Google has refined its structured data guidelines to help merchants implement return policies and loyalty programs more effectively.
This update aims to minimize confusion and enhance compatibility with Google Search features.
Return Policy Guidelines
Google’s documentation now specifies that only a limited range of return policy data is supported at the product level.
Merchants must use the MerchantReturnPolicy type under the Organization markup for comprehensive return policies. This ensures consistency across all products.
Product-level return policies, defined under Offer, should only be used for exceptions and support fewer properties.
Google’s return policy documentation states:
“Product-level return policies support only a subset of the properties available for merchant-level return policies.”
Loyalty Program Structure
For loyalty programs, the MemberProgram structured data must be defined under the Organization markup, either on a separate page or in Merchant Center.
While loyalty benefits like member pricing can be referenced at the product level via UnitPriceSpecification, the program structure must be separate.
Google’s loyalty program documentation notes:
“To specify the loyalty benefits… separately add
UnitPriceSpecificationmarkup under yourOfferstructured data markup.”
Unsupported Features
Shipping discounts and extended return windows offered as loyalty perks aren’t supported in structured data.
These benefits can still be offered by merchants but won’t enhance Google Search results.
Why This Matters
The changes clarify implementation rules that have been inconsistently followed.
Merchants using offer-level markup for return policies or embedding loyalty programs in product offers may need to restructure their data.
Consider these steps:
- Audit existing markup to ensure return policies and loyalty programs are correctly defined.
- Use product-level return policies only for exceptions.
- Separate loyalty program structure from benefits, using
MemberProgramunderOrganization.
Adhering to these guidelines ensures eligibility for structured data features in Google Search and Shopping.
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