Setting Up an Account
To register for Google Merchant Center, you must have a Google Account, such as a Gmail account. If you don't already have a Google Account, you can create one for free at accounts.google.com. After obtaining a Google Account, proceed to sign in to Merchant Center to initiate the registration process.
Follow these steps to sign up for Google Merchant Center:
Visit the Google Merchant Center website.
Click on the "Get started" button.
Log in using your Google Account credentials.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the registration process.
Verification Options
Google has a selection of ways that you can verify that you own the website that you want to manage.
Due to the way our platform is built the first option (HTML File Upload) is not possible. However, any of the 3 other options will work just as well.
HTML Tag - Easiest option
For the HTML tag option, simply copy the string that GMC (Google Merchant Center) gives you and paste that into the 3rd Party code under Settings > SEO/Tracking. Ensure that the dropdown is set to "Place inside HEAD tag".
Then head back to your GMC account and click the "Verify Website" button to move on.
Using a Google Account
If your Website is already verified on Google Search Console then you can simply link the two together to confirm the ownership. Note that you'll need to be an administrator on Google Search Console to be able to verify in this way.
Alternatively, you can use your Google Analytics Account, this unique ID can be placed/found under Settings / SEO/ Tracking and Tracking Services.
Simply add your Analytics Account ID and hit Save. Then head back to Google Merchant Centre and click "Verify Now".
Finally, you can use your Google Tag Manager account. This is the least preferred option as it requires tag manager knowledge and administrator level access.