Big news for Shopify merchants and agencies: the Google Shopping Merchant Center template just got four new Shopify-specific attributes, and they unlock cleaner, more flexible feed mappings than ever. If you run your catalog on Shopify, you can now carry merchant_item_id, shopify_product_id, shopify_store_domain, and native_commerce straight into your Google feed, no custom workarounds required. That means more reliable product matching, faster troubleshooting, and the ability to signal which products are ready for checkout on Google's new AI commerce surfaces. FeedPilot rules are preloaded to set most of it up for you. This guide is written for new and existing GoDataFeed users.
What are the four new attributes?
Three of the attributes carry Shopify identifiers and store context into your Google feed, which helps with matching, diagnostics, and maintaining consistency across platforms. The fourth, native_commerce, controls whether a product is eligible for checkout through Google's AI commerce surfaces.
| Attribute | Required | Format / value | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
merchant_item_id |
Yes | gid://shopify/ProductVariant/{id} |
Provides an alternate checkout item ID for when the Google product ID does not match the ecommerce platform or checkout product ID. If blank, the Google feed id is used. |
shopify_product_id |
Optional | gid://shopify/Product/{id} |
Provides product-level Shopify context for matching and diagnostics. |
shopify_store_domain |
Optional | example-store.myshopify.com |
Provides store-level Shopify context when needed for matching. |
native_commerce |
Optional |
TRUE or FALSE
|
Controls whether a product is eligible for UCP checkout through AI surfaces. Defaults to FALSE unless the merchant enables eligibility. |
How do I set these up with FeedPilot?
FeedPilot includes preloaded rules so most of the setup is a few clicks. Open your Google Merchant Center feed in GoDataFeed and apply these FeedPilot rules:
-
Submit Shopify [merchant_item_id] for all products in Google. This populates the variant-level identifier in the
gid://shopify/ProductVariant/{id}format. -
Submit [shopify_product_id] for all products in Google. This adds the product-level identifier in the
gid://shopify/Product/{id}format. - Set [native_commerce] to TRUE or FALSE for all products in Google. FeedPilot offers both options. Choose FALSE for products that are not eligible for checkout, and TRUE for products that are. Review the eligibility checklist below before choosing TRUE.
How do I set my shopify_store_domain?
The shopify_store_domain is entered manually because the correct value can vary by store setup, and GoDataFeed does not map it automatically. In your Google Merchant Center feed, add the shopify_store_domain attribute and enter your domain as a static value, for example example-store.myshopify.com. Use the domain that matches the store your products are sold from.
What does native_commerce control?
The native_commerce attribute controls whether a product is eligible for checkout through Google's AI commerce surfaces, part of Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). UCP is an emerging framework that connects AI assistants directly to merchant catalogs, inventory, pricing, shipping, and checkout systems. Accepted values are TRUE and FALSE. Products default to FALSE unless you enable eligibility or a rule sets the value to TRUE.
Setting native_commerce to TRUE is an eligibility signal, not a guarantee. It does not by itself place your products in AI shopping experiences, let AI assistants purchase them, or enable AI checkout on your account. Eligibility also depends on completing Google's UCP onboarding and meeting its commerce requirements.
Which products should be set to FALSE?
Some products are not eligible for checkout and should have native_commerce set to FALSE or left empty. If any of the following apply to a product, do not set it to TRUE:
Financial products and recurring billing
- Subscriptions: products requiring recurring billing cycles.
- Installments: transactions requiring merchant-mandated payment plans or financing.
Customized goods and fulfillment options
- Personalized goods: items requiring custom design decisions, such as engravings or monograms.
- Non-new or final sale items: refurbished goods, used items, and items marked Final Sale with no returns.
- Pre-order items: products with future release dates and deferred fulfillment.
- Bundled services: items requiring additional contracts, such as warranties, installation, or setup.
- Special shipping: items requiring non-standard delivery fees, such as freight or premium delivery.
- Gifting: transactions requiring split-invoice logistics or hidden pricing for recipients.
- In-store activation: products that must be physically activated at a retail location.
Policy and safety restrictions
- Age restricted: items requiring ID verification, such as alcohol or tobacco.
- Prohibited content: weapons, adult content, healthcare or pharmaceuticals, counterfeits, or any other category blocked by standard Google Shopping policy.
Digital goods and services
- Services: lessons, online classes, and travel packages, unless integrated using specific Travel rails.
- Rentals: movie rentals, equipment rentals, or leasing.
- Virtual items: in-game currency, MMORPG goods, or skins.
- Software dependencies: goods that require the user to install specific software before completing the purchase.
For the full list of restrictions, see Google's UCP product restrictions documentation.
How do I make products eligible to set native_commerce to TRUE?
- Submit Google's UCP interest form.
- If selected, Google notifies you and grants access to the onboarding experience in Merchant Center.
- Review and resolve any Merchant Center alerts about feed attributes, return policy requirements, and account configuration updates.
Other requirements may apply, including enrollment in supported Google commerce programs, accurate inventory and pricing, configured shipping and return policies, compatible checkout integrations, and compliance with Google's commerce rules. You can review the full process in Google's guide on how to onboard to the Universal Commerce Protocol in Merchant Center. Once a product qualifies, use the FeedPilot rule to set native_commerce to TRUE for it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to set up all four attributes?
Only merchant_item_id is required. shopify_product_id, shopify_store_domain, and native_commerce are optional, though adding the Shopify identifiers improves how reliably your Google offers match back to their Shopify source.
Should I set native_commerce to TRUE or FALSE?
Set it to FALSE, or leave it empty, for any product that is not eligible for checkout, including subscriptions, personalized goods, pre-orders, age-restricted items, services, rentals, and the other categories listed above. Set it to TRUE only for eligible products once you have completed Google's UCP onboarding.
Does setting native_commerce to TRUE guarantee my products appear in AI shopping?
No. TRUE is an eligibility signal, not a guarantee. Your products will not appear in AI commerce surfaces, and AI checkout will not be enabled, until you complete UCP onboarding and meet Google's commerce requirements.
Why do I have to enter shopify_store_domain manually?
The correct store domain can differ depending on your store setup, so GoDataFeed does not map it automatically. You enter it as a static value, for example example-store.myshopify.com, in your Google Merchant Center feed settings.
If you need additional support, contact our support team for further assistance. Be sure to provide any affected SKUs or screenshots of where you are encountering an issue.
Open a support ticket
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📌 Feed: How to use feed rule operators to optimize your feed
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