Questions and answers
Google Merchant Center suspension and compliance FAQ.
Practical answers about audits, secure access, recovery support, Lissa and new Merchant Center setup.
Clear answers before you choose a service.
Understand the audit, secure access, recovery packages, new account setup and what Lissa can verify.
Why was my Google Merchant Center account suspended?
Suspensions can involve business identity, website trust, customer policies, products, feeds, pricing, availability, checkout or historical account activity. The exact notice is only the starting point; the connected store evidence must be reviewed together.
What is a misrepresentation suspension?
Misrepresentation means Google believes important business, product or offer information may be inaccurate, unclear, incomplete or misleading. The cause can sit across the website, feed, account information and wider business evidence.
What does the free audit include?
It is an initial human review supported by Lissa technical evidence. Pulserig checks the public store, likely policy and trust risks, and the most appropriate next step.
Does the human audit include Lissa analysis?
Yes. Lissa supports the human review by checking public technical evidence, code signals, product data conflicts and other issues that benefit from automated analysis.
Can Pulserig guarantee reinstatement or approval?
Google and Microsoft control their own decisions and review timing. Pulserig improves the store, evidence and preparation but does not control the final platform decision.
Do I need to provide my password?
No. Never send passwords. Pulserig uses authorised user invitations, Shopify Collaborator access and platform access requests with only the permissions required for the work.
How does Shopify Collaborator access work?
You provide the store URL and collaborator request code where required. Pulserig sends a request, you approve the necessary permissions, and you can remove access after the work is complete.
What is the difference between Essential Fix and Full Rescue?
Essential Fix covers a focused repair scope for a suitable case. Full Rescue is for broader website, feed, technical, SEO and review-preparation work. The free audit determines which route fits the evidence.
Can you help if I have used all my review attempts?
Pulserig can investigate the current position and available evidence. Options depend on the exact account status, previous submissions and whether the underlying problems can still be corrected.
Can you create a new Merchant Center account?
Yes, after the store passes the eligibility audit. The website must be legitimate, complete and suitable for Google before the separate £50 setup stage begins.
What happens if an account is suspended again?
Contact Pulserig promptly with the new notice and avoid repeated changes or review requests. The store, feed, account history and changes since the previous review need to be compared.
Can Lissa see inside Merchant Center, Ads or Shopify admin?
No. A public scan checks evidence visible on the storefront. Private account evidence requires authorised access and human review.
How often should I rescan my website?
Rescan after important theme, product, pricing, policy or app changes. Lissa includes one free public scan every 30 days, while monitoring plans provide more regular checks.
Do you support Bing and Microsoft Ads?
Yes. Pulserig can investigate Microsoft Merchant Center and Microsoft Advertising policy issues when they are included in the agreed service scope.
Do I need Microsoft Clarity?
It is recommended where appropriate because privacy-conscious behaviour data can reveal navigation problems, dead clicks and customer confusion. It does not reveal Google’s private enforcement process.
Can I buy a compliance package before the audit?
Please complete the free audit first. Pulserig needs to establish whether the work is achievable, which package is suitable and whether historical account activity adds risk.
Is the £199 SEO, GEO and AI service suitable for a suspended store?
No. It is designed for active ecommerce stores seeking stronger search and AI-discovery foundations. Suspended merchants should complete the free audit and may require a recovery package.
Suspension questions in more detail
Last reviewed: 30 September 2026. Written by the Pulserig team. Pulserig is an independent UK service (PULSERIG LTD, company no. 16753599) and is not affiliated with Google or Microsoft. Google and Microsoft make every approval and reinstatement decision.
My Shopify store's Google Shopping listings have stopped. What should I do first?
Before changing anything, log into Google Merchant Center and read the exact notice under Products → Needs attention or the account-level issue. Check whether the whole account is suspended or just some products are disapproved. They need different fixes. Keep a copy of the notice and write down what you change and when, because you will need that record if you request a review.
Do not request a review straight away. A review sent before the cause is fixed is usually rejected, and some accounts have a limited number of review attempts.
How do I fix a Google Merchant Center suspension?
Start from the reason Google gives, then check the whole store, not just the product that was flagged. Most suspensions come from a mix of problems:
- business details that don't match across the website, Merchant Center and your other listings;
- missing or unclear refund, returns and shipping policies;
- product prices, availability or shipping in the feed that don't match the product page;
- theme or app code that shows misleading wording, such as pre-order, pickup or stock messages.
Fix the cause at the source (Shopify, the theme or the feed app), check the live pages, and only then request a review. Our guide How to fix a Google Merchant Center suspension on Shopify walks through this in order.
What does a "misrepresentation" suspension actually mean?
It means Google isn't confident that shoppers can trust the business or the offer. Google rarely names the exact page. Common triggers include:
- unclear business identity or contact details;
- claims the store can't support, such as fake reviews, invented statistics, "guaranteed" results, or badges suggesting approval by Google;
- missing or contradictory policies;
- checkout, pricing or delivery information that differs from what the product page says.
My Merchant Center review was rejected. What now?
A rejection usually means Google still sees the same problem, or has found another one. Don't resubmit with the same wording. Re-check the store as a first-time customer would, compare the feed with the live pages, and look for anything the first round of fixes missed. How to prepare a Merchant Center review request explains what to check before trying again.
How long does a Merchant Center review take?
Google controls review timing and doesn't publish a fixed timescale. Some reviews come back in days, while others take longer. Nobody outside Google can speed a review up. Use the waiting time to keep the store stable, and avoid making large changes while the review is open.
Google says my website "needs improvement". What does that involve?
This usually points to trust and completeness. Check that:
- your contact details are easy to find;
- your refund, returns and shipping policies are clear and consistent;
- your About page describes the real business;
- product pages have accurate prices, stock and delivery information;
- checkout works on mobile and desktop;
- there is no placeholder or unfinished content.
See Fixing "website needs improvement" in Google Merchant Center for a full walk-through.
Can I open a new Merchant Center account if mine is suspended?
No, not as a way around a suspension. Google treats that as circumventing its systems, which can lead to stricter enforcement across linked accounts. Work on the existing account and follow Google's review process. See Circumventing systems policy explained.
Are there extra things to check for UK stores?
UK shoppers and UK consumer law expect clear business information, so check that:
- the trading name and registered company details are consistent everywhere they appear;
- prices are shown in GBP, with VAT treatment and delivery costs made clear;
- the returns policy reflects your customers' legal cancellation rights;
- the privacy policy covers UK GDPR.
Make sure the details in Merchant Center match your website exactly.
Why is my Google Ads account suspended when Merchant Center is fine, or the other way round?
Google Ads and Merchant Center have separate policies and checks, although they often look at the same website. A Google Ads suspension can relate to billing, account behaviour or advert content. Read the Google Ads notice on its own terms. See Google Ads account suspended: what to fix first.
Do Microsoft Ads suspensions work the same way?
The principles are similar: clear business information, accurate product data and consistent policies. However, Microsoft Advertising has its own policies and review process. See Microsoft Ads suspension help for Shopify stores.
What should I check before requesting a review?
- Business information: the same name, address, email and phone number on the website, in Merchant Center and on your other public listings.
- Policies: refund, returns, shipping, privacy and terms pages that are easy to find and don't contradict each other.
- Product data: the feed price, availability, condition and shipping match the live product page.
- Claims: no testimonials, reviews, statistics or badges you can't back up.
- Theme and apps: no leftover pre-order, pickup, countdown or stock messages that don't apply.
- Checkout: works end to end, with no surprise costs.
Our Merchant Center checklist covers each point in more detail.
Where can I get help with a suspension?
Start with a free audit. A person reviews your public store, supported by Lissa technical checks, and tells you which route fits. That might be something you can fix yourself, the Essential Fix (£299), the Full Rescue (£699) or another option. Pulserig fixes the issues within its control and prepares the review with you. The final decision always rests with Google or Microsoft, so reinstatement cannot be guaranteed.
Contact: support@pulseriggmcadsrescue.co.uk · 01922 322183