
In early 2022 PlaceMakers came to dentsu Aotearoa with a problem to solve – their Google Shopping Activity had been paused by Google. This is a key platform for PlaceMakers and is Google’s only location for hosting shopping activity. Without it, you can’t run shopping campaigns on Google, so PlaceMakers needed help reviving this key channel.
PlaceMakers have a store-based distribution model that didn’t fit with Google’s Smart Shopping Product feed that requires a centralised availability and pricing system – so we sought a new solution that ensured PlaceMakers could maintain their highest performing paid e-commerce channel.
THE PROBLEM.
PlaceMakers was heavily limited in their ability to advertise with flexibility on Google shopping. Google in NZ could not support the price updates and the difference in pricing regionally, that a company the Size of PlaceMakers would normally have. This meant all their products had to be advertised at a fixed rate and without regional level availability. We worked with the PlaceMakers digital team and uncovered that there was a need for a regionally specific approach, to get the most out of the Google Shopping sales channel, so we looked for a tool that would help them take a step in the right direction.
THE SOLUTION.
As a Google Marketing Partner, dentsu worked with the Google team to bring a shopping feature to the New Zealand market that met the needs of the PlaceMakers team. dentsu played the roles of technology consultant, implementation support, and go live tester, supporting PlaceMakers on this journey every step of the way. The result was the identification of the Regional Pricing and Availability (RAAP) feature, which was available in beta overseas, but wasn’t available in Aotearoa. This tool implemented a regionally specific approach to availability and pricing that allowed PlaceMakers to set product availability and pricing at a regional level, dependant on store stock levels and regional price. This means consumers arrive on the site with a pre-set branch from their region, displaying accurate stock and pricing information. Branch location can also be easily changed to a more local branch too.
THE OUTCOME.
The new tool has elevated PlaceMakers retail e-commerce channel through an adaptive merchandising and pricing capability that creates dynamic Google ads through their up to date warehousing and pricing data, creating highly relevant ads for high intent customers in their Google Merchant Centre.
It’s been a privilege to be able to bring this product to market in partnership with Google. We can’t wait to take stock of the results after the first few months, watch this space as we take a look with Google at the effectiveness of this campaign – with a second phase of activity to come, we are looking forward to seeing the results of this new tool.
Huge congratulations to the team at PlaceMakers and the Dentsu Media team for bringing to life a meaningful, tangible solution.

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