Google will change how it estimates its delivery times through Google Merchant Center. Starting on April 9, Google will look at minimum [min_handling_time]and maximum [max_handling_time] attributes for processing time in your product data for Shopping ads and free listings.
"This will allow you to provide more accurate estimated delivery times to customers on Google," Google wrote.
Google sent this email to merchants using Google Merchant Center and Thomas Eccel posted a screenshot of the email on X. The email says:
Starting April 9, 2024, we will use the minimum [min_handling_time] and maximum [max_handling_time] attributes for processing time in your product data for Shopping ads and free listings. This will allow you to provide more accurate estimated delivery times to customers on Google.What you have to do: If you provide processing time information directly in your product data, review your shipping attributes to ensure they are accurate and update them by April 9, 2024. This will help show the correct estimated delivery times for your products.
Google has this "Review processing time" button to click on to see the change. Here is a screenshot of the email:
Google added these estimates back in 2021 when Google began having Merchant Center calculate shipping speeds.
Also, Google clarified when to use FreeReturn versus ReturnShippingFees as value for returnFees for product returns in the product structured data documentation.
Forum discussion at X.
