How to set up a Google Play Developer Console account and transfer your existing app

Step 1: Create a Google account using an existing email address associated with your company.

1. If your existing company email is already a Gmail account, skip ahead to step 2.
2. If your existing company email is non-Gmail, or if you don't have a company email address, go to this page to Create your Google Account.
3. Enter your company email in the field "Your email address" and fill out the form.
   
   
   
   Google will send important actions or decisions regarding your app to this email. Please make sure to check this inbox regularly.
4. Go through the verification process. You will get a code via email or phone to verify your account. Additional help can be found on Google Account Help.

Step 2: Apply for a Google Play Developer Console account.

Once your new Google account is verified, open the Google Play Developer Console to finish the registration.

1. Sign in with your Google account.
2. Complete your account details.

   Your developer name, email address, and website will be displayed on the Google Play Store page of your app.

   • Public developer name
     Please enter your company name. This is displayed as the name of the publisher.
   • Secondary contact email address
     Please enter your support email so Google can reach you. This is not publicly displayed
   • Contact phone number
     Include the + symbol, country code, and area code. Google should be able to contact you at this number if any problems come up with your app. This is not publicly displayed
3. Read and agree to the Developer agreement and Terms of Service. Click Create account and pay.
4. Pay the $25 USD non-recurring registration fee for your account with your credit card.

When your registration is verified, you'll be notified at the email address associated with your Google Play Developer Console. It normally happens within half an hour, but may take up to 48 hours.

Once you have an account at Google Play Developer Console, make sure to enter a physical address.

1. In your Google Play Developer Console, open the Settings drop-down menu.
2. Open the Developer account drop-down menu
3. Click on Developer page, enter a valid physical address where Google or users can contqact you. 
4. Click SAVE on the bottom right.

Step 3: Invite Shopgate as a "Administrator."

Your Shopgate App team works hard on releasing your Android app to the Google Play Store. In order for our team members to do their job, please invite Shopgate as your "Administrator."

1. In your Google Play Developer Console, click on Users and permissions.
2. Click the Invite new user button.
3. On the "Invite user" screen, enter android-apps@shopgate.com in the Email address field.
4. Select the Account permissions tab and select Admin (all permissions)
   We need this for creating and updating your app.
5. Click the Invite user button.

After the invitation is sent, the Shopgate App team will receive an email and accept the invitation shortly.

 

Step 4: Grant API access (Service Account).

Shopgate uses an Automated App Service to update your app regularly. In order to do so, the Shopgate technology needs access to your Google Play Developer API.

A. Create Service Account

1. Log in to your Google Play Console, go to Setup → API access, and click on Learn how to create service accounts.

2. A pop-up window will open. Click on the Google Cloud Platform link. 

Be sure to leave the pop-up window open

3.  new tab will open in your browser.

4. Click on CREATE SERVICE ACCOUNT and enter the following information in the pop-up that opens:

5. Service account name: Enter sg-service-account.

This automatically fills in the "Service account ID" field

6. Click the CREATE AND CONTINUE button.

7. Click on the Select a role drop-down menu, then select Owner in the Currently used section.

8. Click the blue DONE button. 

B. Create Private Key

1. Click on the 3-dot menu in the Actions section and select Manage keys.

2. In the next window click on the ADD KEY drop-down menu and select Create new key.

3. Click on CREATE in the pop-up window.

4. A pop-up window will appear to save the key. You will need the JSON key in a later step.

Depending on your browser settings, the download will start automatically or you will be asked to save the key.

5. Click close on the pop-up window. The Google Cloud tab can now be closed. 

C. Invite API-user

1. Go back to the pop-up window you left open in Create Service Account Step 2, and click DONE.

2. The new service account should now be listed in the Service accounts section.

3. Click the Manage Play Console permissions link, then click the blue Invite user button.

Step 5: Enter Information at Shopgate

As soon as you have finished steps 1 to 4, please enter your Google Play Developer account information and upload the JSON file (downloaded in the previous step) to Shopgate.

1. Log into your Shopgate Admin.
2. Navigate to Settings → Native Apps → Google Play Developer Account.
3. Enter the following information:
   • Developer Name
     The company name entered in your Developer Profile in step 2.
   • Email Address
     Google Account created in step 1.
   • Transaction ID
     Your Transaction ID is available on your Google account at payments.google.com. Also referred to as the Google Order number, this Transaction ID is emailed to you from Google Payments right after the $25 registration fee is paid. A Transaction ID is typically in one of the following formats:
     • 01234567890123456789.token.0123456789012345
     • 0.G.123456789012345
     • registration-1234ab56-7c89-12d3-4567-8e91234567f8
     • 01234567890123456789.registration-1234ab56-7c89-12d3-4567-8e91234567f8
4. Upload the JSON file "Google Play Android Developer-XXXXXXXXXX.json" which was downloaded in the previous step.
5. Click Confirm Setup to confirm that you have finished everything outlined above.