# BigCommerce Store Suspended in Merchant Center? How to Fix

> BigCommerce store suspended in Google Merchant Center? The BigCommerce causes, where to fix each one in your control panel, and how to request a review.

Web page: https://www.certanza.app/guides/bigcommerce-merchant-center-suspension

# BigCommerce store suspended in Merchant Center? Fix it from your control panel

BigCommerce sends your whole catalogue to Google through one app, so a single gap, like a missing returns page or a store that isn't live, affects everything. These are the common BigCommerce problems, and where to fix each one.

BigCommerce guide · updated 30 October 2026 · 7 minute read

## The short version

- Common causes on BigCommerce stores are a storefront that isn't launched or active, missing policy pages, and prices that show differently with and without VAT.
- Most fixes are in Settings, Storefront and your products, so you rarely need a developer.
- Products reach Google through BigCommerce's Ads and Listings on Google app, which syncs your whole catalogue every few hours.
- Once fixed, request the review in the app's settings or in Merchant Center.

## Key numbers

- **10**: places in BigCommerce to check
- **7**: common BigCommerce causes covered
- **Every 4 hours**: the Google app syncs your catalogue
- **Up to 7**: business days for a review, Google says

## Why BigCommerce stores get suspended

Google applies the same rules to every store. These are the BigCommerce set-ups that most often cause problems:

### Store not launched or inactive

A pre-launch store shows a coming soon page, and an inactive storefront sends every page to the homepage and tells search engines it's unavailable. Google can't review a store it can't see.
- What can raise concerns: Still in pre-launch, or the storefront set to inactive.
- What works: Store launched and the storefront active.

### Missing policy pages

BigCommerce's Google app expects terms of service and a return or refund policy. You create these as web pages yourself.
- What can raise concerns: No returns page, or one that only says "contact us".
- What works: Returns, Delivery, Privacy and Terms pages with real details.

### Contact details not showing

Your address appears in most theme footers from Settings, Store profile, but if the phone field is left blank, no phone number shows on your store.
- What can raise concerns: Address only, or a contact form and nothing else.
- What works: Business name, address, phone and email visible, plus a Contact page.

### Prices with and without VAT

For shoppers in the UK and EU, Google expects VAT-inclusive prices that match the page and checkout. Tax display settings can make them disagree.
- What can raise concerns: £20 on the product page, £24 at checkout.
- What works: One VAT-inclusive price everywhere.

### Products not listed outside your default currency

The Google app only lists products in countries that use your storefront's default currency. Extra storefronts need their own Google channel.
- What can raise concerns: A euro shop expecting UK listings from a single channel.
- What works: Each storefront connected for its own currency and countries.

### Missing identifiers

Google needs barcodes (GTIN), part numbers (MPN) or brand where products have them. The app also needs a SKU and weight on each product.
- What can raise concerns: Branded products with no GTIN or brand.
- What works: Identifiers, brand, SKU and weight filled in.

### Shipping that doesn't match

Shipping set in BigCommerce, the Google app, your delivery page and Merchant Center that doesn't agree.
- What can raise concerns: Free delivery over £40 on the site, a flat £3.95 in Merchant Center.
- What works: The same costs and times everywhere.


## Where to fix each one in BigCommerce

| What to fix | Where in your BigCommerce control panel |
| --- | --- |
| Launching the store or making the storefront active | Channel Manager, then Storefronts, then Make active (or Launch my store from the dashboard) |
| Business name, address, phone and email | Settings, then Store profile |
| Returns, delivery, privacy and terms pages | Storefront, then Web Pages |
| Homepage title and meta description | Settings, then General, then Website, then Search Engine Optimization |
| Footer and header | Page Builder, then Header & Footer (options depend on your theme) |
| Shipping zones and methods | Settings, then Shipping |
| Currencies | Settings, then Currencies |
| GTIN, UPC/EAN and MPN | Products, edit a product, then Product Identifiers |
| Brands | Products, then Brands, then set the Brand field on each product |
| Google sync status, issues and reviews | Channel Manager, then Ads and Listings on Google |

> **Fix the source, not the feed.** Ads and Listings on Google sends your whole BigCommerce catalogue to Merchant Center and updates it every four hours. Fix prices and details in BigCommerce and let them sync, rather than editing them in Merchant Center.

> **Variant barcodes.** You can add GTINs for a product in the control panel, but GTINs for individual variants have to be added with a product import or the API.

> **On a different platform?.** We have the same guide for [Shopify](https://www.certanza.app/guides/shopify-merchant-center-suspension), [WooCommerce](https://www.certanza.app/guides/woocommerce-merchant-center-suspension), [Wix](https://www.certanza.app/guides/wix-merchant-center-suspension) and [Squarespace](https://www.certanza.app/guides/squarespace-merchant-center-suspension).


## Step-by-step fix for BigCommerce

1. **Find the issue.** Open Ads and Listings on Google from Channel Manager. Item issues are on the Products and Overview pages; account issues are on its Settings page. In Merchant Center, go to Products, then Needs attention, then View setup and policy issues.
2. **Make sure the store is live.** Launch the store if it's still in pre-launch, and check in Channel Manager, Storefronts that the storefront is active.
3. **Complete your store profile.** In Settings, Store profile, add your business name, address, phone and email. Check they show in your footer and on a Contact page.
4. **Publish real policies.** In Storefront, Web Pages, create returns, delivery, privacy and terms pages with your real return window, costs and times, and make sure shoppers can reach them from your navigation or footer.
5. **Check prices, VAT, currency and delivery.** Make sure UK and EU shoppers see VAT-inclusive prices that match checkout, your default currency matches the countries you sell to, and Settings, Shipping matches your delivery page.
6. **Fill in product identifiers.** Add GTIN or MPN under Product Identifiers, set the Brand, and check every product has a SKU and weight.
7. **Scan, then request a review.** Run a [free scan](https://www.certanza.app/) to check for anything you've missed. Then request the review, either from the app's Settings page or in Merchant Center. The full report gives BigCommerce steps for the issues it finds.


## Your BigCommerce checklist

Tick these off as you go. Your ticks are saved in this browser.

- [ ] Store launched and the storefront active
- [ ] Store profile has business name, address, phone and email
- [ ] Contact details visible in the footer and on a Contact page
- [ ] Returns page with your real return window and process
- [ ] Delivery page with real costs, times and where you deliver
- [ ] Privacy policy and terms pages, with no placeholders
- [ ] Policy pages reachable from the navigation or footer
- [ ] Same return window in the FAQ and returns page
- [ ] Prices include VAT for UK and EU shoppers and match checkout
- [ ] Default currency matches the countries you list in
- [ ] Shipping settings match the delivery page and Merchant Center
- [ ] GTIN or MPN and brand added where products have them
- [ ] Every product has a SKU and weight
- [ ] Homepage title and meta description written

**What a checklist can't catch** (problems that are easy to miss by eye):

- A storefront left inactive after maintenance
- Product markup from your theme showing a different price or stock status from the page
- Star ratings a reviews app adds to the page code
- Prices that change with tax settings between the product page, cart and checkout
- Products not listed because the storefront's default currency doesn't match the country
- Missing GTINs on variants
- Policy text copied from another store, still naming their business
- Delivery times that differ between product pages, the FAQ and your delivery page
- Tracking pixels running without cookie consent
- Google's ads crawler (AdsBot) blocked in robots.txt


## Common questions

### Does BigCommerce cause Merchant Center suspensions?

No. Google applies the same rules to every store. But unlaunched stores, missing policy pages and mixed tax settings are common on BigCommerce.

### Should I request the review in BigCommerce or Merchant Center?

Either. Ads and Listings on Google has a review button on its Settings page, and you can also request a review from the issue in Merchant Center. Fix everything first: repeated unsuccessful reviews can mean waiting longer before you can ask again.

### Can I choose which products go to Google?

Not from the BigCommerce app: it sends your whole catalogue, up to 30,000 products and variants. Make sure every product is ready, or manage what shows in Merchant Center.

### Do my prices need to include VAT?

For shoppers in the UK and EU, yes. Google asks for prices that include VAT and match the page and checkout. In the US and Canada, prices exclude tax.

### Do I need a developer to fix this?

Usually not. Most fixes are in Settings, Storefront and your products. You may need help with variant barcodes, which have to be imported, or with theme changes.

## Sources

- [BigCommerce Help: Ads and Listings on Google](https://support.bigcommerce.com/articles/en_US/Knowledge/Google-App)
- [BigCommerce Help: Store profile settings](https://support.bigcommerce.com/articles/en_US/Knowledge/Store-Profile-Settings)
- [BigCommerce Help: Product identifiers](https://support.bigcommerce.com/articles/en_US/Knowledge/Product-Identifiers)
- [Google Merchant Center: Price [price] (VAT for the UK and EU)](https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/6324371?hl=en-GB)
- [Google Merchant Center: Request a review of your issues](https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/13585221)

Check your own website for these problems with a free scan: https://www.certanza.app/

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