New Google help doc details Deal Ends annotations for Shopping ads
Google has published a new help document explaining how its experimental Deal Ends annotation works, giving retailers new insight into how limited-time sale badges can appear on Product Listing Ads and what it takes to qualify.
What’s happening. The new documentation outlines an experimental Shopping feature that automatically displays urgency labels such as “3 days left” or “5 hours left” beneath eligible product prices.
The annotations are generated from existing promotions and sale price information submitted through Merchant Center, meaning merchants don’t need to implement new technical integrations. Google uses sale expiration dates to determine when to display the badges.
Improve click through rate. The feature is designed to increase urgency around time-sensitive offers, with Google saying the annotations can help improve click-through rates and conversions by making expiring deals more prominent in Shopping ads.
To qualify, offers must meet a series of criteria based on the time of year. During the holiday shopping season, products generally need a steeper discount and must represent the lowest price in the previous 60 days. Outside the holidays, the discount threshold is lower and pricing history is evaluated over a shorter period.
In both cases, deals must expire within seven days, and Google requires a minimum interval between Deal Ends annotations for the same product.
Why we care. While advertisers can’t opt into or out of the feature, the new help document clarifies how Google determines eligibility. Retailers that already use promotions and sale prices can improve their chances of earning the annotation by ensuring pricing data is accurate and sale expiration dates are properly configured.
The bottom line. Google’s new documentation sheds light on an experimental Shopping ads feature that rewards genuine, time-sensitive discounts with added visibility—potentially helping retailers drive more clicks during promotional periods.
Dig deeper. About Deal Ends experimental annotation
