Why does Google show a broad permission for Merchant Center?

Google only offers one permission for Merchant Center apps. We use it for a single call — the invitation — and nothing else.

Do I need Merchant Center for Shopping ads?

Yes. Shopping and Performance Max with products read from Merchant Center, and the Ads account must be linked to it.

Integrations · Google

Get access to a client's Google Merchant Center

Access granted automatically

For shopping and ecommerce clients, add Merchant Center to the onboarding link. The client signs in with Google and chooses the account; Agency Pilot invites your agency's Google login at the access level you picked. Products and feeds are never read or changed.

Start free trial How onboarding links work

Google Merchant Center at a glance

How access is granted: Automatically. An invitation is sent from the client's Merchant Center account to your Google login.
Access you can request: Read only, Performance reporting, Standard or Admin.
What your client needs: Admin access on the Merchant Center account.
What is never touched: Products, feeds, promotions and settings. The connection only creates the user invitation.

What your client does

On the onboarding link you send. No password is ever asked for or shared.

1
Opens the link and sees the Merchant Center access level you're asking for.
2
Clicks Connect and signs in with the Google login that administers Merchant Center.
3
Chooses the Merchant Center account if there are several.
4
Sees Merchant Center marked Connected.

What happens on your side

Merchant Center sends an invitation to your agency's Google login at the chosen level.
You accept it from the email. Connected accounts shows Invited until you do.

Merchant Center access levels

Role	What it allows	On an Agency Pilot link
Admin	Everything, including users, account settings and linked accounts.	Offered — rarely needed
Standard	Manage products, feeds and settings, but not users.	Offered — for day-to-day feed work
Performance reporting	See performance and product data; can't change anything.	You can pick it
Read only	View the account.	You can pick it

Adding someone in Merchant Center

1
Open merchants.google.com and select the account.
2
Click the gear (Settings) and choose People and access.
3
Click Add person, enter the agency's email and pick the access level.
4
Save. The agency accepts from the invitation email.

Exactly what we ask Google Merchant Center for

A link only requests the permissions the platforms on it need. Nothing here is used for anything other than the reason next to it. More on how we handle access.

Permission	Why
content	Only on a link that asks for access: invites your agency's login to the one Merchant Center account the client chooses. Merchant Center has no narrower permission; products and feeds are never read or changed.

Removing access later

1
Settings → People and access → the agency's row → Remove.
2
End the connection from Onboarding → Connected accounts.

Google Merchant Center: common questions

Why does Google show a broad permission for Merchant Center?: Google only offers one permission for Merchant Center apps. We use it for a single call — the invitation — and nothing else.
Do I need Merchant Center for Shopping ads?: Yes. Shopping and Performance Max with products read from Merchant Center, and the Ads account must be linked to it.

Keep going

Get Google Merchant Center access without chasing logins

One onboarding link covers every platform your client uses. Start a free trial and send your first link today.

Start free trial Log in