1.7 Money-Back Guarantees, Delivery Claims and Trust Points
Refund promises
A money-back guarantee can build trust.
However, the promise on the product page must match your return and refund policy.
If you advertise a 30-day guarantee, explain:
- When the 30 days begin
- Which products qualify
- Whether used products qualify
- Who pays return shipping
- How customers request a refund
- Any fair exclusions
Google requires return and refund information to be clear and easy to find.
Free shipping claims
“Free shipping” should mean the customer can receive free shipping under the stated conditions.
Show any:
- Minimum order value
- Eligible country
- Eligible delivery method
- Product exclusions
- Coupon requirement
Do not advertise free shipping and then add an unexplained delivery charge.
Google has separate requirements for shipping promotions submitted through Merchant Center. For example, some shipping promotions require a valid redemption code.
In-stock statements
Only call an item in stock when you are accepting orders and can fulfil them within the delivery expectations you show.
The website and feed should agree.
Google requires the availability value in your product data to match the website.
Secure payment messages
You may explain the payment methods and security measures you actually use.
Do not display security logos, certificates, or payment partnerships that do not apply to your store.
Avoid broad claims such as “100% risk free” unless you can clearly explain and support them.
The Merchant Center trust signals guide gives you a wider list of website trust checks.
Visual recommendation: Product page audit showing the price, stock, delivery claim, guarantee, reviews, and policy links.
Alt text: Google Merchant Center product page conversion audit.
1.8 Customer Reviews and Social Proof
Real reviews
Use reviews written by real customers or collected through a legitimate review process.
Keep the original rating and meaning.
Do not change a negative review into a positive one.
Do not create reviews for products that have never been purchased or tested by the reviewer.
Third-party review platforms
Third-party review platforms are allowed as a source of store and product feedback when their use is accurate.
Google currently lists Trustpilot as a supported review partner. It also lists Trustpilot as an eligible Product Ratings aggregator, subject to its integration and account requirements.
Using Trustpilot does not mean every review will appear on Google.
Google applies its own program, matching, quality, and display requirements.
Review verification
Create a basic verification record.
Track:
- Review ID
- Review date
- Product
- Order or customer record
- Collection platform
- Whether an incentive was offered
- Whether the review was edited
- Whether the reviewer disclosed a relevant relationship
Google recommends complete and accurate review data. It supports direct review data uploads and approved third-party aggregators.
Fake and copied reviews
- Do not buy reviews.
- Do not write reviews for your own store while pretending to be a customer.
- Do not copy reviews from another product or website.
- Do not use generated reviews as real customer experiences.
In the United States, the FTC’s Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule addresses fake and deceptive reviews and allows penalties for knowing violations.
Needs verification: A photo does not prove that a review is genuine. Do not treat photo reviews as automatically safer.
Visual recommendation: Review verification worksheet.
Alt text: Merchant Center customer review verification worksheet.
1.9 Limited Stock and Product Availability Messages
Low-stock claims
A low-stock message should be based on current inventory or a clear fulfilment limit.
Examples of supportable claims include:
- “Three available in size M”
- “Five units ready to ship”
- “Preorder closes on August 5”
Avoid broad claims such as “almost gone” when you have no data behind them.
Product variant availability
Check availability at variant level.
A product may have ten blue units but no black units.
If the customer selects black, the page and feed should show the correct availability for black.
Google states that variant availability in the product data should match the same variant on the landing page.
Feed consistency
Use the correct availability value:
- In stock: You accept orders and can fulfil them
- Out of stock: The item cannot be purchased
- Preorder: You accept orders before release and show the availability date
- Backorder: You accept orders and show when the item will ship
A mismatch can cause product disapproval.
Google may also use landing page data for automatic price and availability updates, but you still need to maintain accurate product data.
Visual recommendation: Feed and website availability comparison for each variant.
Alt text: Google Merchant Center feed and website availability comparison.
Continue-selling settings
Some store platforms let customers keep ordering after inventory reaches zero.
Review this setting for every product.
Do not assume “zero stock” always means “out of stock.” The correct status depends on whether you accept the order and can fulfil it.
Also, do not claim that Google can see every private setting inside your store platform.
What matters is that your product data, landing page, checkout, and real fulfilment position stay consistent.
The product page unavailable guide covers related product page problems.
1.10 Fake Scarcity and Countdown Timers
Genuine timers
A genuine timer is tied to a real event.
For example:
- A promotion ends at midnight
- Same-day dispatch closes at 3:00 PM
- A preorder window closes on a fixed date
- Registration for an offer has a real deadline
When the timer reaches zero, the message or offer should change.
Resetting timers
A resetting timer gives each visitor a new deadline.
For example, every new visitor sees “15 minutes left,” even though the offer continues all day.
Red-risk element: A timer that resets or creates a deadline that is not real.
The European Commission identifies fake countdown timers as a form of deceptive online design. A 2026 EU consumer protection check also found misleading pressure-selling claims involving false scarcity and countdown timers.
Google does not publish a rule saying every countdown timer causes a Merchant Center suspension. The risk comes from the false or unavailable claim behind the timer.
Selling-fast messages
“Selling fast” is a checkable claim.
Use it only when you have current data that supports it.
Safer alternatives include:
- “Popular this week”
- “Limited batch”
- “Restock expected in August”
- “Four units available in this size”
Only use these alternatives when they are also true.
False urgency
Ask one question:
Would the customer make the same decision if they knew how the message really worked?
If the answer is no, remove or rewrite the message.
IF the offer truly ends, THEN show the real end time.
IF the timer resets, THEN remove it.
IF stock changes by variant, THEN show variant-level stock.
IF you cannot prove “selling fast,” THEN use neutral wording.
Visual recommendation: Genuine fixed timer versus a timer that resets for each visitor.
Alt text: Genuine versus resetting Merchant Center countdown timer.
1.11 Closure Sales and Permanent Clearance Claims
Genuine closure sales
Use “closing down,” “going out of business,” or similar wording only when the business or location is genuinely closing.
In the United States, the FTC states that it is deceptive to advertise a going-out-of-business sale when the store is not going out of business.
Local registration, licensing, timing, or stock rules may also apply.
Permanent closing claims
A store should not run a permanent closing sale while it continues normal trading and adds new stock.
This creates a false reason for urgency.
Changing the design or resetting the sale dates does not fix the underlying claim.
Clearance inventory
You may use “clearance” when you are clearing specific stock.
Be clear about:
- Which products are included
- Whether stock is limited
- Whether products will return
- The real price reduction
- The return terms
Do not make the whole store look as if it is closing when you are only clearing one collection.
Ending the promotion
When the closure or clearance event ends:
- Remove the banners.
- Remove timers.
- Update product prices.
- Update Merchant Center promotions.
- Remove expired coupon codes.
- Save a final screenshot of the completed promotion.
- Check the store in a private browser window.
A promotion is not complete until all customer-facing messages have been updated.
1.12 What to Do If Your Merchant Center Is Already Suspended
Stop random changes
Do not change one banner, request a review, and hope for approval.
In our work, we often see store owners make many small changes without knowing which issue they are fixing.
This creates more stress. It also makes the appeal harder to explain.
Pause and create one audit plan.
Audit the full store
Use this order:
- Audit every sale and promotional claim.
- Verify every customer review.
- Compare feed and website prices.
- Compare product availability.
- Remove false scarcity.
- Remove resetting timers.
- Disclose extra checkout charges.
- Check policy and contact pages.
- Save screenshots of every fix.
- Request a review after the full audit.
Google recommends a comprehensive audit before requesting a review for misrepresentation or account suspension. Its current guidance calls out website transparency, matching business data, and matching product prices and availability.
Use the complete Merchant Center misrepresentation checklist for the wider suspension-fixing process.
Troubleshooting and decision rules
| Situation | Action |
|---|
| Feed price differs from checkout | Correct the source and refresh the product data |
| One variant is unavailable | Update that variant, not only the parent product |
| Sale has ended | Remove the offer from the page, feed, and promotion data |
| Review cannot be traced | Remove it until it can be verified |
| Timer resets | Remove the timer |
| Fee appears late | Disclose it earlier and check local pricing rules |
| Policy page conflicts with product promise | Make the promise and policy consistent |
| You are unsure whether the audit is complete | Do not request the review yet |
Record completed fixes
Create a simple evidence log.
| Area | Problem found | Fix completed | Date | Evidence |
|---|
| Pricing | Feed and page mismatch | Feed refreshed | 20 July | Screenshot |
| Reviews | Imported review had no record | Review removed | 20 July | Review export |
| Timer | Reset on page reload | Timer removed | 20 July | Screen recording |
| Shipping | Fee shown only at checkout | Fee disclosed on product page | 20 July | Page screenshot |
Do not claim that a screenshot proves full policy compliance.
It helps you show what changed.
Visual recommendation: Pre-suspension checklist and completed-fix evidence log.
Alt text: Google Merchant Center pre-suspension audit checklist.
Request another review
Request a review only after:
- The website audit is complete
- Product data has refreshed
- Important claims are corrected
- Policies match the store
- Contact and business details match
- You have tested checkout
- You can explain what you changed
Google tells merchants to update the website and product data before requesting a review. It also warns that failed bulk appeals may limit later appeal options for affected products.
No checklist can guarantee approval. Google makes the review decision.
Need a clear audit process?
Merchant Center Unblock Framework
It gives suspended store owners a structured process for checking their website, product data, and appeal preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are countdown timers allowed in Google Merchant Center?
A genuine countdown timer may be used when it reflects a real deadline and the offer changes when the timer ends.
Do not use a timer that resets for each visitor or creates a false deadline.
Google does not publish a rule saying all timers are banned. However, false urgency may contribute to a misleading customer experience. EU consumer guidance specifically identifies fake countdown timers as deceptive design.
Can I offer products at 50% off?
Yes, when the discount is real.
Google does not publish a 50% suspension threshold in the Merchant Center documents reviewed for this article.
The original price must be genuine. The sale price must match the feed, page, and checkout. You must also follow regional reference-price laws.
Are bundle discounts allowed?
Bundle and quantity discounts can be used when customers can understand and redeem the offer.
Show the required quantity, eligible products, discount, and checkout method.
Google’s Promotions policies include support for certain combined promotions when they provide real added value and appear correctly at checkout.
Can I add shipping protection at checkout?
You may reduce risk by making shipping protection optional, clearly priced, and supported by clear terms.
Do not claim that Google always allows shipping protection.
Google’s published misrepresentation policy focuses on disclosing the full expense and avoiding hidden payment obligations. Local consent and consumer rules may also apply.
Are Trustpilot reviews allowed?
Genuine Trustpilot reviews may be displayed on your website.
Google currently includes Trustpilot in its supported review partner and Product Ratings aggregator information. Integration and eligibility requirements still apply.
Do not copy, invent, or edit reviews in a way that changes their meaning.
Can low-stock messages cause a suspension?
A truthful low-stock message is not automatically a suspension problem.
The risk rises when the message is false or conflicts with real availability.
Match stock claims at variant level. Also make sure your product data uses the correct availability value.
Are closure sales allowed?
A closure sale may be used when the business or location is genuinely closing and the claim follows local law.
Do not run a permanent closing sale when the store is not closing.
Use “clearance” when you are only clearing selected stock.
How can I prevent a misrepresentation suspension?
You cannot guarantee prevention.
You can reduce avoidable risk by keeping business information clear, matching product data with the website, removing false claims, showing full costs, using real reviews, maintaining accurate availability, and auditing the full checkout path.
