Over a decade ago, Google released the Content API for Shopping to let merchants manage their Google Merchant Center feed programmatically. Well, the new Merchant API is officially replacing the Content API for Shopping.
Google wrote it will be shutting down the Content API for Shopping on August 18, 2026. Google posted:
In conjunction with this launch, we are also announcing the future sunset of the Content API for Shopping. We are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible and will provide access to the Content API until August 18, 2026, after which the Content API will be shut down.
With this, Google has the new Merchant API. Google said this new API is a "simplified API designed to help you manage your Merchant Center and showcase your products and your business across Google with ease."
The new Merchant API is now generally available to all and it provides a "simplified interface designed to help you manage your Merchant Center accounts and showcase your products at scale and with ease." "You will also get programmatic access to data, insights, and unique capabilities at scale, allowing you to control how your business and products appear on Google," Google added.
Within a year, Google will make the Merchant API the API you use for Google Merchant Center, as it sunsets the Content API for Shopping. Google wrote, "The new interface is set to become the primary tool, which lets you manage your product data for both organic and ad experiences directly within the Merchant Center platform. The Merchant API replaces the Content API for Shopping as the primary interface for programmatic access."
If you need help migrating from the content API, there are help docs here on that topic.
The Merchant API is not super new, it has been around since May 27, 2024 but only as a beta.
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