The Complete Guide to Fixing Your Google Merchant Center Suspension
A methodical, step-by-step approach to identify every violation, fix it properly, and get reinstated on your first appeal.
The Natural Reaction is Panic
One moment your Shopping ads are running and driving sales, the next moment everything stops. For businesses that rely heavily on Google Shopping, this can mean losing 30-70% of online revenue overnight. Don't panic—be methodical.
Many merchants immediately click the "Request Review" button without actually fixing the underlying issues, hoping Google will overlook the problems. This almost never works. Google's automated review systems in 2026 are sophisticated enough to re-check your site in seconds, and if the violations still exist, you'll get rejected within 24 hours. Each failed appeal adds mandatory cool-down periods and reduces your credibility for future appeals.
The smarter approach is methodical. Before you even think about requesting a review, you need to conduct a thorough audit of your entire store, identify every policy violation, fix them comprehensively, and verify that the fixes actually worked. This guide walks you through the technical steps required to get your account reinstated.
Step 1 — The Visual and Trust Audit
Before you dive into technical feed issues or checkout configurations, start by looking at your website the way a first-time visitor would. Better yet, look at it the way Google's automated compliance algorithms do. These systems are designed to detect signals of trustworthiness and professionalism.
Open your website in an incognito browser window and check:
- • Does the site look professional and well-maintained?
- • Are there outdated copyright years, broken images, or placeholder text?
- • Do social media icons link to your real profiles or generic URLs?
- • Are payment logos accurate (only show methods you actually accept)?
Payment and Security Logos
If you display a PayPal logo but don't actually offer PayPal at checkout, you're violating Google's "Untrustworthy Promotions" policy. If you show a "Verified by Visa" badge without implementing that security protocol, or display a TRUSTe privacy seal without certification—these are considered deceptive practices.
Rule: Only display payment methods and security badges you can actually verify.
Pop-ups and Overlays
Pop-ups that appear immediately when someone lands on your page and block access to product information violate Google's content accessibility policy. The infamous "Spin the Wheel" discount pop-ups are particularly risky because they often include misleading language like "You've been selected for a special discount!"
- Pop-ups should appear only after user has viewed content
- Must be easily dismissible
- Never block product information
- Avoid fake urgency or exclusivity language
Mobile Experience: Over 60% of Google Shopping traffic comes from mobile. Check that your contact information is visible on mobile, checkout works smoothly, and all policy pages load properly. A site perfect on desktop but broken on mobile can still trigger suspensions.
Step 2 — The Technical Feed Audit
Your product data feed is the core communication channel between your store and Google Merchant Center. Even if your website is perfect, errors in your feed can cause suspensions and disapprovals.
Price Accuracy (Most Common Issue)
This is the single most common feed-related suspension trigger. If you recently changed prices—perhaps running a sale or updating costs—did those new prices sync to your Merchant Center feed? Many platforms have delays of 24-48 hours.
Action: Manually verify prices for at least 10-20 products across different categories. Look up the price in Merchant Center, then visit the actual product page and confirm they match exactly.
Product Availability
Advertising products that are out of stock is considered deceptive advertising and will suspend your account. This is especially problematic for merchants who don't update feeds frequently or use incorrect "auto-import" settings.
- • Check top-selling products for accurate stock status
- • Verify "in stock," "out of stock," "preorder," "backorder" values are correct
- • If you dropship, be extra careful about availability accuracy
Image & Data Requirements
- No promotional text overlays ("50% OFF!", "Best Seller")
- No watermarks or logos obscuring the product
- Clear product visibility against neutral background
- GTIN included for brand-name products
- identifier_exists set to "false" for custom products
Step 3 — The Checkout Test (Where 60% Fail)
This is the most important diagnostic test you can run, and it's where the majority of Misrepresentation suspensions originate. The checkout test simulates the complete customer purchase journey to identify any surprise fees, price inconsistencies, or deceptive practices.
How to Perform the Checkout Test:
- 1. Open website in private/incognito browser window
- 2. Navigate to a product page as if clicking from a Shopping ad
- 3. Note the exact price displayed (including any sale prices)
- 4. Add to cart and proceed to cart page—verify price matches
- 5. Continue through checkout, entering a valid shipping address
- 6. Watch what happens to the price as you progress
- 7. At final step, break down: item price, shipping, taxes, other fees
- 8. Compare each component against your product page and Merchant Center
Surprise Fees to Watch For:
- • Payment processing fees for certain card types
- • "Handling charges" not mentioned on product page
- • Insurance fees added automatically
- • Environmental fees or recycling charges
- • Signature confirmation fees
- • Minimum order surcharges
Any fee that wasn't clearly disclosed before payment info is entered = bait-and-switch violation.
Tax Handling (Critical for International):
- • EU customers: VAT must be included in all displayed prices
- • US/Canada: Sales tax should NOT be in feed prices but calculation must be accurate
- • UK post-Brexit: Depends on VAT registration and shipping origin
Step 4 — Legal Policy Page Verification
Your legal policy pages might seem like boring compliance documents, but Google's AI systems read them very carefully in 2026. These pages are critical trust signals that help Google determine whether you're a legitimate business or a potential scammer.
Return & Refund Policy Must Answer:
- Return window: Specific timeframe like "30 days from delivery"
- Return shipping: Who pays—customer or merchant?
- Return method: Mail, in-store, drop-off location
- Restocking fees: Amount or percentage, or "no fees"
- Refund timeline: "Within 3-5 business days after receipt"
- Item condition: What state must returned items be in?
- Exceptions: Which items are non-returnable?
Language That Gets You Banned:
- • "Returns accepted at our discretion"
- • "We may process refunds when possible"
- • "[INSERT YOUR BUSINESS ADDRESS HERE]"
- • "Our policy complies with [YOUR COUNTRY] laws"
Other Policy Requirements:
All policies must be: Accessible from footer on every page, visible without login, written in target market language, free of placeholder text.
Step 5 — Business Information Consistency Check
One of the most overlooked causes of suspensions is inconsistent business information across different platforms. Google cross-references information from multiple sources, and any discrepancies raise red flags.
Cross-Reference These Locations:
- • Website header and footer
- • Contact Us page
- • About Us page
- • Merchant Center business settings
- • Google Business Profile
- • Domain WHOIS information
- • Social media business pages
Business name, address, and phone must be IDENTICAL everywhere. Even "123 Main Street" vs. "123 Main St." creates ambiguity.
Why Automated Diagnostics Save Time
Comprehensive compliance auditing for a typical e-commerce store can easily take 15-20 hours of focused work, and that's assuming you know exactly what to look for. Even experienced merchants frequently miss critical issues because they're too close to their own business to see it objectively.
The Difference in Outcomes:
Without Diagnostics
Under 30% success rate, multiple rejections, median 32 days to resolution
With Comprehensive Audit
Above 80% success rate, first/second attempt success, 48-72 hours to reinstatement
Get a Green Light Before You Appeal
Don't waste weeks on trial and error. Get a complete compliance audit that checks all the same signals Google's algorithms evaluate.
Start Automatic Diagnosis