Google endorses GTINs for better product information

Unique and accurate product information helps brands, manufacturers and retailers, explains new Google blog post

In a just released blog post, Randy Rockinson, Product Manager for Product Data at Google Shopping, writes that “organising product information for shoppers and retailers is an essential part” of Google’s mission—and that “to best help users find your content and products in Search, we recommend that websites clearly identify products...”

Uniqueness, verifiability and global reach help manufacturers, retailers and publishers access unlimited consumers.

Accurate and trusted product data are essential for identifying products whether online or offline. To ensure this, Rockinson points to three factors that need to be in place: unique identifiers for each product, the ability to verify the identity of a product and other product information to ensure data accuracy—and the use of a product identification system that has global reach.

The blog post goes on to highlight the GS1 Global Trade Item Number (GTIN^TM), “which provides internationally recognised standard identifiers for products both in physical stores and on e-commerce platforms.” It adds that Google adopted the use of GTINs as the standard in 2015.

Once brands and manufacturers have registered their GTINs through GS1, they “can submit their product data through the Google Manufacturer Centre for free, and as part of this process, share the product information to uniquely identify the products to Google,” Rockinson writes.

Google also advises brands and manufacturers not to reuse GTINs and provides other pro tips for retailers, 3rd party sellers and online publishers.