Non US Resident LLC US Address vs local Address for Google Merchant Account

[Celmo]

I have started an ecommerce business 2 months ago but since I am not a US resident (from South Africa) I had to form an LLC to get an EIN number so I could add the payment gateways offered for US residents addresses. To do that I had to add a US address. Now I want to connect my Google Merchant centre account but unsure of which address to use? As it comes back with misleading statement error if I use a US address but I get Misrespresentation error when I use my South African address. Please someone help. 

[moshbray]

What’s likely happening is that Google Merchant Center is seeing conflicting business location info like using a U.S. LLC address without actually operating from the U.S. That can trigger either a “misleading business location” or “misrepresentation” error.

What helped me was aligning everything across Shopify and GMC with my real operational address. I updated my policies to explain where I’m based in but sell globally, and I removed any U.S. virtual address unless I actually ship from there. Once I did that and resubmitted the account for review, the issues were cleared.

[EmmanuelFlossie]

Yes, what you are experiencing is correct by design. Google sees setting up virtual businesses as misleading.

You need to use your address, where you, the person is located in South Africa. Not a foreign address with a virtual address.

Google does not like it when merchants pretend to be somewhere they are not.

As you have already changed it, then most likely you have some other issues, make sure that everything you submit, has the South African address, your website, your accounts, including 3rd party Google accounts. As well as Facebook, PayPal, etc.

Then also ensure you follow all other requirements. Below a list:

https://support.google.com/google-ads/community-video/318699100
https://support.google.com/google-ads/community-guide/304792695
https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/6150127
https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/6363310/follow-the-merchant-center-guidelines
https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/7052112
https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/4752265
https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/13693865
https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/6149970
https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/9158778
https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/6150244
https://support.google.com/google-ads/community-guide/241068758