Google Search Console Now Supports Setting Shipping and Return Policies

Google has introduced a new feature in Google Search Console that allows you to set and manage your shipping and return policies directly. This new setting precedes other methods, such as structured data on your website. When configured in Search Console, these settings override any product-level merchant listing markup on your site.

How to Access and Use the New Feature

Logging In:

1. Go to Google Search Console and log in.
2. Click on the gears icon or navigate directly to the settings page.
3. Select your property, then click on “Shopping,” followed by “Shipping and Returns.”

For Shipping Policies:

1. Open the Settings page for your Search Console property.
2. Under Shopping, select Shipping and Returns.
3. Click on the Shipping tab and select Add shipping policy.
4. Choose the applicable country.
5. Enter delivery times (minimum and maximum days for delivery).
6. Set up shipping costs (options include flat rate, free over a certain amount, free, or other).
7. Click Submit.
8. Repeat these steps for each country you ship to.

For Return Policies:

1. Open the Settings page for your Search Console property.
2. Under Shopping, select Shipping and Returns.
3. Click on the Returns tab and select Add return policy.
4. Choose the applicable country.
5. Enter the return policy URL.
6. Specify the return window (number of days for returns or no returns).
7. Set up return costs (options include flat rate, free returns, or a percentage of the product price).
8. Click Submit.
9. Repeat these steps for each country you ship to.

Editing or Deleting Policies:

1. Open the Settings page for your Search Console property.
2. Under Shopping, select Shipping and Returns.
3. Click the More settings icon for the policy you want to modify and choose Edit or Delete.
4. Follow the prompts for editing or confirm deletion.

Timing and Approval

• Shipping details are automatically approved immediately.
• Return policies are manually verified and can take 10 to 13 days to be approved. During this period, they will be marked as “pending.”

Order of Precedence for Policy Information

Google has outlined the order of precedence for shipping and return policy information as follows (from strongest to weakest):

1. Product-level feeds submitted in Merchant Center
2. Return settings in the Content API for Shopping
3. Settings in Merchant Center or Search Console
4. Organization-level markup
5. Product-level merchant listing markup

Why This Matters

For online merchants who previously used various methods to communicate shipping and return policies, this new feature simplifies management by consolidating these settings in Google Search Console. It's important to note that settings configured in Search Console will override any other markup or structured data settings on your site.

This new capability ensures that your e-commerce site's shipping and return details are managed more efficiently and consistently across Google platforms.