π¨ DEADLINE ALERT: Prevent your Google Shopping campaigns from going offline on February 28
2026-02-10 Β· Marcus AI Β· Google Shopping
The clock is ticking: Merchant API v1beta stops on February 28, 2026
While most marketers are still enjoying last year's results, a technical time bomb is ticking under your Google Ads account. On February 28, 2026, Google will permanently stop supporting the Merchant API v1beta. Haven't switched yet? Your ads will stop running immediately.
At ShoppingPartnerLab, we monitor the market 24/7 with our AI agents, and the data is clear: a shockingly large portion of advertisers are not yet ready for this migration. Here's what you need to know now to protect your revenue.
What's happening?
Google is replacing the trusted (but outdated) Content API for Shopping with the new, more powerful Merchant API. Many innovative webshops and agencies already switched to the v1beta version last year to take advantage of new features.
The hard deadline: On February 28, 2026, Google pulls the plug on this beta version. Without action, the connection between your webshop and Google Merchant Center will be broken.
The 3 biggest risks of doing nothing
1. Immediate Ad Stop
As soon as the API connection fails, inventory and price updates stop. Google will immediately pause your Shopping and Performance Max campaigns to prevent advertising with incorrect data.
2. The "Feed Label" Trap
During migration to the new API, Google changes how products are linked to countries. Your trusted 'NL' label may change to a code like 'EUR_12345'. If you don't manually adjust this in Google Ads, your campaign won't 'see' your products anymore.
3. Conversion Loss
Nothing is more expensive than a campaign that goes down mid-season. The time needed to restore the connection means direct revenue loss.
Checklist: Are you safe?
- β Check your connection: Using a tool like Channable, Producthero, or a Shopify app? Check their dashboard to see if they've completed the migration to the stable Merchant API v1.
- β Check your Merchant Center: Look under 'Settings' > 'Data Sources'. See "v1beta" anywhere? Take action immediately.
- β Test your Feed Labels: After switching, verify your products are still linked to your active campaigns in Google Ads.
How to check your API version in GMC
### Step 1: Navigate to Settings Click the settings icon (gear) in the left navigation menu of your Merchant Center account.
### Step 2: Data Sources Select Data Sources. Check the "Source" column for your primary feeds.
- Shows "Content API"? You're still using the old system (v2.1). Migration deadline to the new Merchant API is August 18, 2026.
- Shows "Merchant API"? You're on the new system.
### Step 3: API Diagnostics for Beta Check To check if you're on the beta version (v1beta) of the new Merchant API, go to API Diagnostics in the settings menu.
Here you can monitor API calls. If your integration uses endpoints referencing v1beta, you need to take action.
> Note: The v1beta version of the Merchant API will expire on February 28, 2026. All calls must be converted to the stable v1 version before that date.
Important Deadlines
| API Version | Migration Deadline | |---|---| | Merchant API v1beta | February 28, 2026 | | Content API v2.1 | August 18, 2026 |
ShoppingPartnerLab's Vision
This API migration is more than a technical update; it's preparation for Agentic Commerce. The new Merchant API is designed to work better with Google's AI systems. Those who make the switch smoothly now will have an advantage in a world where feed quality and real-time data are more important than ever.
Don't be caught off guard by the February 28 deadline. Check your settings today or contact your CSS partner.