How to fix: Check if your online store is fully functional

This policy applies to Shopping ads and local inventory ads with merchant hosted local store front

In this article

• Reasons why the issue is happening
• How to fix your issue
• Next steps

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Reasons why the issue is happening

Your account has been warned or suspended because we've detected that your website needs improvement. Customers who see your store website should have a quality experience and be able to interact with product offers that are relevant and useful. There are several major reasons a website doesn’t meet the necessary standards:

• The website may be incomplete, as indicated by placeholder text or images.
• The website may be missing important information, featuring poor product descriptions, or creating a broken browsing experience.
• The website may also display irrelevant or inconsistent product categorization. For example, your business sells swimwear, but your return policy discusses technology products.

As a result, your account has been suspended or has limited visibility.

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How to fix: Website needs improvement

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How to fix your issue

There are several actions you might take to resolve this issue, depending on your account.

Review your domain name to ensure it's accurate.

• Example:
  • .com for commercial sites
  • .org for organizations
  • .biz for businesses

Make sure there are no broken links on your website.

• Example:
  • “Invalid URL”
  • “404 error”
  • “the destination has moved or no longer exists”

Make sure that there are no placeholder images or text on your website.

• Example:
  • "Add customer reviews and testimonials to show your store’s happy customers"
  • “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet”

Make sure that the product details on your website match those in your product data.

• Example:
  • Content in the “About” section doesn’t match the product data being displayed.

Make sure that the product description and categories on your website match those in your product data.

• Example:
  • Customer information
  • Return or refund pages are inconsistent with your product listings.

Receive good reviews.

Ensure that you maintain a verified phone number and business address in the Business Information section of your Merchant Center account.

If you’re working with a third-party platform, some of these instructions may not apply to you. Refer to your third-party platform for instructions on how to resolve the issue and request a review. Learn how to find support if you use a non-Google platform.

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Next steps

After making the requested changes, we will review your website for compliance.

Keep in mind: It may take some time for your change to be reflected.

In some instances, if your account or one of your product offers is disapproved and you’ve either fixed the issue or you disagree with the issue, you can request a review. If the review is successful, your issue will disappear. If the disapproval remains and you’re uncertain with how to proceed, contact us for support.

Note: If you use a third-party platform to list your products, you may also be able to go to your third-party application to request a review.

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Related links

• Issues in Merchant Center