Google Shopping puts your product's photo, name, price and store name directly in Google's results, so a shopper can compare and click through to buy before they ever visit a competitor. For a New Zealand retailer it takes three things: a product feed in Google Merchant Centre, a Google Ads account to run Shopping campaigns, and a website whose prices, stock and shipping match the feed exactly. You pay per click, the same as other Google Ads, and you choose the budget.
This guide pulls together what NZ retailers need to know: how Shopping works, what it costs, how to set it up, and the mistakes that get products disapproved or budgets wasted.
How Google Shopping works
When someone searches for a product, such as "merino crew neck jumper", Google can show a row of Shopping ads above or beside the normal results. Each ad shows a product image, the price and your store name. Clicking it takes the shopper straight to that product page on your site.
Unlike text ads, you do not write keywords. Google matches searches to your products using the information in your feed: the title, description, category, brand and identifiers. That makes the feed the most important part of any Shopping campaign. A product with a vague title and a poor photo will either not show, or show for the wrong searches.
Merchant Centre can also make your products eligible for free listings on some Google surfaces, so a good feed earns some unpaid visibility alongside the ads.
Why it suits NZ retailers
- The shopper has already decided to buy something. A product search with a price showing is about as close to a purchase as search gets.
- Price and photo pre-qualify the click. People who click have already seen your price, so fewer clicks come from browsers who would leave once they see it.
- It levels the field. A small Wellington store can appear alongside national chains when its product, price and feed are strong.
- It shows exactly what earns money. Reporting shows spend, sales and return on ad spend by product, so you can put budget behind your best sellers.
What it costs
Shopping ads are pay per click. You set a daily budget, and the cost per click is set by an auction, influenced by competition, your price and the quality of your listing. There is no minimum spend from Google.
Media Giant manages Shopping as part of our AI-managed Google Ads, at $250 a month ex GST plus your ad budget, on an open term. Your ad budget goes to Google directly. Most of our clients start with $500 to $1,500 a month in ad spend. If we build your Shopify store, Merchant Centre, the product feed and the first Shopping campaigns are set up as part of the build. Full details are on our Google Ads service page and our pricing page.
For a wider view of ad costs, read what Google Ads really costs in NZ.
Setting it up, step by step
- Create a Google Merchant Centre account and verify and claim your website.
- Add your business details, including your NZ address and customer service contact.
- Set up shipping and returns in Merchant Centre so they match your website. Include rural delivery if you charge for it.
- Create your product feed. On Shopify, Google's own sales channel app syncs products automatically. Other platforms use a plugin or a spreadsheet feed.
- Fix any errors Merchant Centre reports before you spend anything.
- Link Merchant Centre to Google Ads, set up conversion tracking so sales are recorded, then create your Shopping campaign.
- Start focused. Begin with your best sellers or highest-margin products and expand once you have data.
If you are on Shopify, our step-by-step post on setting up Google Shopping for your Shopify store goes into each screen.
Getting the product feed right
The feed is where most Shopping campaigns are won or lost.
- Titles. Lead with what the product is, then the details people search for: brand, material, size, colour. "Possum merino crew neck jumper, mens, charcoal" beats "The Classic".
- Images. A clean product shot on a plain background. Promotional text, watermarks and borders can get an image disapproved.
- Prices. Must match the product page exactly and include GST, since New Zealand consumer prices are shown GST inclusive.
- Availability. Out-of-stock products should be marked as such, or removed, so you do not pay for clicks you cannot sell to.
- Identifiers. Include the GTIN (barcode number) and brand where the product has them. They help Google match your product to the right searches.
- Categories and product types. Use them so you can group products in campaigns and bid differently on each group.
Standard Shopping or Performance Max?
Google offers two main ways to run Shopping ads. Standard Shopping campaigns show only in Shopping placements and give you clear control and reporting by product. Performance Max campaigns use the same feed but spread budget across Google's other channels too, including YouTube and display placements, with less visibility into where the money goes.
Our approach keeps spend on Text Ads and Shopping, where people are actively searching to buy, rather than display banners on unrelated websites. For most small and medium NZ retailers, that is where the return is.
Common mistakes
- Price or stock mismatches between the feed and the website, which lead to disapproved products.
- One campaign for everything, so cheap accessories and high-margin hero products compete for the same budget.
- No negative keywords, so ads show for searches like "free", "second hand" or "how to make".
- Shipping that does not match the site, which is both a policy issue and a reason shoppers abandon the cart.
- No conversion tracking, which leaves Google's bidding blind to what actually sells.
- Judging it in week one. Bidding needs a few weeks of data. Give a new campaign time before making big calls.
Shopping and your Shopify store
Shopping works best on a fast, well-structured store. Product pages that load quickly on a phone, show clear photos and make shipping costs obvious convert more of the clicks you pay for. Every Shopify build we do includes product loading and Google Shopping setup, so products are ready to advertise from launch. See our Shopify ecommerce service and the Possum Boutique case study for an example of a store we built.
Get your Shopping campaigns checked
Already running Shopping ads? We will audit your account free and show you where the budget is leaking. If you are launching a store, our Shopify service includes Shopping setup from day one.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Shopping available in New Zealand?
Yes. NZ retailers can list products through Google Merchant Centre and run Shopping campaigns through Google Ads, shown to shoppers in New Zealand.
How much does Google Shopping cost?
You pay per click, with a daily budget you set. Clicks are priced by auction. If you use an agency, add the management fee. Ours is $250 a month ex GST plus your ad budget, open term.
Do I need a Shopify store to use Google Shopping?
No. Any online store that can produce an accurate product feed can use it. Shopify makes the feed easier because Google's sales channel app syncs products automatically.
Why have my products been disapproved?
The most common reasons are a price or stock mismatch between the feed and your site, missing product identifiers, images with promotional overlays, or missing shipping and returns information. Merchant Centre lists the reason for each product.
Should prices in my feed include GST?
Yes. Show the same GST-inclusive price your customers see on your product page.