Google Product Data Violations
To show your products on Google, you need to follow Google’s product data guidelines. Google requires that you provide accurate information about your products so that they can be displayed to the appropriate customers, such as those searching for key terms that are found in your product description or browsing a product category that you product belongs to. If you don't provide accurate information, then customers on Google might find your products through searches that are unrelated to what they are searching for. This means that customers are less likely to purchase your products, and can lead Google to stop showing your products to customers.
If your products have invalid or missing product data, then they don't appear in free listings and Google Shopping ads or they appear with limited performance, such as lower impressions and clicks.
Common data quality warnings
To ensure your products are approved and are shown to people across Google, review these solutions and then update the data for the affected products.
If you have a product warning from Google that isn't listed on this page, then visit the Google Help Center and search for the specific error.
- Violation of Shopping ads policy
- Product identification issues
- Missing value [brand]
- Excessive capitalization
- Generic image
- Promotional overlay on image
- Image too small
- Invalid value
- Conflicting values [GTIN, brand]
Violation of Shopping ads policy
Products with this error aren’t shown on Google.
Review these solutions and then update the data for the affected products:
- This error indicates that some or all of your products violate the Shopping ads policies.
- If you request a re-review of your products and aren't approved, then remove all violating items from your product data.
Steps:
From your Shopify admin, click Settings > Apps and sales channels.
From the Apps and sales channels page, click Google.
Click Open sales channel.
Under the Product status section, click Manage availability.
In the Available to Google column, uncheck each product with an error.
Click Save.
Product identification issues
Most products have a product identifiers, such as a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), Manufacture Part Number (MPN), or the product vendor (brand). Any identifiers that are added to your products are checked by Google. If there is an issue with a product identifier, then one of the following errors might display on your product:
- Barcode errors
- Missing IDs (GTIN or MPN and brand)
- Invalid value (GTIN)
- Incorrect identifier (GTIN)
- Invalid value (MPN)
- Incorrect product identifier (GTIN)
- Invaild [barcode]
- Barcode not correct length
Products that have product identification issues have limited performance;
- Products with a missing GTIN won’t be synced to your Merchant Center Account (MCA).
- For incorrect or missing GTIN errors, products aren’t synced and are disapproved.
- Products that are missing a GTIN and MPN have limited performance.
Review these solutions and then update the data for the affected products:
- Valid unique product identifiers (UPI) assigned to applicable products. UPIs include GTINs, MPNs, and brand names.
- A GTIN is a unique numerical identifier for commercial products that’s usually associated with a barcode printed on retail merchandise.
- If your product doesn't have a GTIN, then you can use an MPN and barcode value.
- GTINs are typically 8, 12, 13, or 14 digits. Check if the GTIN you submitted has too many or too few digits.
- Custom-made products, such as art or handmade goods, don’t need a GTIN. To designate your product as a custom item, view your product variants and select More actions > Google fields > Product identifier, and then check This is a custom product.
Missing value [brand]
Products with this error aren’t shown on Google.
You need to add a value for all new products except for movies, books, and musical recording brands. Review these solutions and then update the data for the affected products:
- In your Shopify admin, add the brand to your product details within the Vendor field under Organization.
- Don’t submit values such as N/A, Generic, No brand, or Does not exist.
- If you manufacture the product yourself or the product falls into a generic brand category, then you can submit your store name as the value for the brand value.
- If the product doesn’t have a brand, then use the manufacturer or supplier name.
Excessive capitalization
Products with this error aren’t shown on Google.
Review these solutions and then update the data for the affected products:
- Remove excessive or gimmicky use of capitalization, which can cause customers to perceive your ads and listings as untrustworthy.
- Check the Settings tab of the Google sales channel to determine which product title and description is sent to the Merchant Center Account.
- Update the titles in the Products section of your Shopify admin in the location that Google takes them from, either the main title and description or the SEO information, located at the bottom.
Generic image
Products with this error aren’t shown on Google.
Review these solutions and then update the data for the affected products:
- For each item, you need to upload a main image that clearly shows the product being advertised.
- Examples of generic images that aren't allowed include logo images or text that says "No image available".
Promotional overlay on image
Products with this error aren’t shown on Google.
Review these solutions and then update the data for the affected products:
- Upload new images with no promotional text like logos or Calls to Action (CTAs), and no obstructing elements like watermarks. For more information, refer to Google's help article on fixing a promotional overlay on an image, and opting in for automatic image improvements.
Image too small
Products with this error aren’t shown on Google.
Review these solutions and then update the data for the affected products:
- Upload new images that meet these size requirements:
- Apparel & Accessories images need to be at least 250 x 250 pixels and no larger than 64 megapixels.
- All other products need to be at least 100 x 100 pixels and no larger than 64 megapixels.
- Images must have a file size smaller than 16 MB.
- Don’t scale up images or submit thumbnails. We recommend the product take up 75%–90% of the full image.
Invalid value [Google product category]
Products with this error have limited performance.
Review these solutions and then update the data for the affected products:
- Provide a valid Google product category (GPC) value.
- Enter the most specific category possible. For example, entering only Tuxedos will cause an error, but Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Suits > Tuxedos will be accepted.
Conflicting values [GTIN, brand]
Products with this error have limited performance.
Review these solutions and then update the data for the affected products:
- Provide a GTIN value that's associated with the brand you submitted for the product.
- Use the GS1 GEPIR tool to help verify GTINs for US brands.
Apparel & Accessories product-specific errors
To ensure your products are approved and are shown to people across Google, review these solutions and then update the data for the affected products.
If you have a product warning from Google that isn't listed on this page, then visit the Google Help Center and search for the specific error.
Missing value [gender]
Products in the Apparel & Accessories category with this error have limited performance.
This is required for Apparel & Accessories products.
Review these solutions and then update the data for the affected products:
- Specify the gender to help ensure that users see the right size information.
- Choose from these supported values:
- male
- female
- unisex
Missing value [size]
Products in the Apparel & Accessories category with this error have limited performance.
This is required for Apparel & Accessories products and recommended for all inventory.
Review these solutions and then update the data for the affected products:
- Use a consistent format for size. For example, "S, M, L” or “small, medium, large,” but not “S, Medium, and Lrg”.
- Condense multiple dimensions into one value, like “16/34 Tall”.
- If your item is one-size-fits-all (or one-size-fits-most), then you can use one size, OS, one-size-fits-all, OSFA, one-size-fits-most, or OSFM.
- Add the size of your item to the front of your title to give context to your image.
Missing value [color]
Products in the Apparel & Accessories category with this error have limited performance.
This is required for Apparel & Accessories products. Color can be omitted if it's already included in your product variants
Review these solutions and then update the data for the affected products:
- Use a recognizable color name that customers are likely to search for.
- Don’t combine several colors into one word, such as RedPinkBlue. Instead, use slashes, such as Red/Pink/Blue.
- Don’t use a value that isn’t a color, such as multicolor, various, women’s, or N/A.
Missing value [age group]
Products in the Apparel & Accessories category with this error have limited performance.
This is required for Apparel & Accessories products and adult products like alcohol.
Review these solutions and then update the data for the affected products:
- Choose from these supported values:
- newborn
- infant
- toddler
- kids
- adult
How to add or update product data
To fix product data warnings, you’ll need to update the Google fields for the affected products.
After you update your products, it can take three to five business days for Google to review them.
To add or update product data for an individual product:
From your Shopify admin, go to Products.
Click the name of the product that you want to change.
Click More actions > Google Fields.
Add or update product data.
Click Save.
From your Shopify admin, click Settings > Apps and sales channels.
From the Apps and sales channels page, click Google.
Click Open sales channel.
In the Product feed section, select Not approved.
For each product, select Edit Google fields.
Add or update product data.
To add or update product data in bulk:
From your Shopify admin, click Settings > Apps and sales channels.
From the Apps and sales channels page, click Google.
Click Open sales channel.
In the Product feed section, select Not approved.
Select all by checking the box under All products.
Click Edit products.
Add or update product data in bulk.