Google Merchant Center Suspended? FAQ & Solutions 2025
Google Merchant Center & Google Ads Suspension FAQ
Common questions about Google Merchant Center suspensions, Google Ads account issues, and Shopify Google Shopping problems answered by UK experts with 97% success rate.
Shopify Google Shopping suspended - what should I do?
If your Shopify Google Shopping integration has been suspended, take these immediate steps: First, check your email for the suspension notice from Google Merchant Center. Second, log into Google Merchant Center to identify the specific policy violation listed. Third, review your product feed for common issues like price mismatches, missing GTIN numbers, incorrect availability status, or missing return policies. Fourth, correct all violations completely before submitting an appeal.
Most Shopify GMC suspensions are caused by product data mismatches between your feed and landing pages, missing business information, or policy violations in product descriptions. Our comprehensive guide provides step-by-step instructions for each violation type. Do not submit multiple appeals without fixing the underlying issue, as this can result in permanent suspension.
How to fix Google Merchant Center suspension?
Fixing a Google Merchant Center suspension requires systematic remediation in five steps:
- Identify the exact violation from your suspension email and Merchant Center dashboard
- Thoroughly audit your entire product feed and website for the flagged issues
- Correct all violations completely, not just the examples Google provided
- Document your corrections with screenshots and detailed explanations
- Submit a professional appeal through Google Merchant Center explaining what was wrong and what you fixed
Common fixes include correcting product data mismatches, adding missing business contact information, improving landing page quality, removing prohibited content, and ensuring pricing accuracy. Appeals typically take 3-7 business days for review. Our UK-based service has a 97% success rate in reinstating suspended accounts by addressing root causes rather than just appealing.
GMC suspended Shopify account - how to recover?
Recovering a suspended GMC Shopify account requires addressing Shopify-specific issues that commonly trigger suspensions. Key recovery steps include:
- Disconnecting and properly reconnecting the Google Shopping app
- Ensuring your Shopify store has complete business information including contact details and return policy
- Verifying all product data matches between Shopify and your live site
- Checking for price discrepancies caused by automatic discounts or currency converters
- Ensuring your Shopify theme displays all required information clearly
Common Shopify-specific triggers include missing contact information in the theme footer, incomplete checkout policies, dynamic pricing that doesn't match feed data, and product variants not properly configured. After fixing these issues, submit a detailed appeal referencing your Shopify platform and the specific corrections made. Most Shopify GMC suspensions are resolved within 5-7 days when properly remediated.
Google Merchant Center account suspended due to policy violation misrepresentation - what does this mean?
"Misrepresentation of self or product" is one of the most serious Google Merchant Center violations. This suspension means Google believes you are misleading customers about your business identity, product details, or business practices.
Common causes include:
- Business name not matching your actual registered business
- Product titles or descriptions containing misleading claims or exaggerations
- Images showing different products than what is being sold
- Pricing that doesn't match your actual checkout price
- Unclear or deceptive shipping or return policies
- Business contact information that is incomplete or fake
To fix this violation, you must ensure complete transparency and accuracy across all business and product information. Update your business name to match official registration, remove any exaggerated claims from product content, ensure images accurately represent products, verify all pricing is consistent, display clear policies, and provide legitimate contact information. This violation requires thorough remediation as partial fixes often result in re-suspension.
Merchant center appeal rejected - what to do?
If your Merchant Center appeal was rejected, it means Google determined you did not fully resolve the underlying policy violation. Do not immediately resubmit another appeal as multiple rejected appeals can lead to permanent suspension.
Instead, take these steps:
- Carefully review Google's rejection message for clues about what is still non-compliant
- Conduct a comprehensive audit beyond the original issue, as there may be additional violations you missed
- Compare your site against Google's policies line by line to identify all compliance gaps
- Make thorough corrections addressing every possible violation
- Document all changes with detailed before-and-after evidence
- Wait 7-14 days before resubmitting to demonstrate sustained compliance
- Submit a new appeal with comprehensive explanation of all corrections made
Rejected appeals often result from incomplete fixes, new violations discovered during review, or inadequate explanation in the appeal. Our service specializes in complex rejected appeals with 97% success rate by conducting forensic audits and crafting detailed remediation plans.
Why is my Google Ads account suspended?
Google Ads account suspensions occur for different reasons than Merchant Center suspensions. Common causes include:
- Circumventing systems policy violations - using multiple accounts to bypass suspension or creating new accounts after suspension
- Payment issues - declined payments or suspicious payment activity
- Enabling policy violations - advertising prohibited products or services
- Compromised account - signs of unauthorized access or hacking
- Repeated policy violations across campaigns
If your Google Ads account is suspended, check your email for the specific suspension reason. For circumventing systems violations, you must prove you are not intentionally evading policies. For payment issues, resolve billing problems and verify your payment method. For compromised accounts, secure your account and prove legitimate ownership. Google Ads suspensions are more difficult to resolve than Merchant Center suspensions and often require detailed documentation of business legitimacy. Appeals can take 7-21 days and may require phone verification or additional identity verification.
Shopify Google Shopping suspended for no reason - is this possible?
While it may seem like your Shopify Google Shopping was suspended "for no reason," Google always has a specific policy violation triggering suspension, even if it's not immediately obvious.
Common hidden causes include:
- Automatic price changes from Shopify apps that create mismatches with your feed
- Missing or incomplete business information in your Shopify theme footer
- Checkout policy pages that are not properly linked or accessible
- Product variants not correctly structured in your feed
- Seasonal or sale pricing that does not match feed data
- Missing GTIN or brand information for products that require it
- Mobile site display issues that desktop audits miss
To identify the actual cause, audit your entire Shopify store as a customer would experience it, check your product feed for data quality issues, review all installed apps for potential conflicts, test your checkout flow completely, and verify all business information is visible and accurate. In over 500 cases, we have never seen a truly baseless suspension—the violation is always present but sometimes requires deep investigation to identify.
GMC suspended Shopify help - where to get expert assistance?
Expert help for GMC suspended Shopify accounts should come from specialists who understand both Google Merchant Center policies and Shopify platform specifics.
When seeking help, look for providers with:
- Proven Shopify experience
- Documented success rates with account reinstatement
- UK-based support (if you're a UK business) for time zone and regulatory alignment
- Transparent pricing with no hidden fees
- Fast turnaround times (ideally 3-5 days)
Our service at pulseriggmcadsrescue.co.uk specializes in Shopify GMC suspensions with 97% success rate. We are Shopify Partner verified, UK-based, and have reinstated over 500 accounts. Our process includes comprehensive Shopify store audit, product feed analysis, policy violation identification, complete remediation guidance, professional appeal submission, and ongoing compliance monitoring.
Pricing ranges from £299 for standard suspensions to £699 for complex cases with rejected appeals. We provide same-day response and most accounts are reinstated within 5 days. Avoid services that promise "instant fixes" or "guaranteed results" as Google's review process cannot be rushed and outcomes depend on proper remediation.
How long does merchant center appeal take?
Merchant Center appeal processing times vary based on several factors:
- Standard appeals: 3-7 business days for initial review
- Complex appeals: 7-14 business days (misrepresentation or repeat violations)
- High-volume periods: 10-21 business days (holiday shopping season)
- Rejected appeals (resubmitted): May take longer due to additional scrutiny
- Additional verification: Phone verification or documentation requests add 3-5 business days
You can check appeal status in your Google Merchant Center account under the diagnostics section. Google does not provide real-time updates during review and you cannot expedite the process by contacting support. Submitting multiple appeals for the same issue can actually delay resolution.
To ensure fastest processing: submit one thorough appeal with complete documentation, do not make changes to your account during review period, and respond immediately if Google requests additional information. Our service achieves faster average resolution times (3-5 days) by ensuring appeals are comprehensive and properly documented on first submission.
Google Merchant Center suspension issue checklist - what to verify?
Use this comprehensive checklist to audit your Google Merchant Center compliance:
Business Information:
- Verify business name matches legal registration
- Confirm complete contact information is visible on website (phone, email, physical address)
- Ensure return and refund policy is clearly displayed and matches stated terms
- Check privacy policy and terms of service are accessible and up to date
Product Data:
- Confirm product titles match landing pages exactly
- Verify prices in feed match website checkout prices with no hidden fees
- Ensure product availability is accurate and updated regularly
- Check all required attributes are provided (GTIN, brand, MPN where applicable)
- Validate product images show the actual product being sold
Landing Pages:
- Test all product URLs load correctly and quickly
- Verify mobile site displays properly and all information is accessible
- Ensure checkout process works without errors
- Confirm shipping costs are clearly displayed before checkout
- Check for any misleading claims or exaggerated language
Technical Requirements:
- Verify website has SSL certificate and loads via HTTPS
- Ensure site is not under construction or password protected
- Check for any malware or security warnings
- Confirm website displays properly in multiple browsers
Feed Quality:
- Review feed for any data quality issues in Merchant Center diagnostics
- Check for any disapproved products and resolve issues
- Verify feed updates are processing correctly
- Ensure feed follows Google's product data specification exactly
Regular monitoring using this checklist prevents most suspensions before they occur.
Shopify Google Shopping suspended - how to fix "website needs improvement"?
The "website needs improvement" suspension on Shopify Google Shopping indicates your store does not meet Google's landing page quality requirements.
Specific fixes needed include:
Contact Information:
- Add complete business contact details in your Shopify theme footer
- Include business name, phone number, email address, and physical address (if applicable)
Return and Refund Policy:
- Create or update your return policy page
- Ensure it's clearly linked in footer and checkout
- Make terms specific and reasonable, not overly restrictive
About Us Page:
- Add detailed information about your business
- Include business history and mission
- Show team information or business credentials
Trust Signals:
- Add security badges if using secure payment processors
- Display customer reviews or testimonials
- Include any business certifications or partnerships
Shipping Information:
- Clearly display shipping costs and timeframes
- Show shipping policy before checkout
- Ensure information is accurate and up to date
Checkout Experience:
- Test entire checkout process for errors
- Ensure payment processing works correctly
- Verify confirmation emails are sent
Mobile Optimization:
- Test your Shopify store on mobile devices
- Ensure all pages load and display properly
- Verify mobile checkout process works smoothly
Content Quality:
- Remove any placeholder or "Lorem Ipsum" text
- Ensure product descriptions are detailed and accurate
- Check for spelling and grammar errors throughout site
After making these improvements, request review through Google Merchant Center. Most "website needs improvement" suspensions are resolved within 3-5 days after proper remediation.
GMC suspended Shopify store - can I create a new account?
No, you should not create a new Google Merchant Center account if your Shopify store account is suspended.
Creating a new account to bypass suspension is a "circumventing systems" policy violation which results in:
- Permanent ban of all associated accounts
- Prevention of any future use of Google Merchant Center
- Potential blacklisting of your business domain
Google tracks accounts by business information, website domain, payment details, IP addresses, and related accounts. They will quickly identify and suspend any new accounts associated with a previously suspended business.
The correct approach:
- Fix your suspended account through proper appeal process
- Identify and correct the policy violation
- Submit a thorough appeal with documentation
- Wait for Google's review (typically 3-7 business days)
- If appeal is rejected, address the additional feedback and resubmit
In rare cases where suspension cannot be resolved, you may need to restructure your business legitimately with new business registration, new website domain, new business bank account and payment methods, and complete separation from suspended entity. However, this should only be done under legal guidance and with genuine business restructuring, not simply to evade suspension.
Our service has 97% success rate resolving suspended accounts through proper appeals, making new accounts unnecessary in most cases.
Google Merchant Center suspended UK - are there UK-specific requirements?
Yes, UK-based Google Merchant Center accounts have specific requirements:
Phone Verification (Effective December 10th, 2025):
- All UK advertisers must provide verified UK business phone numbers (+44 country code)
- Phone numbers must be actively monitored during stated business hours
- Professional voicemail setup required
UK Consumer Rights Act 2015 Compliance:
- 14-day return rights for distance sales
- Clear refund policy displayed before purchase
- Accurate product descriptions matching Consumer Protection regulations
UK Business Registration:
- VAT information must be accurate if you're VAT registered
- Display VAT number on website
- Ensure pricing includes VAT for consumer sales
Brexit-Related Requirements:
- Clear information about duties and customs for EU shipments
- Accurate delivery timeframes accounting for customs clearance
- Compliance with UK product safety standards
Geographic Targeting:
- Accurately represent where you can ship and sell products
- Don't show products to regions where you cannot deliver
- Reflect any UK-specific restrictions or regulations
Data Protection:
- Privacy policies must comply with UK GDPR requirements
UK advertisers also face stricter enforcement of certain policies, particularly around business verification and contact information. Our UK-based service understands these specific requirements and has helped over 300 UK businesses maintain and restore Merchant Center compliance with 97% success rate.
Shopify Google Shopping suspended notification - what does the email say?
When Shopify Google Shopping is suspended, you receive email notifications from Google Merchant Center explaining the suspension.
The email includes:
- Account identification: Your Merchant Center ID and associated website
- Suspension reason: Specific policy violated (e.g., misrepresentation, website needs improvement, product policy violations)
- Examples of violations: Specific product IDs or pages that triggered the suspension
- Action required: What you need to do to resolve the suspension
- Appeal instructions: Link to submit appeal through Merchant Center
- Timeline information: How long you have to resolve the issue before permanent suspension
The email subject line typically reads "Google Merchant Center Account Suspended" or "Action Required for Merchant Center Account."
You also see notifications in your Google Merchant Center dashboard:
- Red warning banner at top
- Diagnostics section showing account-level issues
- Account status showing "Suspended"
Your Shopify Google Shopping app may also display error messages or warnings.
It's critical to act on these notifications immediately as delays can make resolution more difficult. Save all suspension emails and take screenshots of dashboard messages as these provide important evidence for your appeal process.
If you don't receive expected suspension notification, check your email spam folder and verify the email address in your Google Merchant Center account settings is correct and monitored regularly.
Fix Google Merchant Center with Shopify - step-by-step process?
Follow this step-by-step process to fix Google Merchant Center issues with Shopify:
Step 1: Identify the Issue
- Log into Google Merchant Center
- Check diagnostics section for errors
- Review suspension or warning emails
- Note specific policy violations or product disapprovals
Step 2: Audit Your Shopify Store
- Review all business information in theme footer
- Check all policy pages are complete and accessible
- Test checkout process from customer perspective
- Verify all products display correctly on mobile and desktop
Step 3: Fix Product Feed Issues
- In Shopify admin, go to Sales Channels → Google Shopping
- Review product status and any errors
- Correct product data (titles, descriptions, pricing, availability)
- Ensure GTIN and brand information is accurate for products that require it
Step 4: Correct Landing Pages
- Ensure product pages match feed data exactly
- Verify prices match with no hidden fees at checkout
- Check that all product details are accurate and not misleading
- Add or improve product images to show actual items
Step 5: Update Business Information
- Add complete contact details to your Shopify theme footer
- Create or improve return, refund, and privacy policies
- Ensure About Us page has substantial business information
- Display shipping information clearly before checkout
Step 6: Technical Fixes
- Verify your Shopify store has SSL certificate enabled
- Check for any broken links or page load errors
- Ensure site is not under maintenance or password protected
- Test site in multiple browsers and devices
Step 7: Request Review
- Disconnect Google Shopping app in Shopify (if account is suspended)
- Fix all issues first before reconnecting
- Submit appeal through Google Merchant Center with detailed explanation of corrections
- Wait for review (typically 3-7 business days)
Step 8: Monitor Compliance
- After reinstatement, check Merchant Center diagnostics daily
- Set up email notifications for issues
- Audit your store monthly for ongoing compliance
- Stay updated on Google policy changes
Our service handles this entire process for Shopify merchants with 97% success rate and typical 3-5 day resolution time.
Need Expert Help with Your Suspension?
If your Google Merchant Center or Google Ads account is suspended, our UK-based service specializes in fast, professional reinstatement:
- 97% Success Rate - Over 500 accounts reinstated
- 3-5 Day Average Resolution - Fast turnaround times
- Shopify Partner Verified - Deep Shopify platform expertise
- UK-Based Support - Understanding of UK regulations and time zone
- Transparent Pricing - £299-£699 depending on complexity
Contact us at pulseriggmcadsrescue.co.uk for expert assistance.
Don't let a suspension destroy your e-commerce revenue. Get professional help today.