"Website needs improvement" in Merchant Center: what it means and how to fix it

Not quite the wording you see? Compare the look-alike landing page messages.

What it usually looks like on a store

This tends to show up on newer stores: theme placeholder text still on the homepage, menu links that 404, a thin About page and policies that don't say anything specific. Reviewers look at the site the way a first-time shopper would.

What Google says

Part of Google's Editorial and professional requirements. It covers store websites that are not fully functional, lack business-specific content, give unclear information, or show incomplete product details. Typical triggers are broken navigation links, missing policy pages, and placeholder text or images. Google's fix page frames it as making the site fully functional and customized for your business.

Websites that are not fully-functional, lack business-specific content, provide unclear information, or display incomplete product details.Google, Editorial and professional requirements

The website contains broken navigation links, is missing policy pages, or has placeholders of text or placeholders for images.Google, Editorial and professional requirements

A website must contain contact information and policy pages including but not limited to a clear "About" page, return policy, shipping info, and business info.Google, How to fix: Check if your online store is fully functional

Check your site for "Lorem Ipsum" text or default template images, such as "Add customer reviews here".Google, How to fix: Check if your online store is fully functional

Also seen as: "Check if your online store is fully functional", "How to fix: Website needs improvement".

How to fix it

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

1. Check that the website contains contact information and policy pages, including a clear About page, return policy, shipping info and business info.
2. Remove placeholders such as Lorem Ipsum text or default template images.
3. Fix broken links so none lead to 404 errors or redirect back to the home page instead of the intended page; check social media links.
4. Request a review in Merchant Center after the changes are live.

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.
• About the business: An About page tells shoppers who runs the store.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Requesting a review

Google says that once technical fixes are live, a small ad edit or selecting Appeal starts a fresh crawl that usually finishes within 24 to 48 hours. Depending on the violation there may be extra verification steps and a limit on how many reviews can be requested. Google notes it may take some time for changes to be reflected.

Questions

Sources

• support.google.com/merchants/answer/6150244
• support.google.com/merchants/answer/12056511
• support.google.com/merchants/answer/10740889

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.