Google CSS Partner FAQs
Yes of course. Make sure that your setup is identical in the beginning (geo, language selection, amount of budget etc) in order to see the most trustworthy results in the end.
We recommend testing the same inventory with both CSSs and no device / product group exclusions to have the most faithful results.
Different CSSs might offer different value-adds. We understand that you might want to control the appearance of your ads. For any questions, we recommend you contact the appropriate CSS. Each CSS is listed in your Merchant Center dashboard. All CSSs have the ability to adjust traffic volume using budgets, bids, and pausing or activating campaigns. Some CSSs provide an interface that allows merchants to manage campaigns. To opt out or in for a specific CSS channel, you can use Merchant Center’s dashboard. Opt-outs can take up to 24 hours for to take effect.
The best combination for you will depend on your business and your goals. To find the right combination of CSSs for your business, you can advertise with multiple CSSs simultaneously. All CSSs, even Google Shopping, offer the same opportunity to place ads for you on Google’s general search results pages. Any CSS can place ads on Google general search results pages.
CSSs usually report clicks sent to merchants and the cost per click. They may also share bidding data or additional information depending on the pricing scheme. Google Shopping reports clicks to merchants and costs per click. The European Commission requires Google Shopping to be independent profitable in EEA countries that have Shopping ads. Google Shopping is currently able to ensure profitability by deducting a fixed percentage from each merchant bid before it enters the auction. The merchant pays a fixed percentage margin and charges only for a click on an ad from the merchant. Google recommends that merchants evaluate the costs and returns of various marketing channels in order to determine which one is most effective for them.
A merchant will never be second-priced against itself in the auction for any offer, and that rule holds irrespective of the number, or identity, of the CSSs used by the merchant. Therefore, if two CSSs place bids on behalf of the same merchant, the winning offer and the price paid by the winning CSS will be the same as if those bids had been placed by one and the same CSS.
The fact that several CSSs place ads on your behalf won’t mean your offers are being repeated or that Google will charge more for a click on any of them.
Google try to not show multiple instances of the the same offer (that is, the same product offered by the merchant). We will not show the same product twice if it is uploaded by multiple CSSs. If Google is unable to detect two identical offers, they might both appear in the same Shopping Unit. In such cases, the CPCs paid to winning CSSs don’t increase because merchants are never second-priced (see next question).
Different products can appear through multiple CSSs within the same unit. If a user searches running shoes online, the ad for one model of running shoes may be from CSS A, while the ad for another model from CSS B might appear. In such cases, the CPCs paid to winning CSSs do not rise because merchants are never second-priced (see next question).
No. CSSs have the option to invoicing their merchants. Google Shopping charges merchants on a CPC basis.
Clicking on the “By CSS” link at the bottom (which leads to the CSS website) is currently free for CSSs.
Only CSS can place Shopping ads. You can use Google Shopping, or any other CSS you choose. Participation can be done via multiple CSSs simultaneously.
Yes, you can test the CSS and our service for 3 months free of charge and without risk.
No, your campaigns, bids, data, logins, etc. will not be changed. You have full control over your Google Ads account.
If you cancel the CSS, your Google Shopping ads will appear on Google Shopping Europe again. You then pay the additional 20% margin to Google again.
Yes, you retain full control over your campaigns and access to your Google Ads account.
We don’t get access to your campaigns or your Google Ads account.
A Comparison Shopping Service (CSS) is a website that allows users to search for and compare products and then redirect users to the merchants’ websites to make purchases.
In the European Economic Area and in Switzerland, merchants must work with one or more CSS in order to be able to place shopping ads.
If a retailer uses a different CSS than Google Shopping Europe, he receives a 20% discount on the clicks in his Google Shopping ads. The ads still run as usual on Google Shopping.
Google Shopping is the Comparison Shopping Service from Google and a Google Premium CSS Partner.
Google Shopping helps businesses grow by selling more and better across Europe while delivering outstanding Google-quality service levels.
The CSS partner badge and the Premium CSS partner badge are awarded to companies in the CSS partner program that have qualified for partner status. Partners who have received either badge can add it to their website, other online properties, and offline marketing collateral to show that Google recognizes their company as a Certified CSS Partner.
Comparison Shopping Services (CSS) can place shopping ads on Google on behalf of retailers in countries that are part of the European Economic Area (EEA) and in Switzerland.
Shopping ads for CSSs are currently available in the following countries: Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, the Slovakia, Spain, the Czech Republic and Hungary.
The margin that Google Shopping uses to run your Shopping ads is added to your CPC bid in each auction (see “What is the Google Shopping pricing model”) and is reflected in the total cost of your campaign. There are no additional fees.
Google Shopping enables retailers and merchants of all sizes and types to run shopping ads in the European Economic Area & Switzerland.
Yes, only a CSS can place shopping ads on the general search results page of Google in the European Economic Area & Switzerland. You can use Google Shopping or any other CSS of your choice. You can also participate via one or more CSS at the same time.
Google Shopping charges a fixed percentage surcharge on the cost-per-click (CPC) paid in the Google auction. This is our fee for serving shopping ads. In practice, the margin is deducted from our bids before they are entered into the auction. The auction is structured in such a way that dealers only pay what is necessary to beat the next highest bidder and do not bid against their own advertisements placed via a different CSS.
Google Shopping therefore recalculates the margin for our bids and applies it again after the auction ends. Google Shopping does not charge any additional fees for its Google quality advisory services.
With the quick and easy switch to our CSS, online retailers immediately save around 20% of their CPC when clicking on your ads in Google search results.
