Google Merchant Center Errors: Troubleshooting Guide for WooCommerce

Getting products disapproved in Google Merchant Center is frustrating. You’ve set up your feed, submitted it, and now you’re seeing errors everywhere. This guide covers the most common errors, what causes them, and exactly how to fix them.

Understanding Merchant Center Diagnostics

Google Merchant Center categorizes issues into three levels:

Level	Impact	Action Required
Errors	Products disapproved, won’t show	Must fix
Warnings	Products may have limited reach	Should fix
Notifications	Informational, best practices	Optional

To view issues:

1. Log into Google Merchant Center
2. Go to Products → Diagnostics
3. Review item issues and account issues separately

Product Data Errors

Missing GTIN

Error: “Missing value: GTIN [gtin]”

Why it happens: Google requires GTINs for most products from established brands. Your feed is missing this identifier.

Fix:

1. Add GTIN to your WooCommerce products:

   • Edit product → Inventory tab
   • Enter the GTIN (UPC, EAN, or ISBN)
   • Save and regenerate feed

2. If the product doesn’t have a GTIN (handmade, custom, vintage):

   • Set identifier_exists to “No”
   • Still include Brand if known

Prevention: Use a plugin that adds GTIN fields, like Google Shopping for WooCommerce.

Invalid GTIN

Error: “Invalid value: GTIN [gtin]”

Why it happens: The GTIN you provided doesn’t pass validation (wrong length, invalid check digit, or doesn’t match Google’s database).

Fix:

1. Verify the GTIN is correct:

   • UPC should be 12 digits
   • EAN should be 13 digits
   • Check against the actual product barcode

2. Validate at GS1 Check Digit Calculator

3. If GTIN is correct but still rejected:

   • The product might be new and not yet in Google’s database
   • Try removing GTIN and setting identifier_exists to “No” temporarily

Missing Brand

Error: “Missing value: Brand [brand]”

Why it happens: Products from known manufacturers require a brand name.

Fix:

1. Add brand to your WooCommerce products
2. Use the official brand name (e.g., “Nike” not “nike” or “NIKE”)
3. For unbranded products, use your store name

Missing Required Attributes

Error: “Missing value: [attribute name]”

Common missing attributes by category:

Apparel:

• color - Required
• size - Required
• gender - Required (male, female, unisex)
• age_group - Required (adult, kids, toddler, infant, newborn)

Fix: Ensure your WooCommerce products have these attributes and that your feed plugin maps them correctly.

Price and Availability Errors

Price Mismatch

Error: “Mismatched value: Price [price]”

Why it happens: The price in your feed doesn’t match the price on your product page when Google crawls it.

Causes:

• Feed not updated after price change
• Currency conversion issues
• Sale prices not reflected in feed
• Geo-targeted pricing

Fix:

1. Regenerate your feed immediately after price changes
2. Use scheduled feed updates (Pro feature) to keep prices current
3. Ensure your feed URL always returns fresh data
4. Check that currency codes match (USD vs EUR)

Availability Mismatch

Error: “Mismatched value: Availability [availability]”

Why it happens: Feed says “in_stock” but product page shows out of stock (or vice versa).

Fix:

1. Update stock status in WooCommerce
2. Regenerate feed
3. Set up automatic feed updates when stock changes
4. Ensure your theme correctly displays stock status

Insufficient Value: Price

Error: “Insufficient value: Price [price]”

Why it happens: Price is $0 or missing.

Fix:

1. Check that all products have prices in WooCommerce
2. For variable products, ensure each variation has a price
3. If using sale prices, ensure regular price is also set

Image Errors

Missing Image

Error: “Missing value: Image link [image_link]”

Why it happens: Product doesn’t have an image, or image URL is broken.

Fix:

1. Add images to all WooCommerce products
2. Verify image URLs are accessible (not 404)
3. Check image URLs aren’t behind authentication

Image Too Small

Error: “Image is too small [image_link]”

Requirements:

• Minimum: 100x100 pixels
• Apparel: 250x250 pixels minimum
• Recommended: 800x800 pixels or larger

Fix:

1. Upload larger product images to WooCommerce
2. Regenerate thumbnails if needed
3. Use full-size images in your feed, not thumbnails

Promotional Overlay on Image

Error: “Promotional text on image [image_link]”

Why it happens: Images contain text like “SALE”, “FREE SHIPPING”, watermarks, or promotional badges.

Fix:

1. Use clean product images without text overlay
2. Remove watermarks
3. Remove promotional stickers/badges
4. Logo is generally okay if small and unobtrusive

Generic or Placeholder Image

Error: “Generic image [image_link]”

Why it happens: Using stock photos, placeholder images, or images that don’t show the actual product.

Fix:

1. Use actual product photos
2. Show the specific product being sold
3. Avoid stock photography

URL and Link Errors

Invalid URL

Error: “Invalid URL [link]”

Why it happens: Product URL is malformed, redirects, or returns an error.

Fix:

1. Check product URLs are valid and accessible
2. Ensure no redirect chains
3. Verify URLs work without being logged in
4. Use HTTPS (required)

Landing Page Error

Error: “Unavailable landing page [link]”

Why it happens: Google can’t access your product page.

Causes:

• Page returns 404
• Page is behind login/password
• Robots.txt blocks Google
• Server errors

Fix:

1. Verify page loads correctly
2. Check robots.txt allows Googlebot:

   User-agent: Googlebot
   Allow: /

3. Remove any login requirements for product pages
4. Check server isn’t blocking Google’s IP ranges

Account-Level Issues

Website Claim Issues

Error: “Website not claimed” or “Verify and claim your website”

Fix:

1. Go to Merchant Center → Settings → Business information
2. Click “Website” and enter your URL
3. Choose verification method:
   • HTML file upload
   • HTML tag
   • Google Analytics
   • Google Tag Manager
4. Complete verification

Policy Violations

Error: “Account suspended” or “Misrepresentation”

Common causes:

• Prices don’t match between feed and website
• Misleading product information
• Prohibited products
• Missing or unclear return/refund policy
• Missing contact information

Fix:

1. Review Google Merchant Center policies
2. Ensure prices match exactly
3. Add clear return/refund policy
4. Add contact information (phone, email, address)
5. Remove any prohibited products
6. Request account review after fixing

Shipping Configuration Issues

Error: “Missing shipping information”

Fix:

1. In Merchant Center → Settings → Shipping and returns
2. Create shipping services matching your WooCommerce settings
3. Options:
   • Set up shipping in Merchant Center manually
   • Use automatic shipping from your feed
   • Enable shipping settings in your feed plugin

Data Quality Warnings

Missing Recommended Attributes

Warning: “Missing recommended: [attribute]”

These won’t disapprove products but may reduce visibility:

• product_type - Your category hierarchy
• google_product_category - Google’s taxonomy
• mpn - Manufacturer part number
• additional_image_link - Extra product images

Fix: Add these attributes to improve product data quality.

Duplicate Products

Warning: “Duplicate item”

Why it happens: Multiple products with the same GTIN or identical content.

Fix:

1. Ensure each product has a unique SKU/ID
2. Don’t submit the same GTIN twice
3. For variations, each should have unique identifier

Troubleshooting Workflow

When you see errors, follow this process:

1. Identify Scope

• How many products affected?
• Is it the same error on all products?
• When did it start?

2. Check Your Feed

View your feed directly:

https://yoursite.com/wp-content/uploads/product-feed.xml

Verify the problematic products have correct data.

3. Compare Feed to Website

For price/availability mismatches:

• Check feed value
• Check live website value
• They must match exactly

4. Regenerate Feed

After fixing issues in WooCommerce:

1. Regenerate your product feed
2. In Merchant Center, go to Products → Feeds
3. Click “Fetch now” to pull updated data

5. Wait for Reprocessing

Google can take 24-72 hours to reprocess products. Don’t panic if issues don’t disappear immediately.

Prevention Strategies

Keep Feed Fresh

• Update feed at least daily
• Use scheduled updates (Pro feature)
• Regenerate after major changes

Validate Before Submitting

• Check feed for errors before upload
• Use Google’s Feed Rules to fix data
• Test with a small product set first

Monitor Regularly

• Check Merchant Center weekly
• Set up email notifications for issues
• Address warnings before they become errors

Use Quality Source Data

• Complete product information in WooCommerce
• High-quality images
• Accurate pricing and stock

FAQ

Q: How long after fixing an error will my product be approved?

Usually 24-72 hours. Some issues may take longer during manual review.

Q: Can I appeal a disapproval?

Yes, after fixing the issue, you can request a review in Merchant Center. Go to Products → Diagnostics → Request review.

Q: Why do some products get disapproved randomly?

Google periodically re-crawls your site. If your website was temporarily down or prices changed, products may get flagged.

Q: Do warnings affect my products?

Warnings don’t disapprove products but may reduce visibility and performance. Fix them when possible.

Q: How do I prevent price mismatch errors?

Use a feed plugin with automatic updates, or regenerate feed immediately after price changes. The Pro version of Google Shopping for WooCommerce updates feeds automatically when products change.

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Need help preventing these errors? Google Shopping for WooCommerce generates compliant feeds with proper data formatting. The Pro version includes automatic feed updates to prevent sync issues.