5 Merchant Centre Errors That Are Killing Your Sales (And How to Fix Them)

Your Products Aren't Showing — Here's Why

Nothing's more frustrating than logging into Merchant Centre and seeing a wall of red warnings. Products disapproved. Limited visibility. Account suspended.

I've seen it happen to hundreds of UK ecommerce stores. Here are the five most common culprits — and exactly how to fix them.

Error 1: Price Mismatch

The problem: Your feed price doesn't match your website price.

Why it happens: Manual feed uploads, currency issues, or sales/discounts not syncing.

The fix: Use a real-time feed solution (Simprosys, DataFeedWatch, or native Shopify/WooCommerce plugins) that automatically updates prices.

Error 2: Missing or Invalid GTINs

The problem: Google requires GTINs (EAN/UPC codes) for most branded products.

Why it happens: Suppliers don't provide them, or they're entered incorrectly.

The fix:

• Request GTINs from your supplier
• For custom/handmade products, set identifier_exists to "no"
• Double-check formatting (13 digits for EAN)

Error 3: Image Issues

The problem: Images don't meet Google's requirements.

Common issues:

• Promotional text on images
• Too small (under 100x100)
• Stock photos not showing actual product

The fix: Use clean, high-resolution product photos on white backgrounds.

Error 4: Missing Shipping Settings

The problem: You haven't configured UK shipping in Merchant Centre.

The fix: Go to Shipping and returns > Add shipping service. Set your UK rates and estimated delivery times.

Error 5: Policy Violations

The problem: Products violate Google's policies (even unintentionally).

Common triggers:

• Health claims on supplements
• Missing required information (ingredients, materials)
• Counterfeit concerns

The fix: Review Google's policies for your product category. Add required attributes.

Get Expert Help

Fixing Merchant Centre issues is tedious but critical. Our Merchant Centre set up service includes full error resolution.

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