Attribute Guide

availability_date Attribute in Google Shopping: Preorder & Backorder Date Guide

Q: When is availability_date required?

availability_date is required whenever availability is set to preorder or backorder. For in_stock and out_of_stock products, the attribute is ignored — omit it. If you submit a preorder product without a date, Google may show a warning in Diagnostics and the product may receive reduced visibility because the listing lacks a concrete ship date that builds shopper confidence.

Q: What date format does Google require?

Google requires ISO 8601 format. The recommended form is: YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss+HH:MM — e.g., 2025-06-05T00:00:00+00:00. You may also submit just a date without time: 2025-06-05. Always include the timezone offset (or Z for UTC) when including a time component. Common mistakes include using slash-separated dates (05/06/2025) or day-first formats (05-06-2025) — these are not valid and will be rejected.

Q: What is the difference between preorder and backorder for this attribute?

preorder means the product has not yet been released and does not exist in stock yet — shoppers order before it ships. backorder means the product normally exists in stock but is temporarily sold out and will be restocked. In both cases, availability_date signals the expected ship or restock date. For backorder, the date is often shorter-horizon (days to weeks). For preorder it can be months ahead. The format and requirement are identical for both values.

Q: What happens if my release date slips?

Update the availability_date in your feed as soon as you know the new date. Google will recrawl your feed on its normal schedule (typically within 24–48 hours for a fetch feed). If you need the update to take effect faster, use a supplemental feed scoped to just the affected products, or manually trigger a fetch via Merchant Center. Do not leave a past date on a still-unavailable preorder product — this creates a data quality mismatch and will likely cause disapproval.

Complete guide to the availability_date attribute in Google Merchant Center. When it is required, ISO 8601 date format rules, country support, and what…

Updated 7 May 20264 min readBoostora Team

Google Shopping — Preorder: With vs. Without availability_date

Nintendo Switch 2 — Standard Edition

€449.00gaming-store.com

Ships: 5 Jun 2025Preorder now

Clear ship date shown → shopper knows exactly when they'll receive it → higher preorder conversion rate

Nintendo Switch 2 — Standard Edition

€449.00gaming-store.com

availability = preorder but no date → shoppers don't know when it ships → lower purchase confidence → missed preorder conversions

availability_date tells shoppers (and Google) when a preorder or backordered product will be ready to ship. Without it, Google cannot show a release date and shoppers have no way to assess the wait — significantly reducing willingness to preorder.

What is the availability_date attribute?

The availability_date attribute specifies the date on which a preorder or backordered product will be available to ship. It is only meaningful — and only required — when availability is set to preorder or backorder. For in-stock products it is ignored.

Its purpose is twofold: it gives Google a concrete date to display in product listings (rather than just “preorder”), and it signals to shoppers exactly how long they will wait before the item ships. Products without this date on preorder listings appear less trustworthy because there is no visibility into the wait time — a significant friction point for purchase decisions, especially for high-ticket items.

Technical specifications

Feed name	`availability_date`
Required	Yes — when `availability` is `preorder` or `backorder`
Format	ISO 8601: `YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss+HH:MM` or `YYYY-MM-DD`
Example	`2025-06-05T00:00:00+00:00` or `2025-06-05`
Ignored when	`availability` is `in_stock` or `out_of_stock`
Visible to shoppers	Yes — Google may display the date in product listings and knowledge panels

Availability values and when availability_date applies

in_stock	Product available now — `availability_date` ignored
out_of_stock	Sold out, no restock date — `availability_date` ignored
preorder	Product not yet released — `availability_date` required (expected ship/release date)
backorder	Temporarily out of stock, will restock — `availability_date` required (expected restock date)

Country support

The availability_date attribute is supported in all countries where Google Shopping operates. Preorder and backorder listings with dates are eligible to appear in Shopping Ads and Free Listings in all markets. The date is displayed to shoppers in the format standard for the target market (e.g., day/month/year in the UK and EU, month/day/year in the US). You always submit the date in ISO 8601 format regardless of target market — Google handles the localised display.

Rules

Only submit when availability is preorder or backorder
Format must be ISO 8601 — no slash-separated or day-first formats
Always include a timezone offset when submitting with a time component
Update immediately when the release or restock date changes
Do not set a date in the past on a product that is still not available — this causes disapproval
When the product becomes available, update availability to in_stock and remove or ignore availability_date

Best practices

Use the most precise date available — even an approximate date (e.g., first day of the release month) is more useful than no date. It sets shopper expectations and improves listing confidence.
Automate date transitions — in your feed pipeline, when the current date passes the availability_date, automatically flip availability to in_stock. Manual date management at scale leads to stale preorder listings.
Use supplemental feeds for urgent date updates — if a product’s release date changes unexpectedly, a supplemental feed scoped to just that product will propagate the update faster than waiting for your full feed to be re-fetched.
Set dates conservatively — if there is genuine uncertainty, use a date slightly later than your best estimate. Updating a date forward (pushing release back) is less damaging to shopper trust than missing a promised date.

Common mistakes

Submitting availability_date for in_stock products — Google ignores it, but it wastes feed space and may confuse feed validators
Using non-ISO date formats: 06/05/2025, 5th June 2025, or 2025.06.05 — all rejected
Leaving a stale past date on a preorder product that has been delayed — causes data quality mismatch and likely disapproval
Forgetting to update availability to in_stock after the release date passes — product remains flagged as preorder even when in stock
Setting availability_date far in the future (12+ months) without a confirmed release date — reduces listing confidence and visibility

Pro tips

Preorder listings are often less competitive in Shopping auctions — fewer merchants run preorders, CPCs tend to be lower, and high-intent early adopters are your audience. Accurate availability_date maximises the value of this lower-competition window by building shopper confidence in the listing.
Pair with price for preorder accuracy — if your preorder price will change at launch (e.g., a launch discount), make sure your price attribute is also updated simultaneously with the availability flip from preorder to in_stock. Price mismatches at launch are a common disapproval trigger.

Frequently asked questions

When is availability_date required?

availability_date is required whenever availability is set to preorder or backorder. For in_stock and out_of_stock products, the attribute is ignored — omit it. If you submit a preorder product without a date, Google may show a warning in Diagnostics and the product may receive reduced visibility because the listing lacks a concrete ship date that builds shopper confidence.

What date format does Google require?

Google requires ISO 8601 format. The recommended form is: YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss+HH:MM — e.g., 2025-06-05T00:00:00+00:00. You may also submit just a date without time: 2025-06-05. Always include the timezone offset (or Z for UTC) when including a time component. Common mistakes include using slash-separated dates (05/06/2025) or day-first formats (05-06-2025) — these are not valid and will be rejected.

What is the difference between preorder and backorder for this attribute?

preorder means the product has not yet been released and does not exist in stock yet — shoppers order before it ships. backorder means the product normally exists in stock but is temporarily sold out and will be restocked. In both cases, availability_date signals the expected ship or restock date. For backorder, the date is often shorter-horizon (days to weeks). For preorder it can be months ahead. The format and requirement are identical for both values.

How far in advance can I set availability_date?

Google does not enforce a hard maximum on how far in the future the date can be. However, products with availability_date more than one year in the future may receive lower visibility, as the listing provides minimal purchase value to shoppers. As a practical rule: set the most accurate date you have, update it when schedules change, and never leave a stale past date — if the release slips, update immediately.

Does the date I set actually display to shoppers?

In many cases, yes — Google may show the expected ship date or release date in the product listing, particularly in product knowledge panels and some Shopping placements. The exact display format varies by surface and market. The more important effect is that the presence of a specific date increases Google's confidence in the preorder listing, which improves visibility and may reduce the likelihood of the product being flagged for policy review.

What happens if my release date slips?

Update the availability_date in your feed as soon as you know the new date. Google will recrawl your feed on its normal schedule (typically within 24–48 hours for a fetch feed). If you need the update to take effect faster, use a supplemental feed scoped to just the affected products, or manually trigger a fetch via Merchant Center. Do not leave a past date on a still-unavailable preorder product — this creates a data quality mismatch and will likely cause disapproval.