shipping
Shipping cost for the item, structured by country and service. Required when Merchant Center can't infer shipping from your account-level settings or when prices vary by SKU.
Also known as: shipping_cost , delivery
Channel support
| Channel | Status | Field name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Merchant Center | Conditional | shipping | Required when account-level shipping settings can't cover the item. Docs → |
| Meta Commerce Manager | Optional | shipping | — |
| TikTok Shop | Recommended | shipping_cost | — |
| Pinterest Catalog | Optional | shipping | — |
| Amazon | Not supported | — | Amazon handles shipping at account level. |
| Bing Merchant Center | Conditional | shipping | — |
Why it matters
Shipping cost transparency is one of the largest conversion drivers in Shopping. Users see total cost (price + shipping) in placements; high or hidden shipping kills click-through. Wrong shipping data — especially over-stating cost — silently degrades performance.
Shipping cost transparency is one of the largest conversion drivers in Shopping placements. Channels show total cost (price + shipping) prominently; high or hidden shipping kills click-through and adds to checkout abandonment. The catalog field gets the shipping cost into the placement instead of leaving users to discover it at checkout.
The structured format `country:region:service:price` is what channels parse. `GB:::4.99 GBP` is standard UK delivery at £4.99. `US:CA:Express:9.99 USD` is California express at $9.99. The empty service slot (`GB:::4.99 GBP`) means "any/default service"; specific services let you express tiered offerings.
For account-level shipping (most teams use this rather than item-level), the field can be omitted entirely — Merchant Center settings handle it. Item-level shipping is for the cases where individual SKUs have variant shipping (oversized items, hazmat, perishables) that account-level rules can't express. Mixing both works: item-level overrides account-level.
Format rules
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Structured: country:region:service:price (e.g. 'GB:::4.99 GBP')
Applies to: Google Merchant Center, Bing Merchant Center
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Multiple shipping rules: separate with comma or repeat the attribute
Applies to: Google Merchant Center, Bing Merchant Center
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Free shipping: price '0.00 GBP' (not blank)
Applies to: Google Merchant Center, Meta Commerce Manager, Pinterest Catalog, Bing Merchant Center
Valid examples
GB:::4.99 GBP Standard UK delivery, 4.99 GBP
US::Standard:5.00 USD Named service tier
GB:::0.00 GBP Free shipping in UK
Common mistakes
Free Use 0.00 GBP not 'Free'
(blank for international) Missing shipping for served countries is a blocking issue
Related fields
price The product's standard selling price including the currency code. The single field every shopping channel reads first — wrong prices, wrong currency, or mismatches against the landing page break delivery outright.
Read moretax Tax information per region. Primarily required for US Merchant Center feeds where sales tax varies by state. Most other regions handle tax via Merchant Center account settings or destination VAT rules.
Read moreCommon issues involving this field
Related tools
FAQ
When do I need shipping in the feed vs at the account level?
Account-level is preferred for catalogues with consistent shipping. Item-level shipping is required when costs vary by SKU (oversized items, hazmat, perishables). Mixing both is allowed — item-level overrides account-level.
Should I include free shipping in the field?
Yes, explicitly. Set the cost to '0.00 GBP' (or relevant currency). Leaving it blank looks like missing data; setting it to zero confirms free shipping.
Last reviewed: 26 May 2026
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