Starting in March 2026, Google’s Merchant Center will implement a new system for multi-channel products — items sold online and in physical stores — that requires advertisers to use different product IDs if those products vary by channel.
What is changing. Under the new approach, online product attributes will be automatic. If the store information for a product differs, advertisers will need to create a second version with a different product ID and manage it independently of their feed.
What advertisers should do. Google has begun emailing affected accounts, flagging products that need to be updated before the March deadline. Marketers should review their product data feeds now to ensure that online and in-store items are properly separated — especially if they rely on Local Inventory Ads or sell across multiple Google locations.
Why do we care. Many retailers currently carry online and in-store versions of the same product under one ID. Google’s update changes that assumption, pushing advertisers to clearly differentiate products where features like price, availability, or conditions don’t match.
Big picture. This update gives Google cleaner, more consistent product data across channels, but it shifts more of the burden of managing feeds to advertisers — especially large retailers with complex listings.
It was first seen. Google comms reviews and news were first mentioned by PPC News Feed founder Hana Kobzová.
Bottom line. If your online and in-store products aren’t really the same, Google will soon require you to treat them as separate entities, or risk visibility and relevance issues.
Dig Deeper. Multi-channel product system update from Google.
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