Google updates that matter to online stores. Google Ads, Merchant Center, Shopping and search changes, explained in plain English.
In November 2026, Ecom Wire has covered 2 Google updates, none needing action. Over the last 90 days that’s 3 updates, 1 needing action. The next Google deadline is 31 January 2027.
Google has updated its rules for Merchant Center promotions. Promotion titles must not include redemption dates in any format; the dates go in the promotion's own date fields instead. The only exception is a short month name, such as "Jan".
Google started rolling out its November 2026 core update on 10 November. A core update is a broad change to how Google ranks pages in search results. Google says it can take up to two weeks to finish, which would be around 24 November, just before Black Friday.
From 31 January 2027, Google wants every product image in Merchant Center to be at least 500 x 500 pixels. Until then the old minimums still work: 100 x 100, or 250 x 250 for clothing. Google has been showing warnings on smaller images since July 2026.