Do I need every policy before applying to Merchant Center?

Yes for the regions you sell into. Missing return or shipping policies are among the most common first-time rejection reasons.

Does Shopify or WooCommerce satisfy requirements automatically?

Platforms provide templates, but you must publish, link, and maintain policies on your live domain. Platform defaults alone are not enough.

How does EcomCheck map to Google requirements?

Our GMC audit checks crawlable policy pages, product schema, pricing consistency, and purchase flow signals aligned with common Merchant Center disapproval causes.

GMC Guide

Google Merchant Center Requirements Checklist

GMC
Ecommerce

A practical checklist of Google Merchant Center store requirements — policies, product data, trust signals, and how EcomCheck maps each rule.

Before Google approves your feed, your storefront must meet baseline ecommerce policy and product data expectations. This checklist maps the signals EcomCheck evaluates in GMC Compliance Audit mode.

Store policy requirements

Policies must be published on crawlable URLs and linked from every major template — not only buried in checkout or help widgets.

Return and refund policy accessible from the site footer
Shipping policy with delivery expectations and regions served
Payment methods and billing terms clearly stated
Privacy policy where customer data is collected

Return and shipping pages

Google expects clear return windows, refund methods, and shipping timelines. Generic “contact us for returns” copy often fails automated policy checks.

Product and business requirements

Accurate product titles, images, and availability on landing pages
Structured product data with consistent pricing and currency
Working add-to-cart or buy flow for advertised products
Visible business contact information and about details

Product data and pricing consistency

JSON-LD or microdata prices should match visible prices on the page. Multi-currency stores and automatic discounts need extra validation before feed submission.

Next steps

Scan your store with the free GMC audit to see which requirements pass or fail in your current setup, then prioritize fixes by severity in your readiness report.

See which requirements your store passes today

Run the free GMC Compliance Audit for an itemized readiness report mapped to the checklist below.

Start GMC Compliance Audit Go to scan

GMC requirements FAQ

Do I need every policy before applying to Merchant Center?: Yes for the regions you sell into. Missing return or shipping policies are among the most common first-time rejection reasons.
Does Shopify or WooCommerce satisfy requirements automatically?: Platforms provide templates, but you must publish, link, and maintain policies on your live domain. Platform defaults alone are not enough.
How does EcomCheck map to Google requirements?: Our GMC audit checks crawlable policy pages, product schema, pricing consistency, and purchase flow signals aligned with common Merchant Center disapproval causes.