Why was my Merchant Center feed disapproved for missing tax or shipping information?
Quick Answer
Google requires accurate tax and shipping information for product listings. Missing or incorrect data causes disapprovals.
Why Tax and Shipping Configuration Matters
Google compares the total cost customers see in Shopping ads with what they pay at checkout. If there is a difference - whether from unexpected taxes or shipping charges - this violates their pricing accuracy requirements.
Why Google Cares
Shoppers who click a Shopping ad expect to pay the price they saw (plus reasonable, disclosed shipping). Surprise costs at checkout - whether from hidden fees, unexpected taxes, or higher shipping - create a bad user experience and erode trust in Google Shopping.
Common Outcomes of Tax/Shipping Issues
- Product disapprovals - Individual products flagged for price/shipping mismatches
- Account warnings - Repeated issues can lead to account-level warnings
- Limited serving - Products may show less often due to trust score impact
- Suspension risk - Persistent issues can contribute to account suspension
Tax Configuration: United States
US tax configuration is complex because sales tax varies by state, county, and even city. Here is how to handle it correctly.
The Basic Rule
Product prices should EXCLUDE tax in your feed. Tax is calculated and added at checkout based on customer location.
Setting Up US Tax in Merchant Center
- • Google-determined rate - Google estimates tax based on location
- • Custom rate - You specify exact percentages
Tax Nexus Matters
Only configure tax for states where you have tax nexus (obligation to collect). If your website does not charge tax for certain states, do not configure tax for them in Merchant Center either. The two must match.
Tax Configuration: VAT Countries
For countries with Value Added Tax (EU, UK, Australia, etc.), the rules are different from the US.
The Basic Rule
Product prices should INCLUDE VAT in your feed. The price shown must be what the customer pays (before shipping).
Common VAT Mistakes
Submitting net prices
Feed shows 100 EUR but customer pays 120 EUR (100 + 20% VAT). Price must be 120 EUR in feed.
Mixed VAT treatment
Some products include VAT, others do not. All products must be consistent within a target country.
Wrong VAT rate applied
Using standard rate for products that qualify for reduced rate, or vice versa.
Country-Specific Notes
UK
20% standard rate. Prices must include VAT. No separate tax settings needed in MC.
Germany
19% standard rate. Prices must include MwSt (Mehrwertsteuer).
France
20% standard rate. Prices must include TVA.
Australia
10% GST. Prices must include GST for Australian customers.
Setting Up Shipping Correctly
Shipping configuration determines how Google calculates and displays shipping costs to customers.
Where to Configure Shipping
- Account-level settings - Default shipping rates for all products (recommended starting point)
- Shipping attribute in feed - Override account settings for specific products
- Shipping labels - Group products with similar shipping rates
Setting Up Account-Level Shipping
- • Service name (shown to customers)
- • Delivery locations (countries/regions)
- • Delivery time range
- • Shipping rate (flat, calculated, or free)
Shipping Rate Options
Flat Rate
Same price regardless of order. Simple to configure. Example: $5 shipping on all orders.
Price-Based
Rate varies by order total. Example: Free shipping over $50, $8 shipping under $50.
Weight-Based
Rate calculated from product weight. Requires weight attribute in feed.
Common Shipping Errors and Fixes
These shipping configuration mistakes cause the majority of shipping-related disapprovals.
Missing shipping costs entirely
Fix: Add shipping services in Merchant Center settings. All products need shipping rates configured.
Lower shipping in feed than at checkout
Fix: Update Merchant Center rates to match or slightly exceed actual checkout rates.
Missing delivery regions
Fix: Configure shipping for all countries/regions you target in your feed.
Free shipping claimed but charges apply
Fix: Only set free shipping if it is truly free. If free over $50, configure a price-based rate.
When In Doubt, Overestimate Slightly
If you cannot provide exact shipping rates, it is better to show $10 in Shopping ads when actual shipping is $8 than to show $5 and charge $8. Underestimating causes disapprovals; slight overestimation does not.
Troubleshooting Tax/Shipping Issues
When you receive a tax or shipping disapproval, here is how to diagnose and fix it.
Step-by-Step Diagnosis
Read the exact error message
"Missing shipping" is different from "Shipping cost mismatch." The wording matters.
Check what Google expects vs. what you provide
Look at your Merchant Center settings and your product feed. What values are configured?
Test checkout on your website
Go through checkout for an affected product. What tax and shipping is charged?
Compare values
Is there a difference between what Merchant Center shows and what checkout charges?
Update settings to match
Adjust Merchant Center settings or feed data so they match your actual checkout.
Advanced Tax and Shipping Scenarios
Some situations require more complex configuration.
Multiple Shipping Zones
If you charge different rates for different regions:
- Create separate shipping services for each zone
- Define the regions (states, provinces, countries) for each service
- Set appropriate rates for each zone
Product-Specific Shipping
If some products have different shipping (oversized items, free shipping items):
- Use the
shippingattribute in your feed for product-level overrides - Or use shipping labels to group products with similar rates
Multi-Country Selling
If you sell to multiple countries:
- Configure separate shipping services for each country
- Use appropriate currency for each target country
- Ensure tax handling matches each country's requirements
Free Shipping Thresholds
If you offer free shipping over a certain amount:
- Use price-based shipping tables
- Set $0 shipping for orders over your threshold
- Set your standard rate for orders under the threshold
Compliance Audit
Our scanner checks your tax and shipping configuration against your website checkout, identifying discrepancies before they cause disapprovals.
Check Configuration