Google For Woocommerce How To Disable Gtin

Google for WooCommerce: How to Disable GTIN (And Why You Might Want To)

So, you’re running a WooCommerce store and diving into the world of Google Shopping? That’s great! But you might have stumbled across something called GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) and wondered, “What is this thing, and do I *really* need it?”

For many beginners, the answer Check out this post: How To Create Multiple Shop Pages In Woocommerce is a resounding, “Not always!” Let’s break down why you might want to disable GTIN in your WooCommerce Google Shopping feed and, more importantly, *how* to do it. This guide is for the newbies, so we’ll keep it simple and practical.

What is GTIN, and Why Does Google Want It?

Think of a GTIN as a product’s fingerprint. It’s a unique identifier, like a barcode number, that helps Google understand *exactly* what you’re selling. These numbers come in various formats like UPC, EAN, JAN, and ISBN. Google uses them to:

• Match your product to existing information: This helps Google show your product to the right customers.
• Improve ad relevance: More relevant ads mean better click-through rates and potentially lower costs.
• Provide better product comparisons: Customers can easily compare your product with similar offerings.

Essentially, GTINs help Google provide a better shopping experience. However, there are situations where providing a GTIN is impossible or impractical.

Why Would You Want to Disable GTIN in WooCommerce?

Here’s the thing: Google *prefers* GTINs. But they’re not always mandatory. You might need to disable GTIN if:

• You sell custom-made or handmade products: Imagine you’re selling unique, hand-knitted scarves. These often don’t have standard GTINs.
• You sell vintage or antique items: A vintage record player from the 1960s likely won’t have a GTIN.
• You sell bundled products: If you create a bundle of different products (e.g., a “Spa Day” kit with a candle, lotion, and bath bomb), it might not have a standardized GTIN.
• You sell parts or components: Individual components used in repairs or modifications might not have GTINs.
• You’re a reseller and the original GTIN is unavailable or unknown: Sometimes, especially with older products, the GTIN information is simply lost.

Real-life example: Let’s say you’re selling personalized dog collars. Each collar is unique, based on the customer’s choice of fabric, embroidery, and hardware. These collars don’t have a standardized GTIN. Forcing a GTIN would be misleading and inaccurate.

In these cases, providing a GTIN will likely result in errors in your Google Merchant Center and potentially impact your ad performance.

How to Disable GTIN in WooCommerce: A Step-by-Step Guide

There are several ways to disable GTIN requirements in your WooCommerce Google Shopping feed, depending on the plugin you’re using to create the feed. We’ll cover the most common scenarios:

1. Using the Official WooCommerce Google Listings & Ads Plugin:

This is Google’s official plugin, so it’s a popular choice.

• Identify products without GTINs: Go through your WooCommerce product catalog and identify items that fall into the categories mentioned above (custom, vintage, bundled, etc.).
• Set “Identifier Exists” to “No”: For each product *without* a GTIN, you’ll need to tell Google that it doesn’t have one. Within the product edit screen in WooCommerce, look for the “Google Listings & Discover insights on How To Add A Minimum Order To Woocommerce WordPress Ads” section. You should find an option called “Identifier exists.” Set this to “No.” This tells Google that you’re intentionally not providing a GTIN.

Important Note: Setting “Identifier exists” to “No” is crucial. If you leave the GTIN field blank *without* setting this, Google will assume you’re simply missing the information and likely disapprove your product.

2. Using a Dedicated Google Shopping Feed Plugin (e.g., Product Feed Pro, CTX Feed):

These plugins often offer more granular control over your feed. The exact steps will vary depending on the plugin, but the general principle remains the same:

• Find the GTIN/UPC/EAN mapping setting: Most feed plugins allow you to map WooCommerce product data to Google Shopping attributes. Look for the setting related to GTIN, UPC, EAN, or MPN (Manufacturer Part Number).
• Set a condition or rule to exclude products without GTINs: Often, you can create a rule to exclude products from having a Explore this article on How To Add Short Description In Woocommerce Shop Page GTIN assigned based on certain criteria. For example:
• Category: Exclude all products in the “Handmade” category.
• Tag: Exclude products tagged with “No GTIN.”
• Custom Field: If you have a custom field indicating whether a Discover insights on How To Set Sml Woocommerce Pricevaliduntil product has a GTIN, use that.
• Map a default value (if necessary): Some plugins require you to provide a value even if you’re disabling the GTIN. In this case, you can often use the value `FALSE`, `NO`, or `IDENTIFIER_EXISTS = NO`. Check your plugin’s documentation for the correct value.
• Regenerate your feed: After making changes, regenerate your Google Shopping Learn more about How To Hide Woocommerce Category feed and upload it to Google Merchant Center.

Example using a hypothetical plugin:

Let’s say your plugin has a “GTIN Field” dropdown. You might see options like:

• Product SKU
• Product Title
• GTIN (Default)

You’d select “GTIN (Default),” but then you’d also see an option to set a condition. The condition might look like this:

IF: Product Category = “Handmade” THEN: GTIN Field = `IDENTIFIER_EXISTS = NO`

This tells the plugin: “If the product is in the ‘Handmade’ category, don’t try to assign a GTIN. Instead, tell Google that the identifier doesn’t exist.”

3. Using a Manual Feed (Less Common):

If you’re manually creating your Google Shopping feed (which is rare for WooCommerce users), you’ll need to edit the feed file (usually a CSV or XML file) directly.

• For products without GTINs, set the `identifier_exists` attribute to `no`.

Important Considerations:

• Double-Check Google Merchant Center: After updating your feed, monitor your Google Merchant Center account for any errors or warnings related to GTINs. Pay close attention to product disapprovals.
• Provide Alternative Identifiers: Even without GTINs, Google prefers *some* kind of identifier. If possible, provide a MPN (Manufacturer Part Number) and Brand combination. This helps Google understand what you’re selling.
• High-Quality Product Data: Compensate for the lack of GTINs by providing high-quality product titles, descriptions, and images. The more information you give Google, the better it can understand and categorize your products.

In Conclusion: GTINs Aren’t Always Necessary, But Information Is Key

While Google prefers GTINs, they are not always essential, especially for unique or custom products. By following these steps and understanding *why* you’re disabling GTINs, you can effectively manage your WooCommerce Google Shopping feed and avoid unnecessary errors. Remember to focus on providing comprehensive and accurate product information to maximize your visibility and sales! Always prioritize quality data!