Google Shopping Required Attributes: The Complete List for 2026

Understanding Google Shopping Attribute Requirements

Google Merchant Center enforces strict attribute requirements for product feeds. Products missing required attributes are disapproved — removed from Google Shopping results without warning. Understanding which attributes are required, recommended, and optional is essential for maintaining a healthy product feed.

Required Attributes (All Products)

These attributes are mandatory for every product in your Google Shopping feed:

AttributeDescriptionExampleidUnique product identifierSKU-12345titleProduct name (max 150 chars)Nike Air Max 90 — Men's Running Shoes, White/BlackdescriptionProduct description (max 5,000 chars)Detailed product description with featureslinkURL to product pagehttps://store.com/product/nike-air-max-90image_linkMain product image URLhttps://store.com/images/nike-air-max-90.jpgpriceCurrent price with currency129.99 USDavailabilityStock statusin_stock, out_of_stock, preorderbrandManufacturer nameNike

Required Attributes (Apparel & Accessories)

For clothing, shoes, and accessories, Google requires additional attributes:

AttributeRequired forValuescolorAll apparelBlack, Navy Blue, Heather GreysizeAll apparelS, M, L, XL, 10, 32x30genderAll apparelmale, female, unisexage_groupAll appareladult, kids, toddler, infant, newborn

Missing any of these for apparel products results in disapproval. FeedOn's AI attribute extraction fills all four automatically — detecting color from product images, classifying gender and age group from text, and extracting size from variant data.

Strongly Recommended Attributes

These aren't strictly required but significantly improve your ad performance:

• google_product_category — Google's taxonomy ID. Improves ad relevance and reduces disapprovals.

• gtin — UPC/EAN barcode. Products with valid GTINs get priority in Shopping results.

• mpn — Manufacturer Part Number (required if no GTIN).

• material — Cotton, leather, polyester. Helps match search queries.

• pattern — Striped, floral, solid. Useful for apparel and home goods.

• additional_image_link — Extra product images (up to 10).

• product_type — Your own category hierarchy for campaign organization.

• custom_label_0 through custom_label_4 — Five custom fields for campaign segmentation and bid strategies.

How to Fill Missing Attributes Automatically

Manually filling color, material, gender, and category for thousands of products is impractical. AI-powered product attribute extraction solves this:

1. Vision AI analyzes product images to detect color, pattern, and material

2. Text AI classifies gender, age group, brand, and product type from titles and descriptions

3. Google Product Category is assigned automatically using Google's taxonomy

4. Custom labels can be generated for Smart Shopping bid strategies

Validate Before You Submit

Before submitting your feed to Google Merchant Center, run a product feed audit to verify every product has the required attributes, valid GTINs, and no policy violations. FeedOn's audit checks 60+ signals and gives each product a 0-100 health score.

Start your free trial — connect your store and see which attributes are missing in under 5 minutes.