Start With a Format Merchant Center Can Actually Use
Google Merchant Center supports file-based product data in tab-delimited text (.txt or .tsv) and XML (.xml) formats. Google Sheets is another supported method for managing product data. A comma-separated CSV can be useful while editing or auditing a feed, but do not assume that an ordinary .csv file is the correct direct-upload format. Export or convert the final data source into a format supported by your chosen Merchant Center submission method.
For a text file, put attribute names in the first row and the corresponding product values in the rows below. Use Google’s recognized field names, such as image_link and availability, rather than descriptive labels invented for a spreadsheet dashboard. Inspect separators, quotation marks, embedded line breaks, character encoding, and empty columns before troubleshooting individual products.
Which Product Attributes Deserve a First-Pass Check?
Some attributes are fundamental to a product listing; others become required for particular products, countries, or destinations. Use this table as a practical audit guide, not a universal substitute for Google’s current product data specification.
Additional attributes can be mandatory depending on the listing. For example, certain apparel variants require details such as size and color, while a product offered as a preorder may need an availability date. The newest Google specification should decide whether a missing field is an error or only a recommendation.
A Two-Row Example With Several Hidden Feed Errors
Consider this simplified, illustrative tab-delimited extract. The example is deliberately invalid; it is not an output from or a test of the tool on this page.
id title price availability link image_link
MUG-001 Stoneware Mug 18.50 USD in_stock https://example.com/mug https://example.com/mug.jpg
MUG-001 Blue Stoneware Mug 18.50 available https://example.com/blue-mug https://example.com/blue-mug.jpg
The second row repeats MUG-001, omits the currency from its price, and uses available instead of an accepted availability value. Both rows also lack a description. The corrections are separate: assign each sellable item an appropriate stable ID, supply the full price format such as 18.50 USD, change the stock value to in_stock if accurate, and provide suitable descriptions. Do not manufacture product facts merely to make a check pass.
Validate Price and Availability Against the Live Store
A price can have correct syntax and still be wrong. Merchant Center compares submitted product information with the linked landing page and, where applicable, checkout details and structured data. Check the regular price, any sale_price, the displayed currency, and whether the item is genuinely available to purchase.
For instance, a feed saying 59.00 USD while the product page shows 49.00 USD can lead to a mismatch. The fix is not to change whichever number is easier: find which value reflects the actual offer, synchronize the source data, and resubmit or refresh it. The Product Feed vs Website Price Checker is a relevant next step for investigating this class of issue.
Product Identifiers Need More Than a Filled Cell
A GTIN identifies a particular trade item, and a valid GTIN uses an appropriate length and check digit. Simply typing a plausible-looking number is not enough. Use the manufacturer-assigned identifier where one exists. If a product has no manufacturer-assigned identifiers, review Google’s conditional rules for identifier_exists instead of inserting invented GTINs or MPNs.
For variants, each separately sellable item should have its own id. Products that belong to the same variation family may share an item_group_id and use differentiating attributes such as color or size. Mixing unique item IDs with group IDs can confuse product data and make variant troubleshooting more difficult. Check questionable barcodes with the GTIN and Barcode Number Validator.
Fix the Source, Not Just the Export
When a validator points to a missing or invalid field, work backward to the source system. In WooCommerce or Shopify, the feed may be generated by an app that maps store fields into Merchant Center attributes. Editing one downloaded file will not solve the problem if the next scheduled export recreates the same error.
- Identify the affected product ID and attribute.
- Check the original catalog entry, feed mapping, and override rules.
- Correct the authoritative product record or transformation rule.
- Regenerate the feed and review a fresh sample.
- Submit the revised source using the configured Merchant Center method.
- Review Google Merchant Center’s latest data-source processing results and product issues.
This workflow is especially important for recurring problems such as stale prices, missing product images, inconsistent availability, or duplicated item identifiers.
Diagnose Errors Without Treating Every Warning as a Rejection
Prioritize errors that block processing or affect many products, then address item-level problems and quality recommendations. Google’s own Merchant Center product diagnostics remain authoritative for approvals, disapprovals, warnings, and destination-specific eligibility.
Check Image Requirements and Changes in Advance
Feed image URLs should point to the correct product, load reliably, and be accessible to Google. A syntactically valid image URL cannot confirm that the image depicts the actual item, is sufficiently clear, or satisfies the current image specification.
Google has announced a minimum 500 × 500 pixel image requirement beginning January 31, 2027. Because image rules can change, check the current Merchant Center specification before updating large catalogs. The Product Feed Image Checker can support a separate image-focused review, subject to its verified capabilities.
Does a Valid Feed Guarantee Shopping Approval?
No. A pre-submission validation can identify detectable formatting and attribute issues, but it does not replace Google’s examination of products, landing pages, shipping or tax setup, account verification, and applicable policies. An accepted file might still contain items that are restricted, disapproved, or eligible only for some destinations.
Merchant Center’s data-source processing report primarily identifies basic file and parsing issues. For item-level eligibility problems, review the affected products in the Merchant Center Needs attention area. Recheck the feed after every meaningful product-catalog update, and pay special attention after changing your ecommerce platform, feed plugin, currency settings, or product variants.
