Recent changes towards the Google Merchant Center can often mean suspensions for unwary retailers. Find out about the 5 most typical Merchant Center suspensions and the way to overcome them.
Any Google Shopping merchant would cringe to locate an e-mail within their inbox that starts with the language:
“Dear Google Shopping Merchant,
It’s arrived at our attention that the Google Merchant Center account ID doesn’t adhere to our Google Shopping feed specs (offered at https://support.google.com/retailers/answer/188494) . . .”
With Google’s recent changes, however, you might even see this message more often. Today we’ll be covering five common merchant center suspensions and how to proceed whenever your products are presently vulnerable to suspension.
Google Shopping Rejection 1
1. Using old data after September 30th
On September 30th, Google started enforcing changes for their attribute character limits and availability values. Be conscious of those changes should you only submit your datafeed monthly or are searching to produce a feed for christmas.
Availability – The only real options acceptable values are actually “in stock,” “out of stock” and “preorder.” One easy fix to obtain your products reapproved is by using “Available for Order” updating within the Google Availability portion of your products Settings.
Character Limit Enforcement – Product titles possess a 150 maximum character length and descriptions are restricted to five,000 figures Google will flag your product or service when they exceed these limitations. The fastest way to find out what products have content that is too lengthy would be to perform a standard export to some CSV and employ the =len(Cell) function in Stand out. After populating your computer data sort the posts to edit individuals what are largest making your edits before reimporting.
2. Incorrect Images
Prevalent issues with your images may be the easiest error to place, but among the trickier ones to solve. Google will tell you that “your account is presently vulnerable to suspension because Google Shopping does not allow products with inaccurate images. Images that contains marketing messages, including watermarks or marketing text, are disallowed. The look must display the merchandise. Image links pointing towards the store’s emblem or any other generic images aren’t permitted either. Don’t submit a placeholder for example “No image”.”
A picture-related suspension differs from just getting invalid images. A .gif to Digital switch, or crawl error, could be fixed with information in the data quality tab. A picture breach suspension needs a manual overview of your product or service by Google’s Shopping Team, so make sure that all problematic SKUS happen to be updated.
Google Shopping Rejection 2
Any product with no image ought to be excluded out of your data feed. Furthermore, utilizing a subpar image is another major (negative) conversation rate influence. If you are utilizing a default nophoto.gif or watermarked images, revert towards the originals or find out if your products supplier can offer new images.
3. Unsecure Checkout
Google Shopping policy needs a method for users to buy the merchandise online most likely through a repayment service or from the web site.
Payment and transaction processing, in addition to processing associated with a private information from the user (like the address), should be secure (SSL-protected, having a valid SSL certificate). Quite simply, these details should be transmitted safely more than a secure processing server (https://).
Even when you’re using PayPal as the sole payment gateway, Google needs a secure checkout process, which requires an SSL. You can assist decrease your abandoned carts by passing client information through https:// rather of http.
4. No Tax or Shipping
This Merchant Center warning generally seems following the first effective data feed submission. The Tax and Shipping settings inside the Merchant Center behave as a “catch all” if you’re not submitting these details within the file. The most popular issue is they aren’t enabled, or set to default.
Google Shopping Rejection 3
When designing your Tax settings, you be capable of not charge tax inside the U . s . States in order to specify the first states you need. You have to choose one of these simple choices to remove Google’s “tax settings not configured” message.
Google Shopping Rejection 4
The most typical error with shipping settings would be that the shipping method status isn’t set to ACTIVE. Such as the Volusion dashboard, you have to activate the shipping method you would like to make use of. Also, should you offer free delivery, make sure to put it together inside the Merchant Center too. Google mix-references a product’s weight together with your shipping settings and should learn about specials that could override that information.
5. Restricted Products
Advertising a product from Google’s Restricted Product list can lead to a free account suspension. Google bans a sizable choice of products from Google Shopping, from live creatures to passenger planes, even though there are smaller sized products prone to create problems, particularly with new changes for their “dangerous product” selection.
Products for example airsoft guns, bb guns and ammunition clips are banned, much like tobacco related equipment, which now includes e-cigarettes and pipes. The easiest method to resolve this kind of suspension would be to err along the side of caution and filter any products which can be connected using the restricted list.
And don’t forget, when you are looking for technical assistance, consult our Understanding Base for instruction on product management and much more.
-Sean O’Connor, Search Engine Marketing Specialist