Google’s Shopping API Migration Puts Ads at Risk

There is a technical switch on the horizon for retailers and agencies managing Google Shopping and Performance Max campaigns. If it is missed, it can quietly disrupt ad delivery.

 

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What is changing

Google is retiring older versions of its Shopping Content API and moving merchants towards the newer Merchant API as the primary way product data is supplied for Shopping ads.

Google is consolidating product data management so that the Merchant API becomes the unified data source for Shopping ads. Older API versions are being phased out, which means accounts still using the legacy ‘Content API’ pathway need to take action.

Google has already started surfacing warnings to advertisers, which suggests enforcement is close rather than a distant roadmap item.

The key dates you need to know

There are two milestones, depending on your setup. If you have been invited into Google’s Merchant API beta, you may be in the first group.

- Beta users: complete the switch by 28 February

- Content API users: migrate by 18 August

If you are unsure which group you fall into, do not assume you are safe. Check the feed source inside Merchant Centre.

How to confirm what your account is using

In Merchant Centre Next, you can verify your current feed source:

- Go to Settings

- Open Data sources

- Review the Source column

If any listing shows Content API, that feed needs attention now.

Why this matters for performance marketers

Shopping and Performance Max are feed-led. When the feed breaks, delivery breaks with it.

Google is specifically calling out the risk of feeds not being reconnected properly during migration. If your Google Ads account uses feed labels, you need to be especially careful. Feed labels are tags used to group products for campaign structure, bidding control, or segmentation in Google Ads.

If labels are not carried across correctly, campaigns can remain technically live but lose the product groupings they depend on. That often shows up as a gradual performance decline or a sudden drop in traffic.

What to do now

To reduce risk, treat this like a release, not a routine migration:

- Migrate early: do not leave it until the deadline

- Audit feed labels: document how labels map to campaigns and asset groups

- Reconnect and validate: confirm feeds are active and populating after the switch

- Monitor delivery: watch impressions and spend closely post-migration, especially for campaigns that rely on labels

Google originally outlined this transition in mid 2024, but the recent reminders make it clear the retirement of legacy APIs is approaching quickly.

Bottom line

If your feed connection is not migrated and revalidated in time, campaigns that rely on that feed can fail. You might not spot the issue until impressions and revenue drop.

Confirm your feed source, plan the switch, and re-check campaign configuration afterwards.

How Shoptimised can help

If you are already using Shoptimised

In most cases, no changes are needed. Shoptimised output feeds do not rely on the legacy APIs being retired, so this change will not interrupt product data delivery.

- Output URL feed: refreshes in line with the fetch schedule you have set in Merchant Centre

- SFTP or FTP: updates automatically whenever Shoptimised refreshes its cache, multiple times per day

If you are not sure which output method you are using, raise a ticket via the Help Desk and the team can confirm your setup.

If you are not using Shoptimised

You will still need to follow Google’s migration requirements if you are currently using Content API. Alongside that, it is worth checking whether you can move to a feed method that is easier to manage and monitor day to day.

A practical option for many retailers is a feed URL generated by your platform or plug-in. For example, WooCommerce feed plug-ins often provide a URL you can add as a data source in Merchant Centre. Update frequency can be lower than an API and varies by provider. Shoptimised refreshes its feed cache four times daily, on average.

If you cannot access a feed URL or file output, contact your plug-in support team or explore alternative plug-ins and feed generation methods available for your CMS.

Once you have an output feed, you can create a new data source in Merchant Centre and use it as your product source. After it passes inspection and begins populating, you can retire the old Content API source so your product data comes from one consistent method.

If you would like a second opinion on your setup, or support moving to a more reliable output method, the Shoptimised team can help you review options and validate your data source in Merchant Centre.