Google and YouTube app does not connect to Merchant Center Multi-Client Account MCA subaccounts

[twistederik]

Shopify's "Google & YouTube" app won't connect to Merchant Center Multi-Client Account (MCA) subaccounts. In the app, MCA subaccounts won't even show up in the drop-down menu of available accounts.

There is a work-around, but it's painful. You can contact Google Merchant Center support and move the subaccount out of the MCA, log into Shopify and connect the app to Google Merchant Center, then move the Merchant Center account back into the MCA.

I've found that the app continues to work just fine this way, even though Google and Shopify will tell you that subaccounts aren't supported. It seems that the only part that's not supported is making the initial connection.

This is relevant for folks with a main domain (mydomain.com) that have decided to make new localized Shopify stores as subdomains (i.e. eu.mydomain.com, uk.mydomain.com, ca.mydomain.com). The only way to get Google Merchant Center to allow a Claim to all the subdomains is to make the top level domain (TLD) the "main" domain in a Google Merchant Center Multi-Client Account (MCA), then for each subdomain (1) create each new Merchant Center account as a standalone, then (2) connect to the app, then (3) move the Merchant Account into the MCA.

Given that moving a domain in or out of an MCA takes 1-3 days and 3-4 interactions with Google support, this is a giant pain in the rear.

Shopify - how about adding support for connection to subaccounts?

In the absence of that support, I at least wanted to contribute this article to verify for the community that this solution works as of February 2025. It would have saved me two weeks of experimentation had I known this was the solution to both my Google Merchant Center Claim issues and my connection to the app.

[EmmanuelFlossie]

To connect, make sure each sub account has a different email address (user) added, and connect to that specific user for that specific sub account.

However, for merchants that have subaccounts, having an advanced account is not needed, you just need 1 account, and ensure you register https://example.com and not https://www.example.com

To submit multi language and currency the google and youtube app is not suitable, as it will not work. So I recommend using an app such as multifeeds https://apps.shopify.com/multiple-google-shopping-feeds That is what I use for my clients.