Shopify Cookies Banner and Google Merchants Centre

Shopify Discussion

Topic summary

A Shopify merchant’s Google Merchant Center account was suspended due to alleged broken links. Investigation revealed a blank product sitemap, but support attributed the issue to the site’s cookie consent banner, claiming it prevents Google from crawling the website.

Key concerns raised:

  • Whether cookie banners actually block Google’s crawlers (given their prevalence on EU websites)
  • Why the account functioned normally for months before suspension
  • Whether this will be a recurring problem with ongoing crawls
  • The impracticality of temporarily removing the banner for recrawling, since crawls aren’t immediate

Community response:
A contributor strongly disputes the cookie banner explanation, noting that consent banners are legally required across the EU and don’t cause widespread suspensions. They advise:

  • The real issue likely lies elsewhere in Google’s policies
  • Never request a review before fixing all possible violations (only 3 review attempts allowed before permanent ban)
  • Thoroughly review Google Merchant Center guidelines and policies independently

Multiple official Google support resources were provided for troubleshooting. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the actual cause of suspension.

Summarized with AI on October 26. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

Hi.

I was wondering if anyone could help, please.

Despite Google Merchant Cere being operational for the last couple of months, a couple of days ago, I received an email saying my account has been suspended due to broken links.

I put the problem into ChatGPT and they told me to check my product sitemap. When I clicked on it, there was nothing there. The sitemap for my products was blank.

I got in touch with support and they said they’d investigate. Today, I’ve received a message saying that it’s not been the sitemap that’s been the problem but my cookies banner. Apparently, this can stop google from crawling my website which is why merchants centre thinks there are broken links. I’ve been told to deactivate my banner, request a recrawl and reactivate my banner.

Is this the case? From what I’ve read googles bots are clever enough to recognise cookie banners and crawl regardless?

And if that is the case then why has my Merchants Centre been ok up until now?

I’m, also, concerned that this will be a constant problem because the bots don’t just crawl once?

can anyone help, please?

2

Also, with the deactivation of the Cookies banner, I’ve been told to wait a few minutes after requesting the recrawl and put my banner back on but, surely, the recrawl isn’t immediate so waiting a few minutes is pointless?

3

Consent banners will not cause Google issues, because every EU website legally is required to have his. If we follow this logic, that means everyone gets suspended, which is not the case.

You will most likely have other issues, please note, google does not disclose any specifics. This means you need to check the guides and policies yourself, and compare it against your website and business.

Never request a review until you have fixed all possible issues. You have a limited set of reviews, I believe 3. After that if you are still suspended, it’s a permanent ban.

Have a look at:

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