Shopify Sending All Active Discount Codes to Google . . .

[donnamac]

Yesterday, we received a handful of orders online that used Shopify Discount Codes that were NEVER intended for the general public.  Such as…our internal discount code we have for our employees.

We immediately cancelled the orders….actually ticked off a few customers…but explained that somehow some internal codes were made public and never should have.  Lost a few customers…may get some bad reviews….but most people understood.

I contacted Shopify and they referred it on to the technical team.

I searched the Shopify Change Log and found 0 entries in the log under the Discounts section.

How was this update communicated and what other items were implemented with this?

We immediately had to ‘end’ almost all our active codes except for a few that are associated with a local magazine…but if Google has it…they will promote it and there won’t be anything we can do to stop it, I guess.

I contacted Google (Merchant Center) and they explained to me that Shopify started sending over all ‘active’ codes to Google about a month ago.  That if we accepted the recent Terms & Conditions - the change was part of that!

I also noticed that 4 of those old codes were actually stored on Merchant Center, under the Marketing/Promotions menu.  I immediately ended them.  

It seems this change did not analyze how shop owners utilize the Discounts.  
Many of us have codes for our family, employees, VIP customers, etc. That are only communicated via our emails or by word of mouth.  

The overall concept is not bad…because it’s great for Google to promote our codes…but it should be codes that we WANT shared.  

A few ideas would be to add options when creating a discount for:

   - do we want it publicly available?  Or kept private

   - on what sales channels do we want it shared

those are only 2 things I can think of right now…but I’m sure others may have many more.

It was a horrible realization when we found it…and on one of the busiest days for our online and brick & mortar store.  

   - 

[Techlysmic]

We had the same problem with the same unhappy customers using a steep discount intended for F&F only.

What we need to know is: if I assign a discount code to a single Shopify user account, is this visible to Google and everyone? There are numerous customer codes intended for private/individual usage which Google should not see or share.

We don't sell products directly on Google, customer-specific Shopify discount codes should remain within Shopify unless explicitly shared. The current options don't seem to allow any control over this.

[PFShopstore]

We set discount codes to be active to specific customers, but still Google advertises the code to everyone. Makes no sense. Terrible.

[EmmanuelFlossie]

@JSikes I recommend contacting Shopify support directly and provide feedback. However, I'm surprised you have any issues considering you are not using Google Merchant Center, the Google app is only for Google Merchant Center. So this issue talked in this thread should not cause any issues for you.

@PFShopstore your issue is simply due to the free google shopping app you are using, built by Shopify. This is not caused by Google. Shopify has built there app to function like that.

I have resolved this issue by not using the free app anymore and using a paid one, then submit promotions manually: https://apps.shopify.com/multiple-google-shopping-feeds

As this issue has existed for 4 or 6 months without Shopify changing anything, you might be better off not using the free app.

[Janit_Calvo]

This is a very confusing answer. I don't have any Google free app - only what's built into shopify. 

We shouldn't have to "turn off" what Shopify & Google "turned on" without our consent. 

Did you get those last words? WITHOUT OUR CONSENT. 

[donnamac]

@PFShopstore 

They were not able to use it though, right?  Because they were not the person it was assigned to.
Pls. verify.    I just want to know at least THAT is working correctly.  

Thx

[PowersBMX]

We are also having this issue all of the sudden! Definitely need a fix. Attaching specific customers to every promo code we have is not a realistic solution. 

[PaulNewton]

Holy cow wtf at that tErMs & cOndItiOns response.

That's not data sharing that's an internal data leak trying to hide behind being buried in a policy.

Do they also get to publish your cost of goods too, draft products, installed apps, or theme code,  super weird take to disempower merchants like that.

[PaulNewton]

I don't remember a changelog for this either, shopify Docs fwiw - 

If you want to remove synced discounts from Google, then you can end a promotion in your Google Merchant Center. Learn how to Edit a promotion or change promotion status on Google Merchant Center Help.

https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/promoting-marketing/create-marketing/google/syncing-products#disc... 

Does seem like sometime around October 

Oct 23 Archive https://web.archive.org/web/20211023062919/https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/promoting-marketing/cr... 

Along with relevant google feature? https://searchengineland.com/google-introduces-new-deals-features-for-the-shopping-tab-and-merchant-... 

For a merchant perspective this reeks of being honey in another form at a massive scale; no consent of access to special pricing as long as you gave consent even without realizing it.

[donnamac]

Thank you @PaulNewton 

The Google article at least explains that discounts from Shopify And WooCommerce will be shown starting in Nov.  Here is an excerpt from the article below.  Others may want to read it using the link they posted .

So, i wonder if Google has access to our codes and pulls them or Shopify supplies them?
Regardless...we need ability to designate ones we want public or not.  
There is not enough criteria when we create a discount code to limit what is available to the world and what is not.

_________article from 10/29/21  ____ excerpt follows ________ _____________

Deeper integration with Shopify and WooCommerce. Building on Shopify and WooCommerce integrations announced earlier this year, retailers on these platforms are now able to show their existing deals across Google surfaces (Search, the Shopping tab, Images and Lens).

And, starting next month, retailers that use Shopify’s Google channel app or WooCommerce’s Google Listings and Ads extension will be able to show their promotions in Search and the Shopping tab.  Retailers can sync both existing and new promotions to their products listed on Google directly from their store dashboard.

 __________  end of excerpt ______________

[PaulNewton]

@EmmanuelFlossie is the third party specialist on google shopping matters here on the forums.

Have insight or references to this change?

[donnamac]

Addendum  12/14/21

Still not sure how and when these codes are being shown.  

Here is an example of what we found when we were trying to figure out what was going on:

1. Did a Google search on a product that really never goes on sale because it sells so well.

2. Went to the 'Shopping' tab after search was done

3. As we scrolled down the page, saw the product with a 'sticker' on it saying "30% off"

       we knew this was odd because this product wouldn't usually be on sale

4. Clicked on the picture and this is what was displayed (store name has been blurred. )

5. If you hovered over the discount code...it would display the entire code.  The customer would
     then copy it and use it when checking out.  This is how customers used these codes on 
     a handful of order before we noticed it.

So...  somehow, someway  these got included in googles search results????  This is really weird

The attached pic is a screenshot from the Shopping search result page

[Techlysmic]

I contacted Shopify Support directly, as perhaps others have as well. There wasn't any "known issue" status, but she did escalate while we chatted and it is being reviewed by next tier staff. 

[donnamac]

@Techlysmic  Thanks!  
How exactly do you contact technical support directly? 
I would love to know because most of the time 'support' tells me they are sending it to tech, 
the response is not from tech support.  It is a generic answer that does not give any help
on the problem at hand. 

Shopify support used to be fabulous.  If you needed a techie..you got to one and actually spoke
with them over the phone.   

[Techlysmic]

From Shopify Support. They mentioned they may post something here also, but having not seen that yet, here it is:

I have confirmed that this is a very recent change to how Google handles promotions.

"Discount codes are now syncing due to the changes for Buy on Google Only US merchants should see this happening. Merchant Promotions is a free feature that allows merchants to distribute online promotions (i.e. discounts) with Shopping ads on Google.com. it is found in the Merchant Center account under Growth > Manage programs and merchants in eligible countries can activate it at any time. When promotions are added to products that are advertised on Google, shoppers see a “special offer” link (e.g. 15% off, free shipping, etc.)"

The fact that private discounts are shared on Google is a known issue. As you know, in Shopify, merchants can create discount codes that are available for specific customers only. When this information syncs to Google, Google provides the discount code to all customers.

The workaround that has been provided is this:

Merchants can disable specific discount codes in the Promotions section of the Merchant Center account. If your merchant is seeing a discount code for a specific customer syncing with Google, please ask them to deactivate it by following the steps outlined below:

1. Go to the Promotions tab within the Merchant Center account and click the title of the discount to be removed:

1. Click End promotion at the bottom of the page
2. Merchants can also remove promotions in bulk:

I have asked for this information to be posted on that forum to help other merchants out as well. I will also provide feedback to our developers to see if there is something that we can do on our end.

I hope this provides you with the information that you need to remove the discount codes. Until something is modified either at our end or on Google's side, you will need to remove any private discount codes that you add. I will provide feedback to perhaps add a flag on the discount creation as to whether this is private or public discount. It may be worth reaching out to Google to see if you can set the discount promotions as off when they are synced across with the option to activate it.

[donnamac]

@Techlysmic 

Thank you for this insight!!    

Your work around works fine.  We have received no more orders using private codes since we stopped all in 
Merchant Center on Saturday.

Some things are still very unclear... a customer used a discount code on Saturday that is a private one...but it was NOT stored in the Merchant Center Promotions area.  How the heck did they get their hands on that?

Still many unanswered questions, but we have not had any issues since Sat.

I thought only our PRODUCTS were part of the Google App sync process to build a catalog.  That is the only thing that concerns me...what other information is fed to the Google universe?  It's a bit of smoke & mirrors where both sides first tier support cannot explain.  The Merchant Ctr support told me that Shopify made the change.

Yes...We need the ability to better qualify our discount codes than what is available now.  

    - possible indicators for code to be public vs. private

    - possible indicator for what sales channel a code is good on

    - exclude certain products/collections  (instead of 

....I'm sure others will have much better ones than I.

Thanks again @Techlysmic 
  

[PaulNewton]

---

@donnamac wrote:

Some things are still very unclear... a customer used a discount code on Saturday that is a private one...but it was NOT stored in the Merchant Center Promotions area.  How the heck did they get their hands on that?

---

It wasn't stored in MCP at the time it was used, or it was never in MC at all? In which case an unrelated fluke that's just coincidental.

Just trying to establish if cache/lag/memory can be expected with this type of process.

Which would imply all or nothing in that any leaked code has to get nuked and replaced even if it was for a few moments before caught.

[donnamac]

@PaulNewton 

Not in Merch Ctr at all.
There were only 4 codes in Merch Ctr that I stopped.
We have more than 4 active codes on Shopify...one of them which was used by a customer that was NOT in MCP.

I don't understand how cache could be involved here.  It is background processing on the platforms, not our browser cache, correct?

[EmmanuelFlossie]

You should report it to Shopify. They are the ones that enabled this new feature. The more people that complain, hopefully, the faster they do something about it.

[donnamac]

@EmmanuelFlossie This was done a week ago.  Of course,  I can only get to a chat board...which is far from 
technical support.  I requested it be elevated to tech, but have not heard a peep. This is the new normal.
So....now we need to use the discount codes in a new way.  There are much fewer ones...and only those

that are meant for the public.  

This really puts the kabash on dealing with our existing customers and promos for them.

[PaulNewton]

@donnamac 

I don't understand how cache could be involved here.  It is background processing on the platforms, not our browser cache, correct?

I meant that in the context that timeline around if a discount code was sent to the MCP and was public >  and then you found and removed it from MCP.

During that period people saw the code;  OR even after you removed a code from MCP it was still showing on shopping pages for a little bit after just for things like server or CDN caches;  no browser cache needed but those could retain it too depending on how the whole thing works /shrug.

Platforms like shopify and google regardless of background process optimize for cache when they can so not all updates or setting changes are live everywhere for everyone even if it seems so for your location.

[donnamac]

Thanks for the clarification

[donnamac]

@Techlysmic 

I replied to the email I received from 'support' on Monday.  I have heard nothing.
Do you have a way to follow up on this with a techie?

There is really a simple change that Shopify can implement that will be immediate help:

   - add a checkbox to the discount code admin screen to indicate public/private

   - adjust the script to send only 'public' codes to Google

or they could just stop sending the codes to google temporarily until they can change things.

Regardless...we would like to re-activate some of our codes as we are into the final stages of this busy season.

You mentioned another forum this is on.  Could you tell me which one?  I would like to read
what is being said/done about it. 

Thanks in advance. 

[EmmanuelFlossie]

Hello @donnamac and thanks @PaulNewton for pinging me.

Donnamac, you seem to have already done all your research and what I am going to say is simply a confirmation of what is happening.

The issue you experience is a new feature from the free shopping app you are using. It automatically submits promotions when you create them in Shopify. Currently, I do not know how you can stop the free app from doing this. But you can delete the promotions in Google Merchant Center > Marketing > Promotions

I recommend you contact Shopify to tell them to stop automatically submitting promotions, and have the option to only choose what you want to submit. Alternatively use an app where you have more control. I don't use the free app at all, because its fully automated, with not control. Which leaves room for big mistakes, as what you experience.

In my opinion, the free app has always created problems, and I never advise anyone to use it who are serious about advertising. The app is great, if you have a handful of basic products. 

Aside, Shopify is the official app developer for the free app. So any issues with the app, needs to be taken to Shopify, not Google.

[donnamac]

@EmmanuelFlossie 

Thanks for your clarification

[EmmanuelFlossie]

You're not alone @donnamac , I recommend you send what you said here to Shopify support directly.

Because everyone was surprised. These things should be clearly communicated from Shopify to the users.

[donnamac]

** Addendum added 12/29/21 ***

I have requested multiple times for this issue to be elevated to the Tech Support team that can help resolve.
I have never heard back whether it has been forwarded or if any work or thought is being put into it.

We are going to start using our codes again.  However, I will monitor Merchant Ctr to inactivate any that go 

over that I do NOT want the world to have access to.  There are instructions how to do that...OR what to do
not enable this during terms acceptance when you install the Shopify Google App (some may want to uninstall & install again).   

Happy New Year everyone!

Here is a link to the Merchant Ctr writeup on what to do: Create and Manage Promotions with 3rd party partners

https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/11338950?hl=en#zippy=%2Cmanage-promotions-using-shopify 

[EmmanuelFlossie]

If you mean here on the forum, best to contact Shopify support directly. As no Shopify employee replied to you here on the community, I would assume its not escalated.

[donnamac]

@EmmanuelFlossie  Thanks.  Yes...it hasn't been escalated because the request is not directly from the shop owner.  I am only the lowly Admin person.  Now that the holidays are over...it may happen.  Just can't get a break.

Am looking at other Google apps.  Any suggestions?

[EmmanuelFlossie]

For my clients, I use datafeedwatch and https://apps.shopify.com/multiple-google-shopping-feeds

[jmd247]

@donnamac I found a way to just disable promotions in google feed altogether. I dont use it for that and dont plan on offering promotions on google so its easier than going in and deleting the promotions each time. 

Go to Merchant Center 

On the left is the menu
Click on GROWTH

then at the bottom of that submenu 

Click on MANAGE PROGRAMS 

and then find the box that says PROMOTIONS and click DISABLE. 

I think this will make sure it wont allow any promotional codes to be populated by google or third party (shopify) any more until its set back to enabled. 

[donnamac]

@jmd247Thanks! 

Mine was already disabled but this is a great tip and all should try it if anyone is concerned about the sharing of all discount codes with Google Merchant Ctr.

In addition, I have not had any issues since I took out all discounts that showed up in Merch Ctr/Marketing/Promotions .

Donna

[ach]

Same issue...

[ach]

Just got off the chat channel with Shopify support.  Here is the fix they propose:

1. In your store's Shopify Admin, go to your apps > Select Google
2. Go to Settings within Google App admin page
3. Under the Google Merchant Center account panel (3rd from top), click the hyperlink displaying your Google MCA number - this will take you to your Google Merchant Center
4. Double check you are signed in to the correct Google Merchant Center account (top right)
5. In the left-hand NAV gutter, click > Marketing
6. Click the Promotions sub-link in that same left-hand gutter NAV
7. This will display the discount codes that Google has crawled from your Shopify store
8. Select the tick boxes next to the codes you want to exclude from Google and selection End Promotions in the blue bar that appears at the top of the list
9. Those discount codes are now excluded from Google

A few notes:

• according to Shopify support, this is a one time process
• when Google crawls your store periodically, it will not re-add codes which you have previously excluded through this process
• Google crawl WILL however add any new codes you have created
• so best practice is to build any Google MCA exclusions into your new discount code setup process using the steps above AND check your Google MCA periodically for any accidental code inclusions

That's it.  Hope this was helpful.  Remember to like and follow.  I will be selling framed versions of this note in the parking lot if you want to grab one for posterity.

[JSikes]

I would like to see Shopify take responsibility for this a make a check box for publishing or not publishing private discount codes; because of this problem we have disabled all of our discount codes and have lost sales. The merchant center fix does not work for us as we have never set it up or care to. I have attempted to communicate this to them several times to no success. 

[Banded]

we had the same problem, where I created a 100% off discount code for internal use to test the order process from start to finish.. tested it. never told anyone about it.. a few months went by and we started receiving orders with this internal discount code for 100% off. Im curious how these "customers" got this code as we didn't publish this and was only used by the IT guy (me) to test.. super weird and mildly creepy.. 

[EmmanuelFlossie]

If you don't want promotions to be automatically imported, disable it in Google Merchant Center: https://merchants.google.com/mc/linkedaccounts/integrations

Disable deals discovery

Also check the promotion tab: https://merchants.google.com/mc/promotions/sources

[Janit_Calvo]

Bumping this up and shocked that there is only one, three-year-old thread on this. 

It just happened to me - I didn't know that this was ANOTHER SHOPIFY-GENERATED CONCERN FOR US.

My discount codes are for my subscribers ONLY. I've got ads and promo stating this back to 2004 - I'm livid.

Shopify needs to have an option RIGHT ON the discount page for this. Adding another 5 steps by going to The Void aka Google Merchant Center to "de-integrate" it is a $%^&$%# waste of our time. 

So annoying. 

[jordanatveeper]

Hey Donna, 

To prevent Shopify from sharing coupon codes with Google, navigate to your Shopify admin, go to "Online Store" > "Marketing" > "Google Shopping", and then deselect the checkbox next to "Enable promotions"; this will stop any active Shopify promotions from appearing on Google Shopping results.

You can also install an app like Veeper and enable our Coupon Blocker on your checkout to stop coupon extensions from leaking and auto-injecting codes at your checkout.