Common Google Merchant Center feed errors and how to fix them

This guide covers only what Google's own documentation states, with links so you can check the current wording yourself. Rules change, so treat each link as the source of truth.

Step 1: Find the errors

1. Sign in to Google Merchant Center and open the product issues report for your account.
2. Sort the issues by number of products affected.
3. Open the largest issue and look at a sample of products. Most of the time one fix in your shop platform or feed rule clears hundreds of products at once.
4. After the fix, refresh the feed and check the issue count again. Expect a delay before the status updates.

Error 1: Price does not match the landing page

Google requires the price you submit to match the landing page and the checkout pages, in the right currency. Products that do not meet the requirements are disapproved, and Google advises submitting the latest value whenever the price changes (price requirements).

How to fix it:

1. Compare a few disapproved products: the feed price, the page price and the checkout price.
2. Look for a rule that adds or removes tax or shipping in one place and not the other. Google asks for tax rules by country and says shipping does not belong in the price.
3. Check the currency code format, a number followed by an ISO 4217 code, for example 15.00 USD.
4. Refresh the feed after every price change. A feed that updates once a day will lag behind a shop that changes prices all day, so raise the update frequency.

Error 2: Availability does not match

Google states that availability in your data must match your landing page and checkout pages, and that a mismatch triggers a disapproval (availability requirements). The accepted values include in_stock and out_of_stock, and preorder and backorder need an availability date.

How to fix it:

1. Check that your shop's stock count is what feeds the availability field.
2. If a product sells out between feed updates, shorten the update interval.
3. For preorders and backorders, add the availability date.

Error 3: Image problems

Google's image rules for the main image link say:

• The image must be at least 500 x 500 pixels, with a note that enforcement of the new requirement begins on 31 January 2027.
• Do not scale up a small image or submit a thumbnail.
• No promotional text, watermarks or borders.
• No placeholder or generic image.
• Images created with generative AI must keep metadata that marks them as AI-generated.

Source: image link requirements.

How to fix it:

1. Replace small images with the original from your supplier or camera.
2. Remove overlay text such as "SALE" or a watermark from the main image. Use a separate image slot for lifestyle shots.
3. Check that the URL is public and that your robots.txt does not block Google's image crawler.

Error 4: Title problems

Titles may be 1 to 150 characters. Google asks you to describe the product shown on the landing page and to put the important details first, because users usually see only the first 70 or so characters. It says to leave out promotional or time-related text such as price, sale dates or shipping, and to avoid all caps, symbols and extra white space (title requirements).

How to fix it: move "free shipping" and "20% off" out of the title. Write brand, product type and the key variant detail such as size or color instead.

Error 5: Missing or wrong product identifiers

Google's GTIN page states that products with missing or incorrect GTIN values may have limited visibility, that a product which has a GTIN and does not submit it could be disapproved, and that the check digit must be present and correct. It also says not to submit a value for products that have no GTIN (GTIN requirements).

How to fix it:

1. Take the GTIN from the package or your supplier, not from a guess.
2. Remove invalid values rather than leaving a made-up number.
3. Leave the field empty for your own store-brand items.

Step 2: Prevent the errors from coming back

1. Make the shop platform the one source for price and stock.
2. Set the feed to refresh as often as your prices change.
3. Check Diagnostics once a week.
4. Keep a short note of each fix and its date, so you know what changed if an issue returns.

Where Framepx fits

Framepx is an AI system for product ads, offered as AI as a service. Its AI engine turns every product in your feed into your brand's own ad in 1:1, 4:5 and 9:16 and keeps each ad in step with the product's price and stock. It does not repair your Merchant Center account. Fixing the feed at its source, as above, comes first.

Frequently asked questions

Why was my product disapproved when the price looks right?

Check the checkout, not only the product page. Google requires the price to match on both. Tax and shipping rules are a common cause.

How long does it take for fixes to show?

Merchant Center needs time to read the updated feed and review the products. Do not change the same field again before the status updates.

Do I need a GTIN for every product?

Only for products that have one assigned by the manufacturer. Do not submit a value for products without one.

Can I use AI-made images in Merchant Center?

Google's image page says images created with generative AI must keep metadata that marks them as AI-generated. Do not strip embedded metadata.

To create ads from a clean feed, schedule a demo.