The Complete Guide for Google Shopping, Performance Max, SEO, Remarketing, and GA4
If you sell patio sets, planters, lighting, rugs, or storage online in Canada, you already know the challenges: bulky items, variant chaos, weather-driven demand, and shipping that can wreck margin if you’re not careful. The upside is big AOVs, repeat purchases, and creative that shines across Google and social.
Last April, a Calgary retailer asked why their “7‑Piece Patio Dining Set” never showed for the searches they cared about. Their feed title was “Set 07.” No dimensions, no material, no style. We rewrote titles, fixed images, added custom labels for margin and season, and launched a clean Performance Max setup. Three weeks later, Shopping impressions doubled and cost per purchase fell 22%.
What’s unique about Canadian Home & Garden Stores
- Currency and taxes: Show CAD everywhere and map GST/HST/PST correctly in Merchant Center and on site.
- Shipping reality: Oversize/freight needs clear pricing, delivery windows, and damage steps. Remote postal codes (northern BC, Territories) often require surcharges—be upfront.
- Bilingual markets: Quebec wants FR‑CA. Run French titles, descriptions, and matching landing pages.
- Weather and weekends: Sunny Saturdays in May can 2–3x patio intent. Plan budgets and promos around those spikes.
| Area | What to Do | Common Pitfall | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency & Taxes | Show CAD; map GST/HST/PST in GMC + site | USD pricing; wrong tax rules | CAD feed; province tax config |
| Shipping Reality | Disclose oversize/LTL/white-glove, delivery windows, damage steps | Hidden freight fees | Shipping table + damage SOP on PDP |
| Bilingual Markets | FR-CA titles/descriptions + FR landing pages | English-only feeds | Dual EN/FR feeds + hreflang |
| Weather & Weekends | Budget to intent spikes (sunny weekends) | Flat budgets year-round | Seasonality adjustments & promos |
Set the foundation (Google Merchant Center + Site Products Data)
- Configure Merchant Center for CAD, accurate shipping (parcel vs. oversize/LTL/white‑glove), tax rules, and delivery estimates.
- Keep policy pages tight: returns, warranty, delivery, and contact details to avoid misrepresentation flags.
- Sync price/inventory via Content API or frequent fetches to prevent mismatches.
- Use EN/FR feeds and ads for Quebec with localized landing pages.
Merchant Center & Site Product Data Foundation
| Setup Area | Must-Have | Check | Tool/Field |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account & Feeds | CAD currency, province taxes, delivery estimates | Misrepresentation flags | GMC Settings |
| Sync & Freshness | Content API or frequent fetches | Price/stock mismatches | Content API / Fetch schedule |
| Policies | Returns, warranty, delivery, contact | Missing/hidden pages | Footer links + GMC crawl |
| Quebec Support | EN/FR feeds + localized LPs | EN-only ads | Supplemental FR feed + hreflang |
Fix your product feed like a merchandiser
Your feed is your storefront. If it’s inaccurate, you’ll pay for the wrong clicks.
Titles that match how people search Brand + Product Type + Key Attribute/Style + Material + Size/Dimensions + Colour + Intended Space Example: “Oakridge Patio Dining Set, 7‑Piece – Aluminum, 72″ Table, Charcoal – Outdoor”
Product Feed: Titles That Match Search
| Component | Include | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Brand + Type + Key Attribute/Style + Material + Size/Dimensions + Colour + Intended Space | “Oakridge Patio Dining Set, 7-Piece – Aluminum, 72″ Table, Charcoal – Outdoor” |
| Variants | Size/colour/material in title | “9ft Umbrella – Beige, Aluminum Pole” |
Must‑have attributes
- GTIN (best), MPN, brand
- Size, colour, material, dimensions (metric + imperial)
- Room/space (Patio, Deck, Bedroom), style (Modern, Farmhouse, Coastal)
- Assembly_required, included_components, warranty
- Shipping notes (parcel vs. freight) in description
- Variants done properly Use item_group_id and include size/colour/material in each variant’s attributes and title. Avoid duplicate titles across variants.
- Images that sell Lead with lifestyle (full scene), then detail shots (texture, joinery, scale). No watermarks/text. Add additional_image_link assets.
- Product type taxonomy: Be deep and consistent: Home & Garden > Outdoor Living > Patio Furniture > Dining Sets.
| Attribute Group | Fields | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Identifiers | GTIN, MPN, Brand | Prefer GTIN |
| Specs | Size, Colour, Material, Dimensions (cm/in) | Use metric + imperial |
| Context | Room/Space, Style | Patio, Deck; Modern, Coastal |
| Ops | assembly_required, included_components, warranty | Structured values |
| Shipping | Parcel vs. Freight notes in description | Set expectations |
Custom labels for control
- margin_tier: High, Medium, Low
- shipping_class: Parcel, Oversize, Freight
- season: Spring, Summer, Holiday
- lifecycle: New, Bestseller, Clearance
- price_band: <200, 200–499, 500+
- Promotions and ratings Use sale_price and effective dates. Enable Merchant Promotions (“10% off Outdoor Lighting,” “Free Cushion Set with Sectional”). Connect Product Ratings to surface stars.
Variants, Images, Taxonomy, Custom Labels
| Area | Best Practice | Common Pitfall | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Variants | item_group_id + unique attrs per variant | Duplicate titles | Add attrs into titles |
| Images | Lifestyle lead + detail shots; no text/watermarks | Single pack-shot only | additional_image_link |
| Taxonomy | Deep, consistent product_type | Generic category | “Home & Garden > Outdoor > Patio > Dining Sets” |
| Custom Labels | margin_tier, shipping_class, season, lifecycle, price_band | No segmentation | Label for bidding & reporting |
Promotions & Ratings
| Feature | What to Configure | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Merchant Promotions | % off, bundle/bonus, free delivery threshold | Higher CTR/CVR |
| Product Ratings | Feed or aggregator connection | Stars in Shopping |
Make shipping and returns painfully clear
- Freight transparency: “Curbside in 5–10 business days.” Call out white‑glove or room‑of‑choice if available.
- Postal code delivery estimator with service levels and lead times.
- Damage policy with simple photo steps to keep trust and win appeals.
- Remote area surcharges listed by FSA/FSAs (e.g., “Applies to T0H, X0A”).
| Element | What to Show | Placement |
|---|---|---|
| Freight Transparency | “Curbside 5-10 biz days,” white-glove options | PDP + Cart |
| Postal Code Estimator | Lead times & services by postal code | PDP widget |
| Damage Policy | Photo steps + timelines | PDP + Policy page |
| Remote Surcharges | FSA (e.g., T0H, X0A) | Shipping table |
Performance Max and Shopping structure that respects margin and seasonality
PMax Campaigns
- Brand safety net: Small budget to capture your name cleanly and keep measurement honest.
- Seasonal push: Patio/BBQ/Garden asset groups with fresh creative and higher budgets in spring/summer.
- Evergreen profit: Core furniture, rugs, storage—steady all year.
Asset groups (start with 2–3, then expand)
- By room/use: Outdoor Dining, Backyard Lounge, Entryway Storage, Bedroom Refresh
- By style: Modern, Farmhouse, Coastal
- By season: Spring Patio, Holiday Decor Give each group tailored headlines, descriptions, lifestyle images, and a short video if possible.
- Listing and inventory control: Include high‑margin SKUs in prospecting; keep low‑margin or freight‑heavy items for remarketing only at first. Use product_type, brand, and custom labels to sculpt what shows where.
- Query control and brand protection: Add brand exclusions in PMax when you need to measure incremental lift. Run a small Search campaign (exact/phrase) for top SKUs or collection names (model names, MPNs) to win must‑have terms. Maintain shared negative lists for junk queries.
- Budget and bidding: Start with tROAS or tCPA aligned to margin after shipping and returns. Boost seasonal budgets for warm weekends and holidays (Mother’s Day, Victoria Day, Canada Day). Use seasonality adjustments for big sales.
- Surfaces beyond Shopping YouTube/Discover inside PMax should mirror lifestyle imagery and short room‑makeover clips. Consider a separate Video Action campaign for hero categories during season kickoffs.
| Component | Setup | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Campaigns | Brand safety net; Seasonal push; Evergreen profit | Separate budgets |
| Asset Groups | By room/use; by style; by season | Tailor creatives & video |
| Inventory Control | Prospect with high-margin; remarket low-margin/freight | Use labels & product_type |
| Query/Brand Control | Brand exclusions in PMax; exact/phrase Search for must-wins | Shared negatives |
| Bidding/Budget | tROAS/tCPA on margin after shipping/returns | Seasonality adjustments |
| Surfaces | YouTube/Discover in PMax; optional Video Action | Align lifestyle creative |
Creative that actually moves carts
- Outdoor: natural light, show scale (seats 6, table length next to a person), weather‑resistant detail shot.
- Indoor: full‑room scenes, texture close‑ups, scale against familiar objects.
- Video (simple is fine) 10–20 seconds: unbox/assemble, before/after, “how it fits on a 10’x10’ patio.” Add captions. Lead with one promise: “Seats 6, assembles in 20 minutes.”
- Copy angles buyers care about: Delivery and assembly (“White‑glove optional,” “Ships in 3–5 days”), materials and care (“Solid acacia,” “Powder‑coated frame,” “Fade‑resistant fabric”), fit (“Perfect for balconies,” “Stores flat in winter”).
- EN/FR variants Translate style terms naturally in FR‑CA and match French landing pages.
| Context | Must-Have Visuals | Copy Angles |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor | Scale (seats 6), material close-ups, weather-resistance | Delivery/assembly; materials/care; fit |
| Indoor | Full-room scenes, texture close-ups | Space fit, storage solutions |
| Video (10-20s) | Unbox/assemble; before/after; size demo | One promise + captions |
| Language | EN/FR-CA variants | Match FR landing pages |
CRO essentials so ads don’t carry all the weight
- Postal code delivery estimator, clear lead times
- Dimensions in metric and imperial with annotated images
- Swatches with true‑to‑life colours and high‑res zoom
- Assembly PDF and a 60‑second video on PDPs
- BNPL/financing, bundles (dining set + cover + cushions), warranties
- Clear returns and damage steps
- Comparison blocks (Good/Better/Best) in categories
| Element | Requirement | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery Estimator | Postal code lead times | Reduce abandonment |
| Dimensions | Metric + imperial + annotated image | Fit confidence |
| Swatches | True-to-life + zoom | Fewer returns |
| Docs | Assembly PDF + 60s video | Lower support |
| Offers | BNPL, bundles, warranties | AOV & CVR lift |
| Compare | Good/Better/Best blocks | Choice clarity |
SEO that brings qualified buyers (and lowers your ad bill)
- Information architecture: Deep, consistent taxonomy with curated subcategories: “7‑Piece Dining Sets,” “Small Balcony Furniture,” “Outdoor Storage Benches.” Keep stable, clean URLs.
- Faceted navigation sanity: Let shoppers filter by size/colour/material/style; noindex most combinations. Whitelist a few evergreen, high‑demand facets (e.g., “Grey Outdoor Sectional,” “9ft Patio Umbrella”) as indexable landing pages. Use canonicals.
- On‑page details that rank and convert Titles/H1s mirror feed improvements. Descriptions answer materials, care, weather resistance, assembly, warranty, delivery type, lead times. Include metric/imperial dimensions and a size guide image.
- Helpful content: Buying guides (“Patio sets for a 10’x10’ deck”), seasonal checklists, how‑to makeovers with short videos and before/after photos. Link to categories and products.
- Technical SEO and speed Core Web Vitals wins (compress, lazy load, modern formats). Consolidate variants on a parent PDP. Clean XML sitemaps by type.
- Structured data (JSON‑LD) Product (price, availability, brand, GTIN/MPN, ratings), FAQ/HowTo/VideoObject, BreadcrumbList, LocalBusiness if pickup/showrooms.
- Canada and Quebec specifics Hreflang en‑CA/fr‑CA, native French copy, CAD everywhere, clear GST/HST/PST notes.
- Earning links: Create visual assets worth embedding (size charts, balcony layouts). Pitch seasonal roundups to Canadian home editors. Showcase customer photos in a “Homes of [Your Brand]” gallery.
| Area | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxonomy | Deep subcats (e.g., “7-Piece Dining Sets”) | Clean, stable URLs |
| Facets | Allow filters; noindex most; whitelist evergreen facets | Canonicals |
| On-Page | Titles/H1s mirror feed; materials/care/weather/assembly/warranty/delivery; dimensions + size guide | Answers first |
| Technical | CWV, lazy load, modern formats; consolidate variants; clean sitemaps | Speed wins |
| Structured Data | Product, FAQ, HowTo, VideoObject, BreadcrumbList, LocalBusiness | GTIN/MPN/ratings |
| Canada/Quebec | hreflang en-CA/fr-CA; CAD; GST/HST/PST | Native FR copy |
| Links | Visual assets, seasonal PR, UGC gallery | Earn embeds |
Google Display and YouTube remarketing that recovers carts
- Audiences Segment by behavior: product/category viewers, cart abandoners (1/3/7/14‑day), purchasers (exclude), high‑AOV purchasers (upsell), video engagers. Layer by margin or shipping class via GA4 where possible.
- Dynamic remarketing setup Ensure your tag sends items with item_id matching Merchant Center, item_category, value, currency. Link Google Ads and Merchant Center; enable dynamic remarketing for Retail.
- Campaign guardrails One dynamic campaign per category (Patio, Rugs, Storage). Frequency caps at 2–3/day. Exclude converters 30 days. Apply placement/topic exclusions (kids content, mobile gaming apps) and brand safety settings.
- Creative that feels like service Value props: “Ships in 3–5 days,” “White‑glove available,” “Fade‑resistant fabric,” “Seats 6.” Test RDAs showing lifestyle plus dynamic tiles. YouTube 15–20s bumpers that show the transformation.
- Measure incrementality Use data‑driven attribution. Run periodic holdouts (exclude a geo or audience slice) to check lift. Set sensible membership durations (21–30 days for high‑ticket).
| Area | Setup | Guardrails |
|---|---|---|
| Audiences | Product/category viewers; cart abandoners (1/3/7/14d); exclude purchasers; high-AOV upsell | Value layering via GA4 |
| Dynamic Remarketing | item_id = GMC id; item_category; value/currency; link Ads + GMC | Verify tag |
| Campaigns | One dynamic campaign per category | Frequency cap 2-3/day; exclude converters 30d |
| Safety | Placement/topic exclusions; kids/apps filters | Weekly QA |
| Creative | RDAs: lifestyle + dynamic tiles; 15-20s YouTube bumpers | Service-style value props |
| Measurement | DDA; geo/audience holdouts | Incrementality read |
Facebook/Instagram (Meta) catalog remarketing that feels native
- Setup Commerce Manager catalog (CAD), Pixel + Conversions API with deduplication on view_content, add_to_cart, initiate_checkout, and purchase. IDs must match the catalog.
- Campaigns Advantage+ Catalog Sales for retargeting (7/14/30‑day). Keep prospecting (interests/lookalikes fed by first‑party lists) separate. Exclude recent purchasers; cap frequency around 2/day.
- Creative and offers Carousels/Collections with lifestyle covers; shows scale and delivery options. Seasonal lookbooks (“Small balcony refresh”). Test margin‑friendly incentives (“Free cover with sectional,” “Bundle and save,” “Free threshold delivery”).
- Brand safety: Exclude low‑quality placements (Audience Network) if needed. Inspect performance by placement and creative weekly.
| Component | Requirement | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Catalog & Pixel | Commerce Manager (CAD); Pixel + CAPI dedup on VC/ATC/IC/Purchase | IDs match catalog |
| Campaigns | Advantage+ Catalog Sales (7/14/30-day) | Prospecting separate |
| Exclusions & Caps | Exclude recent purchasers; ~2/day freq cap | Reduce fatigue |
| Creative | Carousel/Collection; lifestyle cover; seasonal lookbooks | Margin-friendly offers |
| Brand Safety | Audit by placement; limit Audience Network if needed | Weekly review |
GA4 done right so you trust the numbers
- Events and ecommerce view_item_list, select_item, view_item, add_to_cart, begin_checkout, add_shipping_info, add_payment_info, purchase, view_promotion, select_promotion. Include items array with id (SKU or Merchant Center ID), category, price, quantity, and coupon.
- Consent and privacy (Canada + Quebec Law 25) Implement Consent Mode v2 so tags respect consent and model conversions where allowed. Clear cookie banner with separate analytics/ads toggles.
- Cross‑domain and hygiene Cross‑domain tracking across checkout providers. Exclude internal/payment referrals. Set session timeout to match buying cycle. Create channel groupings that split PMax, Shopping, and Search for clarity.
- Audiences and remarketing GA4 audiences for cart abandoners by value, product viewers by category, buyers by margin_tier, and high‑LTV cohorts. Share with Google Ads for PMax signals and Display.
- Reporting and data ops Link Google Ads and Search Console. Import Ads cost into GA4 for ROAS by channel. BigQuery export for SKU‑level profit analysis (join shipping cost, return/damage rates). Custom dimensions: margin_tier, shipping_class, season, product_type depth.
| Area | Setup | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Events | view_item_list, select_item, view_item, add_to_cart, begin_checkout, add_shipping_info, add_payment_info, purchase, view/select_promotion | Full funnel |
| Items Array | id (SKU/GMC ID), category, price, qty, coupon | SKU analytics |
| Consent | Consent Mode v2; Law 25 compliant banner | Privacy + modeling |
| Cross-Domain | Track checkout providers; exclude internal/payment referrals | Clean attribution |
| Audiences | Cart abandoners by value; viewers by category; buyers by margin_tier; high-LTV | Share to Ads |
| Reporting | Link Ads & GSC; import cost; BigQuery for SKU profit; custom dims: margin_tier, shipping_class, season, product_type depth | ROAS on profit |
Canadian Seasonality Calendar
- March–May (Spring): Patio sets, planters, outdoor lighting, BBQ. Launch seasonal asset groups late March; be promo‑ready for long weekends.
- June–August (Summer): Lounge seating, umbrellas/pergolas, gardening tools. Watch weather and boost before sunny weekends.
- September–October (Fall): Rugs, storage, dining, heaters/fire pits. Shift to cozy imagery and bundles.
- November–December (Holiday): Decor and organization. Lean into Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Boxing Day with sale_price and promotions.
- January–February (Winter): Clearance, storage, early spring teasers. Run evergreen Search for furniture/organization.
| Period | Focus Categories | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| Mar-May (Spring) | Patio, planters, outdoor lighting, BBQ | Launch seasonal asset groups; long-weekend promos |
| Jun-Aug (Summer) | Lounge seating, umbrellas/pergolas, gardening | Weather-based budget boosts |
| Sep-Oct (Fall) | Rugs, storage, dining, heaters/fire pits | Cozy creative; bundles |
| Nov-Dec (Holiday) | Decor, organization | BFCM/Boxing Day; sale_price & promos |
| Jan-Feb (Winter) | Clearance, storage, early spring teasers | Evergreen Search; clear inventory |
Common Merchant Center issues (and fixes)
- Price/availability mismatches: Use API or frequent fetches; keep formatting consistent.
- Missing identifiers: Source GTINs; use identifier_exists=no only for true customs.
- Image violations: No text overlays/watermarks/collages.
- Variant confusion: Add size/colour/material into titles and attributes; one variant per item ID.
- Misrepresentation: Tighten shipping/returns/contact info; add business details in the footer.
When to add channels beyond Google
- Microsoft Ads (Bing Shopping): Often lower CPCs and strong desktop shoppers. Import Google setup, then optimize natively.
- Pinterest Shopping: Great for decor/inspiration. Connect catalog, use Collections, align boards to seasonal trends.
- Local Inventory Ads: If you have stores/warehouses, show local stock and pickup options.
| Channel | Use Case | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Ads (Bing) | Lower CPC desktop shoppers | Import then optimize |
| Pinterest Shopping | Decor/inspiration categories | Collections & seasonal boards |
| Local Inventory Ads | Store/warehouse pickup | Show local stock |
A 90‑day rollout plan you can copy
Weeks 1–2
- GA4 audit and fixes (events, consent, cross‑domain, referral exclusions).
- Merchant Center and feed cleanup (titles, identifiers, images, custom labels).
- SEO tech wins (Core Web Vitals, sitemap cleanup, canonical/hreflang).
- Launch PMax with 2–3 asset groups (Bestsellers, Seasonal, Brand safety net).
Weeks 3–4
- Publish two buying guides and one seasonal checklist; link to key categories and products.
- Turn on Search for top SKUs/collections (exact/phrase).
- Launch Google dynamic remarketing and Meta catalog retargeting (7/14/30‑day). Apply frequency caps and exclusions.
- Enable Merchant Promotions and Product Ratings. Add short videos to asset groups.
Weeks 5–6
- Expand asset groups by room/style. Exclude low‑margin + freight from prospecting.
- SEO: “Small balcony” and “Rug size” landing pages; index only whitelisted facets.
- Start Meta prospecting with lookalikes; keep budgets segmented. Run one display holdout test.
Weeks 7–12
- Weather and holiday pushes with budget shifts. Test bundles vs. free delivery thresholds.
- Add Microsoft Ads Shopping. Consider Pinterest for decor.
- GA4 Explorations for SKU profitability and conversion lag; adjust tROAS by margin_tier.
- Publish a makeover case study with UGC; syndicate to Pinterest and email.
| Weeks | Actions | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | GA4 audit; consent & cross-domain; GMC/feed cleanup; CWV + sitemap; launch PMax (Bestsellers, Seasonal, Brand) | Clean data + live campaigns |
| 3-4 | 2 buying guides + 1 seasonal checklist; Search (exact/phrase) for top SKUs; Google dynamic + Meta catalog remarketing; Promotions + Ratings; short videos | Content + retargeting live |
| 5-6 | Expand asset groups (room/style); exclude low-margin/freight from prospecting; SEO: balcony/rug-size LPs; Meta prospecting; display holdout | Efficient prospecting |
| 7-12 | Weather/holiday budget shifts; test bundles vs. free delivery; add Microsoft Ads; consider Pinterest; GA4 SKU profitability; adjust tROAS by margin_tier; publish makeover case study + UGC | Scale on profit |
KPIs that keep everyone honest
- Organic: category clicks, non‑brand impressions, guide engagement, rankings for “size/material + product.”
- PMax/Shopping: ROAS by margin_tier and shipping_class; impression share for must‑win SKUs; asset group revenue by season/style.
- Remarketing: assisted conversions, holdout lift, frequency vs. CVR, CPC/CPA by placement.
- Meta: ROAS by audience window, view‑through vs. click‑through contribution, creative fatigue (7‑day frequency and CTR).
- GA4 hygiene: purchase match rate, consent opt‑in rate, referral spam, data freshness.
| Area | KPI | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Organic | Category clicks, non-brand impressions, guide engagement, “size/material + product” rankings | Demand quality |
| PMax/Shopping | ROAS by margin_tier & shipping_class; must-win SKU IS; revenue by season/style asset groups | Profit control |
| Remarketing | Assisted conversions, holdout lift, freq vs. CVR, CPC/CPA by placement | Incrementality |
| Meta | ROAS by window, VTC vs. CTC mix, creative fatigue (7-day freq, CTR) | Creative & audience health |
| GA4 Hygiene | Purchase match rate, consent opt-in, referral spam, data freshness | Trust the numbers |
Quick wins you can ship this week
- Rewrite 20 top SKU titles with dimensions/material/style and add 2–3 extra images per SKU.
- Turn on Product Ratings and one Merchant Promotion.
- Enable Google dynamic remarketing and Meta catalog retargeting with 14‑day cart abandoners and frequency caps.
- Fix GA4 referral exclusions and verify add_shipping_info/add_payment_info events.
- Publish one buying guide and link it to two categories and three products.
- Add a postal code delivery estimator and assembly PDF/video to top PDPs.
Tools that make life easier
- Feeds: Google Merchant Center + Content API (or a feed tool for 500+ SKUs)
- Tracking: GA4, Enhanced Conversions, dynamic call tracking
- Creative: Your phone + daylight for video; Canva/Figma for crops/graphics
- Dashboards: Looker Studio with ROAS/CPA by SKU, brand, and season
Home & Garden wins on Google in Canada come from doing the simple things consistently: precise feed data, honest shipping info, assets that show scale and materials, smart structure that respects seasonality and margin, and measurement that reports profit—not just revenue. Performance Max plus Shopping becomes a reliable engine you can throttle up on sunny weekends and cool down when the snow flies.
Abbreviation Glossary
- AOV – Average Order Value → The average amount spent per transaction.
- ATC – Add to Cart → An ecommerce event when a shopper adds a product to their cart.
- BNPL – Buy Now, Pay Later → Financing option that allows customers to split payments.
- BFCM – Black Friday / Cyber Monday → Key ecommerce shopping period in late November.
- CAD – Canadian Dollar → Currency for Canadian ecommerce stores.
- CAPI – Conversions API → Meta’s server-side tracking for more accurate conversions.
- CPA – Cost Per Acquisition → The cost to acquire a new customer or sale.
- CPC – Cost Per Click → Average cost per ad click.
- CPR – (not used above, but checking context — none found).
- CRO – Conversion Rate Optimization → Improving website elements to increase conversions.
- CTR – Click-Through Rate → Percentage of ad viewers who click.
- CWV – Core Web Vitals → Google’s performance metrics for site speed and usability.
- DDA – Data-Driven Attribution → Google Ads attribution model based on actual path data.
- EN/FR – English / French → Refers to bilingual setup for Canadian markets.
- FSA – Forward Sortation Area → The first 3 characters of a Canadian postal code (e.g., “M5V”).
- FR-CA – French (Canada) → Language localization for Quebec and francophone markets.
- GA4 – Google Analytics 4 → Google’s current analytics platform.
- GMC – Google Merchant Center → Platform to manage product feeds and Shopping Ads.
- GSC – Google Search Console → Tool for monitoring organic search performance.
- GTIN – Global Trade Item Number → Universal product identifier (e.g., UPC, EAN).
- H1 – Heading 1 Tag → Main page heading in HTML, important for SEO.
- Hreflang – HTML Tag for Language/Region → Helps Google serve correct language/region page.
- IC – Initiate Checkout → Event triggered when a shopper starts the checkout process.
- ID – Identifier → Product or event ID used in feeds and analytics.
- IS – Impression Share → The % of eligible impressions your ads actually received.
- JSON-LD – JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data → Format for structured data markup.
- LP – Landing Page → Destination page after a click from an ad.
- LTL – Less-Than-Truckload → Freight shipping method for oversized goods.
- MPN – Manufacturer Part Number → Another unique product identifier.
- PDP – Product Detail Page → The individual ecommerce product page.
- PMax – Performance Max → Google’s AI-driven campaign type combining Search, Display, YouTube, etc.
- ROAS – Return on Ad Spend → Revenue generated per dollar spent on ads.
- RDA – Responsive Display Ad → Google Display format that automatically adapts.
- SKU – Stock Keeping Unit → Internal product identifier for inventory.
- tCPA – Target Cost Per Acquisition → Google Ads bid strategy optimizing for a set CPA.
- tROAS – Target Return on Ad Spend → Google Ads bid strategy optimizing for ROAS.
- UGC – User-Generated Content → Customer photos, reviews, or social content.
- URL – Uniform Resource Locator → Web page address.
- VTC – View-Through Conversion → Conversion after someone saw (but didn’t click) an ad.
Want this implemented on your store?
We’ll review your content, structured data, AI crawl settings, and GA4 attribution, then deliver a 90-day plan to grow AI-driven traffic, RFQs, and sales.
