How to Set Up Google Local Inventory Ads for WooCommerce

Did you know that nearly 46% of all Google searches have local intent? Almost half of the users search for products or services near them, presenting a golden opportunity for businesses with physical stores.

If you’re a WooCommerce store owner looking to attract these local shoppers, setting up Google Local Inventory Ads (LIAs) is a strategic move. LIAs showcase your in-store products to nearby customers actively searching on Google, providing real-time information about product availability, pricing, and store location. This not only bridges the gap between online searches and in-store purchases but also drives more foot traffic and boosts sales.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to set up Google Local Inventory Ads for your WooCommerce store, ensuring that local customers know your store is the place to shop.

Let’s get started.

Imagine this: A customer searches for “wireless headphones near me” on Google. Instead of just showing online shopping options, Google displays an ad that tells them a nearby electronics store has the exact headphones they want in stock, ready for pickup. That’s the power of Google Local Inventory Ads.

Local Inventory Ads are a special type of Google Shopping Ad designed to help businesses with physical stores showcase their in-store products to local shoppers. When someone searches for a product near their location, Google can show them an ad with details like:

• Product name and image
• Price
• Store name and location
• Stock availability

When shoppers click the ad, they’re taken to a Google-hosted storefront page (or your website), where they can see more details, check store hours, and get directions. This helps customers decide to visit your store immediately to buy the product.

If you have a physical store and want more people to walk in and buy your products, Google Local Inventory Ads can be a game-changer. Here’s why they’re so beneficial:

1. Drive More Foot Traffic to Your Store

Many shoppers still prefer to see, touch, or try a product before buying. LIAs help bring those customers to your store by showing them that their desired item is available nearby.

Imagine someone searching for “running shoes near me”. If your store appears in the results, they might decide to visit and buy right away instead of waiting for shipping.

2. Reach High-Intent Shoppers Who Are Ready to Buy

People searching for products near them are often in buying mode. Unlike online window shoppers, these customers want the product now and are more likely to make a purchase. By showing them real-time stock availability, LIAs help you capture these high-intent buyers at the perfect moment.

3. Compete with Big Retailers

Many small and mid-sized businesses struggle to compete with giants like Amazon and Walmart in online shopping. But with LIAs, you can stand out locally. When customers see that a product is available just a few miles away, they may choose to visit your store instead of waiting for an online order.

4. Maximize Your Local Sales Potential

If you have both an online store and a physical store, LIAs create a seamless shopping experience. Customers can find your products online, check if they’re in stock, and visit your store for immediate pickup. This is especially useful for products that shoppers prefer to buy in person, like clothing, electronics, or home goods.

5. Improve Inventory Turnover

Have extra stock that needs to move fast? Instead of waiting for online sales, LIAs help you clear inventory by promoting in-store availability to local shoppers. This means fewer unsold products sitting on your shelves and more cash flow for your business.

6. Enhance the Customer Experience

Nothing is more frustrating for shoppers than visiting a store only to find out the product they wanted is out of stock. LIAs solve this problem by displaying real-time inventory, making shopping more convenient, and helping customers avoid wasted trips.

The Google Local Product Inventory Feed is a data file that tells Google what products you have available in your physical store, along with details like pricing, stock levels, and location. This feed is essential for running Google Local Inventory Ads (LIAs) because it ensures that nearby shoppers see accurate, real-time product availability when they search for items on Google.

Without a Local Product Inventory Feed, Google won’t know what products you have in your physical store, meaning your business won’t show up for local shoppers looking for in-stock items nearby.

If you have a WooCommerce store with a physical location, setting up a Local Product Inventory Feed is a crucial step to making your in-store products visible to potential buyers searching online!

How Does It Work?

When a shopper searches for a product near them, Google checks your Local Product Inventory Feed to see if the item is available in your store. If it is, your store appears in Google Search, Google Shopping, and Google Maps, showing the product, price, and store details.

For example, if a customer searches for “Samsung Galaxy Buds near me”, and your store has them in stock, Google can display an ad with your store’s information, price, and a “Pick up today” option. This makes it easy for local shoppers to find what they need and visit your store to make a purchase.

What Information Does the Feed Contain?

The Local Product Inventory Feed includes:

• Store ID – Identifies which store has the product.
• Product ID – Matches the product with your main Google Merchant Center catalog.
• Stock Status – Shows whether the item is in stock, low stock, or out of stock.
• Price & Sale Price – Displays the local store price, including discounts if available.
• Availability Date (Optional) – Lets customers know when an out-of-stock item will be available again.

Both Local Product Inventory Feeds and Google Shopping Feeds are essential for running product ads on Google, but they serve different purposes. Let’s break it down in a simple way:

Google Shopping Feed 

The Google Shopping Feed, also known as the Product Feed, is designed for businesses that sell online. It contains general product information such as the product name, description, images, price, availability, and attributes like size, color, or material.

This feed is primarily used to list products in Google Shopping Ads and directs customers to your website, where they can complete their purchases. If you run an online store and want to advertise your products to a broad audience, this is the feed you need.

Local Product Inventory Feed

The Local Product Inventory Feed is specifically designed for businesses that have physical retail locations and want to promote their in-store products to local shoppers. Instead of just showing general product details, this feed includes store-specific information such as the store ID, local pricing, stock levels, and availability at each store location.

This is essential for running Google Local Inventory Ads (LIAs) because it allows Google to show real-time information about what’s in stock at your physical store when nearby shoppers search for a product.

Feature	Google Shopping Feed	Local Product Inventory Feed
Purpose	Lists products for online sales	Shows in-store product availability
Used For	Google Shopping Ads	Local Inventory Ads (LIAs)
Where It Directs Customers	Online store (product page)	Store location (Google-hosted page)
Key Details	Product name, price, URL, attributes	Store-specific stock levels, local price, availability
Required for	Selling online through Google Shopping	Driving foot traffic to physical stores

Before you can start using Google Local Inventory Ads (LIAs), there are a few things you’ll need to have in place. Think of these as the building blocks that ensure everything runs smoothly. Let’s go through them one by one:

1. WooCommerce Store with Physical Products

LIAs are designed for businesses that sell physical products in a brick-and-mortar store—not just online. If you only sell digital goods or operate solely as an online store, these ads won’t be a good fit.

But if you have a WooCommerce store with real products on your shelves, you’re ready for the next step!

2. Google Merchant Center Account

This is where all the magic happens! Google Merchant Center is the platform where you upload and manage your product data. It tells Google what products you sell, their prices, stock availability, and where they’re located.

If you don’t have an account yet, you can create one for free at Google Merchant Center.

3. Google Ads Account

Since LIAs are a type of paid ad, you’ll need a Google Ads account to run them. This is where you create and manage your ad campaigns, set budgets, and track performance.

If you already use Google Ads for other campaigns, you’re one step ahead! Otherwise, you can sign up at Google Ads.

4. Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)

Your Google Business Profile helps connect your ads with your physical store location. The listing appears on Google Maps and Search when people look for your store. Having this profile set up and verified ensures that Google knows where your business is and can link your inventory to the correct location.

If you don’t have one, you can create one using Google Business Profile.

5. Primary Products Feed 

To list products in Google Merchant Center, you need a primary product feed with key details like title, description, and price. Your primary feed holds the main product data, while a separate local inventory feed will handle store-specific stock availability.

If you already have a Google Shopping feed, you can use that—just make sure it’s set up for Local inventory ads and Free local listings.

When creating or editing your feed, check the boxes for Shopping Ads, Free listings, and Local listings to include all necessary destinations.

Now, let’s examine the necessary steps to set up local inventory ads and list your in-store products online for visibility.

Before you can run Local Inventory Ads, you need to configure your Google Merchant Center account and ensure it’s set up for local inventory:

Step 1: Enable Local Inventory Ads in Merchant Center

Before running Local Inventory Ads for your store, you must activate them in your Google Merchant Center account.

To opt into Local Inventory Ads and/or Free Local Listings program in Google Merchant Center,

• Click on the gear icon (Settings) and select Add-ons.
• Under the Discover tab, add Free local listings and Local inventory ads.
• Select your country/region, and provide your store details for verification.

Google might ask you to link your Business Profile (if you haven’t already) or provide extra details. Be sure to complete any necessary verification steps for the Local Inventory Ads (LIA) program.

Once approved, upload your Local Product Inventory Feed to sync in-store stock and pricing. Regularly update your feed to keep ads accurate and active. 

And that’s it! Once you complete these steps, Local Inventory Ads will be activated in your Merchant Center, and you can move on to the next step: uploading your product inventory data.

Step 2: Generate Local Inventory File Feed

Next, install the WebToffee WooCommerce Product Feed plugin, which will generate the local inventory feed for your WooCommerce store.

Navigate to WebToffee Product Feed > Create new feed. Here, you need to enter the basic feed settings:

• Country – Select the Country for your feed data (e.g. your store’s country).
• Channel – Choose Google Local Product Inventory from the dropdown​.
• File Name – Enter a filename for the product feed file (e.g., “local-inventory-feed”). 
• Auto-refresh Interval – Choose an auto-feed refresh interval and set the time. 
• Cron Type – Select a cron type for the feed refresh.

This product feed plugin lets you schedule automatic feed updates for your WooCommerce store using WordPress Cron or Server Cron. You can set the refresh interval, and the feed will update automatically.

For better performance, we recommend using Server Cron. Unlike WordPress Cron, it runs independently of your website traffic, reducing server load and minimizing performance issues on your WordPress site.

Next, you’ll need to filter your product feed data for Google Local Product Inventory. This plugin provides both basic and advanced condition-based filters to refine your feed. At the bottom of the feed creation page, you’ll find two filtering options, Filtering, and Advanced Filtering, allowing you to customize your product data as needed.

Step 3: Map Required Attributes

Next, the plugin will move to attribute mapping. Ensure all required fields for the local inventory feed are correctly mapped.

In the Store Code [store_code] attribute, select Static Value and enter your store code (e.g., “001”) in the text box. This tells Google which store the inventory data belongs to.

Step 4: Generate the Feed File

• Set the batch limit if needed (controls how many products are processed per batch). For large inventories, the plugin generates the feed in chunks. The default setting works fine for most stores.

• Select the Export File Format for your local inventory feed. Google supports TXT (tab-delimited) or XML files. 

• Click Generate to create the feed​.

Once the feed is successfully generated, a pop-up will appear. Click “Copy URL” to obtain the file link.

Once you have your feed file ready (or its URL), you need to provide it to Google Merchant Center:

Log in to your Merchant Center account.

• Click the Settings icon in the top right and select Data sources.

• Under Supplemental sources, click Add local inventory.

Enter the product feed URL you copied from the generated feed. You can also find the URL in the Manage Feeds section of the plugin.

• Click Continue. 

Google Merchant Center will now register the feed. It should immediately attempt to fetch the file. You can monitor the status on the Feeds page; if the fetch was successful, it will indicate the number of items processed. 

If there are errors, the Merchant Center will list them (under Diagnostics or under the specific feed’s issues).

Once uploaded/fetched, go to Settings > Data Sources > Supplemental sources to see feed processing details.

Common errors might include “Invalid store code” or missing required attributes.

If all goes well, the feed status will show as active with items “Approved” or “Pending” for the local listings program. It may take some time for Google to process and approve all items.

Setting up Local Inventory Ads requires seamless integration between WooCommerce, Merchant Center, Business Profile, and Google Ads. Below are common issues and best practices to ensure everything runs smoothly and performs optimally.

Fixing Feed Approval Issues

If your local inventory feed upload has errors or disapprovals, here’s how to fix them:

1. Invalid or Missing [store_code]

• If you see “store code not found” or “Invalid store code”, your store code in the feed doesn’t match the one in your Google Business Profile.

Fix: Double-check that the store code in your feed is an exact match (including capitalization). Update either the Business Profile or feed as needed, then re-fetch the feed.

2. Missing Required Attributes

• Google won’t process items if key fields like id, store_code, quantity, or price are missing.

Fix: Ensure all required attributes are mapped correctly. The WebToffee plugin usually maps id and price by default, but verify that nothing is left out.

3. ID Mismatch

• If you see “No primary feed product for this ID”, it means the product ID in your local inventory feed doesn’t match the one in your primary product feed.

Fix: Make sure your local feed IDs match your main feed SKUs/IDs. You may need to adjust ID mapping in the plugin to use the correct SKU or custom field.

4. Feed File Issues

• If Google can’t fetch your feed (e.g., URL inaccessible or format errors), your file may have issues.

Fix:

• Check that the feed URL is correct and publicly accessible (try opening it in a browser).
• If using a TXT file, ensure it’s tab-delimited as required by Google.
• If you have multiple store locations, ensure your feed follows Google’s format (one store_code per row, per product).
• For stores selling the same product, you may need multiple rows with the same product ID but different store_code and quantity values.

Optimize Your Local Inventory Feed for Best Results

Your local product data should be just as polished as your online product feed. Here’s how to keep it in top shape:

• Clear Titles & Descriptions – Make sure product names and descriptions are easy to read and include relevant keywords (these also show in local ads!).

• High-Quality Images – Your images come from the primary feed, so use sharp, professional photos.

• Provide GTINs or MPNs – If available, add GTINs (barcodes) or MPNs (manufacturer part numbers) to help Google match your products accurately.

• Keep Pricing & Stock Updated – Schedule daily feed updates (or more frequently if inventory changes quickly). Google allows up to 4 fetches per day for supplemental feeds.

• Be Mindful of Price Matching – If your in-store price differs from your online price, make sure it aligns with Google’s price matching policy.

Get More Visibility with Free Local Listings!

Did you know you can showcase your local products on Google for free? By enabling Free Local Product Listings in Merchant Center, your products can appear in Google Shopping’s “Nearby” filter – without paying for ads!

Here’s how to make the most of it:

• Opt into Free Local Listings – Make sure this setting is enabled in Merchant Center so your products can be featured in organic results.

• Your Feed Covers Both Ads & Free Listings – If you’ve set up your feed correctly (like we did earlier), it works for both paid ads and free local listings—so you might start seeing your products on Google even if you’re not running ads!

• More Exposure Without Extra Cost – This is an easy way to boost visibility and attract nearby shoppers at no extra cost.

Setting up Google Local Inventory Ads (LIAs) for your WooCommerce store is a powerful way to connect with nearby shoppers, boost in-store visits, and increase sales. By keeping your product feed accurate, optimizing ad performance, and leveraging promotions, you can make the most of this opportunity.

With the right setup and regular maintenance, your store will stand out in local search results, ensuring customers find what they need right when they need it. Now that you have the roadmap, it’s time to put it into action.

For additional details on setting up a local product inventory, check out our documentation – Set up Local Inventory Feed in Google Merchant Center.