Why it matters

A disapproved product does not show in Shopping or Performance Max. If many products are disapproved, the campaign is effectively running on part of the catalog, and you may not even notice it in Google Ads.

Reason 1: price or availability does not match the website

Google compares feed data with what it sees on the product page. If the feed says 1,000 UAH and the site says 1,200 UAH, or the product is "in stock" in the feed but unavailable on the site, it gets disapproved. This usually happens when the feed updates less often than prices change.

Reason 2: incomplete or incorrect data

  • Missing brand or GTIN where they are required.
  • Titles that are too short or identical for different products.
  • The wrong product category.
  • Missing condition, size or color for clothing and shoes.

Reason 3: images

  • Watermarks, logos or promotional text over the photo.
  • A placeholder instead of a photo, or an image that is too small.
  • A photo that does not match the product.

Reason 4: Misrepresentation

This is the most unpleasant issue because it can suspend the whole account, not just individual products. Google wants to see that the store can be trusted. What is usually checked:

  • Full contact details on the site: phone, email, address or company details.
  • Pages about shipping, payment, returns and exchanges.
  • A privacy policy.
  • A secure HTTPS connection and a working checkout.
  • No exaggerated promises or unrealistic discounts.

How to find and fix the issue

  1. Open the product issues section in Merchant Center and sort issues by the number of affected products.
  2. Start with the reason that affects the most products.
  3. Fix the source: the feed, the export settings or the site itself.
  4. Update the feed and wait for the review.
  5. For an account suspension, fix everything on the site first and only then request a review: after several failed attempts a waiting period may apply.

How to avoid problems in the future

Set the feed to update automatically at least once a day, check Merchant Center diagnostics every week, and do not change prices on the site in bulk without updating the feed. Merchant Center and feed setup costs 4,000 UAH.

FAQ

How long does the product review take?

Usually from a few hours to a few days. An account review after a suspension can take longer.

Can I advertise while products are disapproved?

Disapproved products do not show. The other products can keep running unless the whole account is suspended.

What if Google rejected my review request?

Go through the site again as a shopper: contacts, shipping, returns, payment, prices. The reason is often a small thing, such as missing return terms.

Sources