How To Fix Your Google Merchant Center Account Suspension

Does Your Google Merchant Center Account Suspension Have You Flustered?

One single word – suspension – strikes fear in the heart of most people (except, maybe, the kid who doesn’t want to go to school). But for e-merchants in particular, the idea of having your Google Merchant Center Account suspended is enough for you to lose sleep over.

Here’s the unfortunate reality, however: Account suspensions happen far more frequently than any of us wish. Therefore, if it does ever happen to you, rest assured that you’re not alone. Hundreds and thousands of merchants go through the same ordeal, and a good portion of them survives it just fine. But how can you be sure you’re part of that survival crew, rather than the merchants who are left forever crippled by this bump in the road?

These tips to help you re-establish your merchant account should help you get back up and running without incurring any major catastrophes.

1. Fix Your Feeds. The first thing you need to do to get reconnected is to fix your data feeds. Within your Google Merchant Center you should find a list of critical errors as well as recommended issues. Start with the worst and work your way through. Critical errors are the culprit behind your suspension, so they need to get fixed first. But you should also address the recommended issues, as they may evolve into more serious (critical) issues down the road.
2. Re-submit Your Feeds. Now that your data feed is all cleaned up, submit a reevaluation request, through your Google Merchant Center account.

Google outlines some helpful specifics that you should address before requesting a reevaluation of your feed. They include:

• Correct the issues for all of your items, not just for the examples that were provided.
• Use this as an opportunity to address any issues that haven’t been reported yet (it’s a great help to go over Google’s restricted list of items to make sure you’re in compliance).

You might also find it helpful to call the help number found in your AdWords account. This is the number to call, unquestionably, if, for some reason, you have no idea why your account was suspended. Simply request a reason for suspension and your request will be answered promptly.

Avoid Suspensions To Begin With!

As we mentioned earlier, more retailers have their accounts suspended than any of us would like to see, and for a number of reasons. Below are the most likely reasons why your account could become suspended, as well as ways to avoid this pitfall.

• Don’t sell prohibited items. This is not as easy as one thinks, particularly since Google’s provided list is non-exhaustive, thus an item that’s not on that list could still be prohibited. Common sense works well here.
• Keep your feed updated. Google will not tolerate outdated feeds with inaccurate pricing, inventory, old images, links or inaccurate product descriptions. Want to get your account suspended in record time? Then have mismatched data between your feed and your site. Don’t want a suspended account? Fix the mismatches.
• Take warnings seriously. Sometimes you’ll be a part of the lucky crew that gets a warning about potential issues. Take those warnings seriously by fixing the issue, or, if you’re unable to fix the issue, remove the products that are causing the problem. No, you don’t want to remove products if you don’t have to. But it’s a game of simple math. Which is better: having one or a handful of products removed from your feed, or your entire line due to suspension?

No matter how many times you’re told that retailers across the globe have their accounts suspended for a number of reasons, you’ll always feel targeted and stressed out when it happens to you. But there are ways to fix the issue without losing tons of money and exposure. Follow these steps and you should be back on you’re a-game in no time.

Looking for ways to avoid a suspended account? Or perhaps your account is suspended and you want to find the best, quickest way to get back on target. Call OperationROI at 1-888-277-5429 or fill out our contact form to learn how we can help you with your account.