In today’s digital landscape, Google Merchant Center (GMC) is an essential tool for online retailers to display their product information in Google’s shopping ads. When your account or products get disapproved, it can halt your advertising campaigns, leading to lost sales and a damaged reputation. Understanding why these disapprovals happen and how to fix them is crucial for maintaining a seamless experience on the platform. This article will explore common reasons for Google Merchant Center disapprovals and provide actionable steps to resolve them.
Invalid or Incomplete Product Data
One of the most frequent reasons for disapproval is inaccurate or missing product data. Google Merchant Center requires detailed, accurate information to ensure that customers can find and trust your products. The slightest inconsistency or omission can lead to disapproval.
Common Causes:
- Incorrect Product Titles or Descriptions: Google’s policies require clear, concise, and accurate product titles and descriptions. Keywords should be included naturally, but irrelevant or misleading keywords will get flagged.
- Missing or Incorrect Attributes: Attributes like size, color, and brand are necessary for Google to categorize and show your products correctly.
- Non-Compliant Product Images: Images should be high quality, on a white background, and should clearly show the product. Non-compliant images could be blurry, misleading, or contain unnecessary logos or text.
How to Fix It:
- Ensure Accurate Titles and Descriptions: Review your product titles and descriptions to ensure they are clear and match the actual product. Google provides guidelines for optimal character lengths and format, so be sure to follow them.
- Fill in All Required Attributes: Double-check that all required attributes are filled in your product feed, including brand, color, size, and material. Google also recommends providing as much additional product information as possible.
- Use High-Quality Images: Use clear, high-resolution images that showcase the product in its best light. Make sure the product is centered and clearly visible with a plain white background to comply with Google’s image guidelines.
Unclear or Inaccurate Pricing Information
Pricing issues are another common cause of product disapproval in Google Merchant Center. Google relies on accurate pricing information to display products correctly in shopping ads. Any discrepancies between the product feed and your website can lead to disapproval.
Common Causes:
- Price Mismatch: If the price in your product feed doesn’t match the price on your website, Google will disapprove the product listing.
- Sale Price Information: If you list a sale price, it must be accurately reflected in both the product feed and your website.
- Currency Mismatch: If the currency in your feed doesn’t match your website or isn’t set correctly in the Merchant Center, disapproval may occur.
How to Fix It:
- Regularly Sync Your Feed with Accurate Pricing: Ensure that the prices in your feed match those displayed on your website in real time. Many e-commerce platforms allow you to sync your prices automatically to avoid discrepancies.
- Ensure Consistent Currency Settings: Double-check that your product feed and your Google Merchant Center account are set to the correct currency. A mismatch could result in disapproval.
- List Sale Prices Correctly: If you’re offering discounts, make sure the sale price is included in both your feed and on your website to avoid any confusion.
Missing or Incorrect GTINs (Global Trade Item Numbers)
GTINs, which include barcodes like UPCs, EANs, and ISBNs, are essential for identifying products in Google’s catalog. For branded products, Google requires that you include a valid GTIN to ensure proper listing and visibility.
Common Causes:
- Failure to Include GTINs: Google requires GTINs for all brand-name products, so failing to include them will result in disapproval.
- Incorrect or Outdated GTINs: If the GTIN you’ve listed is incorrect or expired, Google won’t be able to match your product with the correct database.
How to Fix It:
- Use Correct GTINs for Branded Products: If your product has a GTIN, ensure you include it in the product feed. You can find GTINs on product packaging or from your supplier.
- Verify GTIN Accuracy: Check that the GTINs in your feed are correct and up-to-date. Using tools like GTIN lookup can help verify product codes.
Violation of Google’s Shopping Policies
Google has strict policies regarding the types of products you can sell on their platform. If your products or website violate these policies, your product listings will be disapproved.
Common Causes:
- Selling Prohibited or Restricted Items: Google prohibits certain types of products, including counterfeit goods, adult content, and illegal items.
- Deceptive or Misleading Information: If your product descriptions, pricing, or images are misleading or deceptive, your listings can be disapproved.
How to Fix It:
- Review Google’s Shopping Policies: Familiarize yourself with the list of prohibited and restricted products to ensure that your listings are compliant. If you are selling restricted items, consider removing them from your feed.
- Ensure Transparent Product Information: Avoid exaggerated claims or misleading information. Be honest and transparent in your product descriptions to comply with Google’s policies.
Discrepancies Between the Website and Feed
Your Google Merchant Center feed should match your website’s content. If there are discrepancies, such as incorrect availability, pricing, or product information, Google will disapprove the products.
Common Causes:
- Incorrect Availability Status: If your feed lists products as “in stock,” but they are out of stock on the website, Google will flag them.
- Out-of-Date Product Information: If product details such as price or availability change but aren’t updated in the feed, disapproval may occur.
How to Fix It:
- Regularly Update Your Product Feed: Ensure that your feed is regularly updated with real-time data from your website. This includes syncing stock levels, pricing, and other key product information.
- Ensure Consistent Product Availability: Double-check that the availability status in your feed matches what’s listed on your website. If a product is out of stock, mark it as such in both your feed and on the website.
Account Suspension Due to Policy Violations
Repeated violations of Google’s policies can lead to account suspension. This typically happens after multiple infractions and a failure to resolve the issues.
Common Causes:
- Repeated Policy Violations: If you repeatedly violate Google’s Shopping policies, your account may face suspension.
- Failure to Resolve Issues: Ignoring or failing to fix flagged issues can lead to a permanent suspension.
How to Fix It:
- Resolve All Previous Issues: Take immediate steps to fix any flagged issues in your account or product listings. You can find specific reasons for disapproval in the Account Issues section of the Google Merchant Center.
- Contact Google Support: If your account has been suspended, contact Google support for assistance. They can provide specific guidance on what you need to do to lift the suspension.
Website Navigation and User Experience Issues
Google Merchant Center also looks at the overall user experience on your website. If there are usability issues that make it difficult for customers to navigate or find your products, your listings may be disapproved.
Common Causes:
- Broken Links or Slow Loading Pages: Websites that take too long to load or have broken links negatively affect user experience.
- Missing Contact Information: Google requires that websites have contact information, including a phone number or email address.
How to Fix It:
- Improve Website Speed: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify and fix slow-loading pages. Consider optimizing images, leveraging browser caching, and using a content delivery network (CDN) to speed up your website.
- Ensure Functional Navigation: Ensure that all links are working and your site is easy to navigate. A seamless user experience will not only help with Merchant Center approval but also improve customer satisfaction.
Account Information and Verification Errors
Finally, account-related issues such as incomplete or incorrect verification can lead to disapproval in Google Merchant Center.
Common Causes:
- Unverified Website Ownership: Google requires you to verify that you own the website associated with your account.
- Incomplete Business Information: If your business details are incomplete, Google may disapprove your account or products.
How to Fix It:
- Verify Your Website: Follow Google’s instructions to verify that you own the website associated with your Merchant Center account.
- Ensure Business Details Are Complete: Update your account with accurate business and contact information, including a valid address and phone number.
Conclusion
Google Merchant Center disapprovals can be frustrating, but they are usually fixable with a few adjustments. Regularly reviewing and optimizing your product feed, ensuring compliance with Google’s policies, and maintaining a seamless user experience on your website can help prevent most disapproval issues. By staying proactive and making sure your feed and website are aligned, you can maximize your chances of success in Google’s Shopping ads platform.
