Google Merchant Center: How to Add Products and Fix Disapproved Listings
Without Google Merchant Center, your store will not appear in Google Shopping or in Performance Max campaigns with products. This is where Google gets information about your catalog: names, prices, images, and availability.
How to get started
Set up a Merchant Center account and verify your store's domain.
Fill in your business details, return policy, and shipping costs.
Connect your product feed. In Shopify, the easiest way is via the official Google app, while in WooCommerce, it is via a plugin or an XML file.
Link Merchant Center to your Google Ads account.
Most common errors and disapprovals
Mismatched price or availability. The price in the feed must match the price on the product page. Most often, the issue is caused by promotions that do not update in the feed.
Missing product identifiers. For branded products, Google requires a GTIN code, which is the barcode.
Images with text or watermarks. The main image should show only the product against a clean background.
Missing return policy or contact details on the website, which can lead to account suspension.
Feed optimization
A feed is not just a formality. Product titles act like keywords in shopping campaigns. A good title includes the brand, product type, and key attributes such as color, size, or material. It is also worth filling in the Google product category and custom labels—for example, margin or bestseller—to later segment campaigns by profitability.
Free product listings
Products from Merchant Center can appear for free in the Shopping tab and organic search results. This provides additional traffic at no cost per click, which also supports store SEO.
Summary
A correct feed is the foundation of Shopping campaigns and Performance Max. If your products are being disapproved or your shopping campaigns aren't growing, we can audit this as part of our Google Ads management.
