shipping states the shipping cost for a product to a country (and optionally a region and a service) as country:region:service:price, required for Shopping ads and free listings in 30 countries unless the account’s shipping settings cover the product. When the price sub-attribute is submitted, Google ignores the account shipping service settings for that location and product, so it is the exception mechanism, not the default.
| Attribute | shipping |
|---|---|
| Requirement | Required for Shopping ads and free listings in 30 countries when not covered by account-level shipping settings. |
| Format |
|
Google’s rules for shipping
- Prefer account-level shipping settings for the catalogue; use the attribute for exceptions.
- A submitted price sub-attribute overrides account settings (including delivery times and minimum order value) for that location.
- Match what checkout actually charges.
Common mistakes, and the error each one becomes
- No shipping information anywhere for a target country. → Missing value [shipping]
- Costs that differ from checkout.
Where the value comes from on a connected store
| Shopify | Not written per product; set shipping in Merchant Center or sync Shopify’s rates through the Google & YouTube channel. |
|---|---|
| WooCommerce | Not written per product (shipping zones are rules, not one number); set a shipping policy in Merchant Center per country. |
The free feed check reads this attribute from any feed file and reports the defects above; every check is listed.
Questions merchants ask
Should I use the attribute or the account settings?
Account settings for almost every store: one policy, one place to change it. The attribute is for products with their own rates.
How do I state free shipping?
A price of 0 with the currency, e.g. DE:::0.00 EUR, or an account policy with zero cost. An absent value is not free shipping; it is missing information.
Which countries require shipping costs?
Google’s shipping page lists 30 countries where shipping costs are required for Shopping ads and free listings, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Japan. It adds that you may be required to provide shipping costs in other countries based on local laws or regulations. Under best practices, it asks for shipping costs for any region you ship to; without one, the product or account could be disapproved.
Sources
- Shipping [shipping] — Google Merchant Center Help
- How to fix: Missing shipping costs — Google Merchant Center Help