Launching Merchant Return Policy & Loyalty Program Documentation
What’s New
On June 5, 2025, Google announced two major updates to its Search documentation:
Dedicated Merchant Return Policy Documentation
Google has migrated its merchant return policy guidelines from the “Organization” schema documentation to a standalone page. This clearer structure will enhance usability and help merchants better locate and understand requirements for structured return policy markup
Support for Loyalty Program Structured Data
Google now supports loyalty program markup within Search. Developers can now define loyalty programs using:
Organization structured data to denote overall brand-level loyalty schemes
Product structured data to specify product-level loyalty benefits (like points or discounts)
These enhancements enable businesses—even those without Merchant Center accounts—to have loyalty details appear directly in search results, improving visibility and enhancing user experience
Why It Matters
Return Policy Documentation
A dedicated page helps merchants clearly follow guidelines for implementing structured data for return policies in Search—essential for accurate display in Google results .
Separating return policy guidance enhances focus on usability and compliance.
Loyalty Program Structured Data
Markup allows retailers to showcase benefits like points, exclusive pricing, or tiers right in search results—even without a Merchant Center account
When merchants use both Merchant Center settings and structured data, Google prioritizes Merchant Center details—but the structured markup still adds value for search presence
Benefits for Merchants
|
Feature |
SEO & UX Advantage |
|
Clear Return Policy Markup |
Boosts search visibility and consumer trust |
|
Loyalty Benefits in Search |
Engages shoppers with loyalty offers ahead of purchase |
|
Better Structured Guides |
Enhances compliance and implementation accuracy |
|
Merchant Center Harmony |
Structured data supports Merchant Center settings |
Recommended Actions
Return Policies
Update structured data to include returnPolicyCountry and associated attributes
Ensure consistency between site content, Merchant Center schema, and feeds
Loyalty Program
Add or refine Organization/Product structured data describing loyalty benefits
Validate markup with the Rich Results Test
Monitor & Test
Use Search Console for schema errors
Watch for enhanced search result features like “earn points” and return info
Final Thoughts
Google’s June 5 updates significantly enrich how merchants showcase policies and loyalty perks in Search. By delivering clear documentation and supporting structured data for loyalty programs, Google helps retailers enhance trust, transparency, and consumer engagement—directly in search results. Adopting these features aligns with best practices and offers a competitive edge in organic search visibility.
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