for same-day delivery, a "Get it by tomorrow" badge for next-day delivery, and a "2-day delivery" badge for two-day delivery. Each badge requires specific attribute values and a verified carrier configuration in your shipping settings.
Yes. An unrecognized carrier code prevents Google from retrieving tracking data, which breaks the verification chain. This does not immediately trigger a suspension on its own, but combined with delivery time mismatches it accelerates the path to a policy violation.
Handling time is the days from order placement to carrier pickup. Transit time is the days from carrier pickup to the package arriving at the customer's door. Together they form the total estimated delivery window shown in Shopping ads.