Google removed a limitation from its Merchant Center help documentation that had explicitly ruled out API access for product reviews. The page for uploading a product reviews data source previously stated that API support was not available; it now instructs merchants to add reviews using the API instead, according to Search Engine Roundtable’s Barry Schwartz, who compared archived and current versions of the document.
The revision extends beyond the API line itself. Google also updated the navigation path from the legacy Merchant Center interface to the newer Merchant Center Next layout. It added a step clarifying that a Google agent must manually review and enable accounts after merchants submit an interest form, and it inserted guidance on handling products disapproved under policy categories such as healthcare. The document also swapped “feed submission” for “data source submission” throughout, aligning older terminology with current branding.
Manual enablement remains the gate. Automated API access does not mean self-serve access, since Google still requires a human review step before an account can submit reviews this way.
Merchants running review syndication at scale should file the interest form now, since manual approval remains the bottleneck before API access activates.
Search Engine Roundtable’s Barry Schwartz reported the documentation change on September 18, 2026.
