Google Merchant Center is a great way to attract shoppers searching for your products. After all, the platform offers high visibility to help you connect with millions of potential customers each year. 

It allows shoppers to see your product information across Google, which means “everything about your shops and products is available to customers when they search on a Google property.”

So, there is no denying that the Google Merchant Center (GMC) is one of the most effective tools available to online merchants and brands today. 

Although Google Merchant Center doesn’t require a direct relationship with an e-commerce platform such as Shopify or Magento, you need to be sure about your information to get approved on the platform.

And if you end up making mistakes while setting up your account, Google might flag you as misrepresented. 

So, with so much riding on this, it is important to understand how Google Merchant Center works and ensure your online store is set up to maximize your opportunities.

What causes Google merchant misrepresentation?

One of the most serious merchant account issues you’ll have to deal with is being suspended. If you suddenly find your account is suspended, it can be messy trying to get back on track.

From misleading your shoppers to not providing Google with valid information, Google might suspend your account if you: 

• Have multiple store sites
• Use a virtual office
• Don’t include relevant information
• Market unavailable, misleading promotions
• Don’t include contact information
• Don’t offer checkout security
• Skip merchant terms and conditions or shipping information
• Omit important information when promoting charitable or political content
• Fail to disclose the payment model
• Don’t mention the return and refund policy.
• Make false statements about your identity, qualifications, or the promoted product
• Make false claims without results
• Falsely affiliate with an authority
• Use “phishing” techniques to gather user information

How to fix Google merchant misrepresentation

Google has become more proactive in suspending or removing merchants from their search index if they violate the company’s policies. 

From reviewing your own business to promoting psychoactive drugs, there is a long list of restricted practices that Google does not want the merchants on their property to be associated with.

Requesting Google for review

Google has been campaigning to eliminate any kind of misrepresentation of products and services listed on a website. Even if you are unaware of them, Google will send you a series of emails to inform you about the suspension along with the reason(s) for it.

• You can start by logging in to your Merchant Center Account and going to Products > Diagnostics > Accounts.
• Then, select the account-level issue that you want Google to review after fixing the issues related to the suspension. 
• Click on Request Review and wait for 7 days for Google to review your account. Once the review process is complete, Google will send you an email indicating the same. 

Note: If your issues aren’t resolved, you can request a second review immediately after the first one.