How to fix Google Shopping GTIN error for antique coins?

Shopify Apps

Topic summary

A Shopify merchant selling antique coins encountered Google Merchant Center errors due to missing GTIN (barcode) identifiers, which antique products typically lack.

Solution Provided:

  • Use Google Merchant Center feed rules to set “identifier_exists” to “no” instead of submitting brand/GTIN/MPN
  • Set product condition to “used” (not “new”) since coins are antiques
  • Process the feed after applying rules to ensure changes take effect

Additional Issues Resolved:

  • Account suspension occurred because “Buy on Google” doesn’t accept used products
  • Fix: Disable “Buy on Google” in feed settings while keeping Shopping Ads and Free Listings active
  • Products flagged as adult content: Use feed rules to add “adult” attribute set to “yes”

Key Resources Shared:

  • Official Google documentation on products without identifiers
  • Step-by-step video tutorial on feed rule implementation
  • Guide for reprocessing Content API feeds

The merchant successfully resolved the initial GTIN error and suspension. Later discussion involved clarifying feed processing steps and setting up adult content attributes for coin products.

Summarized with AI on November 19. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
5

Buy on Google does not allow used products, so the suspension sounds correct by design.

You can use Shopping Ads, and Free listings.

You can uncheck buy on google by going to Google Merchant Center > products > feeds > click on your feed > settings > uncheck buy on Google.

Then reprocess the feed, if you can not reprocess the feed, follow the steps here: https://feedarmy.com/kb/how-to-reprocess-content-api-in-google-merchant-center/