"Dishonest pricing and transaction conditions" in Merchant Center: what it means and how to fix it

What it usually looks like on a store

Typical store patterns: a fast delivery promise in large type with a longer processing time buried lower down, restocking fees that only appear in the returns policy, return shipping to an overseas warehouse the shipping page never mentions, or a subscription whose billing interval isn't stated before checkout. The full cost has to be visible early.

What Google says

An egregious section of Google's Misrepresentation policy. It covers not disclosing the full cost a shopper will pay (taxes, fees, surcharges, recurring charges, shipping including return shipping), bait-and-switch pricing, and hiding post-purchase terms such as longer handling times, restocking fees, cross-border return freight, or return windows that start at purchase instead of delivery. Merchant Center suspends on detection without prior warning. Google Ads has a matching policy called Dishonest pricing practices.

Failure to clearly and conspicuously disclose the payment model or full expense that a user will bear before and after purchase is not allowedGoogle, Misrepresentation

Not disclosing all applicable shipping costs, including those for returns if the designated return shipping location differs from the business addressGoogle, Misrepresentation

Claiming a delivery time in conspicuous text while hiding a longer order processing or handling delays in less visible secondary textGoogle, Misrepresentation

Failing to clearly and conspicuously disclose fees, such as unexpected restocking fees, before checkoutGoogle, Misrepresentation

Also seen as: "Dishonest pricing practices".

How to fix it

Based on Google's help pages, in plain language:

1. Show the total price, including all taxes, fees and surcharges, and explain the payment model, including any recurring cost and its billing interval.
2. List every shipping cost, including return shipping when returns go to a location other than your business address.
3. Put handling and processing time next to the delivery promise instead of in less visible secondary text.
4. Disclose restocking fees, cross-border return freight and other post-purchase terms before the shopper commits to buy.
5. Start international return windows on the delivery date, not the purchase date.
6. Update the website, remove violating offers from your product data, then request a review, or appeal if you believe the decision is wrong.

What to check on your website

These are the checks we run that relate to this issue. A problem in any of them can be enough on its own.

• Shipping policy: A shipping/delivery page exists and states costs and delivery times.
• Return and refund policy: A return/refund policy page exists, is linked, and states the return window, item condition, how refunds are paid and how to start a return.
• Price matches the page: The price in your structured data and social meta tags appears on the page itself.
• Customers can buy: Product pages have a working add-to-cart or buy button and the cart page loads securely.
• Payment methods shown: Accepted payment methods are visible before checkout.

Requesting a review

Merchant Center treats this section as egregious: accounts are suspended upon detection and without prior warning, and reinstated only in compelling circumstances. Account reviews typically take 7 business days. The Google Ads policy with the similar name says Ads accounts get a warning at least 7 days before suspension; that rule is for Google Ads, not Merchant Center.

Questions

Sources

• support.google.com/merchants/answer/6150127
• support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/15938375

Checked against Google's help pages on 2026-10-08. Listvane is an independent tool made by Great Work LLC. It isn't affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Google. Google and Google Merchant Center are trademarks of Google LLC.