The CSS Partner blog
Clear, practical guides on Google CSS, bid power on Google Shopping, feed optimisation and the EU ruling that makes it all possible.
Where to start
- New to CSS? Start with What Is a CSS Partner? A 2026 Definition. It shows where Google's margin comes from, what up to 25% more bid power means and what stays the same.
- Ready to switch, or with another CSS today? How to switch CSS partner: the step-by-step guide (2026) takes you through the approval in Merchant Center and how to check afterwards that it worked.
- Wondering whether this is allowed? The EU Ruling Behind CSS (AT.39740): Why Google Must Offer It covers the EU case that made Google open the Shopping auction to CSS providers on equal terms.
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Producthero (Channable) and The CSS Partner compared
Two CSSs side by side: price, terms and what shoppers see after the click. Fair to Producthero and Channable, and honest about our weak spots.
What do shoppers see when they click 'By Gezar'?
I clicked the By line under Shopping ads for eight CSSs myself, then we ran 11 searches on each. Here is what shoppers meet, page by page.
Black Friday 2026: a Google Shopping plan for web shops
Black Friday 2026 is Friday 27 November. A dated Google Shopping plan for European web shops: prices, feed, bidding, budgets and the week after.
Google Ads benchmarks by industry 2026: CPC, CTR and CVR
Google Ads benchmarks by industry: Search CPC, CTR and conversion rate for 23 industries, current Shopping figures for Europe, and where each comes from.
How much does Google Shopping cost? 2026 data, not 2019
How much does Google Shopping cost? Current click prices from Europe and the US, what drives them, and how to set a budget your margin can carry.
Your ROAS is 4. You need 5. You have tried everything.
New creatives, new structure, tighter targeting. When the campaign is already good, the last stretch comes from what happens to your bid before the auction.
Google CSS Expansion Delayed: Join the Country Waitlist
Waiting for Google CSS in a new market? Read our September 2026 rollout update and join the free notification list for 15 pending countries.
What Is a CSS Partner? A 2026 Definition
A CSS Partner is a Google-authorised service submitting your Shopping ads so your full bid counts: up to 25% more bid power. How, why, and what stays the same.
How to choose a Google CSS Partner: the buyer's checklist
A neutral checklist for choosing a Google CSS Partner: pricing model, lock-in, localisation, guarantee, support and PMax compatibility.
How to switch CSS partner: the step-by-step guide (2026)
Switching CSS partner is one click in Merchant Center. Usually live within 24 hours, zero downtime, nothing in your campaigns changes. Full walkthrough.
Google Shopping Feed Optimization: 2026 Checklist
Your product feed decides which searches your Shopping ads show for. This 2026 checklist covers titles, attributes, images and the fixes that matter.
CSS Availability in EU Markets: 2026 Reference
Where is Google CSS available, and what does coverage mean for multi-country shops? A clear 2026 reference to CSS markets and per-country fees.
Performance Max vs Standard Shopping in 2026
Performance Max or Standard Shopping? A practical 2026 comparison of control, data, reach and when each wins, plus how a CSS adds bid power to both.
Negative Keywords in Google Shopping: Cut Wasted Spend
Negative keywords stop your Shopping ads showing for searches that never convert. Here is how to find them, structure them and cut wasted spend in 2026.
Target ROAS in Google Shopping: Setup Guide + Calculator
How to set Target ROAS in Google Shopping correctly, calculate your break-even, avoid common mistakes, and get up to 25% more bid power with a CSS.
The EU Ruling Behind CSS (AT.39740): Why Google Must Offer It
Case AT.39740 is why Google must offer CSS access on equal terms. The ruling, the €2.42bn fine, the 2024 confirmation, and what it means for your bids.
CSS Partner Case Studies: What Up to 25% More Bid Power Looks Like in 90 Days
What does a CSS Partner actually do to your numbers? Worked example scenarios showing how up to 25% more bid power plays out across different shop sizes.
New pieces land when there is something worth measuring, not on a fixed schedule: recent posts walk through switching CSS providers without a gap in coverage, Performance Max against standard Shopping for the Shopping-only slice of a feed, and the real numbers behind a CSS switch rather than a vendor's estimate.
Everything here is written by the team that runs the switch for merchants, not by a content agency: if a post states a number, it is either Google's own documentation, a source we link to, or something we measured ourselves and say so.
The full list ranges from the mechanics (what a CSS actually changes, how to pick one, how to switch without downtime) to the operational side once you are live: feed optimisation, negative keywords on Shopping, and setting a target ROAS that matches your margin instead of a platform default.
A few posts go further back than a how-to: the 2017 EU ruling that forced Google to allow independent CSS providers in the first place, and case studies from shops that already made the switch, with the before-and-after numbers attached.
Use the search field above if you already know what you are looking for: it matches on title and body text, not just tags, so a specific term like 'negative keywords' or 'target ROAS' finds the right post directly.
If you came here from a specific country page, that page carries its own measured numbers for that market: this list is the general index, not a substitute for the local detail.