The Price Competitiveness report in Google Merchant Center shows how your prices compare to competitors selling the same products. This free tool reveals which products are priced above, at, or below market rates - valuable intelligence for pricing strategy and Shopping campaign optimization.
This guide walks through accessing the report, understanding the data, and using the insights to improve your competitive position.
Accessing the Price Competitiveness Report
In Merchant Center Classic
- Log into Google Merchant Center
- Click Growth in the left navigation
- Select Price competitiveness
- Choose your target country (data is country-specific)
In Merchant Center Next
- Log into Merchant Center Next
- Navigate to Performance > Competitive visibility
- Look for the Price competitiveness section
- Select your market
Requirements
Price competitiveness data requires: active products in Merchant Center, products with GTINs (for matching), and sufficient market data (competitors selling the same products). New accounts or niche products may have limited data. Learn more about feed requirements in the product data specification.
Understanding the Report Data
Key Metrics Explained
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Your Price | The price in your feed for this product |
| Benchmark Price | The aggregated price from other retailers selling the same product |
| Price Difference | Percentage difference between your price and benchmark (positive = higher, negative = lower) |
| Price Status | Classification: Above, At, or Below benchmark |
How Benchmark Price is Calculated
The benchmark price represents what other retailers charge for the same product. Google calculates this by:
- Matching products by GTIN (primary) or other identifiers
- Aggregating prices from other Shopping advertisers
- Anonymizing the data (you don't see individual competitor prices)
- Weighting by factors like prominence and recency
The benchmark is typically a median or weighted average, not the lowest or highest price. It represents the "typical" market price.
Price Status Categories
| Status | Typical Range | Implication |
|---|---|---|
| Below | More than 3% below benchmark | Competitive advantage; may win more clicks |
| At | Within ±3% of benchmark | Competitive; other factors determine clicks |
| Above | More than 3% above benchmark | Competitive disadvantage; may lose clicks to lower-priced competitors |
Exporting Price Competitiveness Data
Manual Export
- In the Price competitiveness report, click Download
- Choose CSV or Google Sheets format
- Select date range and filters
- Export for analysis in spreadsheets
Using the Content API
For automated access, use the Merchant Center Content API:
GET https://shoppingcontent.googleapis.com/content/v2.1/
{merchantId}/products/{productId}/pricecompetitiveness
# Or for bulk data:
GET https://shoppingcontent.googleapis.com/content/v2.1/
{merchantId}/reports/search
# With query:
{
"query": "SELECT product_id, your_price, benchmark_price
FROM PriceCompetitivenessProductView
WHERE country = 'US'"
}Tool Tip
Analytics tools like SKU Analyzer pull this data automatically and combine it with performance metrics, letting you see not just how your prices compare, but how price position correlates with conversions and ROAS.
Interpreting Your Results
Overall Portfolio View
Start with the aggregate view to understand your overall price position:
| Distribution | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Mostly Below benchmark | Strong price position; may be leaving money on table |
| Balanced distribution | Healthy mix; likely strategic pricing by product |
| Mostly Above benchmark | Potential conversion disadvantage; evaluate value proposition |
| Many without benchmark | Check GTIN accuracy; may be selling unique products |
Product-Level Analysis
Dig into individual products to identify opportunities:
High-Volume Products Priced Above
Products with high impressions/clicks but priced above benchmark are potentially leaving conversions on the table. These are candidates for price evaluation.
Low-Volume Products Priced Below
Products priced below benchmark but with low impressions may have other issues (visibility, feed quality) preventing them from capitalizing on competitive pricing. Improving your impression share on these products could unlock their full potential.
High Performers Priced Above
Products converting well despite being priced above benchmark suggest strong value proposition - brand, reviews, service differentiation. These may not need price changes.
Taking Action on Price Competitiveness Data
When to Lower Prices
Consider price reductions when:
- Products are significantly above benchmark (10%+) AND
- Have declining conversion rates AND
- Are in commoditized categories where price drives decisions
Caution
Don't automatically match or beat benchmark prices. Consider your margins, brand positioning, and service level. Being above benchmark is fine if your conversion data supports it.
When NOT to Lower Prices
- Products are converting well at current price
- You have unique value (better service, reviews, bundling)
- You're premium-positioned in the market
- Lower price would destroy margins
Alternative Actions
If you can't or shouldn't lower prices:
- Highlight value - Ensure shipping, returns, reviews are visible
- Optimize titles - Better product titles can improve CTR even at higher prices
- Adjust bids - Lower bids on products where you're at a price disadvantage
- Bundle products - Create bundles that aren't directly comparable
- Focus elsewhere - Shift budget to products where you're competitive
- Promotions - Use Merchant Promotions instead of permanent price cuts
Correlating Price Position with Performance
The real value comes from combining price competitiveness with performance data:
Analysis Framework
| Price Position | Performance | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Below benchmark | High conversions, high ROAS | Scale - increase bids/budget; consider price increase |
| Below benchmark | Low conversions | Fix other issues - feed quality, images, targeting |
| At benchmark | Average performance | Optimize other factors - titles, images, bids |
| Above benchmark | High conversions | Maintain - you have differentiation working |
| Above benchmark | Low conversions | Evaluate - price cut, promotion, or deprioritize |
Tracking Over Time
Price position changes. Track:
- Weekly shifts in your products' price position
- Correlation between price changes and conversion rate changes
- Seasonal patterns (competitors may be more aggressive during sales periods)
- How quickly competitors respond to your price changes
Limitations of the Report
Products Without Benchmark Data
Not all products will have benchmark prices. Common reasons:
- Unique products - No one else sells them
- Missing GTINs - Google can't match to competitors
- Incorrect GTINs - Wrong matches or no matches
- New products - Insufficient market data
- Niche markets - Few competitors in your category
Benchmark Accuracy
As noted by Search Engine Journal and other industry sources, the benchmark isn't perfect:
- It's anonymized and aggregated, not real-time competitive pricing
- It may include sellers with very different value propositions
- It doesn't account for shipping costs in all cases
- Competitor feed errors can skew benchmarks
Country-Specific Data
Price competitiveness is calculated per country. If you sell internationally, you need to analyze each market separately. A solid cross-platform strategy helps you manage pricing across different markets.
Best Practices
1. Ensure Accurate GTINs
Price matching relies on GTINs. Audit your feed for:
- Missing GTINs that could be added
- Incorrect GTINs (wrong product matched)
- Products marked
identifier_exists: falsethat actually have GTINs - see our feed errors guide for GTIN troubleshooting
2. Don't Overreact to Individual Products
Look at patterns across your portfolio, not just individual products. A few products above benchmark isn't a crisis if overall you're competitive. Use auction insights to understand your competitive landscape beyond just pricing.
3. Combine with Margin Data
Always consider margins. A product 10% below benchmark with 5% margin is unprofitable. Use custom labels to segment by margin tier.
4. Review Regularly but Don't Obsess
Check price competitiveness weekly or bi-weekly. Daily checking leads to reactive pricing that may hurt margins.
5. Use for Strategic Decisions
The report is best for:
- Identifying products where price is likely hurting performance
- Validating pricing strategy across the portfolio
- Discovering opportunities to increase prices on competitive products
- Informing promotional strategy
- Supporting broader Shopping campaign optimization efforts
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the benchmark price in Merchant Center?
The benchmark price is an aggregated, anonymized price that represents what other retailers are charging for the same or similar products. It's calculated from prices across Google Shopping and typically represents a median or weighted average of competitor prices.
Why don't all my products have benchmark prices?
Benchmark prices require sufficient data from other retailers selling the same product. Products without benchmark data typically have: unique/niche products not widely sold, missing or incorrect GTINs, new products with limited price data, or products in markets with few competitors.
How often is the price competitiveness data updated?
Price competitiveness data is typically updated daily, though the exact timing can vary. Benchmark prices reflect recent market data, usually within the last 24-48 hours.
Can I see which specific competitors are included in the benchmark?
No. Google anonymizes the data - you see an aggregate benchmark but not individual competitor prices or identities. For competitive price monitoring, you'd need third-party tools or manual research.
Does being above benchmark hurt my ad performance?
Not directly - Google doesn't penalize higher-priced products in auctions. However, users comparing Shopping results may choose lower-priced options, reducing your click and conversion rates. Price is a factor in user behavior, not in ad eligibility.
Conclusion
The Merchant Center Price Competitiveness report is a valuable free tool for understanding your market position. Key takeaways:
- Access regularly - Check weekly to stay informed on pricing dynamics
- Focus on correlation - Price position alone doesn't matter; correlation with performance does
- Don't blindly match - Being above benchmark is fine if you're converting
- Consider margins - Competitive pricing that destroys margins isn't a win
- Ensure data quality - Accurate GTINs are essential for useful benchmarks
For more on pricing strategy, see our guide on price competitiveness in Google Shopping. For combining price data with performance analytics, tools like SKU Analyzer bring Merchant Center price competitiveness data together with Google Ads performance in a unified view.