Google Merchant Center misrepresentation checklist
Use this Merchant Center misrepresentation checklist to turn a suspension notice into a record of fixes. Check the public store, correct the source of each problem, then verify the same facts in your account. Keep the old page, the changed page and the date together before requesting a review.
What goes on a Google Merchant Center misrepresentation checklist?
Five areas, and each one ends with something you opened, compared or tested, not a box ticked on faith. Identity: the real business name, contact details and description agree across the footer, contact page, About page and your Merchant Center business information. Returns and shipping: the terms a shopper can reach don’t contradict product-page promises, cart notices or your Merchant Center settings on return windows, postage, refund timing, delivery costs or delivery estimates. Products and offers: price, currency, variant and stock status agree between your product data and the page, and every claim, badge and promotion is one you can back up, as Google’s Misrepresentation policy requires. Checkout and access: walk from a product page to the last step before payment, on a phone and a computer, and check that policy links open, pop-ups close and the price holds. Account: finish any verification Merchant Center asks for and confirm changed product data has landed. Keep a dated record of every change, then request the review offered for your issue.
Why this matters
Start with the step-by-step misrepresentation fix guide if you need the full process from notice to review. This checklist is the working record: each item should end with something you have opened, compared or tested, not just a box marked done.
Business identity and contact. Write down the real trading or legal name, contact details and business description. Compare the footer, contact page, About page and Merchant Center business information manually. Correct misleading details at their source; do not invent an address or phone number to make a page look complete. See business names and usable contact details.
Returns and delivery. Read the actual terms a shopper can reach. Compare the policy with product-page promises, cart notices and the relevant Merchant Center settings. Resolve contradictions about return windows, postage, refund timing, delivery costs and delivery estimates. Use the returns policy guide and shipping policy guide.
Products and offers. Check that the advertised item, variant, price, currency and stock status agree across the submitted data and public store. Correct the catalogue or app supplying a wrong value. Review claims, affiliation badges and promotions against what you can support. The price consistency guide shows how to keep a checkout comparison fair.
Checkout and access. Walk from the product page to the last step before payment on a phone and a computer. Check that policy links open, popups can be dismissed, the item price stays consistent and charges are explained. Treat a page the check could not reach as unfinished work that needs your own inspection.
Account and evidence. Complete verification or other actions requested in Merchant Center. Confirm changed product values have arrived there. Save a short record for each issue: where you found it, what changed and how you confirmed it. Then use the review route offered for your issue; review button problems have their own checklist.
Find what to fix on your store to start with public-page findings. The free check shows what was found. The paid report adds affected pages, evidence and step-by-step fixes. Neither replaces the manual account checks or establishes the outcome of a Google review.
Typical evidence
The same ten, in slightly different outfits
These patterns can coexist on one storefront. Work through the visible contradictions together instead of treating one loud problem as the whole case.
The public signals this check looks for:
You have a misrepresentation or “website needs improvement” notice and no idea which page …
You have a misrepresentation or “website needs improvement” notice and no idea which page caused it.
You are about to request a review and want to be sure nothing obvious is still live
You are about to request a review and want to be sure nothing obvious is still live.
What it looks like once it is right
Illustrative fix record: “Returns terms corrected in the policy and product banner; both public URLs reopened logged out; Merchant Center return settings compared manually; dated captures saved.” The record describes the work and its verification without claiming approval.
Common mistakes
Common mistake
Fix checklist
Questions merchants ask
What should I check before requesting a Merchant Center review?
Check business identity, contact details, policies, product information, checkout and claims. Then check the account settings and any verification requests manually. Save evidence of the changes and confirm that the data received by Merchant Center agrees with the corrected store.
How do I verify that a website fix is actually live?
Reopen the affected URL logged out after publishing. Compare it with the saved earlier version, then check any product template, banner, footer or checkout screen that repeats the same information. If an app supplies it, repeat the check after its next update or sync.
Does this checklist work for Shopify and WooCommerce?
Yes. The shopper-facing questions and account comparisons apply to either platform. The place you change a value differs. Shopify owners can use the Shopify checkout and suspension checks for platform-specific examples.
Remediation
Risk signal
Similar cases
Sources
Community guidance
Written by Product Experts, the users Google recognises for their answers on its Merchant Center Community forum. Often stricter than Google’s help pages, and not Google policy.
Last reviewed 27 Sep 2026.
That is one issue. The library documents 134.
The free scan lists what it finds on your store. The paid report adds the affected pages, captured evidence and step-by-step fixes. Start free, with no account needed.