Google Ads update: Standard Shopping > Maximize Conversion Value

For everyone on this forum running Shopping campaigns, have you tested it?

It looks like Google rolled out this new setting at the end of June 2026 (at least from what I’ve seen) on some accounts. Sometimes I can create a Standard Shopping campaign with it, sometimes I can’t.

I actually like this setting, even on accounts with little to no data.

For those using PMax Feed Only as a way to bid on Google Shopping, you probably know that it was a great solution to get an automated Shopping bidding strategy without having to manually set CPCs, constantly adjust bids, etc. An algorithm will always outperform a human when it comes to large-scale bid optimization.

This was basically the reason why Feed Only was used in the first place: to replicate the old Smart Shopping behavior.

However, the main issue with PMax Feed Only was its ability to bid on Display placements or other low-quality traffic sources, which often resulted in mediocre performance.

This issue may now be solved, since Standard Shopping campaigns now have access to this automated bidding strategy.

I personally tested it, and the ROAS has been very good, even on a brand-new account with no real historical data. In the end, I think feed quality will be the key factor.

What do you guys think?

Seen it on a few accounts too, but not consistent yet. One thing I noticed is it behaves way better when the feed is already clean and segmented properly, otherwise it kinda just pushes spend into the obvious winners and lets weak SKUs rot.

PMax feed only still has its place imo, especially if the account has solid conversion data, but yeah the random inventory/display leakage was always annoying. Standard Shopping with automated bidding feels cleaner because at least you know what game you're playing.

Wouldn’t call it a full replacement yet though. New accounts can look amazing for 2-3 weeks then reality hits once Google starts exploring more. I’d test it with tight product groups and watch search terms / SKU level ROAS pretty closely before moving everything over.

The honeymoon phase @SignalMint mentioned is real though, google usually gives those new setups the best traffic first to make the performance look amazing before the algo starts testing broader queries and wasting budget.

It is still a massive upgrade over PMax feed only just because negative keywords are actually manageable without having to deal with google reps. Best way to handle this is segmenting by margin using custom labels... otherwise the automated bidding just chases easy high-revenue low-margin sales to hit the ROAS target on paper while actual profit margins tank. Definitely worth testing but gotta keep a close eye on the search terms.

Yeah the control over negatives is the biggest win here. PMax feed only was always a pain because you had to use account-level lists or beg support. But honestly, the real trick with this standard shopping automated bidding is using a portfolio strategy with a max CPC limit. Otherwise google eventually bids like $5 on a term that should cost 50 cents just because it thinks it might convert. @BidNomad is right about the margin segmentation too, if you let the algo run wild it just takes the easy path. The search partner traffic is still kinda spammy though so shutting that off is usually step one. Feels like smart shopping is back but we actually have some levers to pull this time.

@Voxlane is right about using a portfolio strategy with a max cpc cap. If you dont set that, google will eventually bid like crazy on some high-intent term and eat half your daily budget in a couple clicks.

The main reason i prefer this over pmax feed only is brand segmentation. With standard shopping we can actually use campaign priorities and negative lists to sculpt the traffic. If you don't do this, the automated bidding just ends up bidding on your own brand terms to inflate the ROAS, making you think the campaign is killing it when it's actually just stealing organic sales.

It's definitely a step in the right direction but yeah... you still have to babysit the search terms because close variants are still a joke.