The Problem: A Real-World Example

Imagine you’re a brand with selling partners throughout various eCommerce platforms. You offer hundreds of products with varying sizes and colors. For this example, let’s focus on a high-end tumbler line. 

You check your Google product listing for a red, 30oz stainless steel tumbler. On the product page, multiple sellers are advertising it around your MAP price of $28. But as you scroll, you notice one seller listing the tumbler for $18. When you click on their listing, you realize they’re actually selling the 16oz version of the tumbler, not the 30oz model! 

So, what’s going on here? Is this a MAP violation, a Google listing error, or a brand management issue? Most importantly, who’s responsible for fixing this, and how? 

This article will answer all those questions and provide strategies to avoid these issues in the future. 

What is a Google Product Listing?

A Google Product Listing allows businesses to showcase their products across Google Shopping, Google Search, and Google Images. We will focus solely on Google Shopping. 

A Google Shopping listing typically includes: 

  • Product Title
  • Product Image
  • Description
  • Price
  • Links to the store(s) selling the product

For brands, a Google Product Listing is like placing products on a virtual shelf where millions of potential customers can see them. Google Shopping’s database includes over 500,000 sellers, so having a correct product listing is paramount to your brand’s success. Businesses can list products for free through Google Merchant Center. After creating an account through Google Merchant Center, sellers must opt-in to use Google’s product features. Brands are responsible for their own products, whether through free or advertised product listings. Google has wonderful resources to walk businesses through any questions that may arise.  

Setting Up a Google Product Feed in Merchant Center

To list products on Google Shopping, brands must set up a product feed in Google Merchant Center. This feed contains essential details like: 

  • Product Title
  • Description
  • Price
  • Availability
  • GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)
  • Product Images
  • Category

Brands can upload this feed manually, connect it to an eCommerce platform, or use an API for automated updates. 

How and Why Google Product Listing Errors Occur

Errors on Google product listings are rare, but they do happen. These issues arise from human error or when automation leaves out key identifiers. Here are some common causes: 

  1. Data Mismatches

When product information on a brand’s website doesn’t match the data submitted to Google Merchant Center, problems arise. 

Example: The brand’s website lists a jacket at $99.99, but the Google feed lists it at $109.99. This inconsistency can lead to listing disapproval, customer confusion, and MAP violations from sellers.

  1. Policy Violations

Google enforces strict shopping policies on product descriptions, pricing transparency, and prohibited content. 

Example: A skincare brand claims its product is “FDA-approved”, but it’s actually just “FDA-compliant”. This misleading claim could result in Google removing the listing. 

  1. Technical Feed Errors

Formatting mistakes, duplicate fields, or missing attributes can cause errors. 

Example: Missing attributes could cause products with variations to be grouped incorrectly in listings. 

  1. Incorrect or Missing GTINs 

Google relies on GTINs to accurately identify products. If a GTIN is incorrect, missing, or duplicated, it can lead to: 

  • The product not appearing in search results.
  • The product grouped incorrectly with competitor listings.
  • Independent sellers creating duplicate listings.
  • Size or color variant listed incorrectly.

Example: If multiple sellers list the same item with different GTINs, Google may treat them as separate products, reducing your brand’s visibility. 

Why Listing Errors Are Problematic

  1. These Listing Errors Are a MAP Violation

Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) is about advertised pricing, not the final selling price. If a mismatched product appears in a Google listing, it means something is being advertised at the wrong price, even if the product itself is different. 

Returning to our 30oz tumbler example, most sellers are listing it at $28. But one seller, mistakenly linking your 16oz tumbler to the same listing, is advertising for $18. This is a problem because: 

  • Automated price scrapers track competitor prices and will likely trigger a price drop on the 30oz tumbler in the listing. 
  • Amazon price matches against Google Shopping, meaning incorrect advertised prices could impact all sales channels. 
  1. This is a Brand Management Issue

Consumers trust product listings when making purchases. If they buy a product based on the wrong description, price, image or listing error, they may: 

  • Leave negative reviews.
  • Initiate returns.
  • Lose trust in the brand.

This image displays two variations of the same lip gloss offered by both grouped and independent sellers. The gloss’s description, size, and color are all the same, but one is an older version with a different GTIN. This highlights how products can be easily overlooked without proper details and follow-ups with selling partners. When sales channels are not aligned on Google listings, MAP violations increase, and brand visibility declines.

How to Fix Incorrect Google Listings (And Prevent Future Errors)

Now that we understand the risks, let’s go over the solutions. 

  1. Use Clear, Accurate Product Titles & Descriptions

Product titles should be detailed and include: 

  • Product Name
  • Size and Color
  • SKU or GTIN
  1. Regularly Audit Product Feeds Sent to Retailers

Routine audits of Google Merchant Center can catch and fix errors before they escalate. 

Try This: Schedule weekly or monthly audits to check for missing GTINs, pricing discrepancies, and policy violations. 

  1. Ensure Data Consistency Across Platforms

Product details should match across your website, Google Shopping, Amazon, and other sales channels. 

Try This: Use a centralized Product Information Management (PIM) system to sync data across platforms. 

  1. Educate and Align Retail Partners

Third-party retailers must use the correct GTINs and follow MAP policies. Providing clear product information reduces listing errors. 

Try This: Set up a retailer compliance program with periodic listing reviews and clear consequences for MAP violations. 

  1. Leverage Google Manufacturer Center

Manufacturers can directly upload product details to Google Manufacturer Center, ensuring consistency across retailers. 

Try This: Set up automatic alerts in Google Manufacturer Center to notify you when issues arise with your product data. 

  1. Stay Up to Date with Google’s Policies

Google’s shopping policies and algorithms change frequently. Staying informed prevents compliance issues. 

Try This: Subscribe to Google’s Merchant Center updates and industry blogs like Search Engine Land.

Stay Proactive to Protect Your Brand

Incorrect product listings aren’t just a minor annoyance-they can violate MAP policies, hurt brand credibility, and erode customer trust. Whether the issue is seller errors, data mismatches, or incorrect GTINs, brands must take action to correct and prevent these mistakes. 

By enforcing MAP compliance, maintaining data accuracy, and monitoring listings regularly, brands can protect their pricing integrity and ensure a seamless customer experience across Google Shopping and beyond.