Google Seller Ratings: What Are They and How They Help

When people shop online, they are interested in knowing if a business is trusted. But they don’t always have the time to read every review for any business. Especially today, when there are multiple review sites with tons of customer reviews. This makes it harder for businesses to stand out and prove their credibility quickly. 

If you’ve ever wondered how to showcase your business’s trust at a glance, Google Seller Ratings can help. These star ratings appear in ads* and even in free listings across Google, giving shoppers a quick idea of your store’s reputation. A higher rating can build trust and bring more clicks to your ads.

But the question is, how do you show Google seller ratings on Google ads? How does Google collect customer reviews to showcase on ads? 

To answer all such questions, we have come up with this blog. In the sections that we cover in this blog, we will discuss the following aspects of Google Seller Ratings: 

• What they are
• How they work
• Where they appear
• How to get them
• Their benefits
• How to maintain them
• Sources of reviews
• Examples of Google Seller Ratings 

So, shall we dive into the specifics? 

*It’s important to note that Google seller (store) ratings don’t appear alongside each type of Google ad. They appear alongside Google text and Shopping ads.  Read more about this in the section, ‘Where do Google Seller Ratings’ appear.

What Are Google Seller Ratings? 

Google Seller ratings, also known as Google Store ratings, are a Google ads extension that reflects customer experiences with your store. These ratings mainly appear as a star rating next to your text ad, shopping ad, free listing, and rich results.

Store ratings are collected automatically by Google from sources like Google Customer Reviews, Trustpilot, Yotpo, and other supported review partners. They mostly reflect post-fulfillment experiences such as delivery time, return ease, and service quality.

To qualify, your store usually needs 100 or more eligible reviews in a single country over the last 24 months. These reviews must also lead to an average rating of 3.5 stars or more to show on text ads.

For a merchant, these ratings are an important way to showcase their customer satisfaction level to other customers, which can be helpful in building credibility. For shoppers, Google seller ratings can be helpful in gauging how trustworthy a business is and understanding its services. Based on these insights, they can easily make quick and informed purchasing decisions.

As per Google, store ratings may include one or multiple elements from: 

1. A star rating out of five 
2. The total ratings any business has received to date 
3. A qualifier that highlights important aspects of the store rating. A qualifier refers to the extra details that explain why a business has received a particular rating. This could include information like average delivery time, free return period, etc. 
4. A link which will take you to Google’s storepages, where you can get the store’s overview, and read the customer ratings in detail. 

Note: Google Seller Ratings are not the same as Google Reviews. Seller Ratings don’t come from the reviews on your Google Business Profile. So, text reviews left on Maps or Search won’t count toward your Shopping ads. These are treated separately and don’t affect your ad ratings. However, reviews collected through Google Customer Reviews or trusted partners may include both text and star ratings. If those reviews are part of the official feed or system, they may count toward Seller Ratings. What matters is where the review was collected and how it was submitted to Google.

Google Seller Ratings Example

In the screenshot shared below, Google seller ratings appear underneath callout extensions: 

What’s the Difference Between Seller Ratings and Product Ratings? 

Many confuse seller ratings with product ratings. But they track different things. Seller ratings show how well your store performs like delivery, support, or returns. These appear on text ads, Shopping ads, free listings, and YouTube. Product ratings only reflect feedback on individual items and appear on Shopping ads or free listings.

• Seller ratings need 100+ reviews in one country.
• Product ratings need 50 total across all products.
• Seller ratings build trust in your business.
• Product ratings help buyers judge the product itself.

A product’s high rating won’t improve your seller score. And a good seller rating doesn’t guarantee great product reviews. Both ratings are based on customer reviews from Google, Trustpilot, Yotpo, and others. But only product ratings can be submitted directly by merchants.

• Seller ratings update automatically from trusted sources.
• Product ratings need monthly uploads through feed or partner.
• Seller ratings match with your store’s domain or name.
• Product ratings use GTIN, SKU, Brand + MPN, or product URLs.

For more information on product ratings, you can also read our detailed blog, which highlights how to show product ratings on your listings. 

Where Do Google Seller Ratings Show Up? 

Google seller (store) ratings appear in Text ads, Free listings, and Rich Results. We have discussed how seller ratings appear across all positions in detail below: 

In Text Ads (Paid Ads)

For paid ads, Google seller ratings appear across text and shopping ads and not in any other format such as display, performance max, etc. 

Text ads are used mainly for promoting products across the Google Network. These ads can show up on Google result pages, Search Network, Display Network, etc.

This is how Google Store ratings appear in text ads: 

• As we can see in Text ads, these ratings include a star rating out of 5. Additionally, as we discussed above, a qualifier like ‘deliver speed’ can also appear along with the rating. 
• It’s important to note that a minimum rating of 3.5 stars is required for store ratings to appear on text ads. 

In Shopping Ads (Paid Ads)

Google seller ratings also show up in Shopping ads, which appear in the Shopping tab or directly on search results.

These ads display product images, prices, and other important details.

In Free Listings (Unpaid Format)

Seller ratings also appear in free product listings. 

With the help of free product listings, you can advertise your products across different areas of Google, such as Search, Images, Shopping Tab, Maps, etc., without incurring any costs.

In the case of free listings, you can easily view store ratings right next to the merchant or store’s name across Google Shopping or Search. During our research, we found that for free listings, you will mainly see a star rating out of 5, and not other elements like qualifiers, total reviews, etc. 

Here’s an example of how Google seller ratings will appear on Free Listings: 

In Rich Results (Organic Search)

Seller Ratings can also appear in rich results. 

Rich results are enhanced experiences that appear across different types of Google surfaces, such as Search, etc. These results include additional information beyond the standard plain blue links, such as images, review counts, etc.

When a shopper searches for a specific store or product, Google may include:

• A star rating out of 5, along with the total number of reviews next to the store’s name.
• These rich results give shoppers quick insights into a store’s reputation, even if the result is not an ad or product listing.

Here’s an example of a store rating appearing in rich results: 

Important: It is important to note that apart from the star rating, Google may also show a store insights panel for eligible stores. This panel includes metrics such as delivery speed, return experience, how competitive your pricing is, and available payment options. 

These insights are pulled from the Shopping Experience Scorecard and shown next to your store name. They help users evaluate your overall service before clicking on your ad or listing.

Benefits of Google Seller Ratings 

Google Seller ratings offer several benefits:

1. Build Instant Trust With Shoppers: As we discussed above, seller ratings allow shoppers to see how others have rated your store based on their overall shopping experience. Therefore, these ratings become a key element to building trust with them. 

When a shopper notices that your Google text ad or free product listing has a store rating embedded in it, they will be more confident about clicking on the ad or listing, visiting your store, and making a purchase. To ensure this trust isn’t undermined by fraudulent engagement, it’s also crucial to monitor for Invalid Clicks in Google Ads, which can distort performance metrics and waste ad budget.

2. Improve Click-Through Rate on Ads and Listings: Google’s internal data highlights that text ads with Seller ratings can notice an improvement of 2% in click-through rate on the Search Network. This means that your ad will receive more clicks from potential buyers, which can also lead to more sales for your ecommerce store or business. 

Bonus: Read our blog on click-through rates and get more insights on CTR across ads, organic search results, etc.

3. Drive More Qualified Traffic: Shoppers who click on ads, free listings, or rich results that showcase your store ratings are already convinced of your business’s credibility. Thus, they are more likely to be high-intent visitors who are keen to explore your products and make a purchase. This benefits your business in two ways: 

• The traffic quality improves
• The chances of conversions from Google ads also increase

4. Strengthen Your Organic Presence: As we discussed above, Google seller ratings appear in free product listings and rich results. This boosts your organic presence and increases brand visibility even if you are not running paid ads. 
5. Free to Display: Sellers don’t get charged when Google seller (store) ratings are shown on their ads or free product listings. This makes seller ratings a cost-effective Google ads extension to promote your ecommerce store or business. 
6. Appear Across Different Google Surfaces: Seller ratings appear across different Google surfaces such as Search, YouTube, etc. This helps you boost your brand visibility and drive high-intent traffic from multiple touchpoints. 

How to Participate in Google Seller Ratings? 

As per Google, you don’t need to manually activate any option for store ratings to appear across your ads, listings, or rich results related to your business. By default, when your store meets the required conditions for seller ratings, those will automatically start appearing across the different eligible positions.

Now, let’s quickly understand the specific requirements for Google seller ratings. 

Google Seller Ratings Requirements 

1. It is important to note that your ads or listings on the Search Network can show store ratings even if you’re not using Google Shopping or don’t have a Merchant Center account.
2. As per Google’s guidelines, your business should have enough unique reviews for a particular country within the last 24 months to be eligible for store ratings. This helps Google’s system to calculate a store rating score accurately. 

Important Note: This means that if your store serves in multiple countries, then it will have to meet the review threshold for each country specifically if you want Google store ratings to appear in your ads, listings, or other search results.

Officially, Google has also shared that the number of reviews required for Google seller ratings varies for each merchant. However, most merchants were able to get store ratings after getting 100 or more authentic, unique, and eligible reviews. 

These reviews can include overall shopping experiences or even post-fulfillment experiences. 

3. For store ratings to appear on your ads, the following ratings must be met:

• The average rating of your store must be 3.5 or higher. 
• Free listings can show store ratings even if the average rating is lower than 3.5.
• The visible URL of the ad must exactly match the domain for which Google has ratings. 
• Reviews must belong to the same country where your ads are being shown. 
• Google reserves the right not to show store ratings from ads if the reviews aren’t related specifically to the product or service being advertised in the ad. 

4. For your free listings and shopping ads, the store name and domain in your reviews are exactly the same as the store name and registered domain that you entered in your Google Merchant Center account. If these aren’t in sync or there are any issues, then your store will not appear. 

As a pro tip, you must note that you can always update your store name or website URL directly in Merchant Center settings. This will help you prevent any issues and keep things aligned. Also, this is helpful for Google’s system to link reviews to your store accurately.

5. Use Google’s Approved Review Sources: Ensure that your reviews are being collected by those sources that are supported by Google. These include:

• Google Customer Reviews 
• Trusted third-party review partners
• Google-led research or surveys conducted through Shopping experience programs.

Note: We discuss these sources in detail in the section.

How to Add Seller Ratings to Google Ads?

As already discussed, Seller Ratings are added automatically by Google once your store meets the eligibility criteria. There’s no manual setup needed to activate them in your Google Ads account.

However, if you want to check whether they’re enabled, go to your Google Ads account → Assets → Account-level automated assets → Advanced Settings. Under the ‘Seller Ratings’ section, you’ll see the setting is likely marked as ‘On (recommended).’ If by chance it is ‘Off’ you should turn it on.

How Does Google Collect and Calculate Seller Ratings? 

Google collects and bases seller ratings from multiple sources, which include: 

Google Customer Reviews 

This is a free add-on feature that is available in the Google Merchant Center. Through this program, you can easily collect your customer’s feedback after they complete a purchase from your store. 

In this program, shoppers can opt-in for a short survey which is shown to them on the checkout confirmation page. Their responses are used by Google to calculate your Google store ratings and product ratings eligibility. 

Note: There are multiple guidelines that must be met to participate in the Google Customer Reviews program. These include that your checkout flow should have a separate order confirmation page, the order confirmation page should be secure (HTTPS) and encrypted, etc.  To read those requirements, and also get insights on Google Customer Reviews program’s availability in your country, check this page on Customer Reviews Guidelines.

Third-Party Google Seller Ratings Partners 

For store ratings, Google also works with independent review platforms that specialize in collecting and aggregating store-level reviews. 

Their current list of supported review partners includes: 

• Trustpilot
• Reviews.io
• Yotpo
• Feefo
• Sitejabber
• ResellerRatings
• PowerReviews
• Reputation.com
• Bazaarvoice
• Birdeye
• Verified Reviews
• Trusted Shops
• Okendo
• Shopper Approved
• ProductReview.com.au
• TurnTo
• Stamped.io
• Feedback Company
• Feedaty
• Bizrate Insights
• eKomi
• Reevoo
• RA Trustvox
• Reco.se
• Klantenvertellen
• KiyOh
• ShopAuskunft
• ShopVote.de
• Ausgezeichnet.org

Note: 1. Google adds only one or two new review partners globally each year. If you are a review aggregator, you must meet specific criteria and apply through Google’s official interest form. 2. Connecting with Google Seller Ratings through a supported review partner depends on the software you’re using. Some platforms send your reviews to Google automatically once connected, while others require a separate integration or add-on to be activated before any data is shared. For example: – If you’re using a review platform like Yotpo, you’ll need to connect your account and ensure it sends your site reviews to Google. Learn how Yotpo connects with Google. – Google Seller Ratings is available as a paid add-on unless you’re on the Enterprise plan. To enable it, go to Settings > Integrations > Google Seller Ratings. Once connected, your review feed will be sent to Google and usually validated within 24–48 hours.

Google-Led Shopping Research  

For calculating store ratings, Google also conducts its own research. This is basically to analyze shopping experiences. It studies shopping behavior and customer experience through its surveys and search activity. This helps Google understand the performance of your store even when it has a less number of reviews.

All these insights are then aggregated and added to the final rating, which is shown in your ads, listings, or rich results.

Important Note: 

1. Google does not modify existing reviews. Instead, it filters out spam, duplicate, or irrelevant content. This process ensures that the store ratings displayed to end users are trustworthy. These ratings are based on the real shopping experiences of customers.
2. The final store rating which is displayed is based on multiple factors like delivery speed, the quality of your products, and overall service. 
3. Google doesn’t verify the reviews. But as mentioned above, it only accepts reviews from reputable partners. 

How Does Google Calculate Store Ratings?

Google hasn’t clearly highlighted how they calculate store ratings. But after analyzing different stores and their visible ratings, we were able to spot some useful patterns.

It seems that Google shares the final store rating based on the weighted average of all eligible reviews.

Let’s take the example of Nike’s store, as visible in the screenshot:

Total reviews: 78

Rating breakdown:

• 5-star: 68% → 53 reviews
• 4-star: 15% → 12 reviews
• 3-star: 8% → 6 reviews
• 2-star: 1% → 1 review
• 1-star: 8% → 6 reviews

Note: It is important to note that we rounded off the ratings to their nearest whole number for better clarity.

Now, calculating the store rating:

The final rating comes to be around 4.34, which is closer to the final rating of 4.4 that Google reflects. This highlights that Google’s system is most likely using a weighted average of all reviews that it collects from supported sources such as third-party websites like Yotpo, its own program Google Customer Reviews, etc.  

Note: For Nike’s store, we also found that the total number of customer reviews was 93. But as we saw in the screenshot above, Google only highlighted 78 reviews that were considered for the final rating. This highlights that Google uses some criteria to filter out reviews before calculating the final store rating.

How to Integrate A Supported Review Partner With Google to Show Seller Ratings (Yotpo’s Example)

In this section, we will understand how you can integrate a supported review partner like Yotpo with Google, for seller ratings. 

Note: We have taken Yotpo’s example just for reference. To integrate any other supported review platform like Opinew with Google, you should contact their support team.

You must note that if you are using Yotpo to collect customer reviews, then sending those to Google is pretty straightforward. Yotpo automatically sends your review feed to Google once integrated.

Before You Start

• You must note that you don’t need to run Shopping ads or even have a merchant center account to be eligible for seller ratings on the Search Network. 
• However, your store must still meet Google’s seller rating requirements and follow their policies. It’s a good idea to review their seller rating disclaimer before you begin.
• Yotpo applies its own algorithms to filter your reviews before sending them to Google. It removes reviews with profanity or very short content that may not be helpful.
• Once filtered by Yotpo, Google applies a second layer of checks using its own internal logic. This is why the number of reviews shown on Google might be lower than expected.
• Google doesn’t share how their algorithm works or which reviews they choose to include. Even if you meet all the requirements, Google doesn’t guarantee that your Google Seller Rating (GSR) will appear.
• Yotpo can only confirm that your site reviews will appear on the Dedicated Seller Ratings page, not necessarily in Google Search or Shopping results. Google’s decision to show seller ratings depends on its own systems and criteria.
• Also, Google requires Yotpo to send all valid reviews, even if they are negative or unpublished. Once submitted, these reviews cannot be edited or removed.

Connecting Yotpo With Google

Here’s how to link your Yotpo account to Google:

1. Go to Yotpo Reviews > Meta & Google > Google Seller Ratings
2. Click Connect
3. Yotpo will then prepare and send your site reviews feed to Google.
   

It can take around 2 to 6 weeks for Google to process this data. After that, your seller ratings may start appearing across eligible ad formats and listings.

Once connected, you’ll be able to track:

• The date when your store was linked.
• The last time reviews were sent to Google.

Troubleshooting Tips For Yotpo and Google 

There can be some issues where your seller ratings don’t show up in Google, and your listings, shopping ads, etc., even if you have integrated Yotpo with Google successfully. 

Below, we will discuss the reasons why this happens and how you can fix them. 

1. Not Enough Reviews Yet

First and foremost, as we discussed above, there’s a certain number of eligible reviews required for the Google Seller rating program. If you don’t have enough reviews or less reviews (let’s say only 20), then your rating might now show up. 

In such cases, on the seller rating page inside Yotpo, you will see the error message, “No rating yet.” 

This basically highlights that you haven’t received enough reviews. 

2. Wrong Country Code in the Link

Whenever you are checking seller ratings with the lookup link, ensure that you are using the right country code. This means that the country should be an exact of the country code where your reviews were collected. 

For example, if you collected 100 reviews from U.S. customers, the country code should be c=US. But if your URL has this parameter, c=AT (which is Austria), the page might show no ratings.

How to fix this?
Look at the URL and the two-letter ISO country code after &c=. Check if it’s correct or not. If not, use this list of ISO country codes and enter the correct country code.

3. Incorrect Store URL in Yotpo

Even an incorrect store URL can prevent your seller ratings from appearing. 

To fix this:

• Go to the General Settings page in your Yotpo account. 
• After that, go to the field “Your Website.”
• Check if the URL mentioned there is correct or not. If not, add the correct store URL. 
• Once you fix the issue and update the correct store URL, the seller ratings should also update quickly.
  

4. Incentivized Reviews

You need to ensure that you are not offering any incentive to the customers for a review. That can result in your review getting marked as ‘incentivized’ on Yotpo. 

Such reviews are not eligible for store ratings and are filtered out. 

5. Reviews Not From Verified Buyers

It’s important to ensure that the reviews your business is receiving are from verified buyers. If not, then those might not be eligible for Google seller ratings. 

If any of your reviews came from non-verified users, Google may exclude them.

What if the wrong rating shows on your listing? Google won’t change or remove reviews.  Also, you cannot reply to reviews via the Merchant Center. If you’d like to respond or request changes, you’ll need to visit the specific third-party review site where the rating was originally posted. To fix an issue, you must contact a review platform like Yotpo or Trustpilot.  You also can’t reply to these reviews through the Merchant Center.  Go to the review site to respond or ask for corrections directly.

How to Check Your Store Rating in Search Results? 

If you want to see whether your store has a Google Seller Rating, there’s a simple way to check it using a special link.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Open this link in your browser:
  https://www.google.com/shopping/ratings/account/lookup?q={yourwebsite}
  
• Replace {yourwebsite} with your store’s homepage URL.
  For example, if your website is www.freshbakestore.com, the link will be:
  https://www.google.com/shopping/ratings/account/lookup?q=www.freshbakestore.com
  

This page will display your store’s rating only if you meet the minimum requirements like review count and rating threshold.

Note: If your domain changes by country, you need to repeat the process for each version of your website.

If your website uses the same domain for multiple countries, Google may only show the seller rating for one specific country.

To check the rating for another country:

• Change the country code in the browser’s URL. For example, if the link ends with &c=CA (for Canada), and you want to view reviews from the US, replace it with &c=US.

Note: If your store hasn’t met the review threshold or if Google doesn’t have enough data, the page might not load. Also, having a store rating doesn’t always mean it will appear in your ads since ad placements depend on auction dynamics and other ad settings.

How to Analyze the Performance of Google Seller Ratings 

Once your Google Seller Ratings start showing in your ads, it’s important to measure their impact. The best way to do this is by accessing the performance report for Account-level Automated Assets inside Google Ads.

How to Access the Google Seller Ratings Performance Report? 

Here is the step-by-step process to access the seller ratings performance report in Google ads:

1. Log into your Google Ads account.
2. Click the Campaigns icon.
3. Click on the Assets dropdown in the menu section.

4. Click Assets again from the list.
5. From the table view, choose Association.

6. Then, click on the three-dot menu ‘More’ at the top-right corner.

7. Select Account-level automated assets.

This will open a report that includes performance metrics for automated assets like Seller Ratings, Dynamic Sitelinks, etc. 

Analyzing The Google Seller Rating Report  

The generated report will help you understand how your ads are performing with the store ratings (or any other assets) displayed on them. 

You can also use the filters to select a specific campaign and analyze how it performed when seller ratings were shown with it.

The report will include different metrics such as: 

• Clicks – Shows the total number of clicks on your ad headline when seller ratings (or any other account-level automated assets) appear with it.
• Impressions – How many times the ad was shown when seller ratings were displayed on them?

Similarly, other metrics that you can view for your ads (when seller ratings are also appearing) include: 

• CTR (Click-through rate) – Percentage of people who clicked after seeing the ad.
• Avg. CPC (Cost per click) – Average amount paid per click.
• Cost – Total cost spent for the clicks.

Here’s an example of what a report will look like: 

With this report, you can view different performance metrics and their before and after performance:  

Did your CTR go up when seller ratings were visible?

Check if your CTR percentage is higher than it was earlier. This can easily be done by comparing your search or shopping ad campaign metrics before and after seller ratings started appearing. 

• The account-level automated asset report we are currently viewing shows the CTR percentage after seller ratings started appearing on your campaign. But as we know, Google enables seller ratings automatically when you meet all the requirements. As you don’t get any type of notification or alter for this, identifying the exact moment when your seller ratings start appearing on your ads, listings, etc., is difficult. 
• Therefore, as a best practice, we recommend that you analyze your ad campaigns and their performance metrics regularly in advance. This is important, especially before your reviews reach Google’s eligibility threshold. 
• Once you have received a good number of reviews (let’s say 200-300) from the supported channels or programs highlighted earlier in the article, you should start manually checking on Google search results to see if seller ratings appear for your brand.
• Also, the account-level automated assets report should be monitored to compare results from before and after seller ratings went live. 

Note: This technique of analyzing before and after seller ratings are shown with your Google ads can be very easy to implement for those advertisers who are running a limited number of ads.  Due to the number of active campaigns being low, tracking performance won’t feel overwhelming. You won’t need to filter through too many metrics or ad groups.

Bonus: Here’s the step-by-step process through which you can view CTR and other important metrics, like clicks, impressions, etc., of any ad campaign in your Google ads account. 

Remember this is the report that you must monitor in advance before you reach the review threshold for seller ratings to start appearing: 

• Go to ‘Campaigns’ from the left-hand side menu in Google Ads. 

• Apply the filters to select any particular type of campaign, such as Search campaigns. 

• View the report for the selected campaign and check metrics like CTR, impressions, etc. 

• You can also check if your CTR is now in line with the industry standards. 
• We have discussed in detail how you can analyze your Google ads search campaigns before and after performance. 
• Using those insights, you can also analyze if the CTR percentage of your search ads – after Seller ratings appear on them – aligns with the industry’s standards.
• For example, Google search ads have an average CTR of 6.24% (as per Wordstream). 
• Compare this with your Search ad campaign’s current CTR to check if seller ratings are making a difference.    

Are you getting more clicks?

You can also analyze if the number of clicks has increased after seller ratings started appearing on your ads. 

Is your average CPC lower when seller ratings are shown?

Let’s say your CPC dropped from $0.30 to $0.20. This shows you’re paying less per click now for better-quality traffic. This is helpful for improving ad efficiency.

A drop in CPC highlights that Google sees your ad as more relevant to searchers.

Are you spending more or less?

Spending more is okay if you’re also getting better results.

But if clicks and conversions improve while cost stays the same—or drops—that’s ideal.

It shows your budget is being used in an effective manner.

Note: In the section above, we have discussed how to analyze the account-level automated asset report for Search ads. You can apply these insights to Google shopping campaigns as well. For free listings, you will have to rely on manual analysis to understand the impact of Seller ratings. In Merchant Center, you can visit the analytics sector where you can check the number of clicks from Google that led a user to your website. You can keep checking these metrics before and after seller ratings are enabled automatically by Google.

Why Aren’t My Seller Ratings Showing Up? 

Even after meeting basic eligibility, there are several reasons why your Google Seller Ratings might not appear, especially on ads or free listings. Let’s look at some lesser-discussed but important factors:

1. Mismatch Between Review Sources and Store Domain

If the domain linked in your Google Merchant Center differs from what your review partner shows, Google can’t associate reviews correctly. For instance, if your reviews are collected for shop.example.com but your Merchant Center uses example.com, ratings may not match or display.

2. Country-Specific Review Volume Is Missing

Store ratings are country-specific, meaning Google calculates and displays ratings per country. Even if your store has 300 reviews in total, if only 10 of them are from Canada, Google won’t show ratings there. You’ll need to reach the review threshold separately in each region where you want visibility.

3. Delayed Review Aggregation by Google

Review data from supported partners or even Google Customer Reviews is not synced in real-time. There may be a processing window of several weeks, so even eligible stores might not see ratings right away.

4. Filtered or Disqualified Reviews

Google applies strict quality checks and filters out ineligible content, including:

• Reviews from unverified buyers
• Very short or vague comments
• Incentivized reviews (offered in exchange for rewards)
   

Even if you have 100+ reviews, only eligible and clean reviews count toward your rating.

5. Review Source Doesn’t Share Data with Google

If your third-party review partner isn’t properly integrated or delays sharing data with Google, the reviews won’t contribute. You may need to contact the review partner to confirm whether they are sending valid reviews to Google regularly.

6. Incorrect Country Code in Lookup URL

When checking your seller rating via Google’s lookup link, the wrong country code (like &c=FR instead of &c=US) can make it seem like ratings don’t exist. Always check that the code matches where your reviews were actually collected.

7. Auction Conditions May Block Display

Even with a valid rating, Google’s ad auction system may sometimes not display the rating, depending on ad relevance, competition, and performance history. This means the rating is active but doesn’t show every time.

Bonus: Read how to use auction insights in Google ads.

Can You Turn Off Google Seller Ratings? 

Yes, you can choose to turn off Google Seller Ratings from showing on your ads, free listings, and rich results if you don’t want them to appear. These ratings are part of Google’s automated assets, but advertisers have control over whether to display them or not.

To turn off account-level automated assets, follow these steps:

1. In your Google Ads account, click the Campaigns icon Campaigns Icon.
2. Click the Assets drop-down in the section menu.
3. Click Assets.
4. Select Association from the “Table view” drop-down menu.
5. Click the three-dot menu on the right, then select Account level automated assets.
6. Click the three-dot menu on the right again, then select Advanced Settings.

7. Expand the drop-down menu of ‘Seller Ratings.’

There you will see that currently, the selection option will be ‘On (recommended)’

8. Select ‘Off’ and share a specific reason for turning off Google Seller Ratings. Once done, press save. 

That’s it. You have turned off Google seller ratings. 

Note: Turning off store ratings isn’t recommended, as it will most likely affect your ad performance.

How to Improve Your Google Seller Ratings?

Let’s look at some tips that can help you to improve your Google seller ratings: 

Give Excellent Customer Service 

As we know, Google seller ratings reflect how your customers rate your overall store and its service. Therefore, offering good service becomes a key aspect of improving your Google seller ratings.

In fact, 68% of customers leave a review after a positive experience.

Provide great service to your customers, focus on solving their problems fast, improve their shopping experience, and make every buyer feel valued.

Ask for Reviews at the Right Time

A study suggests that 77% of customers are willing to review your service or product if asked. As soon as a customer’s order is delivered or service is completed with your business, ask them to leave a review. That’s when they remember their experience clearly and are most likely to respond.

Make it Easy to Leave Reviews

Your customers aren’t going to leave a review if the process to do so is lengthy. Avoid complex review flow. Rather, use tools that let customers give feedback in just a few clicks. The easier it is, the more reviews you’ll get.

Reply to Reviews (Even the Bad Ones)

It’s important to respond to both – positive and negative – reviews. This shows you care, and others notice it, too.

Offer Fast Shipping and Easy Returns

If your delivery is quick and the return process is smooth, people will mention it in their reviews, which will help your rating.

Google also tracks your store’s delivery and return performance through the Shopping Experience Scorecard.

This scorecard helps decide how often your ratings or insights appear. A strong score across these areas builds trust and improves your visibility.

Use Best Practices for Creating Ads and Listings

While seller ratings help you send qualified traffic to your page, great ads and listings still matter.

For Google Shopping ads, ensure that the product titles, images, descriptions, etc., are accurate and well-optimized.  Learn how you can add keywords to Google Shopping ads.

For Google search ads, ensure that your landing page is relevant to the information being displayed in your ad.

Pro tip: If you are a Shopify merchant, you can use AdNabu to create accurate, compliant, and optimized Google Shopping feeds.  AdNabu is a Built for Shopify product feed management software that uses the advanced GPT-4o mini model to help merchants enhance their feeds.  With AdNabu you can ensure that all the important product details are synced accurately and instantly from Shopify to Google Merchant Center to ensure that your your ads and free listings meet Google’s requirements without any manual effort. It helps you avoid product disapprovals, fix missing attributes, and keep your product data up to date.  The best part? The app starts for free.

Final Thoughts  

Hope this article gave you a clear understanding of how Google Seller Ratings work and what steps you can take to show and improve them. 

However, you must note that Google seller ratings also come with a set of challenges. These include: 

• You need to meet the review threshold separately for each country you serve.
• There can be delays in review syncing between platforms and Google systems.
• Google filters out reviews that are unverified, too short, or marked as incentivized.
• Even if all requirements are met, ratings may not appear consistently. This can happen due to auction performance, ad relevance, or a mismatch between your store domain and the review source.

However, with consistent effort, verified feedback, and a strong focus on customer experience, your store can meet the eligibility criteria and start benefiting from Google Seller Ratings. 

Good luck! 

FAQs 

1. How to collect Google Seller Ratings?

To collect seller ratings, gather customer reviews through Google Customer Reviews or trusted third-party review partners. You need at least 100 verified reviews from the past 12 months with an average rating of 3.5 stars or higher.

2. How to get Seller Ratings on Google Shopping?
   

Even for Google Shopping ads, the same rule applies. You must have at least 100 unique reviews in one country within the last 12 months. Your average rating should be 3.5 stars or more. Google pulls these reviews from approved review sources automatically.

3. Is a 4.7 Google Seller Rating good?
   

Yes, a 4.7 rating is excellent. It shows that most customers had a great experience and trust your business.

4. When are automated assets, such as Seller Ratings, shown?

Google shows seller ratings when they predict the ratings will improve your ad performance and your store meets the eligibility criteria.

5. What’s the difference between Google Seller Ratings and Store Ratings?

They’re basically the same thing. Both terms refer to customer feedback based on their shopping experience with your business.

6. Where do Google Seller Ratings appear?

Seller ratings can appear in Google Search text ads, free product listings, shopping ads, and sometimes in rich results. These usually show a star rating, review count, and sometimes a short qualifier like delivery speed.

7. How do I check my store’s Google Seller Rating?
   

You can check your rating by going to this link:
https://www.google.com/shopping/ratings/account/lookup?q=yourwebsite.com

Replace “yourwebsite.com” with your actual homepage URL.

8. How long does it take for Google to display Seller Ratings?

It usually takes between 2 to 6 weeks after meeting all criteria for seller ratings to start showing in your ads or listings.

9. How can I improve my Google Seller Ratings?

Focus on excellent customer service, request reviews soon after purchase, respond to reviews, and keep your store information accurate across platforms. The more quality feedback you collect, the better your rating can get.

10. Can negative reviews affect my Seller Ratings?

Yes, negative reviews can lower the average rating. It’s crucial to address customer concerns promptly and strive for high-quality service to maintain a positive rating.

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