Google Merchant Center Sales Tax Settings Keep Changing

JayGar999
Visitor
3 0 5

I've set the Google Merchant Center sales tax to only collect in Indiana. I've set the sales tax in Shopify to only collect in Indiana as well. However, every couple of days the settings in Merchant Center switch back to showing that I'm collecting sales tax in ALL of the states and not just Indiana. I manually change them all back and, sure enough two days later they've changed back again. Anybody have any idea why this would be happening?

Replies 29 (29)

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

If you are using Shopify free shopping app, go to the app > settings > tax > make sure to choose manual submission.

 

When it changes automatically it means a app that is connected via content API is changing it.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
JayGar999
Visitor
3 0 5

Thanks for taking the time to answer this... but when i go to settings>taxes I don't see anywhere to choose manual submission. Under the United States section if I hit the 'manage' button it shows that i'm set up to only collect taxes in Indiana. 

shopify-tax-settings.jpg

 

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

Ah, that's annoying, I thought it was the same as shipping settings that you could enable manual submission.

I recommend contact Shopify support and Google Ads support, to find out what the issue is. Most likely the current app is bugged. Alternatively use a different app. That only submits the feed.

 

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

I recommend simply using a different feed solution. All apps I tested, don't force tax settings. Meaning you can disable it.

It's only the free app, that has very limited features.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

If you are not using the free app, then you should be able to disable it. Best to contact support of the app you are using. Which one are you using?

 

For my clients, I use datafeedwatch and multip shopping feed by woolytech.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

Generally within Shopify, when someone uses the word APP, it refers to: https://apps.shopify.com/

Not the Shopify eCommerce platform itself.

It's impossible that you have no app installed for the data feed (unless you manually created a feed, but based on your info, that is not the case). And most likely you are using: https://apps.shopify.com/google?surface_detail=google+shopppin&surface_inter_position=1&surface_intr...

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
VickyC
Visitor
3 0 0

I am having the same issue. Google kept on changing my tax setting even though my shopify store is not collecting tax.

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

Solution: Don't use the free app.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.

Ahira
Tourist
7 0 1

Anyone ever solve this? It's incredibly frustrating. I'm not sure which part of the puzzle is to blame, Shopify or Google Merchant. On one hand, I can see the issue being caused by the app API, but where is it getting the incorrect settings from?

bmb1
New Member
8 0 0

We recently found the fix. See the screenshot below.

 

You need to go to Online Store->Google->Settings and adjust your Shopify settings to manual.

 

bmb1_0-1638031122227.png

 

Ahira
Tourist
7 0 1

Thanks for the reply! This worked for the tax settings? What happened to the shipping estimates provided by Google? Did you have to enter those by hand?

bmb1
New Member
8 0 0

Yes, this stops the automatic load to Google.

 

On the Google Merchant side, you have to make sure to go to Settings->Sales Tax (Top right hand corner after you log into Google Merchant Center) and turn off every state you don't want sales tax on.

 

If you have a taxable state, flip it on, assign the correct sales tax % and don't forget to check the taxable box if you tax on shipping as well.

 

Screenshot example below:

 

bmb1_0-1638032431484.png

 

user123456
Tourist
4 0 2

This is not the answer.

 

The problem is the settings you set in merchant center will be reset by shopify on the next sync.

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

That is an issue with the free app you are using. Nothing can be done to fix the tax being overwritten other than using a different data feed app.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.

C-E-G-P
Tourist
4 0 0

Hello @JayGar999   look, I have entered here because they provided me with this link in shopify support and the first thing I see is your problem, to which I have no answer but I am having other types of problems and when reading your information, I am rethinking advertising there since when it is not one It is another thing, however I have the same articles advertised with the same information in google ads, and 2 by the way and they are going great, I don't understand why in one yes and the other not, even if they are 2 different platforms, the root of your feed is the same. And it is taking a lot of time from what really matters, which is to sell, so I will go to other channels.

user123456
Tourist
4 0 2

We have this problem as well.

BRR
Visitor
2 0 1

I'm having the same issue as well. Contacted Google support three times, they are absolutely clueless. Now trying shopify support and I'm sure they will just blow it off. Such a dumb issue to have that can't be fixed.

lymann
Tourist
8 0 3

I need to say that after having to manually change the sales tax setting every couple of days, it's been about a month since the last time I had to do it; since then, the sales tax settings have not changed for me. So it looks like somebody fixed this issue. I surely didn't change any setting at all from my side. @BRR try to manually change your sales tax settings and wait for a few days to see if you have still got the issue

user123456
Tourist
4 0 2

I ended up switching everything  to the simprosys google feed plugin and its been working great.

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

I did the same for my clients, I used https://apps.shopify.com/multiple-google-shopping-feeds

Then set the tax rates, manually in Google Merchant Center > top right corner > gear icon > sales tax

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
BRR
Visitor
2 0 1

I already tried setting it manually... it just goes right back the next day.

lymann
Tourist
8 0 3

@BRR try to check in Shopify -> Sales Channels -> Google -> Settings -> Shipping Settings, that it is set to "manual"

EmmanuelFlossie
Shopify Partner
2953 221 710

@lymann that does not disable tax, only shipping. The free shopping app built by Shopify does not support manually setting tax settings.

 

Only shipping has the option.

Get in touch with Emmanuel: a Google Shopping Specialist, Google Ads Diamond Product Expert, and also a a Google Product Expert Education 2021 & Tailwind 2023 Award winner.
Need Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping support?.
VickyC
Visitor
3 0 0

Same here.

Thomas_Basinger
Tourist
11 0 2

I've been dealing with the same issue and have spoke to Merchant support as well as Shopify support. This is the most recent update I received from Shopify's support: 

 

"..this appears to be an ongoing issue that is affecting some merchant's. Our developers have been made aware of the issue some time ago but have not been able to provide a solution at this time.
Other Merchant's that are continuing to use the Google Channel that are affected by this issue are using the workaround of manually updating their tax settings on the Google Channel on a daily basis. This is far from ideal but it does appear to resolve the issue temporarily.


The Google Channel developers are still working on the issue but have yet to find a solution in the short term.

 

I will notify you as soon as we are provided any workaround or fix and this ticket will remain open till the issue is resolved. If you have any questions or any other issues with the Google Channel please do let me know and I can look into those for you as well."

Their "solution" is to manually update the sales tax settings in Merchant. This is UNACCEPTABLE in my opinion and we will be looking to implement a different solution for our Merchant feed. Pretty par for the course from Shopify and their apps.... 

Ahira
Tourist
7 0 1

Any updates on this? Issue still persists…

Thomas_Basinger
Tourist
11 0 2

I reached back out to support because they said they would give me an update and I didn't hear back from them. Here is what I received last on 4/13/22. Par for the course for Shopify to recommend installing yet ANOTHER app to achieve basic functionality even when the app SHOPIFY developed doesn't work properly....

 

Hi Thomas,

No update available at this time.
You may want to consider an alternative option from the Shopify App store:
We do however have other apps in our App Store that would use alternative methods from the Content API or allow more customisation of a Content API than our own offering.
Feed for Google Shopping 
and DataFeedWatch Shopping Feed are popular alternatives that you could consider.

Best Regards,
Support Specialist
Shopify

tasimed
Tourist
8 0 2

We had the same issue.  After we disabled the smart shopping campaign that Shopify created (in favor of the new Performance Max campaigns) our tax settings remained in place.

Thomas_Basinger
Tourist
11 0 2

We're having this issue on two different Shopify stores. One of the stores is running a smart shopping campaign Shopify created and the other website is not (well it's paused). Not sure why we're having the issue on both sites still...thank you for the feedback!