"Misrepresentation" in Merchant Center: what it means and how to fix it

What it usually looks like on a store

Google's misrepresentation guidance points at website signals like these: no way to reach the business beyond a form, no address, a return policy copied from a template with blanks left in, a business name that changes between the header, footer and policies, or claims the site can't back up. Each one alone looks small. Together they read as a store that's hiding who runs it.

What Google says

Google's Misrepresentation policy bans listings or destinations that deceive shoppers by leaving out relevant information or giving misleading information about products or the business. It covers fake identities or contact details, hidden business locations, undisclosed fees and total prices, unfulfillable offers, and improbable claims. Some parts (unacceptable business practices, dishonest pricing) are treated as egregious and can suspend an account on detection without warning; others (unavailable offers, unreliable claims) get at least a 7 day warning first.

Offers that represent you or your products in a way that isn't accurate, realistic, and truthful.Google, Misrepresentation

Present a false identity, business name, or contact informationGoogle, Misrepresentation

Not disclosing the total price, including all taxes, fees, and surchargesGoogle, Misrepresentation

your Google Merchant Center accounts will be suspended upon detection and without prior warningGoogle, Misrepresentation

Also seen as: "Misrepresentation of self or products", "Misrepresentation of self or product", "Untrustworthy promotions".

How to fix it

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

1. Read the Shopping ads and listings policies to learn what is not allowed.
2. Update the website so any destination your listings point to meets all policy requirements.
3. Remove violating offers from the product data source.
4. Audit the site: consistent legal business name, address, phone and email across website and Merchant Center; explicit links to shipping, refund and privacy policies.
5. Remove placeholder text, fix broken links, and make sure checkout works and is secured with HTTPS.
6. Complete identity verification in Merchant Center with documents that match account data.
7. 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.

• Contact information: Shoppers can reach you: a contact page plus at least one direct method (email or phone), with no placeholder details.
• Business address: A real business or returns address is shown somewhere a shopper can find it (contact page, footer or policies).
• Consistent business identity: The business name is the same across your site name, structured data and footer, and your site says who the business is.
• 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.
• Shipping policy: A shipping/delivery page exists and states costs and delivery times.
• Privacy policy: A privacy policy page exists and is linked.
• Terms of service: A terms of service page exists and is linked.
• About the business: An About page tells shoppers who runs the store.
• Secure connection (HTTPS): Your homepage, product pages and checkout load over HTTPS, plain http redirects to https, and forms don't post to insecure addresses.
• Customers can buy: Product pages have a working add-to-cart or buy button and the cart page loads securely.
• No placeholder or template text: No lorem ipsum, default theme copy, sample products, "your store name" fields or coming-soon notices anywhere we looked.
• Broken links in your menus: Links in your header and footer lead to real pages, not 404 errors.
• Price matches the page: The price in your structured data and social meta tags appears on the page itself.
• Claims and pressure tactics: No unverifiable "as seen on" or medical claims, guaranteed results, or fake-urgency messages.

Requesting a review

For egregious Misrepresentation categories Google suspends without warning and says accounts are only reinstated in compelling circumstances; you can submit an appeal. For other violations Google sends a warning and gives 7 or 28 calendar days to fix. Account reviews typically take 7 business days. Request a review from the account-level issue (banner, Needs attention, or Diagnostics). Identity verification may be required before the review button is available. Google says reviews may take up to 7 business days. If issues are not resolved by the second review attempt, a one-week cool down period may begin, it cannot be shortened by support, and it may increase with each unsuccessful review. During a 7 or 28 day warning period you can request one courtesy review.

Questions

Sources

• support.google.com/merchants/answer/6150127
• support.google.com/merchants/answer/13693195
• support.google.com/merchants/answer/13585221
• support.google.com/merchants/answer/9158778

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.