The “Multi-Client Account over capacity” error occurs when the parent account in Google Merchant Center hits its maximum limit on products or sub-accounts. This error prevents merchants from uploading new products, adding sub-accounts, or synchronizing product feeds.
This guide discusses the root causes of the error, product import issues, account structure considerations, and practical steps to resolve MCA over capacity and prevent these limitations.
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Table of Contents
Understanding MCA Over Capacity
A Multi-Client Account (MCA) is a type of account in Google Merchant Center. It acts as a parent account to manage multiple individual sub-accounts.
Agencies, large retailers managing multiple brands, and e‑commerce platforms like Shopify rely on a Multi‑Client Account (MCA) in Google Merchant Center to manage many separate merchant accounts under one main account.
What is the “MCA Over Capacity” error?
When you notice an “MCA over capacity” error in your Google Merchant Center account, it means the Multi-Client Account has exceeded the limit for adding more products or sub-accounts.
The error appears when the parent MCA:
- Exceeds the sub‑account limit, or
- Reaches the product/item quota, or
- A combination of both
This issue occurs when you use a third-party platform to connect Google Merchant Center. The third-party platforms could be product feed management tools. For example, if you’re a Shopify merchant using Google & YouTube app, you get added as sub-account under their MCA when you create Google Merchant Center account using the app.
And there are thousands of other sub-accounts under one MCA and when sub-account(s) reach their maximum potential, all other sub-accounts start seeing the ‘MCA Over Capacity’ issue.
Note: The root cause of the issue lies in its structure and does not occur from using a certain app or platform. You won’t see this issue, if you have a normal account in Google Merchant Center.
| It is important to note that you might encounter MCA over capacity error as an issue or warning in your account, and for other advertisers, it might result in an error. Whether you get it as an error or a warning, it is essential to resolve it promptly to avoid disapprovals or account suspensions in the future. Google shows a particular error as an issue, error, or warning based on your account history, violations, etc. These issues are indicated with different colors: Red – for serious violations or account suspension. Yellow – indicates warnings. Blue – indicates informational content. |
Why Your Account Structure Might Be Causing MCA Over Capacity Issues?
As mentioned earlier, if you’re an e-commerce merchant, using a sub-account under Multi-Client Account (MCA). This is one of the main reasons for the ‘MCA over capacity’ error.
Account types for Marketplaces
Google Merchant Center MCAs are designed to manage multiple seller accounts under one umbrella. These sub-accounts come in three types:
- Marketplace-Owned Seller (1P): This subaccount is for platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce that sell their own products (only one allowed per MCA).
- Single-Seller Sub-Account: This is for high-profile store owners who need custom shipping and return policies or run their ad campaigns.
- Multi-Seller Sub-Account: Gathers many smaller merchants into one sub-account (limit: 40 million products per account).
When you use a third-party app to connect to Google Merchant Center, your product feed is added under MCA.
This means you’re essentially sharing quota space with thousands of other merchants. Once that shared capacity reaches its maximum limit set by Google, you get errors like:
- MCA over capacity.
- Feed submission failures.
- Inability to add new products or expand into new markets.
Troubleshooting Product Import Issues
When you try to sync or import products via API or through e-commerce platforms such as Shopify or WooCommerce, etc., you might see an ‘MCA over capacity’ notification or a ‘cannot add new products’ message appear.
When this issue occurs, you won’t be able to upload products, which means you cannot add new SKUs. You will see product upload failures. When MCA hits its limit, you might be able to upload only a few products, but not all of them.
Converting to a standalone account is the only long-term solution to resolve this issue. If you have decided to convert your sub-account to a standalone Google Merchant Center account, click here to jump to the section, where we discuss all the steps.
Converting a sub-account to a standalone account is not a simple one-step process; it’s long, and Google takes time to convert it.
Meanwhile, there’s a workaround, reduce the number of products you wish to upload to Google Merchant Center.
Tip: After your account converts from sub-account to standalone, ensure that plugin or feed connections are re-established and that new SKUs sync properly.
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How to Resolve MCA Over Capacity Issue?
Here is a list of solutions to resolve the ‘MCA over capacity’ issue.
Contact the Third-Party Platform
Contact the Company’s customer support team and request a letter stating, ‘They acknowledge your Google Merchant Center account is a sub-account under their MCA. They approve and support your conversion to a standalone account.’
Note: This letter from the company is not mandatory but makes the process easier. However, note that it is difficult to achieve.
Gather required information
Along with the signed letter, you will also need:
- Your Merchant Center ID
- Business domain name
- Google Account email (used for Google Merchant Center)
Contact the Google team
Click the Help icon 
Step 1: Select the Google Ads account >> enter the category the issue is relevant to >> select Account settings >> and click ‘Next step.’
Step 2: The Next step is the resources section. Click ‘Next step.’
Step 3: Click on the ‘Email’ option.
Step 4: Please fill in all the details and clearly explain the issue.
Step 5: Click ‘Submit.’
Note: Google might respond within 2–5 business days. They will promote your account to a standalone Google Merchant Center account if approved. Post-conversion, you’ll retain your existing data, but you must reconfigure your plugin/integration after conversion.
Reconfigure feeds/plugins post-conversion
If you’re using Shopify’s Google integration plugin:
- You should disconnect and reconnect the app to restore sync functionality.
- You should reconfigure some settings, like shipping after reconnection.
- Test if product sync works correctly, and you can instantly upload all SKUs.
Set up an account directly in Google Merchant Center
Another solution to the issue is creating an account directly in Google Merchant Center. To do so, ensure you’re not using Shopify’s Google & YouTube app to connect to Google Merchant Center. Create and verify your account so you can manage all your products without limitations.
Regularly remove out-of-stock or discontinued products
Remove inactive or out-of-stock products to overcome the product count issue. This technique is one of the only viable workarounds when you cannot convert from a sub-account or request a quota increase. This approach reduces the number of items counted against the quota.
Manual Google Merchant Center Account Setup vs. Using a Plugin
Manual Google Merchant Center setup refers to setting up an account without the help of third-party applications or plugins. Doing so, you will have a standalone Google Merchant Center account that gives you complete control and minimal limitations.
In this section, let’s look at the advantages of using plugins, the benefits of manually setting up Google Merchant Center, and their impact on the ‘MCA over capacity’ issue.
Benefits of Manual Setup
- When you manually set up a Google Merchant Center account, you don’t have to worry about MCA over capacity or product limitation issues (if you’re a standalone admin in Google Merchant Center).
- There are no hidden sub-account limitations; you can enjoy complete quota control.
- You can also request an Advanced account setup (MCA) as a standalone admin by navigating to the Advanced account setup option in Google Merchant Center settings.
- Note: To request advanced account setup, you must be an admin, not a sub-account under an existing MCA. And you should not have violated Google Merchant Center’s account-level policies.
Remember: When you choose the manual method, you are responsible for setting up the account, verifying the domain, configuring taxes and shipping, etc., which involves a lot of work and effort.
Advantages of Using Plugins
- When you use plugins, they create and sync your product feed with key attributes such as titles, pricing, inventory, and GTINs, eliminating manual product feed setup and reducing errors.
- Plugins also ensure that product categories and required attributes are mapped to meet Google’s feed specifications, helping prevent disapprovals.
- Additionally, using Shopify’s Google & YouTube app lets you improve product visibility through Google Shopping ads.
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Impact on MCA Over Capacity
- Manual Google Merchant Center account setup gives you complete control over quota utilization and avoids sudden MCA caps. However, one must be careful when setting up a Google Merchant Center account, configuring tax and shipping settings, and managing product feeds. Merchants must also ensure compliance with Google’s product data specifications and Shopping Ads policies.
| Further Reading: How to do free shipping on Shopify? Shopify sales tax report |
- Plugins offer various functionalities to seamlessly set up and sync product feeds. But they can also result in MCA over capacity issues. To avoid this, merchants must migrate to a standalone Google Merchant Center account or contact the third-party company.
Conclusion
If you’re facing the “MCA over capacity” error, chances are your Google Merchant Center account is a sub-account under a third-party platform. This setup limits how many products you can sync or add. To fix this, Contact Google or your third-party app to convert the sub-account to a top-level account.
Once your account is standalone, you’ll fully control your quotas. After account conversion, reconnect your product feeds, double-check shipping and tax settings, and monitor your usage to stay ahead of limits.
Takeaways:
- Verify if you’re a sub-account under a third-party MCA.
- Do not rely on plugins alone—understand how your account is structured.
- Switch to a standalone Google Merchant Center account for complete control and flexibility.
FAQs
How can I identify if my Google Merchant Center account is over capacity?
To determine if your account has exceeded its limit, navigate to the Needs attention section in your Google Merchant Center account. If you find errors such as ‘not submitted due to product limit’ or ‘offer quota full, items rejected’, you can say your account is over capacity.
What steps can I take to reduce the number of products in my Google Merchant Center account?
To reduce the number of products, you can delete them from your data source, remove a few products from certain marketing methods, or set an expiry date to temporarily stop them from showing.
Why does Google Merchant Center impose capacity limits on accounts?
Google Merchant Center imposes capacity restrictions to distribute resources effectively, prevent slower processing times, and prevent merchants from engaging in spammy or misleading practices to ensure a positive user experience.
How can I request an increase in capacity for my Google Merchant Center account?
You cannot contact the Google Support team directly when you face the MCA Over Capacity issue. You must contact the third-party platform from which you created the Google Merchant Center account.
What are the consequences of exceeding the capacity limits in Google Merchant Center?
When you reach the maximum limits, you won’t be able to add more products or sub-accounts to your Google Merchant Center. When uploading products, you will notice errors such as ‘items not uploaded’ that prevent you from importing them.
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