Microsoft Advertising Empowers Merchants to Update Store Names and Domains Directly in Merchant Center

Microsoft Advertising has rolled out a significant update that puts more control in the hands of e‑commerce advertisers. Starting today, merchants can change the name of their store and the domain URL associated with their product listings directly from the Microsoft Merchant Center, without having to file a support ticket. The change is designed to streamline rebranding efforts, simplify site migrations, and keep advertising campaigns running smoothly during periods of transition.

Why the ability to edit store details matters

Online retailers frequently adjust their branding, launch new product lines, or move to a different web address for strategic reasons. Until now, any alteration to a store’s name or URL required a manual request to Microsoft’s support team, a process that could take days and potentially disrupt ad delivery. By allowing self‑service edits, Microsoft reduces friction, shortens the time to market for brand updates, and helps advertisers maintain continuity across their campaigns.

How to change a store name in the Merchant Center

Updating a store name is straightforward, but Microsoft still applies an editorial review to ensure the new name complies with its advertising policies. The workflow looks like this:

• Navigate to the store settings section in the Merchant Center dashboard.
• Enter the new store name and submit the change.
• Editorial review begins. Microsoft’s team checks the proposed name for trademark conflicts, prohibited language, and overall policy compliance.
• Ads remain live under the previously approved name while the review is in progress, so there is no interruption to traffic or spend.
• Approval or feedback is sent back to the merchant. If approved, the new name appears across product listings and ad copy within a few hours. If rejected, the merchant receives guidance on how to adjust the name to meet guidelines.

Because the review happens in the background, advertisers can continue to run their campaigns without a pause, which is especially valuable during high‑traffic periods such as holidays or flash sales.

Switching to a new domain: verification and safeguards

Changing the domain that hosts a merchant’s product feed is a more involved process, primarily because it touches on user safety and brand integrity. Microsoft requires proof that the merchant actually owns the new domain before any traffic is redirected. The steps are as follows:

1. Submit the new URL in the Merchant Center’s domain management area.
2. Verify ownership using one of the standard methods—adding a DNS TXT record, uploading an HTML verification file, or placing a meta tag on the homepage.
3. Await confirmation. Microsoft checks the verification tag and confirms that the domain is under the merchant’s control.
4. Ads continue to serve from the original domain while verification is pending, ensuring no loss of impressions.
5. Update product URLs in the feed to reflect the new domain once verification is complete.
6. Final review confirms that the new URLs resolve correctly and that the landing pages meet Microsoft’s quality standards.

If the verification fails, the merchant receives detailed instructions on how to correct the issue. This two‑step safeguard—verification plus a final quality check—helps prevent malicious actors from hijacking ad traffic or redirecting users to unsafe sites.

Reusing names and domains: what’s allowed

Merchants often recycle brand elements after a product line ends or after a temporary promotional site expires. Microsoft’s updated policy permits the reuse of previously approved store names and domains, provided they still pass the editorial and verification checks. In practice, this means