Product Feed Checker

Errors: Google's spec says the product can be rejected or disapproved

• This doesn't look like a Google product feed. Most of Google's required column names weren't found. This usually means a store export (Shopify, WooCommerce) was uploaded instead of a Merchant Center feed. Fix: Upload the file you submit to Merchant Center, or map your store's columns to Google's names (id, title, description, link, image_link, price, availability, brand).
• A required column is missing from the file. Google requires id, title, description, link, image_link, availability and price for every product. Brand is required for most products. Fix: Add the column and fill it in for every product.
• Required value is empty. This attribute is required. Without it the product can't serve in ads and free listings. Fix: Fill it in for every product.
• ID longer than 50 characters. The ID can be at most 50 characters. Fix: Use the product SKU or another short, unique ID.
• Duplicate product IDs. Every product needs a unique ID. Fix: Give each product its own ID. Variants (sizes, colours) each need their own ID too.
• ID contains invalid characters. Only valid unicode characters may be used in the ID. Fix: Remove control or invisible characters from the ID.
• Title longer than 150 characters. A title can be at most 150 characters. Fix: Shorten the title and put the most important words first.
• Description longer than 5,000 characters. A description can be at most 5,000 characters. Fix: Shorten the description.
• Link doesn't start with http or https. The product link must start with http or https. Fix: Use the full product URL, starting with https://
• Link contains characters that need encoding. Links must be encoded URLs, so spaces and some symbols aren't allowed as they are. Fix: Encode the URL (a space becomes %20) or use the product's real URL.
• Image link doesn't start with http or https. The image link must start with http or https. Fix: Use the full image URL, starting with https://
• Image link contains characters that need encoding. Image links must be encoded URLs. Fix: Encode the URL (a space becomes %20).
• Price isn't in the format Google needs. The price is a number followed by an ISO 4217 currency code, for example 15.00 USD. Fix: Write the price as 1299.00 CZK: number, space, three-letter currency code.
• Price uses a decimal comma or thousands separators. The decimal point must be a period, and the number is plain digits. Fix: Write 1299.50 CZK, not 1 299,50 CZK or 1,299.50 CZK.
• Unknown currency code. The currency must be a valid ISO 4217 code such as CZK, EUR or USD. Fix: Use the three-letter ISO code, in capitals.
• Price is 0. Google's spec says not to submit a price of 0. Fix: Enter the real selling price.
• Sale price isn't in the format Google needs. The sale price follows the same format as price: number plus ISO currency code. Fix: Write it like 999.00 CZK.
• Sale price dates are invalid. The dates use ISO 8601, separated by a slash, and the start must be before the end. Fix: Write it like 2026-11-20T00:00+0100 / 2026-11-30T23:59+0100
• Availability value isn't one Google accepts. Supported values are in_stock, out_of_stock, preorder and backorder. Fix: Use exactly one of the four values, in English.
• Preorder without an availability date. An availability date is required when availability is preorder. Fix: Add availability_date, up to a year in the future.
• Availability date isn't a valid ISO 8601 date. Use the format YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm with an optional time zone. Fix: Write it like 2026-12-01T09:00+0100
• Condition value isn't one Google accepts. Supported values are new, refurbished and used. Fix: Use new, refurbished or used, in English.
• Placeholder instead of a brand. Google's spec says not to submit values such as N/A, Generic, No brand or Does not exist. Fix: Use the real brand. If a product truly has none, leave it empty and set identifier_exists to no.
• Brand longer than 70 characters. The brand can be at most 70 characters. Fix: Use the brand name only.
• GTIN has the wrong number of digits. A GTIN has 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits. ISBN-10 is deprecated and should be converted to ISBN-13. Fix: Check the barcode number. If you aren't sure it is right, leave the GTIN empty.
• GTIN fails its check digit. Google's spec says the check digit must be present and correct. An incorrect GTIN gets the product disapproved. Fix: Copy the number from the packaging or your supplier. If in doubt, leave it empty. Never guess.
• GTIN is in a restricted number range. Google's spec says a GTIN must not be restricted (GS1 prefix ranges 02, 04 and 2). These are for internal store use. Fix: Use the manufacturer's real GTIN, or leave it empty.
• GTIN is a coupon number. Google's spec says a GTIN must not be a coupon (GS1 prefixes 98 and 99). Fix: Use the product's own GTIN, or leave it empty.
• GTIN is a made-up placeholder. Google's spec says never to guess or make up a GTIN. Fix: Remove it. If the product has no GTIN, set identifier_exists to no.
• MPN longer than 70 characters. The MPN can be at most 70 characters. Fix: Use the manufacturer's part number only.
• Google product category isn't a valid format. Use either the numeric category ID or the full category path, but not both. Fix: Use the ID from Google's product taxonomy, for example 1604.
• Gender value isn't one Google accepts. Supported values are male, female and unisex. Fix: Use male, female or unisex.
• Age group value isn't one Google accepts. Supported values are newborn, infant, toddler, kids and adult. Fix: Use one of the five values.
• Colour value Google doesn't accept. Don't use numbers, hex codes, single letters, "see image", or non-colours such as multicolor or N/A. Fix: Use real colour names. Separate several colours with /, for example Red/Pink.

Warnings: breaks guidance, or may limit how a product shows

• File is not UTF-8. Accented characters can turn into garbage if the file isn't saved in a Unicode encoding. Fix: Re-save the file as UTF-8 (in Excel: Save As, CSV UTF-8).
• Column names aren't in Google's format. Google's attribute names are lowercase English with underscores (for example image_link). Fix: Rename the column header exactly as Google names it.
• Links point to more than one website. Product links must use your verified domain name. Fix: Make sure every link uses the domain you verified in Merchant Center.
• Title in all capital letters. Google's spec says not to use all capital letters in titles. Fix: Use normal capitalisation.
• Promotional text in the title. Google's spec says not to include promotional text like "free shipping" in titles. Fix: Describe the product only; keep offers and shipping out of the title.
• Decorative symbols or emoji in the title. Google's spec says not to use gimmicky foreign characters in titles. Fix: Remove symbols such as stars, arrows and emoji.
• Description in all capital letters. Google's spec says not to use all capital letters in descriptions. Fix: Use normal capitalisation.
• Promotional text in the description. Google's spec says not to include promotional text like "free shipping" in descriptions. Fix: Describe the product only.
• HTML code in the description. The description is plain text, so tags like <p> or <br> may show up as text. Fix: Strip the HTML tags and use plain line breaks instead.
• Link to a website in the description. Google's spec says not to include links to your store in the description. Fix: Remove web addresses from the description.
• Link points to a local or test address. Product links must use your verified domain name. Fix: Replace localhost, IP addresses and staging domains with your live store address.
• Image file type Google doesn't list. Accepted formats are JPEG, WebP, PNG, non-animated GIF, BMP and TIFF. Fix: Convert the image to JPEG or PNG.
• Image looks like a placeholder. Google's spec says not to submit a placeholder or generic image. Fix: Use a real photo of the product.
• Image smaller than 500 x 500 pixels. Google announced a minimum of 500 x 500 pixels for all product images, enforced from 31 January 2027. Fix: Upload a larger original image. Don't scale a small one up.
• Image couldn't be loaded. The browser couldn't load this image, so its size couldn't be checked. It may be broken, blocked or not public. Fix: Open the image link in a browser. Google must be able to crawl it.
• Sale price isn't lower than the price. A sale price is meant to be a reduction from the regular price. Fix: Check both prices, or remove the sale price.
• Sale price currency differs from the price. Price and sale price should be in the same currency. Fix: Use the same currency code for both.
• Availability isn't written the way Google lists it. Google lists in_stock, out_of_stock, preorder and backorder (with underscores). Fix: Use the exact spelling with underscores.
• Backorder without an availability date. Google asks for an availability date with preorder and backorder products. Fix: Add availability_date.
• Availability date more than a year away. Google asks for a date up to one year in the future. Fix: Use a date within the next year, or an estimate.
• Expiration date more than 30 days away. The expiration date should be less than 30 days in the future. Fix: Use a nearer date, or remove the attribute.
• GTIN contains spaces or dashes. Google's spec says to exclude dashes and spaces from GTINs. Fix: Remove the spaces and dashes, digits only.
• More than one GTIN in one field. Submit one GTIN per product. For books with both ISBNs, use only the 13-digit one. Fix: Keep a single GTIN.
• No GTIN, or MPN and brand. Products without product identifiers can have limited visibility. If none exist, say so with identifier_exists = no. Fix: Add the GTIN, or the MPN together with the brand, or set identifier_exists to no.
• identifier_exists is no, but identifiers are given. Google's spec says that if a product does have identifiers, don't set identifier_exists to no or it may be disapproved. Fix: Remove identifier_exists, or remove the wrong identifiers.
• identifier_exists value isn't yes or no. Supported values are yes and no. Fix: Use yes or no.
• Colour value too long. A colour can be at most 40 characters, and the field at most 100. Fix: Shorten the colour names.
• Size longer than 100 characters. The size can be at most 100 characters. Fix: Condense the size into one short value.
• item_group_id longer than 50 characters. The item group ID can be at most 50 characters. Fix: Use the parent SKU.
• Same title on several products, no item_group_id. Variants of one product (sizes, colours) should share an item_group_id. It is required for variants in several countries. Fix: Add the same item_group_id to every variant of a product.
• Custom label longer than 100 characters. Custom labels can be at most 100 characters. Fix: Shorten the label.
• Currency doesn't match the country you selected. Google expects prices in the currency of the country you target. Fix: Check the currency, or the country you picked above.

Tips: best practice, not a rule

• Very short title. Best practice, not a rule: short titles give shoppers and Google little to match on. Fix: Include brand, product type and key features such as colour or size.
• Description is the same as the title. Best practice, not a rule: a description should add information the title doesn't have. Fix: Write a description of materials, features and use.