Hey everyone, I’m hitting a wall trying to get approved in Google Merchant Center and I’m looking for real answers from people who’ve actually done it.
Here’s where I’m at:
I connected the Google Sales Channel in Shopify, synced my Merchant Center, and uploaded my product feed
I reviewed all the Google policy documentation and checked for things like business info, contact page, terms, and refund policy
I’ve seen the vague “website needs improvement” and “misrepresentation” messages but no real guidance on what to fix
Some say things like adding an in-stock status, business email, or fixing DNS helped but I’m not seeing results
So, I have a few direct questions:
If your store was approved or reinstated, what specific actions actually helped?
When the issue is “website needs improvement” or “misrepresentation,” what did you prioritize? Design, policies, contact info, shipping settings, business verification?
Any Shopify-specific tips? Did certain apps or feed settings make a difference?
Has contacting Google support actually helped anyone? Did you submit proof or screenshots that got results?
I’m not looking for generic tips, just what really worked for you. Appreciate any real insights from people who got through it.
Hello Lightingdirect, thank you for your question and participation in the Shopify AMA. I’m your host Emmanuel from FeedArmy.
First thing you need to understand is that what works for one merchant, will not work for another merchant. Because every business, website, merchant etc, is different. So there is no one solution fits all scenarios, unfortunately, even if the suspension reason is misrepresentation.
That is why, the only way to resolve a suspension is to fix every possible reason for a suspension.
Here are my answers:
1 ) There are hundreds of possible reasons, writing them all here, would be rather impossible and impractical. For example, one client of mine mistyped his address on the website, vs what was on Facebook. Causing Google to see mismatch data. Fixing this resolved the issue.
Another reason why this is impractical is that you only have 3 requests for reviews available. So if you would only fix 1 random issue, you will quickly reach the limit and get a permanent ban. Therefore, my strategy with my clients is to fix every possible reason. This can range between 50 to 80 items that I usually find that merchants need to fix. These are related to the business, website, 3rd party info, trust related signals etc.
There is no priority, when clients ask me for a priority list, I never give it, because they will tend to do the bare minimum, which they will often regret, when they realize they got a permanent ban. So I always tell them to fix everything I detect. The main issue is that Google does not provide any specifics, so we must guess, or we can fix all potential issues, and increase the chances of success in getting approved.
It’s not about Shopify specific, it’s about what you sell, your business trust signals and transparency, your info on the website and the data you submit. But the Google And youtube app for example, will be correct in terms of data, you might have some missing data but that again with thousands of different products, I can list them all, considering that would be impractical, instead, check the requirements here: https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/7052112?hl=en
No
I know you asked for non generic tips, but your questions can not cover specifics. Because what works for an apparel business, will not work for someone selling medical equipment. Very different niches, and very different rules.
Not only that, let’s assume you are just asking for medical equipment, a business in Texas, will be different from a business in Wyoming.
I do understand where you are coming from, and as I deal with these issues in the last 15 years, just 1 answer to fit all possible scenarios is rather impossible.
Then you have to think about historical actions, for example merchants tend to misunderstand that if you have done something bad in the past, that this will be remembered by Google, and that too will change what you need to do.
If it was as easy as you are asking, nobody would be suspended.
Regardless that you didn’t ask for generics, if you want to find possible reasons for suspension, have a look at the guides and policies below: