Google rewrites its Merchant Center API help page

Google has rewritten the Merchant Center help page for its API. Search Engine Roundtable reported the change on 28 September 2026. We read the page as it stands and an Internet Archive copy from 14 June 2026, the latest earlier version we could open.

What changed on the page?#

The title moved from “API access to Merchant Center” to “Google Merchant Center API”. The archived version was short: an introduction to the Merchant API, then a guide to API diagnostics for finding failed requests. The new page adds sections on what the Merchant API is, how you can use it, benefits, getting started, authentication and a frequently asked questions block.

It says the Merchant API is accessed over gRPC or REST and works with Java, PHP, Python, Node.js, .NET and Apps Script. It also describes how it sits beside file uploads and autofeed, since it can manage products in a way that complements them.

Is the old Shopping API ending?#

The archived page never named it. The new one does: the Merchant API is “the redesign and official successor to the Content API for Shopping”, and the FAQ calls the older API deprecated. The page points to a migration guide but states no shutdown date, so we cannot report one.

What do you need to get started?#

The new page lists three requirements before you run a request:

• A Merchant Center account with permission to manage products and inventories.
• A Google Cloud project that gives API access to the account.
• At least one user registered with the API developer role, through a one-time developer registration. Those users receive API communication, including mandatory service announcements.

For authentication, it points to the Google APIs Explorer, which uses Google OAuth 2.0.

Which features are API-only?#

Under benefits, Google lists exclusive features for API users: Google Product Studio for AI-powered imagery, and direct account notifications. The page does not say whether these will reach the Merchant Center interface.

Did API diagnostics change?#

Not in substance. Both versions describe the API diagnostics tab in Merchant Center, with the timeline of successful and failed calls and the table of failed requests. The new version tidies the wording and adds the steps under a “Find API diagnostics” heading.

If you manage a catalog through the API, read this alongside our note on the 2026 Merchant Center product data specification, and confirm your integration no longer depends on the deprecated API.