# WooCommerce Store Suspended in Merchant Center? How to Fix

> WooCommerce store suspended in Google Merchant Center? The WooCommerce causes, where to fix each one in WordPress, and how to request a review.

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

# WooCommerce store suspended in Merchant Center? Fix it from your WordPress admin

WooCommerce gives you full control of your store, which also means nothing stops a half-finished policy, a hidden address or a price that shows differently to Google. These are the common WooCommerce problems, and where to fix each one.

WooCommerce guide · updated 30 October 2026 · 8 minute read

## The short version

- Common causes on WooCommerce stores are the draft refund policy left unpublished, a store address that never appears on the site, and prices that show differently with and without VAT.
- Most fixes are in WooCommerce settings, Pages and your theme's footer, so you rarely need a developer.
- Products usually reach Google through the free Google for WooCommerce extension, so fix the data in WooCommerce and let it sync.
- Once fixed, request the review from the Product Feed tab in Google for WooCommerce or in Merchant Center.

## Key numbers

- **11**: places in WordPress to check
- **8**: common WooCommerce causes covered
- **1**: official extension: Google for WooCommerce
- **Up to 7**: business days for a review, Google says

## Why WooCommerce stores get suspended

Google applies the same rules to every store. But the way WooCommerce stores are usually built leads to the same problems again and again:

### Refund policy still a draft

WooCommerce creates a draft "Refund and Returns Policy" page when it's installed, but it isn't published or edited for you. Many stores never finish it.
- What can raise concerns: The draft page unpublished, or published with the sample wording.
- What works: Your real return window, condition, who pays postage and how to start a return, published and linked.

### Store address only in settings

The address in WooCommerce settings is used for things like tax and shipping. It doesn't automatically appear on your pages.
- What can raise concerns: An address in Settings, but only a contact form on the site.
- What works: Business name, address, phone and email on the Contact page and in the footer.

### Prices with and without VAT

For shoppers in the UK and EU, Google expects prices that include VAT, matching what the page shows. Mixed tax display settings can make the page, the product data and checkout disagree.
- What can raise concerns: £20 on the product page, £24 at checkout.
- What works: One VAT-inclusive price everywhere.

### Product markup out of step

WooCommerce adds product markup (price, stock, barcode) to each product page automatically. An SEO plugin or theme can add a second copy that disagrees.
- What can raise concerns: In stock on the page, out of stock in the page code.
- What works: One set of product markup that matches what shoppers see.

### Coming soon mode left on

WooCommerce's Site visibility setting can hide your shop, or the whole site, behind a coming soon page. Google can't review pages it can't see.
- What can raise concerns: Coming soon still on after connecting to Google.
- What works: Site visibility set to Live.

### Google blocked by security settings

Firewalls, security plugins, robots.txt rules or country blocking can stop Google's crawlers (Googlebot and AdsBot) reaching your pages.
- What can raise concerns: Google sees an error or a challenge page.
- What works: Google's crawlers allowed in, including from the US.

### Shipping that doesn't match

Shipping zones and rates in WooCommerce, your delivery page and Merchant Center that don'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 in all three places.

### Theme demo content

Sample products, placeholder text, demo reviews or "as seen in" logos that came with the theme or a starter site.
- What can raise concerns: Lorem ipsum in a footer widget, or demo testimonials.
- What works: Only real content, with demo items deleted.


## Where to fix each one in WordPress

| What to fix | Where in your WordPress admin |
| --- | --- |
| Refund and returns policy | Pages, then All Pages, then Refund and Returns Policy (edit and Publish) |
| Privacy policy page | Settings, then Privacy |
| Terms and conditions page | WooCommerce, then Settings, then Advanced, then Page setup |
| Store address and currency | WooCommerce, then Settings, then General |
| Business phone and address sent to Google | Marketing, then Google for WooCommerce, then Settings, then Contact information |
| Footer details and policy links | Appearance, then Menus (classic themes), or Appearance, then Editor, then Patterns, then Footer (block themes) |
| Coming soon mode | WooCommerce, then Settings, then Site visibility (set to Live) |
| Shipping zones, rates and times | WooCommerce, then Settings, then Shipping |
| How prices show with VAT | WooCommerce, then Settings, then Tax |
| Barcodes (GTIN) and brands | Products, edit a product, then Inventory (GTIN), and Products, then Brands |
| Product sync and issues | Marketing, then Google for WooCommerce, then Product Feed |

> **Fix the source, not the feed.** Google for WooCommerce sends your product data to Merchant Center as it changes. If a price or description is wrong, change it in WooCommerce and let it sync, rather than editing it in Merchant Center, where it can be overwritten.

> **Meta descriptions need a plugin.** WordPress doesn't have a meta description box for each page on its own. SEO plugins such as Yoast SEO or Rank Math add one. Set the site title and tagline in Settings, then General.

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


## Step-by-step fix for WooCommerce

1. **Find the issue.** In WordPress, open Marketing, Google for WooCommerce, then Product Feed to see the account status and issues. In Merchant Center, go to Products, then Needs attention, then View setup and policy issues. Note the policy named.
2. **Make your site visible.** In WooCommerce, Settings, Site visibility, make sure the store is Live. Check that security plugins, firewalls and robots.txt allow Googlebot and AdsBot.
3. **Show who you are.** Put your business name, address, phone and email on the Contact page and in the footer. Add the same phone and address in Google for WooCommerce, Settings, Contact information.
4. **Finish every policy.** Edit and publish the Refund and Returns Policy page. Set the privacy page in Settings, Privacy, and the terms page in WooCommerce, Settings, Advanced, Page setup. Replace any sample wording with how you really handle returns, refunds and delivery.
5. **Link the policies in your footer.** Add Refunds, Delivery, Privacy, Terms and Contact to your footer menu (Appearance, Menus) or footer template part (Appearance, Editor).
6. **Check prices, VAT, stock and delivery.** In WooCommerce, Settings, Tax, make sure UK and EU shoppers see VAT-inclusive prices that match checkout. Open a few products and compare the page with Merchant Center. Check your shipping zones match your delivery page.
7. **Remove demo content and claims.** Delete sample products, placeholder text and demo reviews from your theme, and remove claims you can't back up, such as "best in the UK" or health benefits.
8. **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 with Request review on the Product Feed tab or in Merchant Center. The full report gives WooCommerce steps for the issues it finds.


## Your WooCommerce checklist

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

- [ ] Site visibility set to Live, not Coming soon
- [ ] Googlebot and AdsBot not blocked by security plugins, firewalls or robots.txt
- [ ] Business name, address, phone and email on the Contact page and footer
- [ ] Same phone and address in Google for WooCommerce contact information
- [ ] Refund and Returns Policy edited and published
- [ ] Privacy page set in Settings, Privacy
- [ ] Terms page set in WooCommerce, Settings, Advanced, Page setup
- [ ] Delivery page with real costs, times and where you deliver
- [ ] Footer links to every policy and the Contact page
- [ ] Same return window in the FAQ and refund policy
- [ ] Prices include VAT for UK and EU shoppers and match checkout
- [ ] Shipping zones match the delivery page and Merchant Center
- [ ] Theme demo content and sample products removed
- [ ] Barcodes and brands added where products have them

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

- A second set of product markup from an SEO plugin or theme, showing a different price or stock status
- Star ratings a reviews plugin adds to the page code
- Prices that change with VAT settings between the product page, cart and checkout
- Cached pages showing an old price or stock status
- Google's ads crawler (AdsBot) blocked in robots.txt or by a firewall
- Template wording left in the refund policy
- 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
- Missing brand, barcode (GTIN) or part number in your product data


## Common questions

### Does WooCommerce cause Merchant Center suspensions?

No. Google applies the same rules to every store. But some WooCommerce defaults make problems common, such as the refund policy being created as an unfinished draft and the store address not appearing on the site.

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

Either. Google for WooCommerce shows a Request review button on the Product Feed tab when your account has a warning or is suspended, and you can also request it in Merchant Center. Fix everything first: if issues remain, you may have to wait before you can ask again.

### 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 WooCommerce, check how prices are entered and displayed in Settings, Tax.

### Where do I add barcodes in WooCommerce?

Since WooCommerce 9.2, each product has a GTIN, UPC, EAN or ISBN field in its Inventory tab, and Google for WooCommerce can send it to Google. Products without barcodes, such as handmade items, don't need one, but fill in the brand.

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

Usually not. Most fixes are in WooCommerce settings, Pages and your theme. You may need help if a security plugin or server firewall is blocking Google, or if two plugins add conflicting product markup.

## Sources

- [WooCommerce: Google for WooCommerce requirements](https://woocommerce.com/document/google-for-woocommerce/get-started/requirements/)
- [WooCommerce: Refund policy page guidelines](https://woocommerce.com/document/refund-policy-page-guidelines/)
- [WooCommerce: Coming soon mode](https://woocommerce.com/document/coming-soon-mode/)
- [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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Certanza is an independent tool and is not affiliated with Google. Reports are not legal advice and can't guarantee approval.
Site guide for AI assistants: https://www.certanza.app/llms.txt