Google opens Shopping Ads to physical goods subscriptions

Google is expanding ecommerce options in the U.S. by allowing merchants to sell physical goods through subscription models directly in Shopping ads. This move aims to boost convenience for shoppers and flexibility for sellers.

What’s new. Starting this month, eligible U.S. Shopping ad merchants can offer physical goods on a recurring basis.

• The policy formally opens subscriptions in categories like apparel, coffee, healthcare (excluding prescription drugs), home and garden, personal care, pet supplies, prepared foods, and toys.
• To participate, merchants must update their product feeds with the subscription_cost attribute, including subattributes for the billing period (week, month, or year), period length, and amount.
• Google supports only one subscription price per landing page, and sales or discounts on subscriptions aren’t supported yet.

Why we care. This update lets merchants tap into the booming subscription commerce trend – from monthly coffee deliveries to pet supply restocks – without leaving the Google Shopping ecosystem. It’s a big opportunity for brands in categories like coffee, personal care, and pet supplies to boost customer retention and lifetime value. Plus, being early to adopt subscriptions on Google could give merchants a competitive edge as shoppers increasingly favor convenient, auto-replenished purchases.

Bottom line. By officially supporting physical goods subscriptions, Google is giving merchants a new way to drive recurring revenue and customer loyalty – and giving shoppers more ways to “set it and forget it.” It also positions Google to better compete with platforms like Amazon, Shopify, and TikTok Shop, which already support recurring purchase options.