Did you know that over 80% of companies worldwide use Google Ads for PPC campaigns? Most Companies utilize Google Ads and Google Merchant Center accounts to advertise their products everywhere. However, one of the biggest hurdles that merchants face while continually advertising their products is the Google Merchant Center misrepresentation error.
But what exactly is misrepresentation on Google Merchant Center?
Misrepresentation is a challenging affair for many merchants, and they’re constantly on the lookout for improvements and solutions to fix this common Google Merchant Center error. Merchants, marketers, advertisers, and shop owners are often confused about how to avoid it.
This blog is the only one you need to answer all of these questions and give you an overview of misrepresentation, how it can be fixed, and how it can be avoided (and more!)
Let’s jump right into it
Table of Contents
What is Misrepresentation in Google Merchant Center?
Misrepresentation might be a little complicated. To understate it, misrepresentation involves any content on your website or your Google Merchant Center account that can prove that your identity online is fraudulent, incorrect or false in any manner.
Your identity includes:
- Data and content available on your website
- Information submitted to Google Merchant Center
- Any online data about you
In other words, from Google’s perspective, any data about you that might mislead the customer and provide a negative experience comes under misrepresentation of self or product.
Additional Notes on Misrepresentation:
- Failure to provide necessary information or non-compliance with Google’s policies may lead to misrepresentation warnings.
- Misrepresentation errors affect those using Google Shopping ads and local inventory ads.
Google’s Process Before Suspension:
Google will send a warning email and notify you with a banner in your Merchant Center and Google Ads account on the ‘Overview’ page before suspending your account.
This is what the warning might look like under the diagnostic tab on your Merchant Center account (it differs depending upon the cause of misrepresentation):
In case your account is suspended, you might receive an email that looks like this:
They provide you with detailed information on exactly what part of your website/account/data violates their policies and regulations and give you a warning period during which you can fix these errors and submit an appeal.
💡In case of an ‘egregious’ policy violation, i.e., extremely harmful, unlawful, or severe violation, Google might suspend your account without any warnings. |
Types of Misrepresentation
While there can be numerous reasons why your account is suspended under the misrepresentation error, these can act as the umbrella terms for common reasons why your Google Merchant Center account is suspended:
- False product claims
- Omission of relevant product information
- Misleading or unrealistic promotions
- Unavailable Promotions
- Engaging in harmful business practices
What Are The Consequences of Misrepresentation in Google Merchant Center
Based on the severity and the cause of misrepresentation, any of the following might happen to your account:
Account Suspension
The most impactful consequence of misrepresentation is merchant account suspension.
- If suspended, your access to modify ads, product data, and essential information may be restricted.
- Negative impacts can include damage to brand image, loss of loyal customers, and future advertising difficulties.
- Reversing suspension is possible by submitting an appeal after making necessary changes.
- Google treats policy violations seriously, as suspensions mitigate risks and ensure a safe user experience.
Impact on Sales
Suppose your account is found repeatedly violating policies. In that case, if your advertised products contain misleading information, your promotions are false, or you provide unrealistic claims for your products, Google might restrict your product ads from showing up anywhere.
- Sales and ROI may suffer due to restricted ad visibility, impacting long-term profitability.
- To prevent this, promptly remove any violating products from the Google Merchant Center.
Example: A good example of this is the Volkswagen emissions scandal. They provided incorrect information about the emissions generated by their diesel engines. It severely affected their brand reputation as they had to recall their cars.
Legal Repercussions
While this might not be an issue for all merchants, legal repercussions could drive your business to the ground.
Google has provided several region-specific policies that all advertisers (those who wish to advertise in particular regions) must follow. Egregious violations might bring dreadful consequences.
Example: LendingClub faced severe legal action for falsely advertising on Google about their ‘no hidden fees.’ They charged fees that were not adequately disclosed. Consequently, they were sued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and had to reimburse all the amounts they collected from their customers.
How To Fix Misrepresentation Errors?
To fix misrepresentation errors, we must know what causes these errors, which further lead to account suspensions.
We already discussed the different types of Google Merchant Center misrepresentation errors above.
Now, let’s understand in detail how each cause can be addressed, ensuring your account remains compliant and avoids suspension.
Below are some common causes of misrepresentation, along with solutions for each issue.
| Error Type | Description | Solution |
| Mistakes in Product Listings (False product claims) | Outdated or incorrect product info | – Audit product data for accuracy. – Include all essential details (e.g., size, weight). |
| Misleading Promotions | False claims or expired offers mislead customers | – Remove false claims. – Ensure promotions are accurate and current. |
| Omission of Product Information | Missing details disappoint customers | – Verify info across platforms. – Update business details and policy pages. |
| Pricing Discrepancies | Ad prices don’t match landing pages | – Correct pricing to match ads. – Show all costs clearly (taxes, shipping). |
| Unavailable Promotions | Out-of-stock or expired offers are still advertised | – Update inventory frequently. – Prevent overselling by setting stock thresholds. |
| Harmful Practices | Deceptive or exaggerated claims risk permanent bans | – Avoid false claims and exaggerations. – Use scientific data for sensitive products. |
| Note: The table shared above has a summary of all types of Google Misrepresentation errors along with their solutions. But to get a detailed overview of these errors, along with all possible solutions, we strongly advise you to not skip the next section. |
Common Causes And Solutions For Misrepresentation in Google Merchant Center
It is important to keep in mind that a ‘misrepresentation of self or product’ error has the potential to be resolved. We have listed the following solutions to common errors faced by merchants. Additionally, we’ve provided a few tips that might help you further rectify this error.
Mistakes in Product Listings (False product claims)
It is important that the data feed you submit to Google Merchant Center contains accurate, updated, and necessary product details. If your data is incorrect or found to have an error, Google might cite misrepresentation, as this data can cause negative customer experiences.
If your products violate any of Google’s policies or are banned from being sold in certain regions, it can also lead to suspension.
How to fix it?
- Your product listings are integral to your marketing campaigns. If the reason for misrepresentation is not clearly stated, you might want to conduct a detailed audit of all product data submitted to Google.
- While doing so, you might also want to ensure that the product data you’ve submitted to Google Merchant Center is accurate and updated. Ensure that you have included all the necessary information.
- Google might cite the misrepresentation error if your product descriptions or titles do not adequately provide the required information. You should ensure that all your products have unique titles and coherent descriptions.
Recently, a merchant accidentally left placeholder content on their official website while updating it. As a result, Google sent them a warning email with the misrepresentation as the cause.
Thus, it is advisable to have original and authentic content on your website.
💡Tip: When auditing product data, you want to include any relevant information related to the product you can think of. For instance, if you sell candles, you want to include information about the scent, the burn time, the weight, etc. Fill out every field possible to ensure that Google can display this information to your customers depending on the requirements. It can also help you avoid scrutiny from Google and lower the chances of the misrepresentation error reappearing. |
Misleading or Unrealistic Promotions
Misleading or unrealistic promotions that lead audiences to believe in false or exaggerated offers often cause misrepresentation errors. Here are some common examples and their impacts:
- Deceptive Marketing Tactics: Offers such as ‘buy one, get two free’ may mislead if the “free” products are only samples. This can lead to customer disappointment and distrust.
- Site-Wide Discount Claims: Claiming discounts apply to the entire website when they only apply to certain products and also misleads customers.
- Expired or Unavailable Promotions: Advertising ended sales or out-of-stock products can lead to misrepresentation errors. In many cases, this overlaps with issues like Expiring Items in Google Merchant Center, which can further complicate your product’s eligibility in Google Shopping.
Additionally, Google alerts you through warnings and notifications in the Google Merchant Center. Your warning email may state: ‘Account suspended due to policy violation: Misrepresentation of self or product (Misleading or unrealistic promotions).’
- False Claims: Google refers to such tactics as ‘false claims’, which are attempts to unethically boost sales.
- Misleading Images or Descriptions: Images or descriptions that do not accurately represent your products can create unrealistic customer expectations.
Intentional false claims may result in a permanent ban from Google Merchant Center.
How to fix it?
- Begin auditing your website, product ads, descriptions, and other features that might have prompted unrealistic claims. Remove any false statements or claims you’ve made about your website, products or services.
- This includes claiming you’re an authorized seller when you’re not.
- You also want to ensure that your product descriptions are not overtly embellished in any way that might lead customers to have unrealistic expectations.
- Your product descriptions must not include banned keywords or phrases that could be considered a violation of Google’s security measures or policies.
- If you’re selling products related to weight loss, body health, etc, you must ensure that your claims align with scientific findings. If they are found to be contradicting the general consensus or scientific research, Google might suspend your account.
💡Tip: As a precautionary measure, many merchants also obtain certifications from verified authorities (Google Business Profile, Better Business Bureau (BBB) accreditation), which can successfully help you evade this error. Additionally, participating in the ‘Google Customer Reviews Program’ and gathering genuine customer reviews can increase the credibility of your website too. |
Omission of relevant product information
Google’s priority is to ensure the best user experience by requiring merchants to provide complete information about their products and services.
- Impact of Omitting Information: Leaving out key details in your product feed, website, or Google Merchant Center account can create a misleading customer experience and damage your brand reputation.
- Example: A merchant selling home decor items listed a lamp without specifying that it was battery-operated and required charging. Customers, assuming it was a traditional plug-in lamp, were disappointed and left negative feedback due to the missing information.
Omitting relevant product details leads to confused customers and potentially negative reviews, ultimately affecting the trustworthiness of your brand.
How to fix it?
- The first step to fixing the problem, such as the Missing Business Address Error, is to verify all the business data you’ve provided to Google. Ensure all the information is updated, credible, and matches the details on your business website.
- Add your business details to the footer of all your website pages. These details must include the address, email, phone, business name, business ID, and business hours.
- Next, you must verify that your business details are correct and updated across all channels where your business is established.
- On Google Merchant Center, verify whether all the product landing pages lead to the right links. Remove any broken links.
- Check whether you’re using the correct links for your policy pages. If your policy pages are linked using the Online Store > Pages section on your admin page, switch it to the Settings > Policies section, which can be much easier for Google’s search engine to crawl.
- While you’re on the policy pages, ensure that all required pages are available and accessible on your website. Pages such as shipping, returns, refunds, privacy policy, etc., should be displayed clearly. Evaluate the content on these pages and avoid using content from other websites or placeholder content.
Pricing discrepancies
Pricing discrepancies between the prices displayed on your landing page and those you’ve submitted to Google Merchant Center can lead to misrepresentation.
Additionally, if you mislead your customers about the shipping prices, offer prices, or taxes, this can also be considered the omission of relevant information.
This can be viewed as intentionally misleading customers, as the prices displayed on product ads will differ from those on your website.
How to fix it:
- Thoroughly rectify any discrepancies that show up when viewing pricing on your product listings and your product landing page.
- Update any pricing-related information on Google Merchant Center, such as the taxes, shipping, and returns policy.
- Ensure your shipping prices and additional costs are displayed on the product landing page. If required, update the content in these sections to clearly communicate this information to customers.
💡Tip: If you’re not utilizing a dynamic data feed, you could turn on ‘Automatic Item Updates’ on Google as a precautionary measure to avoid future disapproval. Google will periodically (every 3 days on average) crawl your website for any notable changes and update product listings and inventory based on the data available on your website. Knowing this might not be the ideal solution for merchants who update their data regularly is vital. |
Unavailable Promotions
If you are promoting products that are frequently out of stock and being oversold, you might see’ Unavailable Promotions.’ Moreover, if the products you sell are under expired offers or promotions that cannot be redeemed, you will get flagged for unavailable promotions.
Remember that the ‘unavailable promotions’ error can also be caused by products that are not available in certain locations or by any other problems on your website that can stop a customer from claiming the said promotion.
How to fix it:
- Streamline inventory management for your store. Update product availability on Google frequently. Keeping your inventory updated across all channels can prove to be beneficial. It can also help you avoid overselling and delays in processing orders.
- If you’re a Shopify or Amazon seller, you can set automated rules and set up an inventory threshold to avoid overselling and advertising products that are out of stock. Shopify merchants can utilize third-party tools to manage their inventory on Google.
- Check the structured data on your website. Often, Google might read regular prices instead of updated sale prices showcased in your ads. To do this, you can consider utilizing Google’s Rich Results Test to check the price markup on your website.
Engaging in Harmful Business Practices
Under this, the following is not allowed by Google:
Deceptive advertising
If any business is found to engage in deceptive advertising, Google considers it a gross violation of its policies.
Deceptive advertising includes:
- Impersonating a brand
- Claiming to be an authorized seller when you’re not
- Providing false information about the business or your identity as the seller, etc.
False information about services and practices
Lying to your customers and Google about your business and its practices will permanently ban you. Giving false information about how your products can be utilized, such as weight-loss pills or “slimming” clothes, can create misconceptions about bodies.
Morally incorrect practices, such as selling unauthorized “homemade” cures for illnesses, can also become harmful to the general public.
Sexually explicit content
Google has strict policies surrounding sexual content. Google is strictly against the use of sexual imagery, words, or implications in your ads. If you run an adult store, this helpful article can provide you with the necessary details.
How to fix it?
Google takes violations of this policy very seriously, especially egregious violations that are unlawful or pose significant harm to users. In assessing policy violations, Google may review information from multiple sources, including ads, websites, accounts, and third-party sources.
If a violation is detected, Google may suspend your account immediately and without prior warning. Suspended accounts are permanently banned from advertising unless an appeal is made (which is only allowed in case you think it is an error).
To appeal a suspension:
- Submit an appeal if you believe the suspension is in error.
- Explain your case thoroughly, providing accurate and honest information.
Reinstatements are rare and considered only in compelling circumstances.
How To Submit An Appeal To Google Merchant Center For Account Review
Once you have made the necessary changes to your account, product data and website, you can request a review for your Google Merchant Center account.
💡Google provides a deadline for you to make changes to your website before proceeding with the suspension. This time period is known as the warning period. During the warning period, you must make the necessary changes to your account and document them thoroughly. Once the warning period ends, Google automatically reviews your account. It is vital to document each change you make on your website to ensure that in the event of account suspension, you can reach out to Google and seek support based on the changes you made. |
Here’s how you can submit an appeal for your account to be reviewed:
For Google Merchant Center Classic users:
Step 1. Log in to your Google Merchant Center account. Under the ‘Products’ menu on the left side tab, select ‘Diagnostics.’
Step 2. Click on the ‘Account Issues’ tab. Here, you can locate the issue. Once located, you can click on ‘Request Review.’
For Google Merchant Center Next users:
Step 1. Log in to your Google Merchant Center account. Navigate to the ‘Needs attention’ tab on the ‘Products’ page.
Step 2. Click on ‘Request Review’ and ‘I fixed the issue’.
It is vital to know that when submitting an appeal for your account to be reviewed, you can add additional information regarding the changes you made. Doing this can prove helpful in documenting and keeping track of the suspension.
💡Cooling off period: Once you submit an appeal to put your account under review, Google will enforce a cool-off period before you can request an account review. After your account has been reviewed, if it is still under suspension, you will have 7-14 days before you can request a review. The cool-off period will increase each time you submit an appeal. Moreover, the number of appeals you can submit is finite. This means that it is important that you make the necessary changes strategically. |
How to Avoid Misrepresentation?
Avoiding misrepresentation is no easy task. It takes considerable effort and dedication, but it gets simpler once you have set up a steady flow. Here are a few notable actions you can take to avoid misrepresentation:
Accuracy in Product Data
The product data you submit to Google Merchant Center can often become the leading cause of misrepresentation errors.
- You must submit accurate, updated, and relevant data that meets Google’s product requirements. Ensure you provide valid URLs leading to your product landing pages and store policies.
- Use high-quality images, appropriate and unique product titles, and descriptions.
- Google has specific product categories. You should confirm that your products are in the correct product category.
- Inaccurate, incomplete, and irrelevant information in these attributes might cause Google to cite the misrepresentation error.
- All the required product data must be filled in. To avoid any issues related to product data, provide Google with as many details as possible. For example, if you sell candles, provide the exact burn time of each candle you wish to advertise. This will also enhance the user experience.
- You must avoid discrepancies between the data you submit to Google and the data available on your website. If you update data on your website, ensure that you also update it on Google as soon as possible. This includes product data, data related to your business (even if it is the business location!), and any other relevant data you’ve submitted to Google.
Maintain Transparency with Google and Users
- Open communication and transparency are key to most friendships and relationships, and they are equally vital in your relationship with Google.
- Google prioritizes transparent communication, openness, honesty and rewards these virtues (even in businesses!) One of the best ways to do this is clearly stating the return, refund and shipping policies on your website.
- Additionally, make sure they’re easy to find (i.e. link them onto all of your product’s landing pages and wherever you think they’re necessary.)
- You must also ensure that the promotional offers are genuine. Don’t offer false promises or unrealistic discounts.
Secure the Checkout Process
- To protect yourself and your customers from fraud or phishing attacks, you must ensure that your checkout process is secure. Provide an authentic SSL certificate for your website. SSL certification ensures that all payment, transaction, and personally identifiable information (PII) is protected from outside attackers.
- If your SSL certification is pending, your account might be in violation of Google’s policy and requirements, which can lead to immediate suspension.
- Google has specifically included the requirement of an SSL certificate in its policies to prevent mishaps. Many merchants choose to outsource their certification, security, and payment processing services to simplify their checkout process.
Compliance with Google’s Policies
Understanding and complying with Google’s policies is of the utmost importance.
- Merchant Center’s guidelines on banned products or regional laws that restrict the selling of particular products are particularly important.
- Additionally, if your account is found to be frequently violating Google’s policies and guidelines, your account might be put under a permanent ban.
- You must regularly audit your account to stay up-to-date with the latest changes in policies and requirements that Google introduces. If you run a bigger store, you must also train your staff on compliance requirements as directed by Google.
Conclusion
Staying consistent, vigilant, and compliant with Google’s policies is essential to combat and avoid misrepresentation issues. For example, if you encounter a Shopify SSL pending status, ensure that your store’s SSL certificate is fully active before making changes to your ad listings or product data, as incomplete SSL setups can impact how your site is perceived by Google. Remember, different platforms have varying rules and regulations.
Staying in line with Google’s policies can help you provide a seamless experience for your customers.
FAQs
1. How to fix Google Merchant Center’s suspended misrepresentation?
To fix the misrepresentation error, you must identify the cause of the suspension. Once accurately identified, you can make the necessary changes to your account.
Misrepresentation often refers to Google tagging your account as fake, fraudulent or untruthful. In this case, it is important to verify that all information about you, your products, and your business available online is accurate and valid.
Before your account is fully suspended, you will receive a warning mail. You have 30 days to make changes to your account, during which time you can submit an appeal for your account to be reviewed.
2. What is Google’s misrepresentation policy?
Under Google’s misrepresentation policy, merchants might get their accounts suspended if they are found to be promoting deceitful information, making false or exaggerated promotions, or using deceptive tactics to lure customers in.
This policy is applicable to merchants who advertise their products using Shopping Ads and Local Inventory Ads.
Merchants can avoid suspensions due to misrepresentation errors by continually auditing their website, product data, and other pages. They must also be updated with changes in Google’s policies and ensure that customers’ checkout processes are secure.
3. Why does Google Merchant Center disapprove products?
Google Merchant Center has strict policies regarding product data, advertisements, and merchant verification. Based on laws in certain regions and Google’s own policies, certain products cannot be sold or must be sold under supervision.
If product data is incomplete, irrelevant, or does not have the necessary fields filled in, products could get disapproved.
4. How can dropshipping affect my Merchant Center account?
Dropshipping might affect your Google Merchant Center account if the product information is not updated correctly. Additionally, you must provide an authenticate seller certificate.
Not meeting Google’s requirements for drop shippers can cause misrepresentation issues in the Google Merchant Center account.
5. Why is accurate pricing crucial in avoiding misrepresentation?
A discrepancy in pricing on your ad listings and your landing pages can lead to customer mistrust and account suspension. Maintaining accurate pricing is crucial to avoid misrepresentation and to maintain customer loyalty and trust.
6. What information should be included in product listings to prevent misrepresentation?
Product attributes such as product availability, titles, descriptions, prices, shipping costs, etc, are mandatory fields that must be filled in when submitting product information to Google Merchant Center.
To avoid misrepresentation, it is recommended that you fill not only the required fields but also provide any other data about your product and submit any additional conditions. Ensure these details match both your product feed and website landing pages.
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