5 Common Reasons Your Google Merchant Center Account Gets Suspended

One day your products are showing in Google Shopping. The next, you get an email saying your account has been suspended.

It's frustrating, confusing, and can seriously hurt your business. But here's the thing—most suspensions happen for predictable reasons, and they're usually preventable.

Let's break down the five most common causes and what you can do to avoid them.

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1. Misrepresentation

Misrepresentation is the number one reason Google suspends Merchant Center accounts. It's also the vaguest, which makes it especially frustrating. If you've already been flagged, see our guide on how to fix GMC misrepresentation issues.

What Google Considers Misrepresentation

Google flags misrepresentation when they believe your store isn't being honest or transparent. This includes:

Business identity issues:

• No clear information about who runs the business
• Fake or misleading business names
• Using logos or branding that implies false affiliations
• Hiding your actual location or contact details

Product misrepresentation:

• Showing products you don't actually sell
• Using images that don't match what customers receive
• Exaggerating product features or capabilities
• Selling counterfeits or knockoffs

Pricing deception:

• Advertising prices that don't match your website
• Hidden fees that appear only at checkout
• Fake "original prices" to make discounts look bigger
• Bait-and-switch tactics

How to Avoid It

• Be completely transparent about who you are and what you sell
• Use accurate product images and descriptions
• Make sure prices match exactly between your feed and website
• Display your business information prominently
• Don't make claims you can't back up

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2. Missing or Inadequate Store Policies

Google requires every merchant to have clear, accessible policies. Missing policies is one of the easiest ways to get suspended—and one of the easiest to fix.

Required Policies

Return and Refund Policy

You must clearly state:

• Whether you accept returns
• How long customers have to return items
• What condition items must be in
• Who pays for return shipping
• How and when refunds are processed

Even if you don't accept returns, you need to state that explicitly.

Privacy Policy

Your privacy policy must explain:

• What personal information you collect
• How you use that information
• Whether you share data with third parties
• How customers can request data deletion

Shipping Information

Customers need to know:

• Available shipping methods
• Estimated delivery times
• Shipping costs
• Any geographic restrictions

Common Policy Mistakes

• Policies exist but aren't linked — They must be accessible from your footer on every page
• Generic copy-paste policies — Google prefers specific, detailed policies that reflect your actual practices
• Policies on external sites — Your policies should be on your own domain
• Policies that contradict each other — Make sure your return policy, FAQ, and product pages all say the same thing

How to Avoid It

• Create all three required policies in Shopify (Settings → Policies)
• Link them in your website footer
• Make them specific to your actual business practices
• Review them regularly to ensure they're accurate

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3. Untrustworthy Promotions

Google is extremely suspicious of deals that seem too good to be true. If your promotions look scammy, your account will get flagged.

Red Flags Google Watches For

Unrealistic discounts:

• "90% off everything!"
• Prices that are suspiciously low for the product category
• Perpetual sales that never end

Pressure tactics:

• Countdown timers creating false urgency
• "Only 2 left!" when that's not actually true
• Claims like "Today only!" that run every day

Misleading claims:

• "Free" products that have hidden costs
• "As seen on TV" without actual media appearances
• Celebrity endorsements that aren't real
• Fake reviews or testimonials

Get-rich-quick vibes:

• Products promising unrealistic results
• Before/after images that look fake
• Income or outcome guarantees

How to Avoid It

• Keep discounts reasonable and believable
• Only run sales that are genuinely limited-time
• Don't use fake urgency tactics
• Make sure all claims are truthful and verifiable
• Avoid language that sounds like a scam (even if your business is legitimate)

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4. Product Data Quality Issues

Your product feed is how Google understands what you're selling. Poor data quality leads to disapprovals and can escalate to account suspension. Follow our product feed best practices to avoid these issues.

Common Data Problems

Title issues:

• Titles that don't describe the product
• Keyword stuffing
• ALL CAPS or excessive punctuation
• Promotional text in titles ("BEST SELLER!!!")

Description problems:

• Missing descriptions entirely
• Descriptions copied from manufacturers (duplicate content)
• Descriptions that don't match the product
• Including links or promotional text

Image violations:

• Watermarks or promotional overlays
• Stock photos instead of actual product images
• Images that don't match the product
• Low-quality or blurry images
• Placeholder images

Price and availability mismatches:

• Feed prices don't match website prices
• Products marked "in stock" that are actually sold out
• Sale prices that don't reflect current promotions
• Currency mismatches

Missing required information:

• No GTIN (barcode) for products that have them
• Missing brand names
• Incorrect product categories
• Missing required attributes for specific categories

How to Avoid It

• Audit your product feed regularly
• Use automated syncing to keep prices and availability current
• Write unique, accurate product descriptions
• Use high-quality images without watermarks
• Include all required identifiers (GTINs, MPNs, brands)

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5. Website Quality Issues

Google doesn't just evaluate your product data—they evaluate your entire website. Technical problems and poor user experience can trigger suspensions.

Technical Problems

Security issues:

• No SSL certificate (site doesn't use HTTPS)
• Mixed content warnings
• Security certificate errors
• Checkout that redirects to insecure pages

Broken functionality:

• Products that can't be added to cart
• Checkout that doesn't work
• 404 errors on product pages
• Broken images

Performance problems:

• Extremely slow page load times
• Pages that time out
• Mobile site that doesn't work properly

Trust Issues

New or suspicious domains:

• Domain registered very recently (under 90 days)
• Domain with a history of spam or fraud
• Using free hosting or suspicious TLDs

Poor design signals:

• Site looks unprofessional or outdated
• Excessive pop-ups
• Difficult navigation
• No way to contact the business

Suspicious checkout:

• Checkout on a different domain
• Only accepting unusual payment methods
• No clear order confirmation process

How to Avoid It

• Ensure your site uses HTTPS everywhere
• Fix broken links and images
• Optimize for fast loading times
• Make sure your site works on mobile
• Use a professional design
• Keep checkout on your main domain

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How to Appeal a Suspension

If your account gets suspended, don't panic. Most suspensions can be reversed if you address the issues properly.

Step 1: Understand the Problem

Read the suspension notice carefully. Google will usually indicate the policy area that was violated, though not always the specific issue.

Check:

• Your email for suspension details
• Merchant Center diagnostics for specific flags
• Your website for obvious problems

Step 2: Fix Everything

Don't just fix the one thing you think caused the problem. Do a complete audit:

• Review all policies
• Check all product data
• Test your entire website
• Verify contact information
• Remove anything that could look suspicious

Step 3: Document Your Changes

Keep a record of:

• What issues you identified
• What changes you made
• When you made them

This helps you write a clear appeal and shows Google you took the issue seriously.

Step 4: Submit Your Appeal

In Merchant Center:

1. Go to the suspended account
2. Find the option to request a review
3. Explain clearly what was wrong and what you fixed
4. Submit and wait

Step 5: Be Patient

Reviews typically take 3-7 business days, sometimes longer. Don't submit multiple appeals—this can slow down the process.

If your first appeal is rejected, make additional improvements and try again. Some accounts require multiple rounds of fixes.

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Prevention is Better Than Recovery

Getting reinstated is possible, but it's much better to avoid suspension in the first place. Use our GMC compliance checklist to audit your store regularly.

Regular Audits

Check your store monthly:

• Are all policies up to date and accessible?
• Does your product feed match your website?
• Are there any broken links or images?
• Is your contact information current?

Stay Informed

Google updates their policies regularly. What was acceptable last year might not be acceptable now. Keep up with:

• Google Merchant Center announcements
• Shopping ads policy updates
• E-commerce compliance best practices

Monitor Your Account

Check Merchant Center weekly for:

• New warnings or issues
• Product disapprovals
• Policy notifications

Catching problems early means fixing them before they become suspensions.

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Key Takeaways

Most GMC suspensions come down to trust. Google wants to protect shoppers, and they'll suspend accounts that seem risky.

The five main reasons accounts get suspended:

1. Misrepresentation — Be transparent about your business and products
2. Missing policies — Have clear, accessible return, privacy, and shipping policies
3. Untrustworthy promotions — Avoid deals that seem too good to be true
4. Product data issues — Keep your feed accurate and complete
5. Website problems — Maintain a secure, functional, professional website

If you address these areas proactively, you'll dramatically reduce your risk of suspension.

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Check Your Risk Level

Not sure if your store is at risk for suspension?

ClearCheck scans your Shopify store for the exact issues that trigger GMC suspensions. Find out what's wrong before Google does—and fix it while you still can.