Solved

Facebook - commerce account Not aproved Error with Facebook

Irreversivel
Visitor
2 0 7

Hello, I've been struggling lately trying to link the store to my Facebook page.  

I followed all the procedure in shopify via the "sales channel +". the facebook shop and instagram shopping both show as ACTIVE.

But when i open the "customize Shop" and go to the commerce manager page the store show up as Unpublished. And I get a message from Facebook saying:

"shop updates can't be published because your commerce account didn't pass our standard review", no explanations or any other option to know what is wrong or not in compliance with their policy. Some of my products ( simple tshirt) also just got the " Not approved " stamp don't now why? 

What can one do to get the shop working with Facebook and get then to approve/ allow publishing of the store? 

Any help or advise is welcome as i exhausted all the options i could think of. Thanks! 

Facebook and insta both active on shopifyFacebook and insta both active on shopifyunpublished error in facebookunpublished error in facebookError/ no option to publish within the mannager commerce accountError/ no option to publish within the mannager commerce account

Accepted Solution (1)
JD44
Tourist
3 1 10

This is an accepted solution.

Update my end - Commerce Account now approved. 

So I didn't have to do much other than contact them and explain that I had thoroughly reviewed the commerce terms and was confident my account didn't breach any and that many other users seem to have the same issue. I also attached screenshots of the various screens showing the account not approved.
 
Here is the link the support team gave me to use to specifically contact the commerce team: https://www.facebook.com/commerce_manager/onboarding/support/?ref=cm_onsite_onboarding_channel_selec...
 
When you click through to the link it'll ask you to select the page you need support with. Under Topic I selected 'Account Setup' and then 'Getting approval for Instagram Shopping'. I think you can select other categories and get the same outcome though so have a look through them.
Screenshot 2021-03-14 at 20.09.18.png
 
My advice would be to message facebook directly using the above link if you haven't already. Be detailed, and demonstrate confidence that you meeting the commerce account criteria.

View solution in original post

Replies 293 (293)
woodenbelieveit
Excursionist
17 0 11

Ok so I emailed them again and this is the same cut and paste generic response I expected from them. He clearly didn't read my email as I have been approved for Instagram shopping, I got rejected for Facebook Shopping though.  He also states that he could see my Instagram shop was rejected, which says to me that he needs to go and see an optician.

Never mind though, at least Gabriel is optimistic!

He could have just replied with "I don't know" and that would have given as much clarity.

 

Hi Mike,

Thank you for contacting Commerce Facebook Concierge Support. My name is Gabriel and I will be helping you with your query today!

We understand how important it is for you to have your Business going on and use our platform in the best way possible.

From what I gathered you are not being able to connect your Instagram account, right?

As you showed in the images given, I could see that your Instagram shop was rejected due to Commerce Policies. I took the liberty to give a look at your Instagram account, as a piece of advice, I would encourage you to, and for a higher chance of approval, increase interaction with followers and in the comment section in order to increase trustworthiness.

Here is a link with more information about our Commerce policies: https://help.instagram.com/1627591223954487.

I am optimistic that the steps above will guide you in facing your situation.

Although this is not the outcome that you expected, yet I am glad we could provide you with some more clarity on the matter and improving points. Your feedback will allow us to continue to improve in the future. Please, let me know if you have any other situations to resolve. Feel free to contact us at Commerce Facebook Concierge Support if you need additional support on this recent query and we'll be happy to reopen the case for you.

We always want to know how we can improve and we welcome your comments. The best way to do this is by filling out the following form, which will ensure that your feedback reaches the team behind the development of our platforms: https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/268228883256323?ref=cr

Frekkle
Excursionist
14 0 4

Nuts!!

Okay, so my answer is similar but with mine, they definitely go into detail and offer suggestions....and they invited me to leave my phone contact information to that we can discuss over phone conversation.

Crazy how different the Customer Care is.   Crazy that this is even a problem  Hate FB! eek!!! 

woodenbelieveit
Excursionist
17 0 11

They are a nightmare to deal with. I was told to get more followers and request a review when I first contacted them in March. So I did that and was rejected again. Then after they had rejected me they told me that I was only entitled to one review because of "bandwidth". My argument with them is that if people are only entitled to one review then why wasn't I informed of this until after I had submitted the account for review? And we have to "demonstrate trustworthiness" to them?? They are so underhand it's unbelievable.  Thing is small businesses rely on the power of social media and because Facebook own both Instagram and Facebook which are the two big ones, as much as I want to close my account down and tell them where to go I can't. So they've got you over a barrel

Asil56
Tourist
7 0 1

This so true' I'm still trying I have discrepancies in my catalog as they say. I also ask Shoplify to help however they do not see another discrepancy in my sales channel being linked. Im overly frustrated here. I almost wanted to paid an expert they charge 3500. Ill keep trying, as you say don't have any choices here. Plus money I have invested in getting this business started. Good luck hope you get approved soon.

woodenbelieveit
Excursionist
17 0 11

Ok so I received another email from Facebook today and they told me to do all the stuff I had already done, so I skimmed past all that. At the bottom of the email they said "If you don't get a new chance to appeal in the next two weeks, please contact us again so we can review your situation.", whether they are just saying that to fob me off remains to be seen. I mean I could wait two weeks then get in touch and get the same generic response I've been getting from them for the past 8 months. It didn't say they would review my account, it just said they would review my situation, which makes me think that it is more than likely a fob off.

Asil56
Tourist
7 0 1

You may be right in your conclusions .I ;m scared to have them just  look at it again. So i gonna hit review or appeal whatever it is and pray hard for a peace here. I hate how i wasted so many hours with this and continue to get unclear resolution. Smh

WM11
Excursionist
19 1 1

Tell you a solution? use your mom, son, daughter, friend Ad account 🙂

Looks funny, but it worked.

JeremySkeggs
Excursionist
15 0 4

Sending in reviews is a bad idea unless there will sort the problem. Facebook will block your ability to review , I'm unsure how it works, but my reviews wont work.

I've just been told that my account isn't frozen but  not approved. So like you I have no options and no shop

GaryBusey1
Excursionist
44 0 20

Also have this issue. 

Facebook won’t be approved and I had requested a review and that was denied. Now there is no option to review again? 

i also looked at trying to delete the commerce and start again, but for the life of me cannot find the deactivate. 

FB contacted me and said my page as listed as a product/service and not retail an to change it, so I did that but it made no difference.

I also removed any items from my catalog that May of been inappropriate, including gift cards. 

All I really want it for instragam shop, but it won’t approve without FB for me. 

Anyone figure it out let us know!! Driving me mad 

Anna47
Tourist
5 0 23
I am trying to deactivate my account too, so I can start again- but have no idea how to??!!
JeremySkeggs
Excursionist
15 0 4

Once your account is frozen or not approved it can't be deleted. It has to be approved or unfrozen then deleted, that was from The Face Commerce Conserge.

This may be correct or may also be wrong . I have found quite often that the support people that we have access to don't really know that much and often speculate about what's going on.

GaryBusey1
Excursionist
44 0 20
Ive been loosing my mind looking at how all morning, still can’t find it.

I only want to delete the commerce section, not the whole business manager.

Let me know if you figure it out….
woodenbelieveit
Excursionist
17 0 11

I'm having similar issues. They approved me for Instagram shopping, I set up a shop on Instagram, then rejected my commerce account and took my Instagram shop down. I managed to speak to someone on the phone from Facebook. I can't remember how I managed to speak to a real life human because their help section is so confusing. They even have a page when you go through the help pages on the business centre and it states "Need more help? Contact us"with no method on how to contact them, which would have still been as useful as them saying "are you hungry? Have an apple". Anyway the person I spoke to said I should get more followers and some reviews as I needed to demonstrate trustworthiness. She said once I have done that then submit for another review. So I went away and did that, submitted for a review and it got rejected again. Then I started getting more sales and reviews so I emailed them to ask if I could get it reviewed again and they said I am only entitled to one review and I have to wait and see if they open it up in the future to get another review. Why wasn't I told that I am only entitled to one review? I asked them, they kept side stepping the questions I asked like a dodgy politician. The thing I find weird though is I can tag products on Facebook, can share products on Facebook, can sell on Facebook Marketplace place but I am not eligible to have a shop which does the same thing and also can't tag products on Instagram.and that was the account I was approved for.  I've been emailing back and forth for a week and they still haven't answered the questions I've asked. I'm just totally confused by it, Google Merchant account approved, Pinterest Verified Business approved, Shopify approved, Etsy approved, Ebay approved, Yell approved, Barclays approved and Facebook have stricter eligibility criteria than every other company.  Also my brother has less followers than me on Insta and Facebook and no reviews on there, yet his commerce account has been approved lol  

legyjp11
Tourist
9 0 0

Hi there, I have had this problem for over a year now. Did you manage to sort it out? Thanks John

woodenbelieveit
Excursionist
17 0 11
No I still haven't got it sorted. They are an absolute nightmare to deal with. I even messaged Instagram about it and they sent an email saying that I can start adding products, followed 2 minutes later by an email saying I can't.
legyjp11
Tourist
9 0 0
After 18 months I have fixed this! I can't believe it. The solution is at
the end of this thread but basically I explained my problem to these guys
at facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/commerce_manager/onboarding/support/?ref=cm_onsite_onboarding_channel_selec...
And they sorted it out! I can't believe it after so many chats with FB.

Good luck.

John
websensepro
Shopify Partner
992 135 143

I was able to fix it too here is my video on how I did it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unM00IWazv8

 

Need a Shopify developer?
Hire us at WebSensePro
For Shopify Design Changes | Shopify Custom Coding | Custom Modifications
Subscribe to our youtube channel or buy us a Cofee here
DonWoodro
Visitor
1 0 1

@websensepro wrote:

I was able to fix it too here is my video on how I did it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unM00IWazv8

 


Nope no go.. because that link of more details does NOT exist. I am USA -  I'm beyond frustrated with S and FB on this. 

 

sugarlemonca
Visitor
1 0 0

Same, I am so tired of this. I spent HOURS and HOURS to try to make it work but it won't.

MDavis1719
Tourist
3 0 2

Hey, thanks for sharing we have had the exact same issue. Not being able to get the commerce account approved, although it says that it's linked on Shopify. It says I need to replace my commerce account but when I click "replace account" it's loads but then says "failed to replace account". We have been struggling with this for weeks and Facebook support has told us to just give them time to approve the account but it seems like that has lost hope. My business partner has suggested just deleting our entire Facebook page and starting from scratch. I am not sure how to feel about this because we have already linked our shop with the IG account and with our Facebook pixel so I am not sure how to navigate this issue. If anyone finds a solution or would be willing to help LMK or send me an email at matthew.davis1719@gmail.com

blancheinfante
Visitor
1 0 2

Hi! I was also experiencing the same thing yesterday and so I read this post, hoping I would get answers. Yet I wasn't able to get any. I see that many people struggle on this too, and luckily, I was able to surpass this yesterday. From what I remember, I clicked the "request review" button at the top of the page and then typed "My products comply with all the requirements". I then sent the request, hoping they would grant me the opportunity to publish my shop. After a few hours, I did. I was able to publish my shop and my products can already be seen.

Hope this helps. God bless!! xx

lilamo
Excursionist
12 0 6

Thanks for sharing. Unfortunately, the 'request review' button is no longer available to me, maybe because I requested a review too many times. 

rank234
Excursionist
20 0 18

Can anyone else chime in on their strategy that worked for them for getting their commerce account approved?  I have tried making new commerce accounts and none of them get accepted.  They get automatically rejected instantly, and then I ask to have facebook review the rejection, and then they reject my appeal.

zfqu
Tourist
4 0 2

The request review button is grey out for me.

Foxgloveco
Visitor
1 0 0

Hello! Did you do anything in particular when setting up your page and connecting it to shopify? 

Skmn
Excursionist
12 0 5
I just followed the steps and it gave me an error message saying your commerce page wasn’t approved. But before tht error I had another error saying I had a commerce pg is already connected n couldn’t add another one but tht was resolved. Going on two months of waiting. Ridiculous.

mmcshane20
Visitor
2 0 5

just here to say same issue. There are more and more of us it seems...

jakobEege
Visitor
2 0 0
Click to expand...
 

Did any of you get this problem solved? cuz I've been looking for an answer as I'm facing the same issue  and no one on Facebook is responding.

Skmn
Excursionist
12 0 5
Still nothing.
LBeauty
Excursionist
21 0 4

me too im still trying. I was told im not trustworthy due to lack of likes and followers. I know 2 people who have the same and are able to add their shop on instagram 

JD44
Tourist
3 1 10

Recently got off chat with Facebook and was given this link to get additional support from the FB commerce team..

May be useful for some of you: https://www.facebook.com/commerce_manager/onboarding/support/?ref=cm_onsite_onboarding_channel_selec...

LBeauty
Excursionist
21 0 4

I want to thank you so much! im chatting with someone now. hopefully my shop gets approved 

 

Man-Shirt
Visitor
1 0 0

Link doesn't work anymore...

Leap4artnc
Excursionist
44 1 14

Well they didn’t publish mine and I have 2600 Facebook followers and lots of likes. I post almost every day at different times. 

alas I have to publish on Instagram to get it on FB. 

Tommy

leapforartnc.com

bioglam
Visitor
1 0 0

I was told the same thing so I've reached 100+ followers and there's still error messages appearing 

Leap4artnc
Excursionist
44 1 14

Hello everyone. 

I apologize for not answering all of these. I can only tell you a bit about my story and such. My store was approved. But it is a tad weird. 

For years I had had a FB page for my art. I am a mixed media abstract artist. The page was under my own name or tbmcdonellart. But I then started using tags for Leap4artNC. This doesn’t require anyone to know how to spell my last name. And it makes it easier for people to locate me. Besides my art I sell things made from my art, mostly made by Fine Art America. 

That store under that name changed to Leap4artNC LLC was never approved. So I started a page or group called Tommy B McDonell Leaps 4 NC Art.

I put all my same things on and I created bogus SKU for my own fine art  This was then approved with some errors to be fixed.

However under google I do have a google business whatever but google didn’t approve it through FB. 

Instagram hasn’t approved it because it says it doesn’t go to my website with the same name.  Actually the website is closer to the name than the other one because Shopify said the Url couldn’t have 4 in it  (I own a url with .net that has the 4.

However be careful what you wish for.  Last year during the pandemic I made much much more money just doubt simple ads and not having Shopify.  

FB ads are weird. Valentine’s day my ad said At Leap4artNC we believe that Love Makes the World Go Round. This wasn’t approved when they claimed it was false advertising  when I changed it to We Believe in Love it ran  but it was too late for people to get Valentine’s Day things.  

I think Shopify is too expensive and I am not happy with it or with FB  Instagram has become a video site to me  

as a sideline to my life I have MS which has progressed! 

my advice is to write FB and deal this way  keep applying  I applied more than 5 times and by moving it and being more specific (boringly so) I was approved  

Hope this helps. I do read posts but I just don’t have time to post  

 

deedy30
Visitor
1 0 0

Hey, thank you for the feedback. Where did you appeal the business commerce decision? I was denied and I have not even added any products to my store. How can they deny me when I havent even finished setup. I appealed once but can't seem to find a place to request a review. But what are they going to review if I haven't added inventory? Was I denied for not having any inventory yet, I don't know. They did not give a denial reason, just denied. I want to ask what was the actual denial. Who do I reach out to? Can you please direct me to where you appealed please. Thank you

rme_wyf
New Member
6 0 0

I am having the exact problem! I am pretty frustrated because this limits potential customers.

baiiad
Visitor
1 0 3

After a couple of months of frustration and back and forth we received the good news from Facebook this morning - an email stating that our Commerce Account was approved after review. Our Commerce Account was rejected right in the beginning when we were setting the store up, with no specific reason stated. After numerous attempts to understand the specific "violation" of Facebook policies we were told that the issue was that the Facebook Page "was not trustworthy" and we needed to gain more followers. We started a campaign to boost the page. We kept contacting Facebook and asking for a re-review and it finally paid off.

Here's what worked for us:

1. Keep it calm and stay professional in your communication with Facebook, their support concierge team is genuinely trying to help - it's a large organization with billions of users.

2. Consistently communicate with Facebook; in our experience, not all support agents are created equal - some provided nuggets of useful information to explain the situation and what needed to be done.

3. Work on improving the quality of the Facebook Page and the Instagram account; make sure all business information is correct and complete; Ensure the products syncing with the catalog do not include anything disallowed (Facebook did not allow gift cards in our case).

4. Do not fall for offers to help with the account - only you can fix this issue by working closely with Facebook.

If you are truly not violating any policies and are not in any shady practices, then the account will eventually be approved - I read some horror stories in forums that the approval has been taking many months, or some were even proposing a workaround of changing the domain names. Follow the above recommendations and you should be fine.

Hope this helps. Good luck everyone!

Below is what we received as a recommendation from Facebook Concierge Support:

Your business and accounts on Facebook or Instagram may have been associated with previous policy-violating activity. You can review those decisions (e.g. ad disapproved, page unpublished, community standard violation) and, if you believe that any of these previous violations were mistakenly flagged, you can appeal them individually by checking these pointers below:

With this being said, let me go ahead and manually review this on your behalf together with my team. I'd like to thank you for your tremendous understanding and patience while we are in the midst of checking on your concern.

Almonzo
Tourist
3 0 2

baiid:  When did you actually file your appeal?  I mistakenly filed one right when I got the initial rejection and determined that move to be a death sentence to my Facebook Shop.  I was courteous and professional with everyone I dealt with and provided numerous screen shots of clean screens, but never got past the initial level of customer support... I worked with 9 or 10 different ones over the course of 3 1/2 months.  They all had access to the same help screen.  I eventually learned that you get one appeal.  If unsuccessful, no matter what you do, you will not be approved.

 

aa1994
Tourist
8 0 3

Not impossible but very less chance you will get approved. Happened to me. You just need to keep trying support and eventually will get to the right person. Took me 4 months 

shymarfa
Visitor
1 0 1

Has anyone had any luck at all with this? My shop was also denied. I can no longer appeal. So I tried to go into my commerce manager and delete everything and start over, but they won't give me the option to delete it. I have tried for months to contact FB with no response and no help. So finally I decided to make a brand new Facebook account and Business page to start over, but they shut it down this morning for violating community guidelines. I sell landscape photographs. Not sure what guidelines I am violating. So now, I am really screwed. I cannot link my store at all to my IG. I cannot promote my IG because I can't make an ad. I cannot create a new FB page because they will just shut it down. Oh and to top it off, my Faceboook business page has my business location in the the South Atlantic Ocean. Are there any other platforms out there that do not have to deal with Facebook to promote your store on Instagram? It's really a bummer because I had to close my physical shop last year. Like many small businesses I had to go online. The majority of my sales comes from Instagram and from advertising on Instagram. Facebook controls Instagram. Facebook apparently controls Shopify. So small businesses are suffering because Facebook doesn't care about small businesses.

samchase
Visitor
1 0 0

This is very helpful! My 0main issue that once I requested the review from Facebook, and was denied, the error message told me I'm not allowed to have the page reviewed again. I'm curious as to how you were able to. 

I started to create a new page, to try and correct whatever issues are associated with the last page. All of our items were approved but we were told we do not meet the community standards for a commerce account. 

thanks! 

michellemykle
Tourist
8 0 2

Hi everyone,

Just giving an update on my page.  I was so friggin frustrated that I just deleted my Facebook page.  I went to Upwork, hired someone ($150) to link my Shopify to Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

So... the freelancer created a new business page and low and freaking behold..It was approved. The next day.. like so fast.  Granted, I did have to get a new business page because I deleted mine.. but whatever... I'm glad it works now.  Just have to rebuild my followers.. I only had like 200 anyways.. 

I gave the freelancer access to my website and all social media, so I was on a wing and a prayer that he not crooked.  I gave everything a temporary password and let him have at it. LOL.  I checked every few hours to make sure my deposit accounts were still the same. No issues at all.

Skmn
Excursionist
12 0 5

can you give us info for the freelancer?

michellemykle
Tourist
8 0 2

Screen Shot 2021-06-30 at 10.45.55 AM.png

Skmn
Excursionist
12 0 5

Thanks!!

Mbial-Business
Shopify Partner
46 1 3

to get your page approved just don't apply immediatly, if you do that you page will be denied immediatly, instead you need to build an audience first then feel free to apply. otherwise as I mentioned you account will be rejected. don't worry even if it did get rejected there's a solution to it

 

info@mbial.com
Fiverr: https://www.fiverr.com/shop_instagram
WhatsApp: +212 6 87 03 10 16
Facebook: https://facebook.com/mbialbusiness
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mbialbusiness
JAAS666
Excursionist
13 0 10

That's not a fix... you stated yourself a new account had to be created!!

Sure it works for you now.. but it won't work for business with an already established audience. Starting from 0 is not a fix to the problem.

 

 

michellemykle
Tourist
8 0 2

Well starting from 0 and having shop not working is the same thing.  Actually non-working shop is worse.  So pick your poison.  Time is money. 

I only had 220 followers so it will take me no time to build this back...PLUS the new followers that I'll gain with my shop working correctly.  So while it may not be a fix for you, it will be for some. 

I chose not to keep hitting my head agains the "shop not approved" wall.   My sanity needed to be preserved. 

For the record I deleted my shop before I hired a freelancer...so this was not his fix.  Maybe he can help you in the current state.  Who knows.