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The googleads/googleads-shopping-samples repo on GitHub contains sample code for common operations for each client library. For example, the samples in googleads-shopping-samples/python/shopping/content/products/ provide code for common operations using the products resource with Python. In this guide, you start with an empty file and build up an example that inserts a new product, so that you can see the basic structure and required components of applications that integrate with the Content API. The end result will be similar to the example in the products/insert.py sample file. You can then use the API Explorer for the products.list method to verify that the product was added successfully.
To make your first call, complete the following steps:
In the googleads-shopping-samples/python/shopping/content/products/ directory, create an empty my-insert.py file. Add all of the code in the following steps to this file.
Add the import statements for the required modules.
At the beginning of my-insert.py, add the following code:
from__future__importprint_functionimportsys# The common module provides setup functionality used by the samples,# such as authentication and unique id generation.fromshopping.contentimportcommon
Define a unique product ID and create a dictionary with the product definition.
At the end of my-insert.py, add the following code:
offer_id='book#%s'%common.get_unique_id()product={'offerId':offer_id,'title':'A Tale of Two Cities','description':'A classic novel about the French Revolution','link':'http://my-book-shop.com/tale-of-two-cities.html','imageLink':'http://my-book-shop.com/tale-of-two-cities.jpg','contentLanguage':'en','targetCountry':'US','channel':'online','availability':'in stock','condition':'new','googleProductCategory':'Media > Books','gtin':'9780007350896','price':{'value':'2.50','currency':'USD'},'shipping':[{'country':'US','service':'Standard shipping','price':{'value':'0.99','currency':'USD'}}],'shippingWeight':{'value':'200','unit':'grams'}}
Create a function that runs when the script is run from the command line. The function constructs a service object to interact with the Content API, gets the merchant ID from the configuration file, constructs the request, and executes the request to make the API call.
At the end of my-insert.py, add the following code:
defmain(argv):# Construct the service object to interact with the Content API.service,config,_=common.init(argv,__doc__)# Get the merchant ID from merchant-info.json.merchant_id=config['merchantId']# Create the request with the merchant ID and product object.request=service.products().insert(merchantId=merchant_id,body=product)# Execute the request and print the result.result=request.execute()print('Product with offerId "%s" was created.'%(result['offerId']))# Allow the function to be called with arguments passed from the command line.if__name__=='__main__':main(sys.argv)
To run the script and execute the API call, from a terminal window, navigate to googleads-shopping-samples/python/ and run:
python-mshopping.content.products.my-insert
If the call was successful, the service prints the following message to the terminal: Product with offerId "offerId" was created.
To verify that the product was added successfully, use the API Explorer for the products.list method to return all of the products in your Merchant Center account.
In the Credentials section, select Google OAuth 2.0 and API key.
Click the Execute button.
If prompted, sign in with the Google account associated with your Merchant Center account.
If the product was added successfully, the product data appears in the API explorer response.
Merchants are responsible for complying with the Shopping ads and free listings policies. Google Shopping reserves the right to enforce these policies and respond appropriately if we find content or behavior that violates these policies.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-13 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eThe Merchant API is the new version of the Content API for Shopping and represents the future of product data integration.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThis guide provides a step-by-step example of inserting a new product using the Merchant API with Python.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eSample code and helpful modules are available in the \u003ccode\u003egoogleads/googleads-shopping-samples\u003c/code\u003e repository on GitHub.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eMerchants are responsible for adhering to Shopping ads and free listings policies when using the API.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eNew products inserted through the API are, by default, added to a new primary feed in Merchant Center.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],["The guide demonstrates inserting a product using the Merchant API's `products.insert` method via Python. It instructs creating a `my-insert.py` file, importing necessary modules, defining a unique product ID, and constructing a product dictionary with details like title, description, price, and shipping. The script then creates a service object, gets the merchant ID, builds a request, executes it, and verifies success by printing a confirmation message. Finally, using the API Explorer to check if the product is in the `products.list`.\n"],null,["| Meet the [Merchant API (beta)](/merchant/api) - the official successor to the Content\n| API for Shopping.\n|\n|\n| [Get the latest](/merchant/api/latest-updates) on new features, bug fixes, and release\n| updates of the Merchant API (beta).\n|\n|\n| Learn how to manage your business and products on Google and how to get programmatic access to\n| data, insights, and unique capabilities at scale. [Get\n| started now](/merchant/api/guides/quickstart)\n\nThe [googleads/googleads-shopping-samples](//github.com/googleads/googleads-shopping-samples)\nrepo on GitHub contains sample code for common operations for each client\nlibrary. For example, the samples in\n**googleads-shopping-samples/python/shopping/content/products/** provide code\nfor common operations using the\n[`products`](/shopping-content/reference/rest/v2.1/products)\nresource with Python. In this guide, you start with an empty file and build\nup an example that inserts a new product, so that you can see the basic\nstructure and required components of applications that integrate with the\nContent API. The end result will be similar to the example in the\n**products/insert.py** sample file. You can then use the\n[API Explorer](/shopping-content/reference/rest/v2.1/products/list?apix=true)\nfor the `products.list` method to verify that the product was added successfully.\n| **Note:** This example uses the **python/shopping/content/common.py** module to create a service object that handles authentication and provides an interface for making calls to the Content API. The **common.py** module also includes other helpful methods for common operations, such as generating unique IDs, checking whether an account is a multi-client account (MCA), and retrying requests.\n\nTo make your first call, complete the following steps:\n\n1. In the **googleads-shopping-samples/python/shopping/content/products/**\n directory, create an empty **my-insert.py** file. Add all of the code in the\n following steps to this file.\n\n2. Add the import statements for the required modules.\n\n At the beginning of **my-insert.py**, add the following code: \n\n from __future__ import print_function\n import sys\n\n # The common module provides setup functionality used by the samples,\n # such as authentication and unique id generation.\n from shopping.content import common\n\n3. Define a unique product ID and create a dictionary with the product\n definition.\n\n At the end of **my-insert.py**, add the following code: \n\n offer_id = 'book#%s' % common.get_unique_id()\n product = {\n 'offerId':\n offer_id,\n 'title':\n 'A Tale of Two Cities',\n 'description':\n 'A classic novel about the French Revolution',\n 'link':\n 'http://my-book-shop.com/tale-of-two-cities.html',\n 'imageLink':\n 'http://my-book-shop.com/tale-of-two-cities.jpg',\n 'contentLanguage':\n 'en',\n 'targetCountry':\n 'US',\n 'channel':\n 'online',\n 'availability':\n 'in stock',\n 'condition':\n 'new',\n 'googleProductCategory':\n 'Media \u003e Books',\n 'gtin':\n '9780007350896',\n 'price': {\n 'value': '2.50',\n 'currency': 'USD'\n },\n 'shipping': [{\n 'country': 'US',\n 'service': 'Standard shipping',\n 'price': {\n 'value': '0.99',\n 'currency': 'USD'\n }\n }],\n 'shippingWeight': {\n 'value': '200',\n 'unit': 'grams'\n }\n }\n\n4. Create a function that runs when the script is run from the command line. The\n function constructs a service object to interact with the Content API, gets the\n merchant ID from the configuration file, constructs the request, and executes\n the request to make the API call.\n\n At the end of **my-insert.py**, add the following code: \n\n def main(argv):\n # Construct the service object to interact with the Content API.\n service, config, _ = common.init(argv, __doc__)\n\n # Get the merchant ID from merchant-info.json.\n merchant_id = config['merchantId']\n\n # Create the request with the merchant ID and product object.\n request = service.products().insert(merchantId=merchant_id, body=product)\n\n # Execute the request and print the result.\n result = request.execute()\n print('Product with offerId \"%s\" was created.' % (result['offerId']))\n\n # Allow the function to be called with arguments passed from the command line.\n if __name__ == '__main__':\n main(sys.argv)\n\n5. To run the script and execute the API call, from a terminal window, navigate\n to **googleads-shopping-samples/python/** and run:\n\n python -m shopping.content.products.my-insert\n\n If the call was successful, the service prints the following message to the terminal:\n **Product with offerId \"\u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eofferId\u003c/var\u003e\" was created.**\n6. To verify that the product was added successfully, use the API Explorer for\n the `products.list` method to return all of the products in your Merchant Center\n account.\n\n | **Note:** It may take up to a few minutes after the `products.insert` call completes before the product is available through `products.list` or in Merchant Center.\n\n In the\n [API Explorer for the `products.list` method](/shopping-content/reference/rest/v2.1/products/list?apix=true),\n enter the following values:\n 1. Enter your `merchantId`.\n\n | **Note:** All other request parameters are optional.\n 1. In the **Credentials** section, select **Google OAuth 2.0** and **API key**.\n 2. Click the **Execute** button.\n 3. If prompted, sign in with the Google account associated with your Merchant Center account.\n\n If the product was added successfully, the product data appears in the API\n explorer response.\n\nMerchants are responsible for complying with the [Shopping\nads](//support.google.com/merchants/answer/6149970) and [free\nlistings](//support.google.com/merchants/answer/9261529) policies. Google\nShopping reserves the right to enforce these policies and respond appropriately\nif we find content or behavior that violates these policies.\n| **Note:** By default, new products inserted via the Content API are added to a new primary feed in Merchant Center. For more information on using different feed types with the Content API, see [Best Practices](/shopping-content/guides/best-practices)."]]