Short answer. product_type is your store’s own category for the product, written as a path with > between levels (Home > Women > Dresses), up to 750 characters, submitted up to five times though only the first value is used for bidding and reporting in Shopping campaigns. It is optional and free-form; Google’s taxonomy is a separate attribute.
| Attribute | product_type |
|---|---|
| Requirement | Optional for each product. |
| Format |
|
Google’s rules for product_type
- Use your storefront’s category path; it needs no mapping to anything.
- Keep it consistent so campaign groupings stay stable.
Common mistakes, and the error each one becomes
- Google taxonomy paths written here and your categories written into google_product_category, swapped.
- Every product given the same generic type, so campaigns cannot be split.
Where the value comes from on a connected store
| Shopify | The product type or collection path, as configured. |
|---|---|
| WooCommerce | The product’s category names, as your shop names them. |
The free feed check reads this attribute from any feed file and reports the defects above; every check is listed.
Questions merchants ask
Does product_type affect approval?
No. It is for organising campaigns and reporting; there are no approval rules beyond the length limit.
Why only the first value?
Google’s page says only the first is used for bidding and reporting in Shopping campaigns; the others are stored.
Should I fill product_type if I fill google_product_category?
Yes, they serve different purposes: one is Google’s taxonomy for matching, the other your structure for campaigns.
Sources
- Product type [product_type] — Google Merchant Center Help
- Google product category [google_product_category] — Google Merchant Center Help