For Brands & Retailers
      Back to home
      1. Knowledge Docs
      2. For Brands & Retailers

      Merging Profiles

      Here's the ins and outs of requesting a profile merge.

      Guidelines for Merging Business Profiles on ResellerRatings

      If your business operates multiple domains, you may have several ResellerRatings profiles. Merging these profiles consolidates all reviews into a single main profile, simplifying customer access and management of reviews.

      Eligibility for Profile Merging: You can request a profile merge for the following reasons:

      1. Identical Domains: Merge profiles if all domains redirect to a main domain or share identical content. This includes domains in different languages displaying the same content.
      2. Rebranding: Applicable if your business name or brand has changed, and the old domain now redirects to the new one.
      3. Business Merger/Change of Ownership: Profiles may be merged if your business has acquired or merged with another company, subject to approval based on consumer benefit.

      Key Considerations:

      • Merges are permanent and result in a single, combined profile where all reviews are visible and the Score is recalculated.
      • The main profile becomes the sole qualifier for Google Seller Ratings and must adhere to Google's review processing timelines.
      • Profile merges affect data retention; only the main profile will retain invitation history and templates, while data from other profiles will be lost.
      • All merged profiles' activity and details will be marked as "Merged" and visible on the Company activity page.

      Identical Domains Criteria for Profile Merging

       

      Automatic Redirection: If you manage multiple domains that redirect to a single main domain, you can request a profile merge. For example, if company.com is your main domain and both company.net and company.org automatically redirect to it, this qualifies for merging.

       

      Content Uniformity Across Domains: Domains that display identical content but do not have an automatic redirect can also be merged. For instance, company.com, company.net, and company.org, each showing the same content, qualifies for this option.

      Multilingual Uniform Content: Domains with identical content in different languages, typically due to different business locations, are eligible. Examples include company.com in English, company.fr in French, and company.de in German.

      Discretionary Merging: In cases where domains are not completely identical but are substantially similar and merging them would benefit consumers, we may consider a merge. This process may take additional time to review and approve.

       

      Note on Rebranding: If the redirection of traffic is due to rebranding, you should note that this is a rebranding effort.

       

      Rebranding Criteria for Profile Merging

       

      Domain Redirection After Rebranding: If your business has undergone a rebranding and the former domain now redirects to a new domain, you may request a profile merge. For instance, if oldbrand.com now points automatically to newbrand.com, this scenario qualifies for merging.

      Merger or Change of Ownership: If the rebranding is due to a merger with another business or a change in ownership, you should opt for the 'Business merger or Change of ownership' category to merge profiles. Selecting the wrong category can lead to delays or rejection of your request.

      Non-Automatic Redirection: If your rebranding does not include automatic redirection but involves other methods of directing traffic to the new domain, the approval of your merge request will be determined at our discretion.

      In each scenario, providing accurate details and choosing the correct category ensures a smoother review process for merging profiles.

       

      Business Merger or Change of Ownership Criteria for Profile Merging

       

      Merger and Acquisition Scenarios: If your business has acquired or merged with one or more other companies, you may be eligible for a profile merge. The approval of such requests depends on whether the merger or acquisition can be shown to benefit consumers.

       

      Additional Information Requirements: Due to the varied nature of business mergers, takeovers, and acquisitions, we might contact you for more detailed information about your newly combined business operations to assess the request properly.

       

      Operational Continuity: If the acquired or merged business continues to operate as a separate entity or maintains its brand identity, the merge request will likely be denied. Only fully integrated operations are typically considered for profile merging.

       

      This process ensures that profile merges enhance the consumer's ability to find and interact with the business efficiently, maintaining integrity and clarity in business listings.

       

      Things to consider when merging

       

      1. Reviews will never be deleted due to a merge.  Reviews will be merged under the main profile

      2. Product review catalogs will have to be merged if you are running product reviews from two entities.

      3. Merges cannot be undone.  It is final.  

      4. Your old store profile will be removed in the merged and set to de-active

      5.  Google may take time to sync up your new merge - we cannot influence this process