Google Shopping Feed Disapproved: Common Reasons and How to Fix Them

Having your Google Shopping feed disapproved can be frustrating and costly, preventing your products from appearing in search results and wasting your advertising budget. Understanding why feeds get disapproved and how to fix them is essential for maintaining successful Google Shopping campaigns. This comprehensive guide covers the most common disapproval reasons and their solutions.

Understanding Feed Disapproval

When Google disapproves your product feed, it means your products don’t meet Google’s requirements and won’t appear in Shopping results. Disapprovals can affect individual products or your entire feed, depending on the issue.

Types of Disapprovals

• Product-Level Disapproval - Individual products are disapproved
• Feed-Level Disapproval - Entire feed is disapproved
• Account-Level Issues - Account-wide problems

Common Disapproval Reasons and Solutions

1. Missing Required Attributes

Error: “Missing required attribute: [field name]”

Why It Happens:

• Required fields not included in feed
• Fields left empty
• Incorrect field names

Required Fields:

• id
• title
• description
• link
• image_link
• availability
• price
• brand
• condition
• gtin or mpn

How to Fix:

1. Review your feed for all required fields
2. Ensure every product has complete data
3. Use correct field names
4. Fill in missing information
5. Re-upload corrected feed

Prevention:

• Use feed validation tools before uploading
• Create data quality checklist
• Automate field completion
• Regular feed audits

2. Invalid Product Data

Error: “Invalid value for [field]: [value]”

Why It Happens:

• Data doesn’t match Google’s format requirements
• Incorrect data types
• Invalid values for specific fields

Common Issues:

• Price format incorrect (must be “29.99 USD” not “$29.99”)
• Availability values wrong (must be lowercase: “in stock”)
• Condition values incorrect (must be: “new”, “refurbished”, “used”)
• URLs not absolute (must include https://)

How to Fix:

1. Check field format requirements
2. Verify price format includes currency
3. Ensure availability is lowercase
4. Verify all URLs are absolute
5. Fix data format issues
6. Re-upload feed

Prevention:

• Use standardized data formats
• Validate data before uploading
• Follow Google’s format guidelines exactly
• Use feed management tools

3. Image Quality Issues

Error: “Image does not meet requirements”

Why It Happens:

• Images too small (under 100x100 pixels)
• Images not accessible
• Wrong image format
• Images contain prohibited content

Requirements:

• Minimum 100x100 pixels (recommended 800x800)
• Formats: JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP
• Must be accessible via HTTPS
• No watermarks or text overlays
• Product images only

How to Fix:

1. Check image dimensions
2. Verify images are accessible
3. Ensure HTTPS URLs
4. Remove watermarks or text
5. Use product images only
6. Update image URLs in feed

Prevention:

• Use high-quality product images
• Ensure images are always accessible
• Use consistent image hosting
• Regular image audits

4. Price and Availability Mismatches

Error: “Price/availability mismatch with website”

Why It Happens:

• Feed prices don’t match website
• Availability status incorrect
• Outdated feed data

How to Fix:

1. Compare feed prices with website
2. Verify availability matches inventory
3. Update feed with current data
4. Sync feed with website
5. Re-upload corrected feed

Prevention:

• Use automated feed updates
• Sync feed with inventory system
• Regular price/availability checks
• Real-time synchronization

5. Policy Violations

Error: “Product violates Google Shopping policies”

Why It Happens:

• Prohibited products
• Misleading information
• Counterfeit products
• Restricted content

Prohibited Products:

• Weapons and ammunition
• Drugs and drug paraphernalia
• Adult content
• Counterfeit goods
• Dangerous products
• Regulated products (varies by country)

How to Fix:

1. Review Google’s Shopping ads policies
2. Remove prohibited products from feed
3. Fix misleading information
4. Ensure accurate product descriptions
5. Verify product eligibility
6. Re-upload compliant feed

Prevention:

• Review policies regularly
• Check product eligibility before adding
• Ensure accurate product information
• Regular policy compliance audits

6. Duplicate Product IDs

Error: “Duplicate product ID”

Why It Happens:

• Same product ID used multiple times
• Multiple entries for same product
• Variant handling issues

How to Fix:

1. Identify duplicate product IDs
2. Use unique IDs for each product
3. Remove duplicate entries
4. Use proper variant handling
5. Re-upload feed with unique IDs

Prevention:

• Use consistent ID system (SKU, product code)
• Validate for duplicates before upload
• Use proper variant structure
• Regular duplicate checks

7. Invalid GTIN or MPN

Error: “Invalid GTIN” or “Invalid MPN”

Why It Happens:

• GTIN format incorrect
• Invalid GTIN numbers
• Missing MPN when GTIN unavailable
• GTIN doesn’t match product

GTIN Requirements:

• UPC: 12 digits
• EAN: 13 digits
• ISBN: 10 or 13 digits
• Must be valid and match product

How to Fix:

1. Verify GTIN format
2. Check GTIN validity
3. Provide MPN if GTIN unavailable
4. Ensure GTIN matches product
5. Update feed with correct identifiers

Prevention:

• Use valid manufacturer GTINs
• Verify GTIN format before upload
• Provide MPN for custom products
• Regular GTIN validation

8. Shipping Information Issues

Error: “Missing or invalid shipping information”

Why It Happens:

• Shipping costs not configured
• Shipping information missing
• Shipping settings incorrect

How to Fix:

1. Configure shipping in Merchant Center
2. Set up shipping rules
3. Provide shipping costs or free shipping indicator
4. Update shipping information
5. Verify shipping settings

Prevention:

• Set up shipping rules in Merchant Center
• Keep shipping information current
• Configure default shipping
• Regular shipping updates

9. Tax Information Errors

Error: “Missing or invalid tax information”

Why It Happens:

• Tax settings not configured
• Tax information missing
• Incorrect tax rates

How to Fix:

1. Configure tax in Merchant Center
2. Set up tax rules
3. Provide accurate tax information
4. Update tax settings
5. Verify tax configuration

Prevention:

• Set up tax rules in Merchant Center
• Keep tax information current
• Configure default tax rates
• Regular tax updates

10. Product Title Issues

Error: “Product title doesn’t meet requirements”

Why It Happens:

• Title too long (over 150 characters)
• Promotional text included
• Special characters
• Misleading information

Title Requirements:

• Maximum 150 characters
• No promotional text
• Accurate product description
• Must match website

How to Fix:

1. Shorten titles to under 150 characters
2. Remove promotional text
3. Remove special characters
4. Ensure titles are accurate
5. Match website titles
6. Update feed with corrected titles

Prevention:

• Keep titles under 150 characters
• Avoid promotional language
• Use clear, descriptive titles
• Regular title audits

Step-by-Step Disapproval Resolution Process

Step 1: Identify the Issue

1. Check Merchant Center:

   • Go to “Products” → “Diagnostics”
   • Review disapproval messages
   • Note specific error details

2. Understand the Error:

   • Read error description carefully
   • Check which products are affected
   • Understand required fix

Step 2: Fix the Problem

1. Update Feed Data:

   • Fix data quality issues
   • Correct format problems
   • Resolve policy violations
   • Update missing information

2. Verify Fixes:

   • Validate feed before upload
   • Check all required fields
   • Ensure format compliance
   • Verify policy compliance

Step 3: Re-upload Feed

1. Upload Corrected Feed:

   • Upload fixed feed to Merchant Center
   • Wait for processing (15-30 minutes)
   • Check processing status

2. Verify Resolution:

   • Check Diagnostics for remaining errors
   • Verify products are approved
   • Confirm feed is active

Step 4: Monitor and Prevent

1. Set Up Monitoring:

   • Regular diagnostics checks
   • Automated error alerts
   • Quality score tracking

2. Prevent Future Issues:

   • Implement quality control
   • Use automated validation
   • Regular feed audits

Prevention Strategies

1. Feed Quality Control

• Validate feeds before uploading
• Use consistent data formats
• Maintain data accuracy
• Regular feed audits

2. Automated Feed Management

• Set up automated feed updates
• Sync with inventory systems
• Real-time price/availability updates
• Automated error detection

3. Regular Monitoring

• Check diagnostics daily
• Monitor quality scores
• Review error trends
• Track approval rates

4. Data Standards

• Establish data quality standards
• Use consistent formatting
• Maintain accurate product information
• Keep data up-to-date

Advanced Troubleshooting

Using Feed Validation Tools

Before uploading to Merchant Center:

1. XML/CSV Validators:

   • Check feed structure
   • Verify format compliance
   • Identify syntax errors

2. Google’s Feed Validator:

   • Official validation tool
   • Comprehensive error checking
   • Policy compliance verification

3. Third-Party Validators:

   • Additional validation options
   • Advanced error detection
   • Quality scoring

Bulk Fixes

For multiple products with same error:

1. Export affected products
2. Fix data in bulk (spreadsheet or tool)
3. Re-import corrected feed
4. Verify fixes applied

Common Disapproval Patterns

Pattern 1: New Product Launches

Issue: New products often have incomplete data

Solution:

• Create product data checklist
• Pre-validate before launch
• Use templates for consistency
• Test with small batches first

Pattern 2: Seasonal Updates

Issue: Price and availability changes cause errors

Solution:

• Plan seasonal updates in advance
• Update feeds before campaigns launch
• Monitor during peak seasons
• Use automated updates

Pattern 3: Inventory Changes

Issue: Out-of-stock products cause availability errors

Solution:

• Real-time inventory sync
• Automated availability updates
• Remove out-of-stock products if needed
• Set up restock notifications

Best Practices for Avoiding Disapprovals

1. Complete Data - Ensure all required fields are filled
2. Accurate Information - Verify product data matches website
3. Regular Updates - Keep feeds current with inventory and pricing
4. Format Compliance - Follow Google’s format requirements exactly
5. Policy Adherence - Comply with all Google Shopping policies
6. Quality Control - Validate feeds before uploading
7. Monitoring - Check diagnostics regularly
8. Automation - Use tools to prevent errors proactively

Measuring Feed Health

Key Metrics

• Approval Rate - Percentage of products approved
• Error Rate - Number of errors per product
• Quality Score - Overall feed quality rating
• Update Frequency - How often feeds are updated

Monitoring Dashboard

Track these metrics regularly:

• Total products in feed
• Approved products count
• Disapproved products count
• Error count and types
• Quality score trends

Conclusion

Understanding why Google Shopping feeds get disapproved and how to fix them is essential for maintaining successful Shopping campaigns. By following this guide and implementing proper feed management practices, you can minimize disapprovals and keep your products visible in Google Shopping results.

Remember that prevention is always better than fixing errors after they occur. Regular monitoring, automated updates, and quality control processes are essential for maintaining healthy product feeds.

Prevent Disapprovals with AI Shopping Feeds

Manually managing feeds to prevent disapprovals is time-consuming and error-prone. AI Shopping Feeds automates feed optimization and error prevention, helping you maintain error-free feeds with minimal effort.

How AI Shopping Feeds Prevents Disapprovals

Automated Error Detection:

• Real-time feed validation before upload
• Automatic detection of missing fields and format issues
• Policy compliance checking
• Quality score monitoring

Intelligent Data Enhancement:

• AI-powered product title and description optimization
• Automatic field completion and formatting
• Smart categorization and attribute mapping
• Data quality improvements

Multi-Channel Support:

• Optimize once, export to 200+ channels including Google Shopping
• Channel-specific formatting and validation
• Automated feed synchronization
• Real-time error prevention

Time-Saving Automation:

• Automated feed updates and synchronization
• Bulk error fixes and data corrections
• Automated quality control processes
• Reduced manual feed management time

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