Veriado
Google Shopping CSS

Google Shopping. No additional CSS fee.

With SuperBike8 and Spofondo we run our own price comparison platforms and operate as a Google Comparison Shopping Service ourselves. Veriado clients can generally use our CSS with no additional CSS fee.

Request CSS for my shop How does CSS work?
up to ~20 % CSS advantage on Google Shopping – depending on campaign, auction and bid strategy
Starting point

Google Shopping always runs through a CSS.

Many retailers assume they run their Shopping ads directly with Google.

In the European CSS countries, however, Shopping ads always run through a Comparison Shopping Service. Google Shopping itself is one of these services – and if you don't choose another one, it is used by default.

You can use an independent CSS instead.

01 Online shop 02 Merchant Center 03 CSS 04 Shopping ad 05 Customer
  1. 01 Online shop Your products, prices and stock
  2. 02 Merchant Center Product data feed at Google
  3. 03 CSS Google Shopping or an independent CSS
  4. 04 Shopping ad Shown on Google
  5. 05 Customer Click lands in your shop
Simplified path of a product into a Shopping ad. A CSS is always part of the chain – the only question is which one.

Google Shopping as CSS

  • Default if nothing else is set up
  • Part of the bid is taken into account as CSS margin
  • Less of the bid reaches the auction

Independent CSS

  • Same ad placements on Google Shopping
  • Campaigns keep running in your Google Ads account
  • More of the bid reaches the auction
Basics

What is a Comparison Shopping Service?

CSS stands for Comparison Shopping Service. A CSS submits and promotes retailers' product offers within the Google Shopping ecosystem.

In the European CSS markets, Shopping ads are always served through such a service. Google Shopping is one of them – but not the only one.

A retailer can also use an independent CSS, such as ours. For the customer the ad looks the same. The difference is how the bid is treated in the auction.

Economic advantage

Where does the CSS advantage come from?

More of the bid reaches the auction. The easiest way to show this is with a single bid.

Simplified example

Google Shopping as CSS

€1.00 bid
approx. €0.80 effective in the auction CSS margin

Part of the bid is taken into account as margin within the Google Shopping CSS model. Less is left for the actual auction.

Independent CSS

€1.00 bid
up to €1.00 effective in the auction

The structural CSS advantage flows more fully into the auction. In practice it is often quoted at around 20 %.

For your campaigns this means:

  • more competitiveness in the auction on the same budget
  • or a lower effective CPC at a comparable position

The actual effect depends on competition, campaign, bid strategy and auction, among other things.

Veriado advantage

No additional CSS fee for Veriado clients.

Other CSS providers sometimes charge monthly fees or percentage fees, or tie the CSS to additional services.

With SuperBike8 and Spofondo we already run our own price comparison infrastructure. That is why clients we work with on commerce can generally use our CSS with no additional CSS fee.

If we already look after your shop and commerce infrastructure, access to the CSS shouldn't be another product with a monthly fee.

€0 additional CSS fee

For clients working with Veriado.

Own infrastructure

CSS based on our own price comparison platforms.

Bike & sport focus

We know the ranges, feeds and retailers in this market.

Important: your advertising costs at Google, i.e. your ads budget, of course remain. What is free is the use of our CSS as part of working with Veriado.

Switching

What changes in my existing campaigns?

Less than many expect. Switching the CSS does not mean replacing your advertising setup.

01 You still need Google Ads and Google Merchant Center.
02 Existing Shopping and Performance Max structures don't automatically have to be rebuilt.
03 We review your product data and your Merchant Center structure.
04 The CSS is properly connected to your setup.
05 Conversion tracking and existing bid strategies should be kept wherever possible.
06 Before any switch, we look at your existing setup.

Depending on your account and campaign structure, a switch may require individual steps. We clarify that beforehand.

The technical side behind it – feeds, product data, integrations: Commerce Infrastructure →

Campaigns

And if the campaigns themselves need support?

We are not a classic performance marketing agency. For retailers who need help with campaigns on top of the technical infrastructure, we work with specialized agencies that know the bike and sport market.

Google Ads

Shopping, Performance Max, Search, campaign structure and optimization.

Microsoft Ads

Additional reach via Microsoft Advertising and Shopping.

ChatGPT Ads

Advertising inside ChatGPT as an additional, new performance channel.

Which agency fits which retailer depends on range, revenue, ad budget and goals. That is why we don't publish a generic partner list but make recommendations personally.

Ask for a suitable partner
Why Veriado

We don't know Shopping only from client projects.

With SuperBike8 and Spofondo we run large product databases, retailer feeds and price comparison platforms ourselves.

That is why we know Merchant Center, feeds, product matching, prices, availability and Shopping infrastructure from our own daily operations.

SuperBike8 → Spofondo → See our platforms →

200,220+ Products
1,149,420+ Offers
1,074+ Dealers
2+ Platforms
Live from our systems

Frequently asked questions

What does CSS mean for Google Shopping?

CSS stands for Comparison Shopping Service. In the European CSS countries, Shopping ads always run through such a service. It submits your product offers into the Google Shopping ecosystem.

Is Google Shopping itself a CSS?

Yes. Google Shopping is a CSS itself and is used by default if no other CSS is set up. You can use an independent CSS instead.

Why can an independent CSS be cheaper?

With Google Shopping as CSS, part of your bid is taken into account as margin. Through an independent CSS, more of the bid can reach the auction. In practice this advantage is often quoted at around 20 %.

Am I guaranteed to save 20 % of my click costs?

No. The CSS creates a structural advantage in the auction model. How strongly it affects your actual CPC depends on campaign, competition and bid strategy.

What does the Veriado CSS cost?

For Veriado clients there is generally no additional CSS fee. Your advertising costs at Google of course remain.

Do I have to rebuild my existing Google Ads campaigns?

Not necessarily. We review your existing setup first and clarify whether any changes are needed.

Can I use several CSSs at the same time?

In principle, Google allows working with several CSSs. Your specific account and campaign structure has to be reviewed individually, though.

Do I still need Google Merchant Center?

Yes. Merchant Center remains part of your product data and Shopping setup. How exactly it is connected to the CSS depends on your account structure.

Does Veriado also manage my Google Ads campaigns?

Veriado focuses on commerce technology and infrastructure. For campaign management we can recommend specialized agencies with experience in the bike and sport market if needed.

Do you also support Microsoft Ads?

If needed, we recommend specialized partners for this as well.

What about ChatGPT Ads?

Here too we can recommend specialized partners where it fits. ChatGPT Ads complement existing channels such as Google Shopping, they don't replace them.

Already running Google Shopping?

Then we'll look at which CSS currently serves your products and whether our setup makes sense for you.

We only use your details to handle your request. More in our privacy policy.

Prefer to write directly? Go to the contact form → All solutions for retailers →