[Richard]

Google GSC tells me to do it on this URL:

https://business.google.com/create/new

but WooCommerce has their own WordPress plugin called Google Listings & Ads. What is the better way to claim the website URL and setup product listings?

[Victoria]

On the Woo Google Listings plugin it as FAQ warning:

What if I already have Google listings or ads set up? Will syncing my store replace my current Google listings?
Once you link an existing account to connect your store, your Shopping ads and free listings will stop running. You’ll need to re-upload your feed and product data in order to run Shopping ads and show free listings.

Learn more about claiming URLs here.

If you have an existing Content API feed, it will not be changed, overwritten or deleted by this WooCommerce integration. Instead, products will be added to your existing Content API feed.

[Randy]

This FAQ makes me scared that I’m going to mess it up lol

[Steven]

afaik the WooCommerce plugin for Google Listings & Ads is just another Jetpack honeypot trying to force website owners into the Automattic ecosystem. I don’t think that plugin is actually required to use Google Merchant Center, it’s just a dummy way to “verify” your website URL and let Automattic spyware gain access.

I might be wrong, I haven’t tried it. But I know you must connect WordPress.com in order to activate that plugin, and any WP.com API is usually synonymous with Jetpack.

[Louis]

from Woo’s Google Listings & Ads plugin:

Why do I need a WordPress.com account?
We use a WordPress.com account to connect your site to the WooCommerce and Google servers. It ensures that requests (e.g. product feed, clicks, sales, etc) from your site are securely and correctly attributed to your store. It enables a connection to your self-hosted site, and provides a common authentication interface across disparate server configurations and architectures.

Why do I need a Google Merchant Center account?
Google Merchant Center helps you sync your store and product data with Google and makes the information available for both free listings on the Shopping tab and Google Shopping Ads. That means everything about your stores and products is available to shoppers when they search on a Google property.

If you create a new Merchant Center account through this application, it will be associated with Google’s Comparison Shopping Service (Google Shopping) by default. You can change the CSS associated with your account at any time. Please find more information here.

[Bruce]

okay folks. it’s now blacklisted by default in SlickStack:

https://github.com/littlebizzy/slickstack/commit/db9498fcdb7eb2baeb523ce90aad8cfb6b948572

google-listings-and-ads ;; Jetpack honeypot, Automattic propaganda, not necessary to setup Google Merchant center, horrible design, absolutely pointless

[Alan]

LOL!!

[Kenneth]

did someone say Jetpack

Managing WooCommerce extensions is a total shitshow…

[Jonathan]

I tried it without the Automattic crapware. It worked fine.

Google discovered all my products automatically, you can click here on your Merchant Center account and see the update every 24 hours

https://merchants.google.com/mc/products/sources

Found by Google
Google automatically finds products on your online store and can keep them updated in Merchant Center every 24 hours.

Source: example.com – Products – Countries (Automatic) – Language

[Abigail]

I’m still not convinced Google Merchant Center is a good thing.

[Author]

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