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Merchant API
- the official successor to the Content API for Shopping.
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on new features, bug fixes, and release updates of the Merchant API.
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Summary
You can use the following steps to manage an existing merchant account. This
might be your own merchant account, or a client's merchant account.
Manual steps
Here are the ways you can administer a sub-account:
Administrative user (recommended)
If you need to use the Merchant Center UI, the
merchant can add your Google account as an administrative user for their
Merchant Center account.
Service account (recommended)
If you don't need the Merchant Center UI, you can authenticate through
a service account, then add the service account ID
as a user on the merchant's account.
Full management (not recommended)
We recommend one of the preceding options unless you only need to manage one
sub-account.
If the merchant wants you to fully manage their Merchant Center account and
you have an MCA, you can do the following:
Gather the IDs for your MCA and for the merchant's account.
In the top right menu bar, click the ? question mark > Help center
and support > Contact us.
Request to convert the merchant's account to a sub-account of your MCA,
and provide the ID of your MCA account and the ID of the merchant's
account.
You can contact Google again to undo this process.
Automatic steps
You can use the Content API for Shopping to request, approve, and remove links
between your MCA and other Merchant accounts. Here are the steps:
[[["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complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-28 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eManage existing merchant accounts manually by becoming an administrative user or utilizing a service account for authentication.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eFull management through account linking is possible but less recommended compared to the other manual options.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eAutomate merchant account management with the Content API for Shopping by requesting, approving, and removing links programmatically.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eMerchants need to approve link requests initiated through the Content API for establishing connections.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eUtilize the Content API for Shopping to list and remove existing account links for streamlined management.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Administer an existing account for a merchant\n\nSummary\n-------\n\nYou can use the following steps to manage an existing merchant account. This\nmight be your own merchant account, or a client's merchant account.\n\nManual steps\n------------\n\nHere are the ways you can administer a sub-account:\n\nAdministrative user (recommended)\n: If you need to use the [Merchant Center UI](https://merchants.google.com), the\n merchant can add your Google account as an administrative user for their\n Merchant Center account.\n\nService account (recommended)\n: If you don't need the Merchant Center UI, you can authenticate through\n [a service account](/shopping-content/guides/how-tos/service-accounts), then add the service account ID\n as a user on the merchant's account.\n\nFull management (not recommended)\n\n: We recommend one of the preceding options unless you only need to manage one\n sub-account.\n\n If the merchant wants you to fully manage their Merchant Center account and\n you have an MCA, you can do the following:\n\n 1. Gather the IDs for your MCA and for the merchant's account.\n 2. In the top right menu bar, click the **?** question mark **\\\u003e Help center\n and support \\\u003e Contact us**.\n 3. Request to convert the merchant's account to a sub-account of your MCA,\n and provide the ID of your MCA account and the ID of the merchant's\n account.\n\n You can contact Google again to undo this process.\n\nAutomatic steps\n---------------\n\nYou can use the Content API for Shopping to request, approve, and remove links\nbetween your MCA and other Merchant accounts. Here are the steps:\n\n1. Use the Content API for Shopping and [authenticate as an OAuth2 client](/shopping-content/guides/how-tos/authorizing).\n2. [Request a link](/shopping-content/guides/flagging/request) to another Merchant account.\n3. Ask the merchant to [approve the link](/shopping-content/guides/flagging/approve).\n\nYou can also use the Content API for Shopping to\n[list](/shopping-content/guides/flagging/list) and\n[remove](/shopping-content/guides/flagging/remove) existing links.\n\nYour Shopping solution can present the merchant with a consent screen to give\nyour OAuth2 application access to their merchant account.\n\nThis process still requires use of the [Google API Console](//console.developers.google.com/) UI.\n\nSee [Using OAuth](/shopping-content/guides/how-tos/authorizing#OAuth2Authorizing) for more details and sample code."]]
