Google Ads, News & Updates

Google Ads, News & Updates

Performance Max and Shopping Updates October 2026

By SEM Insider Team

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Published October 22, 2026
Updated

SEM Insider · Google Ads

By SEM Insider Editorial Team · Updated October 23, 2026 · 7 min read

The short answer

October 2026 gave ecommerce advertisers four things to know before Black Friday. PMax asset experiments reached every advertiser on October 2. Smart Bidding Exploration is now fully launched for Shopping campaigns and for PMax campaigns with a product feed. Google launched Universal Cart in US Search and the Gemini app on October 15. And Google began testing a Direct Offer asset that puts promo codes inside AI Mode.

Update	Date	Status	Who it’s for
PMax asset experiments	Oct 2	Live for all advertisers	Any PMax advertiser
Direct Offer asset	Oct 7	Beta test	AI Max or text customization users
Universal Cart	Oct 15	Live, US only	Merchants in Search and Gemini
Smart Bidding Exploration for Shopping and feed PMax	Confirmed Oct 16	Fully launched	Retailers on tROAS

In this guide

Each update explained
What to do before BFCM
FAQ

Each update explained

1. Performance Max asset experiments are live for everyone

Google finished rolling out PMax asset experiments to all advertisers on October 2, 2026. You can now run a proper A/B test inside a single asset group instead of duplicating campaigns.

How it works: you set a control set of assets (A), a treatment set (B), and any “common” assets that serve to all traffic. Tests live on the Experiments page. A few rules to know before you start:

One asset group per experiment. Test your highest-spend group first.
Assets in the tested group lock while the test runs. No edits until it ends.
Plan for at least four weeks so the campaign gets through its learning period.
Disapproved assets won’t serve, which can spoil a test. Check approvals first.

Good first tests: lifestyle images vs product shots, benefit vs feature headlines, and video vs no video.

2. Smart Bidding Exploration now covers Shopping and feed-based PMax

Smart Bidding Exploration lets a tROAS campaign accept a slightly lower ROAS on new query types so it can find conversions it would otherwise skip. It started on Search, then reached PMax without a feed. In October, Google’s Ads Liaison confirmed it’s fully launched for Shopping campaigns and for PMax campaigns with a Merchant Center feed.

Google’s own figures: campaigns using it saw on average 18% more unique converting search query categories and 19% more conversions. Treat those as Google’s averages, not a promise for your account.

3. Universal Cart launched in US Search and Gemini

On October 15, Google launched Universal Cart for US users in Google Search (including AI Mode) and the Gemini app. Shoppers can save products from different retailers into one cart, get price-drop and back-in-stock alerts, see promo codes, and check out with Google Pay. Launch merchants include Nike, Sephora, Target, Ulta Beauty, Walmart, Wayfair and many Shopify stores.

YouTube and Gmail, which Google mentioned at I/O in May, weren’t part of this launch. For merchants, the cart runs on the Universal Commerce Protocol. Google’s Merchant Center now lets eligible merchants choose between cart transfer to their own site, native checkout on Google, and identity linking.

Why it matters: more of the shopping journey now happens inside Google. Expect attribution to get messier, and expect accurate prices, stock and promotions in your feed to matter even more.

4. Direct Offer asset enters testing

Google started testing a beta Direct Offer asset around October 7. It lets you give a promo code to high-intent shoppers inside AI Mode, where it shows as a “claim one-time code” bar under a sponsored result.

Only serves on campaigns using AI Max or text customization.
You set the offer name, description, final URL, incentive type and value.
You can upload single-use codes by CSV, add terms and dates, and set a daily claim limit.
If you add several incentives, Google AI picks which one to show.

Run the margin math first. A 10% code on a low-margin product can wipe out most of the profit on that order.

What to do before BFCM

Don’t start big tests in the last two weeks before Black Friday. Learning periods and locked assets are the last thing you want during peak days.

☐ Launch PMax asset experiments now, or wait until December. Avoid starting mid-November.
☐ If you run tROAS on Shopping or feed PMax, decide whether to turn on Smart Bidding Exploration now so it learns before peak.
☐ Audit your feed for price, availability and sale price accuracy. Universal Cart and price alerts surface errors fast.
☐ Review Merchant Center for the cart transfer and checkout options if you sell in the US.
☐ If you get Direct Offer access, set a daily claim limit and a margin floor before switching it on.
☐ Pair this with the new channel prioritization controls: put Google Search on High priority for Shopping during peak.

Frequently asked questions

Can I A/B test assets in Performance Max?

Yes. Since October 2, 2026, asset experiments are available to all advertisers. You compare two asset sets inside one asset group from the Experiments page.

How long should a PMax asset experiment run?

At least four weeks, so the campaign gets through learning and results stabilize.

What is Smart Bidding Exploration?

A tROAS feature that lets the campaign accept a slightly lower ROAS on new query types to find extra conversions. It’s now fully launched for Shopping and for PMax with a product feed.

What is Google Universal Cart?

A shopping cart inside Google Search and the Gemini app that holds products from multiple retailers, tracks prices and promo codes, and supports checkout with Google Pay. It launched in the US on October 15, 2026.

What is the Google Ads Direct Offer asset?

A beta asset that shows a promo code to high-intent shoppers inside AI Mode. It only serves on campaigns using AI Max or text customization.

Is Universal Cart available outside the US?

Not yet. It launched in the US only. Google has named Canada, Australia and the UK as future markets.

Sources

Written and reviewed by

SEM Insider Editorial Team

Every guide is checked against Google’s official documentation and reviewed for policy compliance before it is published. We update articles when the product changes and note what changed.