Why isn't Google Shopping approving my products?

Start by understanding exactly what is happening with your products:

In Google Merchant Center

Product Status Types

• Approved - Product can appear in Shopping
• Pending - Under review, wait for processing
• Disapproved - Blocked due to specific issue
• Not approved - Missing requirements or policy violation

Most approval failures fall into these categories:

Data issues are the most common cause of disapprovals:

Required Attributes Checklist

• id - Unique identifier for each product
• title - Clear, accurate product name
• description - Detailed product description
• link - URL to product page
• image_link - URL to product image
• price - Current price with currency
• availability - in_stock, out_of_stock, or preorder
• brand, gtin, or mpn - Product identifiers

Common Data Fixes

• Add missing GTIN or set identifier_exists to "no" for custom products
• Ensure prices match exactly between feed and website
• Use high-quality images (at least 100x100 pixels, prefer larger)
• Remove promotional text from titles ("Free shipping!", "Sale!")
• Keep descriptions factual without excessive capitalization

Policy issues require understanding what Google prohibits:

Prohibited Products

Some products cannot be sold on Google Shopping at all:

• Counterfeit goods
• Dangerous products and weapons
• Drugs and unapproved pharmaceuticals
• Tobacco and related products
• Products that facilitate dishonest behavior

Restricted Products

These may be allowed with restrictions or certification:

• Alcohol (varies by country)
• Healthcare products
• Financial services
• Gambling-related items

Content Policies

• Remove unsubstantiated health claims
• Avoid before/after comparisons without substantiation
• Do not use excessive capitalization or symbols
• Remove superlatives without proof ("best", "cheapest")

Your product pages must meet Google's requirements:

Page Accessibility

• Pages must be accessible without login
• No robots.txt blocks on product pages
• Pages must load properly (no errors)
• Product must be purchasable on the page

Required Information

• Clear product price visible on page
• Add to cart or purchase option
• Product availability status
• Return and refund policy accessible

Website Requirements

• Contact information (email, phone, or address)
• Secure checkout (HTTPS)
• Clear business identification
• Privacy policy

Ensure your Merchant Center account is properly configured:

Verification Checklist

• Website URL is verified and claimed
• Business information is complete
• Tax settings are configured (US only)
• Shipping settings are configured
• Return policy is set up

Account Status

• Check for any account-level warnings
• Verify terms of service are accepted
• Complete any pending verification steps
• Ensure account is not under review or suspended

Once you have addressed the issues:

For Feed Issues

• Resubmit your feed or wait for scheduled fetch
• Check Diagnostics after processing completes
• Verify the specific products are now approved

For Policy Issues

• Request a review if the option is available
• Wait for Google to re-crawl your landing pages
• Monitor Diagnostics for remaining issues

Processing Time

• Feed changes: Usually processed within hours
• Policy reviews: May take several days
• Account reviews: Can take 1-2 weeks

If you believe your products are compliant but still disapproved:

When to Appeal

• You have fixed all identified issues
• You believe the disapproval is in error
• Automatic re-review has not resolved the issue

How to Request Review

• Go to Products > Diagnostics
• Click on the specific issue
• Look for "Request review" option
• Provide any requested information