Google’s John Mueller Offers Tips For Removing Pricing Discrepancies In Search

Ever clicked on a search result only to find the product is more expensive on the actual website? It’s a frustrating experience that can erode trust in online shopping.

One of the primary reasons for price discrepancies is the complexity of Google’s algorithms. These algorithms work tirelessly to match search queries with relevant products, but sometimes, they can make mistakes. Additionally, outdated structured data and duplicate content issues can also contribute to the problem.

In a recent Google SEO office hours Q&A, Senior Search Analyst John Mueller addressed a common concern among retailers: inaccurate product pricing in search results.

Mueller provided valuable insights and recommendations to help businesses ensure their prices are displayed correctly.

Leveraging Google Merchant Center for Accurate Pricing

One of the most effective ways to address inaccurate pricing is by utilizing Google Merchant Center. This powerful tool allows retailers to submit their product data directly to Google, including pricing information. Mueller emphasized the importance of using Merchant Center feeds, stating, “I’d recommend using the Merchant Center feeds if you can.”

“There are ways to submit pricing information in [the] Merchant Center that don’t require a lot of work, so check that out. If you can’t find ways to resolve this, then please drop us a note in the help forums with the details needed to reproduce the issue,” Mueller continues.

By using Merchant Center, businesses can gain more control over how their product information, including prices, appears in search results. This can help prevent errors and ensure that shoppers see the correct price when they click on a listing.

Addressing Currency Discrepancies

Another issue that can arise is discrepancies in currency display in rich results, which can lead to confused customers and lost sales.

Mueller explained that this often occurs when Google’s systems view pages as duplicates, particularly when content is nearly identical across different regional site versions.

“Often, this is a side effect of Google systems seeing the page as being mostly duplicate. For example, if you have almost exactly the same content on pages for Germany and Switzerland, our systems might see the pages as duplicates, even if there’s a different price shown,” says John Mueller.

To avoid this problem, retailers should ensure that their content for different regions or currencies is sufficiently distinct. Additionally, using Merchant Center feeds for pricing information can help prevent currency-related issues.

Additional tips for accurate pricing

• Regularly Update Product Information: Ensure that product data, including pricing, is kept up-to-date to avoid discrepancies.
• Monitor Search Results: Regularly check how prices are displayed in search results and rich snippets to identify any issues.
• Utilize Google’s Tools: In addition to Merchant Center, consider using Google Search Console to monitor your website’s performance and identify potential issues.
• Avoid Duplicate Content: To ensure Google doesn’t mistake them for duplicates, pages for different regions or currencies should have unique content.
• Seek Assistance: If you encounter persistent problems, don’t hesitate to reach out to Google’s help forums for further assistance.

Conclusion

By following these guidelines and leveraging tools like Google Merchant Center, retailers can significantly improve the accuracy of their product pricing in search results. This will not only enhance the shopping experience for customers but also boost sales and build trust in your brand.